In today’s “Daily Variety” podcast episode, Variety’s Michael Schneider offers insights into the conclusion of upfronts week, spotlighting major players like Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix, and YouTube. Meanwhile, Variety music chief Jem Aswad delves into the musical elements of “Heated Rivalry” during a discussion with showrunner Jacob Tierney, composer Peter Peter, and music supervisor Scotty Taylor. This session was recorded on May 7 at Toronto’s Departure Festival, aimed at music creatives.
Listen to the full episode here:
The upfronts, a springtime tradition, have evolved significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for the major platforms. Variety has extensively covered this week’s events, noting that sports, streaming, and technological advancements were the central themes. Industry leaders are emphasizing these areas as essential for modernizing the traditional TV business, which relies on advertising and subscription models.
This year’s Warner Bros. Discovery event, held on May 13 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, highlighted the impact of industry consolidation. The presentation began with a tribute to Ted Turner, the late Turner Broadcasting pioneer who founded CNN, setting a somber mood. However, Schneider observed that major players relied heavily on star power to captivate Madison Avenue.
“Amazon’s presentation featured a lineup of A-listers, including Oprah [Winfrey]. They invested in a performance by Kacey Musgraves to open the show, with Arnold Schwarzenegger making an appearance. Shaboozey performed at their after-party. Disney also made a splash, ending their presentation with Olivia Rodrigo performing three songs,” states Schneider, who serves as Variety‘s executive editor of TV. “Netflix had a star-studded lineup as well, kicking off with [Jennifer Lopez] and Brett Goldstein.”
In the “Heated Rivalry” discussion, composer Peter Peter discusses the diverse influences on his score, ranging from techno music to Handel. A Montreal-based singer-songwriter, Peter carefully crafted the sound design for the romance between Shane and Ilya.
“I wanted to create something noble for them because, when I read the script, it felt like a quest for love. I aimed for something noble,” Peter explains. “The world of ‘Heated Rivalry’ connects to the Renaissance profoundly, so I sought an elegant theme for the two souls.”
(Pictured top: Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein at Netflix’s May 13 upfront presentation in New York)
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