Finding Nemo (soundtrack) explained

Finding Nemo (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2003 Disney/Pixar film of the same name. Featuring original score composed by Thomas Newman, the cousin of Randy Newman, who had collaborated with Pixar productions since Toy Story (1995), A Bug's Life (1998), Toy Story 2 (1999) and Monsters, Inc. (2001). The album consisted 39 instrumental tracks from Thomas' score and a cover of Bobby Darin's 1959 single "Beyond The Sea" (which is also a cover of the 1945 single "La Mer" by Charles Trenet) performed by Robbie Williams, released by Walt Disney Records on May 20, 2003.

Background

Finding Nemo was the first Pixar film not to be scored by Randy Newman. Instead, his cousin Thomas was recruited to score the film, for whom it marked his first score for an animated film. Stanton mainlined Thomas' scores for the dramatic films The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Meet Joe Black and The Horse Whisperer (1998) while writing the script, up to the point where he felt like the composer was an essential character in the film and his music helped him set the script's tone. Newman said that "In animation, action is changing so quickly that there’s really not a lot of suspended moments. In live action, sometimes a mood or a feeling can go on for quite a while. Animation is a lot more effort. There are a lot more notes."^{[1] [2]}

In contrast the exuberant music composed by Randy for Toy Story and Monsters, Inc., Newman had a "more fluid and emotionally atmospheric" which suited the tone of the film. Another approach for the film's music is instead of having metal sounds and colors to give a kind of watery feeling which was onomatopoetic, he approached for a low hum of ocean and watery sound, which was enough to imply water as opposed to restating it over and over again.

Reception

Filmtracks.com wrote "the phenomenal diversity of Tom [Thomas] Newman's selection of dozens upon dozens of specialty instruments and electronic sounds, as well as those rumbling pianos and choppy strings, is what floats his music for Finding Nemo. As unlikely as his involvement with the project may have initially seemed, he made it work, and even if it didn't resemble any other Disney score in history, you can't help but applaud the risk that was taken, as well as Tom Newman's answer to the challenge."^[3] Noah Marconi of Soundtrack World wrote "Despite minimal melodic material, Newman binds the score with his characteristic orchestration, string gestures and harmonies."^[4] James Southall of Movie Wave called it as "easily the best score of the year".^[5]

Music critic Jonathan Broxton commented that the score Finding Nemo as an "amalgam of best Thomas Newman scores ever heard" but criticised the "lack of thematic material".^[6] Music critic Alex Burns wrote "Thomas Newman’s score throughout Finding Nemo is really effective with some exciting twists and turns".^[7] Reviewing the main title "Nemo Egg", he called "serves its purpose of setting the scene of the film, with Newman’s colourful scoring shining through. A calm and peaceful opening before the chaos begins." Heather Phares of AllMusic wrote "From dreamy to scary to silly, each of Newman's 39 cues for Finding Nemo is a wonderfully intricate, miniature composition. While this score may not be quite as dazzling as his work on scores like American Beauty, this is still a thoughtful and rewarding collection of music that is absolutely perfect for the film it supports."^[8]

Ranking it as one of Newman's best soundtracks, Natasha McMeekin of Collider commented that the score "not only embodies the movie's characters and their subsequent emotions, but the sea itself — calm, beautiful, soothing, but at the same time, harsh, unforgiving, and unpredictable."^[9] It was also ranked fifth on the "Best Pixar Scores" by Maria M. on MovieWeb who further commented "The depth of the score showcases Newman's attention to detail and ability to compose pieces that add another layer to the story."^[10]

Accolades

Awards[11]
Year	Association	Award Category	Recipient (if any)	Result
2004	Academy Awards[12] [13] [14]	Best Original Score	Thomas Newman
	Annie Awards[15]	Outstanding Music in an Animated Feature Production		rowspan="3"
	BMI Film & TV Awards[16]	BMI Film Music Award
	Motion Picture Sound Editors[17] [18]	Best Sound Editing in Animated Feature – Music	Bill Bernstein
	Satellite Awards[19]	Best Original Score	Thomas Newman	rowspan="2"
	Saturn Awards[20] [21]	Best Music

