The Music of Resident Evil with Hays and Ryan Holladay

Composers Ryan Holladay and his collaborator detail their creative partnership with director Zach Cregger, focusing on their scoring process for films like *Weapons* and *Resident Evil*. Their approach prioritizes Cregger’s singular vision over traditional genre tropes, utilizing a minimalist, "Spartan" aesthetic that emphasizes storytelling efficiency. By leveraging their history as bandmates, they maintain a shorthand communication style that facilitates rapid experimentation and iteration within Ableton Live. Effective horror scores function as the "straight man," providing a rhythmic pulse that grounds the film's intense, chaotic set pieces. Rather than relying on established franchise IP, the composers focus on creating original, immersive soundscapes that mirror the experience of gameplay, ultimately aiming to serve the film’s narrative tension rather than drawing unnecessary attention to the music itself.