Powell animated by quartet of pix

'Rio''Happy Ft 2'The film, which inspired the most popular Angry Wild birds spinoff videogame application (also named "Rio"), "would be a love letter to (Saldanha's) home town," states Powell, who gained an Oscar nom this past year for his soaring "How you can Train Your Dragon" score.When preparing, Powell visited Rio and was handed the grand tour by Saldanha, investing 72 hours going to locations where would seem within the film, and taking in local sounds and tastes. "Carlos wanted the seem from the film to feel associated with Rio," states Powell. "He wanted the tastes and smells and also the charm."John Powell, perhaps Hollywood's king of animation soundtracks, experienced an active 2011, scoring no less than four blockbuster animated features, included in this Fox's "Rio," an avian caper directed by Brazilian helmer Carlos Saldanha.It makes sense a soundtrack simply carnivalesque, bold and colorful since it's feathered figures, and including guest looks by a few of the greatest names in Brazilian pop and bossa nova. A primary flying sequence features legendary song "Mas Que Nada," re-recorded with Sergio Mendes, the music performer who managed to get famous together with his group Brasil 66."We gave it our very own spin, put an orchestral arrangement around it, and managed to get as romantic and soaring once we could," states Powell.Getting Mendes aboard opened up the doorway with other top-tier Brazilian music artists, including Bebel Gilberto. She sings an audio lesson and voices a toucan that, ironically, can't sing. "Making her seem tone-hard of hearing was very hard for all of us, because Bebel's voice is simply beautiful," states Powell. "She needed to really act to obtain that scene right Carlos was on at her, saying, 'Worse, worse!' "For "Kung Fu Panda 2," Powell partnered with mentor Hendes Zimmer (with whom he'd obtained the very first film within the franchise). Out of the box frequently the situation with sequels, the primary musical styles had recently been established, therefore the challenge was "to experience with individuals styles in new ways," for the entertaining fight moments that are presently a trademark from the franchise.Most painstaking was a dent fight scene that director Jennifer Yuh Nelson desired to animate exactly over time towards the music. "We needed to produce the music for your particular scene annually in advance," states Powell, "while anything else is made three several weeks prior to the final dub."George Miller's "Happy Ft Two" signifies an uncommon follow up that a director required entirely new musical styles. "I done 'Happy Ft Two' for 3 1/24 months, and that i was on the first for 3 1/2 years, too. Like the way in which George works would be to fine-tune and fine-tune things until they're perfect, inside a constant condition of backwards and forwards.InchAnd merely because "Mars Needs Moms" would be a critical and box office disappointment did not mean Powell was any less connected to the figures or even the music he produced on their behalf.InchWhen you are involved with a tale you lose all perspective," he states. "Then when the film arrives with no one would go to view it, it is extremely puzzling."The coming year might find the discharge of Dr. Seuss adventure "The Lorax," that Powell has written five tunes a score for "Ice Age: Continental Drift," and possible future shows together with his band, created by Jeffrey Katzenberg and fronted by Powell and Hendes Zimmer.Their last performance was around the DreamWorks roof another was before 12,000 people at Althorp, the U.K., the estate from the Spencer family (which Princess Diana would be a member). "We'd an attractive time," states Powell, "although I do not think I have have you been before 12,000 folks my existence."Eye around the Academy awards: Song & Score Are acad rules from synch? 'Muppety' although not too 'Flighty' Pinch hitter Elizabethan notes culled from boulders Utility player orchestrates 'Miracle' Powell animated by quartet of pix Animal, mineral add 'Apes' score Gregson-Williams relishes the chase Byrne scores large 'Albert Nobbs' O'Connor in tune with 'Albert Nobbs' Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com