FILMO&BIO

PROJECTS :

BIOGRAPHIE

Fred Avril est un compositeur doté d’une large palette musicale. Cinéphile enthousiaste, amoureux de Lynch, NWR et Paul Thomas Anderson autant que Noah Baumbach et John Hamburg, il est intarissable sur les années 60/70, de The Swimmer à La Montagne Sacrée, Robbe-Grillet, Sidney Lumet, Buñuel, Blier…
“La musique doit ETRE le film. Il s’agit de trouver le ton juste.” Pour ce faire, le compositeur transgresse aisément les barrières stylistiques, une habitude : avant d’écrire pour orchestre, il est guitariste et pianiste, enfant transfuge du pop rock (Beatles, Donovan, Hendrix) puis épris de Miles Davis, il apprend la trompette, l’arrangement, migre à New York qui le mène à une musique électronique, elle-même au fil des années de plus en plus orchestrale. Dès ses premiers disques sur le label F Communications, Avril affirme une identité cinématographique, déroulant une narration particulière. L’aspect vaporeux et lynchien de son premier EP “Now it’s Spring” annonce déjà une relation étroite, pourtant encore fantasmée, à l’image.
C’est sur Sparrow en 2007 que le musicien commence à travailler à l’image. Le long métrage, signé Johnnie To et présenté à la Berlinale, développe une atmosphère extraordinaire d’exotica mêlant percussions latines et instruments traditionnels. Quelques mois plus tard, avec l’expérimental et élégant Sound of Noise, le compositeur trouve définitivement sa voix. The Lifeguard, film américain avec Kristen Bell sur une musique pop éthérée est présenté à Sundance. Pendant ce temps, il travaille sur Les Bêtises mais aussi Connasse Princesse des Coeurs, tantôt entouré d’un quatuor à cordes, tantôt d’un groupe de rock avec Toby Dammit, batteur des Stooges (précisément le batteur dont Iggy Pop parle dans le film Coffee and Cigarettes). Fred Avril affine son écriture orchestrale et sa production grâce à une culture solide et un travail sans relâche.
Chacun de ses scores, écrit sur mesure, est “le résultat d’une vie entière d’apprentissage musical”. Dans Pearl, récemment présenté à Venise, il renforce l’esthétique pointue d’Elsa Amiel par un score électronique hypnotique, évoquant parfois Cliff Martinez ou le travail de Trent Reznor et Atticus Ross. Il écrit également des chansons originales de films, en invitant notamment à chanter le regretté chanteur français Christophe, l’Australien Mick Harvey (ancien Bad Seeds) – la chanson “Close to Me” (Plan Coeur) totalise plus de 20 millions de streams. Il développe avec Philippe Monthaye pour la série Lastman un son électronique noir et puissant et écrit le score du film Mars Express (Sélection Officiellle Cannes 2023).

Hubert Charrier

BIOGRAPHY

Fred Avril is a bilingual composer with a vast musical palette based in Paris, France. A film buff himself, he has always loved the work of filmmakers like David Lynch, David Fincher, and Jane Campion as much as Noah Baumbach, Miranda July, and John Hamburg. His adoration of cinema and music is inexhaustible and clearly reflected in his passion for scoring. 

Before entering the world of film scoring, Avril started as a guitarist and pianist. A child defector of pop rock (Beatles, Donovan, Hendrix), he fell in love with Miles Davis and picked up the trumpet at age 20. A move to New York introduced him to electronic music, and over the years increasingly gravitated toward orchestral music. Already from his first records on the label F Communications, Avril asserted a cinematographic identity, often with a storytelling element. The hazy, Lynch-like aspect of his debut EP “Now It’s Spring” already heralded a close, yet still fantasized, relationship with film.

Avril’s foray into film scoring began with Man Jeuk (Sparrow). His score to the feature film by acclaimed Hong Kong director Johnnie To develops an unique atmosphere of exotica, mixing Latin percussion and traditional instrumentation. Shortly after, with the experimental and elegant film Sound of Noise, Avril dug deeper and began establishing his voice. The Lifeguard, starring Kristen Bell and featuring a score of ethereal pop music by Avril, premiered at Sundance 2013. During this time, he worked on French box office hits like Harry Me, moving between writing for string quartet and producing with a rock ensemble featuring Toby Dammit, drummer of the Stooges. It’s through these opportunities that Avril continued to refine his orchestral writing and expand his toolbox of sounds.