Personnel

Credits adapted from CD liner notes.^[22]

• Original score composed and conducted by Thomas Newman
• Produced by Bill Bernstein and Thomas Newman
• Recorded by Tommy Vicari and Dennis Sands at The Village and Signet Recording Studios
• Orchestra recorded by Armin Steiner at the Sony Scoring Stage
• Orchestrated by Thomas Pasatieri
• Concertmaster: Sid Page
• Orchestra contractor: Leslie Morris
• Assistant engineer: Okhee Kim and Tom Hardisty
• Mixed by: Tommy Vicari
• Mastered by: Joe Gastwirt
• Music editor: Bill Bernstein
• Assistant music editor: Michael Zainer
• Technician: Jesse Voccia
• Music supervisor: Tom MacDougall
• Music co-ordinator: Deniece LaRocca-Hall
• Music preparation: Julian Bratolyubov
• Music production assistants: Jill Iverson and Joel Berke
• Production manager: Andrew Page
• Executive producer: Chris Montan
• Art direction: Luis M. Fernández
• Design: Marcella Wong and Tiffany Quon
• Liner notes: Andrew Stanton

Instruments

• Brass and clarinet: Steve Tavaglione
• Electric piano and organ: John Beasley
• Flute: Steve Kujala
• Processed flute and clarinet: George Budd
• French horn: Brian O'Connor, Daniel P. Kelley, David Duke, Joe Meyer, John A. Reynolds, Kurt Snyder, Mark Adams, Phil Yao, Steve Becknell and Todd Miller
• Lap steel guitar: Chas Smith
• Piano: Thomas Newman and John Beasley
• Synthesiser: Rick Cox
• Percussion: Michael Fisher and Peter Engelhart
• Trombone: Booth, Bill Reichenbach, Bruce Otto, Charles Loper, George Thatcher, Phil Teele and Steven Holtman
• Trumpet: Chris Tedesco, Dan Savant, Gary Grant, Jeff Bunnell, Jon Lewis, Malcolm McNab, Rick Baptist and Wayne Bergeron
• Tuba: Jim Self
• Ukulele Banjo, bajo sexto, lyre, dulcimer and electric guitar: George Doering

