The chilling atmosphere of True Detective: Night Country isn’t just about its dark setting and intriguing characters – the music plays an equally important role. Composer Vince Pope and Emmy-winning Music Supervisor Susan Jacobs take you on a journey through their unique collaboration for this latest chapter in the iconic series.
Following in the footsteps of legend T Bone Burnett, Pope emphasized a low-key score that makes the cold and isolation of Alaska almost tangible. With special instruments like the Fujara – a Slovakian flute with a mysterious, resonant sound – and the raw voice of Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq, the music balances tension, mysticism and the powerful female energy that drives the story.
In this panel, you’ll get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look: How did Pope find his voice within the True Detective legacy? What were the biggest challenges and creative breakthroughs? How do Pope and Jacobs work with the director to capture the perfect atmosphere? Dive into the creative process and discover why this soundtrack is so much more than background music.
Vince Pope
Composer, Beetroot Ltd, UKVince Pope is an award-winning film composer and recording artist. He scored the fourth series of True Detective: Night Country (HBO), starring Jodie Foster, which was nominated for a Royal Television Society award. Other recent credits include Mr Bates vs. The Post Office (ITV), Wolfe (Sky), Riches (ITV/Prime Video), Black Mirror (Netflix/Channel 4), the Aisling Bea and Sharon Horgan comedy drama This Way Up, and Screw (Channel 4).
He scored the multi-award winning Wallander starring Kenneth Branagh and his music for Misfits (Clerkenwell Films for C4) earned him a BAFTA nomination and an RTS Award for Best Original Score. As a recording artist, Vince has released 3 albums and 3 Eps.
Susan Jacobs
Music Supervisor, SueperVision LLC, USA trailblazer in the field of Music Supervision, Susan Jacobs made history in 2017 by winning the first ever Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Supervision for her exceptional work on the HBO drama series Big Little Lies. With an illustrious career spanning over two decades, Sue has redefined the art of music supervision. Her impressive credits include films like: Nyad, No Hard Feelings, Diving Bell and The Butterfly, Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, Cruella, I,Tonya, King Richard, Split, and Promising Young Woman. Sue’s work in television is equally as impressive with series like True Detective: Night Country, The Jinx: Life And Deaths of Robert Durst, and The Crowded Room.
Tessa Rose Jackson
Artist / Composer, NLTessa Rose Jackson is a songwriter and composer based in London and Amsterdam. She has released 4 albums and 3 EPs to date, and has created scores for numerous films, TV-series and videogames. She draws inspiration from a sprawling well; from intimate folk to the psychedelic and supernatural. Her favourite stories and sounds are those that transcend reality, blurring the line between reality and dream. Most recently, she worked as one of the composers and soundtrack artists on the Feel For Music team for the highly anticipated video game Life Is Strange: Double Exposure. Currently, Jackson is working on two feature films while gearing up to releasing her 5th studio album.