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Why director Lynne Ramsay ripped up the rule book for Jonny Greenwood’s score to You Were Never Really Here

Persuading Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood to compose the score for was relatively straightforward for the film’s director, Lynne Ramsay. The pair had worked together previously on the film , but this time the practicalities of their partnership were problematic.

With filming taking place in New York and the band away on tour, a unique work-around had to be found.

As shooting progressed, Ramsay would send reels of film to Greenwood who would watch and compose before sending the music back to her. It was an unusual set-up, but it worked.

“Every time we got a piece of music in the cutting room it was like a birthday,” Lynne revealed on Sound and Vision.

Indeed, she was so enamoured of Greenwood’s score that the normal practice of cutting music to suit the picture was also abandoned and, instead, the picture was cut to fit the score.

The extra effort required to include Greenwood’s work in the film was worthwhile, according to Glaswegian Ramsay.

“You think you know where [the music is] going to go and then it completely implodes and goes somewhere else. It’s got all these elements that are unexpected. It’s completely uplifting at times and it’s complete disorientating. It’s just amazing.”

How Jonny Greenwood created the score to You Were Never Really Here

Lynne Ramsay speaks to Miranda Sawyer about Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood

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Front Row

Working with Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood

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