Orion and the Darkofficially made its Netflix debut, releasing on the streamer this past Friday, February 2. The animated feature hailing from DreamWorks centers on a young boy who faces some of his biggest fears, traversing the city with one of them. One of the elements that helps boost the featureis its score, composed byKevin LaxandRobertLydecker. Along with the score, the duo and directorSean Charmatzcreated an original song for the movie. Today, Collider is excited to share an exclusive clip delving a little more into the process behind the song.
For the first part of the clip, Charmatz, Lax, and Lydecker discuss howthe original song, entitled “Last Sketches,” helps add a unique layer toOrion and the Dark. This was largely due to how collaborative the songwriting process was within the trio, asthey wrote the song togetherand Charmatz did the vocals for it. Lydecker and Lax also went off an idea that Charmatz initially had, building from there. For Charmatz, he also said being able to sing was one of the most unique experiences he has had as a filmmaker. As they continued, Lydecker and Lax shared that having Charmatz be such an integral part of the song felt like a “natural extension” based on how the process was already going. They also praised Charmatz’s vocal work, pointing out how he sang with passion and emotion.
In a statement for Collider, Lydecker noted how the song helped him as a creator, saying “I like to try new things creatively and push myself outside my comfort zone.Orion and the Darkwas wonderful because it gave us a creative partner to do that with, Sean Charmatz.” Lax echoed the sentiment, adding, “Collaborating with director Sean Charmatz on the end song was such a treat because his passion for the movieOrion and Darkand music in general was so palpable, that you couldn’t help but just get lost in the song making process.”
What Is ‘Orion and the Dark’ About?
Adapted fromEmma Yarlett’s picture book,Orion and the Darkfollows Orion (Jacob Tremblay), a young boy who faces anxiety about practically everything — from the big stuff to the seemingly small stuff. However, nothing frightens Orion as much as the dark does, something he must face every night. One night, Orion’s fear becomes real when Dark itself (Paul Walter Hauser) pays Orion a visit, wanting to show him around the city from a new perspective in the hopes it will help Orion see that the darkness isn’t all that scary. Along the way,Orion will encounter other personified fears and nighttime characters, including Unexplained Noises, Insomnia, Sweet Dreams, Sleep, and Quiet.
Orion and the Darkis streaming now on Netflix. Watch the featurette video below:
Orion and the Dark
Meet Orion, a young boy who is afraid of heights, pets, and rendered nearly catatonic by the worst of all perils: the dark. The Dark takes Orion on a nighttime trip to prove to the youngster that the only thing to fear is fear itself.
Watch on Netflix