Notes and References

1. Web site: Greiving . Tim . June 17, 2016 . Composer Thomas Newman heads back under the sea to score 'Finding Dory' . https://web.archive.org/web/20160622001653/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-thomas-newman-finding-dory-20160603-snap-story.html . June 22, 2016 . May 20, 2023 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
2. Web site: Greiving . Tim . June 15, 2022 . The Ever-Changing Process Behind Pixar's Greatest Soundtracks and Scores . https://web.archive.org/web/20220626175650/https://www.theringer.com/movies/2022/6/15/23168388/pixar-music-soundtracks-randy-newman-michael-giacchino . June 26, 2022 . May 20, 2023 . The Ringer . en.
3. Web site: Review: Finding Nemo (Thomas Newman) . https://web.archive.org/web/20060102005833/https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/finding_nemo.html . January 2, 2006 . May 20, 2023 . Filmtracks.com.
4. Web site: Marconi . Noah . 2020-05-20 . Finding Nemo – Thomas Newman . https://web.archive.org/web/20210207000232/https://soundtrackworld.com/2020/05/finding-nemo-thomas-newman/ . 2021-02-07 . 2023-05-20 . Soundtrack World . en-US.
5. Web site: Southall . James . 2004-03-17 . Finding Nemo soundtrack review . https://web.archive.org/web/20160805022911/http://www.movie-wave.net/finding-nemo/ . 2016-08-05 . 2023-05-20 . Movie Wave . en-GB.
6. Web site: 2003-05-31 . Finding Nemo – Thomas Newman . https://web.archive.org/web/20160613122813/https://moviemusicuk.us/2003/05/30/finding-nemo-thomas-newman/ . 2016-06-13 . 2023-05-20 . Movie Music UK . en.
7. Web site: Burns . Alex . 2020-05-30 . Thomas Newman 'Nemo Egg': Lost and Found . https://web.archive.org/web/20200612104316/https://classicalexburns.com/2020/05/30/thomas-newman-nemo-egg-lost-and-found/ . 2020-06-12 . 2023-05-20 . Classicalexburns . en-GB.
8. Web site: Phares . Heather . Review: Finding Nemo [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] ]. https://web.archive.org/web/20220316204654/https://www.allmusic.com/album/finding-nemo-original-motion-picture-soundtrack--mw0000027670 . March 16, 2022 . May 20, 2023 . AllMusic . Rovi Corporation.
9. Web site: McMeekin . Natasha . 2022-05-09 . 9 Best Thomas Newman Movie Soundtracks, From 'Finding Nemo' to 'American Beauty' . https://web.archive.org/web/20220831091428/https://collider.com/best-thomas-newman-movie-soundtracks/2 . 2022-08-31 . 2023-05-20 . Collider . en.
10. Web site: 2022-05-16 . Best Musical Scores From Pixar Movies, Ranked . https://web.archive.org/web/20230520130449/https://movieweb.com/pixar-scores-ranked/ . 2023-05-20 . 2023-05-20 . MovieWeb . en.
11. News: 2011 . Finding Nemo (2003) Awards . . Movies & TV Dept. . dead . March 7, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110511165424/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/278866/Finding-Nemo/awards . May 11, 2011.
12. News: The 76th Academy Awards (2004) Nominees and Winners . . AMPAS . live . November 20, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141109220942/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2004 . November 9, 2014.
13. Susman . Gary . January 27, 2004 . Three-'Ring' Circus . Entertainment Weekly . Time Warner . dead . July 8, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214300/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C574422%2C00.html . October 4, 2013.
14. News: Fernandez . Maria Elena . Greg Braxton . January 28, 2004 . Dawn's early rite . Los Angeles Times . live . July 19, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215520/http://articles.latimes.com/2004/jan/28/entertainment/et-fernandez28 . October 4, 2013.
15. Web site: 31st Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (2003) . dead . https://archive.today/20120707073755/http://annieawards.org/31stwinners.html . July 7, 2012 . January 28, 2009 . The Annie Awards . The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood.
16. Web site: 2003-05-14 . 2003 BMI Film/TV Awards: Song List . https://web.archive.org/web/20131213034438/https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/2003_bmi_film_tv_awards_song_list . 2013-12-13 . 2023-05-20 . BMI.com . en.
17. 'Gangs,' 'Perdition' top Golden Reel nods . . https://web.archive.org/web/20151016201702/https://variety.com/2003/film/awards/gangs-perdition-top-golden-reel-nods-1117880217/ . October 16, 2015 . June 27, 2019.
18. Web site: Disney Feature Animation And SpongeBob Squarepants Earn Double Gold . https://web.archive.org/web/20190628021233/https://www.awn.com/news/disney-feature-animation-and-spongebob-squarepants-earn-double-gold . June 28, 2019 . June 27, 2019 . Animation World Network.
19. Web site: 2004 8th Annual SATELLITE Awards . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718092645/http://www.pressacademy.com/satawards/awards2004.shtml . July 18, 2011 . February 1, 2009 . The SATELLITE Awards . The International Press Academy.
20. Web site: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" leads the nominations for the 30th Annual Saturn Awards . https://web.archive.org/web/20041017082358/https://www.saturnawards.org/ . October 17, 2004 . October 30, 2022 . Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films.
21. Web site: Morfoot . Addie . February 17, 2004 . Saturns' rings around 'King' with 13 noms . https://web.archive.org/web/20220130060604/https://variety.com/2004/film/awards/saturns-rings-around-king-with-13-noms-1117900266/ . January 30, 2022 . February 17, 2004 . Variety.
22. Web site: Credits Finding Nemo [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] ]. https://web.archive.org/web/20230404122324/https://www.allmusic.com/album/finding-nemo-original-motion-picture-soundtrack--mw0000027670/credits . April 4, 2023 . May 20, 2023 . AllMusic . Rovi Corporation.