Each of Fred’s original scores is “the result of a lifetime of musical learning.” In Pearl, which first premiered in Venice, he reinforces Elsa Amiel’s sharp aesthetic with a hypnotic electronic score, in line with those of Cliff Martinez, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. He has written original music for a variety of projects, for indie films like Cannes 2021 highlight The Big Hit as well as for popular series for Netflix and Amazon. He also writes original songs for films, having collaborated with artists like the late French singer Christophe and Australian singer Mick Harvey (former Bad Seeds). “Hookup Plan”‘s song “Close to me” has reached 20 million streams. Alongside Philippe Monthaye, he produces a dark and powerful electronic sound for the Lastman series (European Animation Award) and Mars Express (2023 Cannes Official Selection).

AWARDS

– 2002 : Winner of Prix Constantin (French Mercury Prize) “most amazing album of the year” award for  – “That Horse must be starving” a film-oriented electro-pop album . Mainly experimenting with sounds and software, Avril toured the album at events such as the Montreux Jazz Festival. Collaborations including: Nouvelle Vague, DJ Chloé, Archive, Hollywood mon Amour (feat. Juliette Lewis) 

– 2008 : Best film music nomination at Hong Kong Film Festival and Golden Horse for Johnnie To’s “Sparrow” soundtrack with Xavier Jamaux. Over 40 minutes of the score for the film, which broke China’s box-office record of 5 million within three days.

– 2010 : Winner of Stockholm Film Festival Music Award for Swedish-French comedy-crime film “SOUND OF NOISE” – “With great innovation and skill, the score elevates the story to becoming a unique, entertaining and magical film.”

– 2018 : Winner of EMILE European Animation Award for french series “LASTMAN”

– 2021 : Winner of La Baule – Ibis d’Or Meilleure Musique de Film de la sélection, film “UN TRIOMPHE”

.

Thomas Jamois, music supervisor, Creaminal/Velvetica (FR) “Fred Avril is one of very few composers blessed with such a range of attributes. Not only is he able to create melodies that build strong emotions, but his career as an electronic artist has given him unique production skills. On top of this, he has an indepth knowledge of film classics, along with their soundtracks, which ensures good taste and a large palette of compositions. I was confident when I pitched his work and his initial material immediately convinced the director. The collaboration revealed itself to be as fruitful as it always should be – I’m looking forward to some more work with him.”

Johnnie To, director  (HK) “The score for Sparrow captured the feeling I wanted, and brought out the musical playfulness that was so crucial to my image.”

Pierre-Marie Dru, music supervisor (FR): “UNIQUE. Working with Fred Avril is a unique experience. He is talented, inspired and hardworking – giving himself entirely to films to ensure they hit the right note. He is a perfectionist and when he commits to the adventure of a film, he gives everything. At the same time, he is an incredible guitar-player and singer, a one-man band, a great arranger, a DJ… His innumerable hats make him a musical phenomenon worthy of comparisons with legendary composers Delerue, De Roubaix and Cosma. Perhaps most importantly, he’s curious about everything, and truly in love with cinema.All the directors I introduced Fred Avril to were enchanted and transformed by the collaboration. His musical imagination invariably exceeded their hopes. I am very proud of the soundtracks I’ve supervised with him.”

Ola Simonsson & J.S.Nilsson, directors (SE) “Fred Avril has a fantastic feeling of not only finding the exact right tone for scenes, but also to deepen and enhance the story. He has a free musical mind, working with all aspects of musical sounds, from the electrical hum of an air condition fan to the vibrato of a romantic string section.”

David Abplanalp Estimé, music supervisor (US) “I am very happy and proud of our first film together, and most of all impressed by Fred Avril’s working capacity and communication, in addition to finding his music sublime.”

Liz W. Garcia, director (US) “Thank you so much for your hard work and your relentless drive to make everything PARFAIT !”

Rose&Alice Philippon, directors (FR) “Fred Avril was one of our most important collaborators on Les Bêtises. We trusted him and he exceeded our hopes. His music and engagement brought a lot to our film.”

(this site made by William Pinaud)