Craig Dobbin, Award-Winning TV/Film composer, NCIS:LA and Shark Week
In this podcast interview, host Mark Stinson talks to composer Craig Dobbin about his work in the music industry, specifically in TV and film.
Dobbin has been working on the popular TV show "NCIS: LA" for half of its run, and he discusses his creative process for keeping the music engine and score behind the show running smoothly.
CREATIVE PROCESS
He explains that the show follows a weekly schedule, where he watches the episodes on Fridays, has a spotting session on Mondays to discuss music placement, and then works on composing from Tuesday to Saturday. They mix the show on Sundays, and then Dobbin moves on to the next episode. He describes the musical style of "NCIS: LA" as more modern and injected with humor, giving it a slightly different feel from the flagship "NCIS" and "NCIS: Hawaii" shows.
KEEPING IT FRESH
Dobbin shares insights into his creative approach and how he keeps the music fresh every week. He talks about the challenge of working within the established sonic world of the show while injecting his own voice gradually over time. He mentions learning from past experiences where he went too far with his musical choices and had to adjust based on feedback from the production team. Dobbin emphasizes the importance of collaboration and teamwork in the creative process, noting that he is in the service industry, fulfilling someone else's vision. He discusses the need to understand the producers' and writers' perspectives and create music that effectively conveys their vision.
COLLABORATION
The conversation also touches on Dobbin's experience working with the cast of "NCIS: LA" and the collaborative nature of the show. He mentions that he only recently met most of the actors at the show's wrap party, highlighting the separation between different departments in such a large production. Dobbin also briefly discusses his work on other projects, including Shark Week, where he has been composing for 33 years. He shares his long-standing collaboration with a specific editor for Shark Week and the level of understanding they have developed over time.
HIGHLIGHTED quotes from Craig:
1. "I felt like I was jumping onto a treadmill going a hundred miles an hour, and I just had to run as fast as I could to try to catch up and get myself up to speed."
2. "Creativity is the most fun when there are lots of parameters and boundaries that give me... It's like when you can set those limits for yourself, and so you've got this established sonic world, how can I express myself within these confines?"
3. "If you want a career in this, you've gotta get really good at delivering someone else's vision."
4. "I always try to watch something that I'm working on once as a fan, before I start listening to the music and trying to figure out how I'm gonna approach it."
WHAT'S NEXT
Starting to work on the score for a new film, "THE TASTING"
Copyright 2025 Mark Stinson
Music tracks are copyrighted and used for creative review purposes.