Meet Taran Mitchell | Composer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Taran Mitchell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Taran, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born in Derry, Ireland, but my childhood was far from normal. With my parents working in the film industry, we were always relocating as they took on various projects. By the time I was twelve, I had attended schools in London, South Africa, Canada, and Ireland, giving me quite literally the most confused accent you’ve ever heard.

Growing up, I spent a lot of time on film sets, which gave me a unique look into the film world from a very young age. I was fascinated by it all, and this experience had a huge influence on my decision to pursue a career in the film and music industry.

Constantly moving and changing schools meant I had to make new friends with every move. While it wasn’t always easy, it made me a real people person. I love connecting with others, and this skill has been invaluable in my career, especially when it comes to building relationships with filmmakers, directors, and producers.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve wanted to be a composer for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is falling asleep to the American Beauty soundtrack, which my parents used to play for me on a cassette tape.

My mum put me in piano lessons when I was five, and my dad bought me my first keyboard when I was twelve. Around that time, I discovered GarageBand. I took a masterclass at our local Apple store in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and became completely obsessed. Being able to change the sound of my keyboard to any instrument I could think of was pure magic, and that was really the start of my musical journey.

Music theory was something I struggled with growing up. I always got frustrated with it and never really connected what was on paper to the music in my head. My school music teachers insisted that theory was essential, and because of this, I didn’t think composing was a viable career path for me. I ended up going to film school instead, which ironically led me straight back to music… I was scoring everyone’s films in no time.

No one ever taught me how to write music, I’ve mostly figured things out on my own (or from YouTube). In a way, I think this has really helped me develop my own style. I don’t approach music in a traditional way. Working with Lorne Balfe has also contributed massively to this. Lorne is known for his unconventional musical style, and this has helped me embrace looking at music differently. “Different” doesn’t mean bad, different is good, different is unique. You don’t want to be doing what everyone else is doing.

I’m really proud of my work over the last couple of years. Since moving to LA in 2021 and working with Lorne, I’ve had the privilege of contributing music to films like Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, TV series like Life On Our Planet, and this year, I even scored my first Netflix series, Alexander: The Making of a God.

The path to where I am today has been a strange one. If I had listened to my teachers, I probably would have given up. But fortunately, I’m incredibly stubborn. I genuinely believe you can do anything if you put your mind to it. YouTube is your best friend. As a good friend once told me, there are many roads to Rome. Just because you’re not on the road that everyone else is on doesn’t mean you can’t get there.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The great thing about living in LA is there are quite literally unlimited things to do.

I love the beach and just being near the ocean in general. Driving down the PCH and looking out over the ocean is one of my favourite things to do, as long as you can beat the traffic. A morning surf in Malibu is a must, followed by an early lunch at Malibu Seafood Cafe. LA is also home to some epic hiking trails, especially up in Topanga.

It would be a sin to miss out on Élephante, a modern Italian restaurant in the heart of Santa Monica. They make the best bread and eggplant dip I have ever tasted… It would definitely be part of my last meal. Santa Monica is also home to some incredible Mexican food. Vamos Vamos on Main Street serves some to-die-for Mexican street food and killer margaritas.

I am a proud member of LA Surf Crew, a club started by my friend Adam Fell. Every Friday at 7:30 am, around 40 of us meet at Dockweiler Beach to drink coffee, eat donuts, talk about life, and surf together. Everyone is welcome, no matter your age or skill level, and the best part? It’s free. This club has transformed my life in LA, and the community we’ve built feels like family. Come surf with us! @lasurfcrew

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I know I quite literally wouldn’t ‘be here’ without my parents, but when it comes to my career, I owe them everything. They nurtured my talent, listened to my (often bad) music, and endlessly encouraged me. When I had doubts about pursuing a career in music, they supported me. When I had the opportunity to move to LA, they supported me. They are really gunning for a good care home… Seriously though, I wouldn’t have achieved half of the things I have without them.

Another person I owe a huge amount to is my mentor, Lorne Balfe. Lorne is an incredibly accomplished composer responsible for scoring blockbuster films such as Top Gun: Maverick, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Lorne took a chance on me, offering me a job at 14th Street Music, a company he founded with Hans Zimmer. This job moved me to LA and kickstarted my career. I’ve learned a tremendous amount from Lorne and am lucky to call him both my mentor and a friend.

Website: https://www.taranmitchell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taran_mitchell?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taran-mitchell-363b92195/

Image Credits
@aidanwilde