Elmer Bernstein

“The function of music in a film is to either underline or foreshadow.”

“Film music is a strange art form. It's not concert music. It's not pop music. It's a special kind of music that's designed to work with a picture.”

“A director can't tell you how to score a film. He can only tell you what he's trying to achieve.”

“I've always been interested in the way that music can comment on the action, not just accompany it.”

“You have to have a feeling for the story. You have to be a storyteller yourself.”

“Jazz is the voice of the city.”

“The hardest part of the score is the first note.”

“Creativity is not a light switch. You can't just turn it on and off.”

“Music is the literal translation of the human spirit.”

“Every film has its own musical language.”

“The most important thing a composer can do is to be a good listener.”

“My job is to find the soul of the film.”

“A good score can't save a bad film, but a bad score can kill a good film.”