Robin Carolan on Music, Collaboration, and His Latest Work on Nosferatu
Robin Carolan on Music, Collaboration, and His Latest Work on Nosferatu
Robin Carolan discusses the making of Nosferatu’s atmospheric score, his collaborative partnership with the film’s director Robert Eggers, and how important the research phase of a project is to his process.
Words by Loren Sunderland
It was one of those cold, dark, and gloomy January afternoons when I sat down with Robin Carolan, a composer who’s recently been riding the wave of the highly anticipated film Nosferatu. Directed by Robert Eggers, this reimagining of the silent horror classic pulls viewers into a haunting tale of obsession and dread, starring big names such as Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, and Bill Skarsgård. It also marks the second collaboration between Carolan and Eggers, a pairing built on mutual respect and a shared vision for cinematic storytelling that blurs the line between beauty and terror. Carolan, who previously co-composed the visceral score for The Northman and founded the cult music label Tri Angle Records, brings his experimental sensibilities and meticulous approach to this haunting soundtrack.
Carolan spent months writing and recording the soundtrack at the legendary AIR Studios, a space renowned for shaping some of cinema’s most iconic scores. The intensity of that process was still palpable as he reflected on his continuous need to find balance in such creatively demanding projects. What stood out most during our conversation wasn’t just his drive to create the perfect score, but the profound connection he shares with director Robert Eggers. Their collaboration feels less transactional and more like a creative partnership built on trust and friendship. "I just want to come through for Rob," Carolan admitted, not out of obligation, but out of genuine admiration and respect.
In a time when the film industry faces constant challenges, whether it’s budgeting, getting people into cinemas, or the looming threat of cinema closures, it was refreshing to experience this film in a full theatre. Nosferatu is truly an experience. When a composer-director collaboration is as consistent and harmonious as Carolan and Eggers’, it’s a bond that elevates a film from mediocre to memorable. In this interview, the composer shared his approach to scoring Nosferatu, visiting the set, keeping his travel rig streamlined and much more.
How does it feel seeing Nosferatu so well-received?
Robin Carolan: It's amazing. I’m not on social media, so I don’t see any of the reactions, but it’s great hearing about it. I was nervous about how it would connect with audiences because it’s not a typical horror film. But people seem really excited about it, which is… wonderful, actually. I’ve heard stories from friends and family about the packed cinemas. It’s great because Rob's been passionate about making it for so long, and everyone really pushed themselves to make it as good as possible.
Did you visit the sets during filming? What was that like?
Robin Carolan: Yeah, it was pretty overwhelming! They shot in Prague and built these massive sets, pretty much an entire town. It was amazing, and this isn't surprising because it's a Robert Edgars film, but just the level of detail on everything was incredible.
I remember one day I was visiting the set. I actually started writing something on the spot because I was watching Lily and Nick. They were acting in a scene and just being in that environment I instantly felt really inspired. So it's great when sets can do that for you. And I think the actors have spoken about that quite a lot as well, how immersive it just felt and it helped them with their performances.
Were you sketching melodies or motifs whilst you were there too?
Robin Carolan: Just melodic ideas, I was kind of doodling if you will. I didn't record any sounds out there because I mean that's the thing the sets are fake so there's not a lot that you can sample soundwise whereas the Northman was shot quite a lot on location. There were sounds you could bring into the score because it was all just this natural-world-type stuff.
What’s your setup for sketching ideas while travelling?
Robin Carolan: Just my laptop with software and a dictaphone. I often hum ideas into the dictaphone, jot down thoughts, and revisit them in the studio. It’s simple but effective. I got the dictaphone idea from Björk. She would hum ideas into her phone whenever she got inspired. If it works for her, it’s good enough for me!
When Robert first approached you about scoring Nosferatu, what were those initial conversations like?
Robin Carolan: I always read the script first, that alone usually sparks some ideas. Rob and I then build massive playlists of music for inspiration and listen to them obsessively. Not everything resonates with me, but sometimes there’s an element Rob will connect with, so I find ways to interpret that.
For The Northman, we did tons of research since it was set a thousand years ago. There are debates about Viking music, and Rob loves diving into history, so we bonded over that. I’d discover ancient instruments, and show Rob, and he’d get excited about incorporating them.
“I always read the script first, that alone usually sparks some ideas.”
How did you approach researching this project?
Robin Carolan: I explored traditional Transylvanian music and discovered some fascinating instruments. One standout was the toacă, a wooden percussion instrument used in Orthodox monasteries. We had percussionist Paul Clarvis build one!
There’s also Letty Stott, who specialises in archaic instruments, ancient horns and pipes. She brought period-accurate instruments like the zurna and cobza. The toacă was pretty exciting though, I was really happy with it because it was just such a bizarre instrument and not something everyone's heard of. It's a percussive wooden instrument played with hammers, creating a blocky, resonant sound with varying timbres depending on where it's struck. There are scenes in the film where Hutter undergoes an exorcism in a monastery, and the instrument not only sounds unique but fits thematically as well. We also had an incredible Romanian folk band performing in the film, which was amazing. Having those elements was important to Rob and I think contributed to the film's atmosphere.
