Remaking Dead Space: An Interview with Trevor Gureckis
A few months ago, the Dead Space remake released, and along with updated visuals, the game also had an updated soundtrack, courtesy of composer Trevor Gureckis. This was Trevor’s first foray into the world of video game music, so I jumped at the chance to talk with him about his work in film and television as well as the unique challenges of scoring a video game.
For those who don’t know, this is your first video game soundtrack. Did you have any apprehensions about tackling a new medium?
I’m an avid video game player myself–I have both an Xbox and PS5–and I’ve always wanted to score a game, so it’s really a dream to work on a big game project like Dead Space.
There’s lots of technical elements that were a mystery to me in terms of implementation of the music, but in this case, I wasn’t tasked with editing my music into the game. I was scoring suites and thematic ideas. I also re-scored cutscenes and new narrative points, all to be placed in later after we recorded.
What drew you to horror soundtracks in particular?
My background before getting into film was classical composition, and a lot of the music from the tradition of experimental music from the concert hall has found itself placed in film, especially in horror or horrific settings. Like what Stanley Kubrick did with György Ligeti’s music in The Shining or more modern examples like Yorgos Lanthimos using Alfred Schnittke in The Lobster. Quite disturbing.
I’m quite familiar with the techniques and orchestration employed to get those sounds that are so unnerving, and I find that kind of work compelling.
Did you play the original Dead Space? Were you a fan of its soundtrack?
Yes, I remember the first time I played it, and I was really impressed by the aggressive orchestral soundtrack. It was great to hear a real recorded orchestra of this sort of music in a game. It reminded me of being about to play Alien or Aliens.
What drew you to this particular project?
I was familiar with the score, and, coming from a classical background, I was very familiar with the techniques of orchestration and performance that defined a lot of that sound of the original score. It was right up my alley to write music like this. The score to M. Night Shyamalan’s Apple TV+ show Servant had caught the ear of some of the people at Motive and EA. The scope of this score is probably 10 times more intense, though.
The Dead Space remake is unique because it’s not replacing the original OST; it’s supplementing it. What direction did EA/Motive Studio give for writing new material?
Our first goal was to explore new narrative opportunities that they were exploring in the remake, but at the same time, they did want to establish some new textures and sonic worlds. I developed more material for Isaac and Nicole, his girlfriend that he is searching for on the ship. I also explored ideas that happen over the course of the game like “corruption.” As the chapters progress, Isaac and other characters start to lose their mind, as did so many people on the ship. I wanted to find sounds for that internal shift, and these tended to be closer and more intimate–solo violin, cello, piano, etc. I was trying to have the music take part in describing his journey to hell.
Did you work with Jason Graves at all?
No, we didn't work together. I knew they were going to use his original score in the game, particularly in the opening. I didn’t do any of the implementation of my score into the actual game, but I wrote suites, boss battles, cutscenes and various assets needed that we recorded in Nashville Ocean Way studio, and that was put into the final game after I delivered it.
From the selections of music that I’ve heard, you managed to create a very unnerving atmosphere. Did you try to match Jason Graves or did you want to make this your own?
Jason obviously did an amazing job at creating the music world for Dead Space. It’s very memorable in a visceral sense–the brass and string stabs. Big percussion hits. They are in the world of Penderecki to some degree, so I relied on some of the same performance techniques that Penderecki developed in the 20th century to get that horrible sound with the orchestra. As a soloist, I added my own version of style of these ideas for that “up close” music. I think using that similar vernacular allowed me to compose in a Dead Space style while leaving plenty of room for new things, like a big choir and new electronics.
What was your creative process for this project?
We started out by focusing very narrowly on the task at hand, which I think was good. At the same time, we began to open up the floor for testing out new sounds in the lore. The audio team would often ask when reviewing my work, “does this feel Dead Space.. like our game?” If something was off, I would adjust or remove really foreign-sounding things. Maybe something that was too “electro” for instance. But, we always questioned how far we were going, because I wasn’t there to throw out music. I was there to get into more detail and explore more of the story.
What were some unique challenges with creating a video game soundtrack compared to a film soundtrack?
As I mentioned, I didn’t do any of the implementation; however, I did do a few multi-layer Ambient to High Intensity cues. Also, I learned how to get a 4-minute loop that feels natural…feels like it develops. All of that was very difficult, and it was not something I’ve had to do in film at all.
Do you have favorite stories or moments from working on this soundtrack?
Probably the funniest moment during this score was getting the choir to yell with conviction some of the heretical lines that I had prepared for them. I’m recording in Nashville, so it’s quite conservative. We had them yelling “Altman be praised!” and “Take my body, take my soul!” Most everyone was game, and I was like “it’s acting yall!”, but some people struggled with acting like a Unitologist for a couple of takes. All good though. It came out well.
Would you compose for another video game?
Oh, yes! Hopefully this will lead to new opportunities. I enjoyed working with Motive, EA and the whole Dead Space creative team.
Who are some of your favorite composers working right now (film, TV, games)?
Most recently, Son Lux’s Everything Everywhere All At Once. Super cool instrumentation and colors.
Also, Ben Salisbury & Geoff Barrow, as always. I’m still obsessed with their score Devs from 2020. Such incredible electronic and orchestral work.
Trevor Gureckis is an award-winning composer and producer based in NYC, with work that spans film, pop, and concert music genres. His music often draws on his classical and production background, fusing electronics and live instruments in unique ways.
As a film composer, his music often ranges from thrillers and horrors to dramas. A frequent collaborator of M. Night Shyamalan, Trevor has gone on to score four seasons of his hit Apple TV+ show “Servant” as well as recent feature film “Old” (Universal). Trevor’s score for “Servant” and the main title for “Hunters” (Amazon) awarded him a BMI Film, TV & Visual Media Award and he was nominated for Best Original Horror Film Score for “Old” at the 2021 HMMA Awards. Other notable works include John Crowley’s epic drama “The Goldfinch” (Warner Bros. Pictures), Neil Burger’s Sci-fi thriller “Voyagers” (Lionsgate), and Henry Jacobson’s psychological horror film “Bloodline” (Blumhouse).
Gureckis began work on his first AAA game project in 2022: the highly anticipated remake of the survival horror classic “Dead Space” by EA and Motive Studios. “Dead Space” released on next gen. consoles and PC in January 2023.
While Trevor excels at composing for film, his musical work extends far beyond. He produced the electro-pop band My Great Ghost, which is featured on Beck’s Philip Glass remix album “Rework_”. In 2019, Trevor’s solo album of instrumental and electronic music entitled “Corte” was released on Supertrain Records.
Trevor is co-founder and executive creative director of Found Objects, a NYC based artist collective and production company.