You’ve got 51 tracks on the score—how long did it take from start to finish? And how did you come up with the track names?
Robin Carolan: I started in May and wrapped the project around January. It was pretty full-on as Rob brought me in as soon as editing started. So, it's a constant back-and-forth with rewrites as the film takes shape. Rob likes having a lot of music, which keeps me busy throughout the process. As for naming tracks, I actually really enjoy it! Sometimes I pull lines from the film, like "Dreams Grow Darker," a phrase Lily says that stood out. Rob and I bounce ideas back and forth too since he enjoys that part and I’ll always talk with him about them.
Loren Sunderland: How do you prevent burnout? Composing can be solitary and relentless, especially on projects where lots of music is needed.
Robin Carolan: I’ll probably go for a beer [he laughs]. That’s not a great habit, though. If I’m honest, it’s something I’m still figuring out. I tend to get so absorbed that I can’t switch off, and I don’t sleep well because my brain keeps turning over ideas. Rob is similar, I think a lot of people are. We become obsessed with making a project perfect, anything about your social life or anything else can take a back seat. Finding balance, I’m working on it.
You’re not alone. So many composers wrestle with that constant balance between work and life. When the music’s out, it’s your legacy, really.
Robin Carolan: I think when something you've worked on is finally released, you go through this weird flat period. It’s hard to explain, but I know other friends who are musicians or artists experience the same thing. Even if the project is well received, there’s sometimes this strange sense of flatness. I guess it’s because you've been focused on it for so long, running on adrenaline, and then suddenly it’s out. It’s an odd feeling. I did end up taking some time off because Nosferatu was so intense.
Are you considering branching out from film composition?
Robin Carolan: Right now, I’m really enjoying film composition. I like being part of something bigger and helping bring someone else's vision to life. That said, I’d love to do more string arrangements for pop or indie records, strings on a pop track can be magical. But I’m not keen on making my own record. Rob keeps me busy enough as it is!
“When you become complacent, it's not good for your work.”
When you're stuck creatively, who are the people you turn to for input?
Robin Carolan: I worked closely with Dan Elms on Nosferatu he was the orchestrator, and co-producer, and has an additional music credit too. He was my main sounding board and he’d be honest with me. But when I need perhaps some creative clarity, I mostly rely on myself. When I’ve got the time I watch a lot of older films and take notes on things that might be useful, I listen to a lot of music too. Often something clicks when I revisit what I’m working on.
Looking back at the score for Nosferatu, are there tracks you’re particularly proud of?
Robin Carolan: It’s hard sometimes to say what I’m proud of, I know I should do it more often! But I would say the track "People" resonates a lot, it’s melodic, and emotional, and captures a key stretch of the film. I was really nervous about pulling off the dynamic shifts, so yeah, I’m proud of that one. I also love working on melancholy pieces like “Dreams Grow Darker.” I found horror-centric tracks were harder because creating something fresh in that genre is challenging, at least for me. I had a cellist mimic a sleep apnea fit to make the strings sound like human moans, that was cool.
Did you reference or research other horror scores?
Robin Carolan: Yeah, me and Rob watched The Shining a lot and we were often talking about how that film worked, I mean, it's a ridiculous story because Kubric just illegally cut and pasted a ton of Penderecki music and Penderecki’s music is terrifying. I probably wasn't listening to a lot of horror scores if I'm being honest because I think you can sort of subconsciously be influenced too much by something or I just didn't want my head to get clogged up. I mean a lot of horror scores nowadays are quite electronic and working with Rob there are rules, so depending on the period I'm not allowed to use certain instruments or I'm not allowed to use electronics.
Did you set specific goals for yourself with this project?
Robin Carolan: I mean, for one, I really wanted to write something more melodic this time. With The Northman, there wasn't much room for that. Sure, there are moments in that score you could say are beautiful or melodic, and there's a bit of sensitivity in that film, but not a lot. The setting of The Northman is rough, rugged, and raw, so the music had to reflect that.
With Nosferatu, I wanted to lean into writing something more sweeping and melodic as a challenge to myself. I hadn’t really done that before, at least not fully.
I also just really want to come through for Rob. He's one of my closest friends, and I know what these projects mean to him. So it's about making something I'm proud of and doing my best for him personally. I’d feel terrible if I didn’t. But it’s also about challenging myself — I don’t want to get bored or feel like I’m resting on my laurels. When you become complacent, it's not good for your work.
I’m genuinely proud of this score. Of course, I’ll always be critical, thinking about things I could’ve done better or ideas I didn’t think of at the time. But I think it works with the film, and that's really what matters most.
