The Academy's "Members Only" Spotlights Two Marvel Composers

The Academy's latest endeavor into auxiliary content comes in the form of Members Only. This four-part interview series takes two Academy members of the same branch, one new and one established, and has them engage in conversation. Members Only debuted last week with a conversation between Troy Kotsur (CODA) and Paul Raci (Sound of Metal), two actors who paved the way for hard of hearing talents across the industry. 

This week, Members Only is turning towards composers. Episode 2 spotlights Natalie Holt (Loki) and Pinar Toprak (Captain Marvel) as they discuss how they have broken the rules of their classical backgrounds as well as their unique journeys along their respective creative processes.

"I kind of enjoy all the different parts of [composing] equally, but I never enjoy finishing. I always feel like I want to keep tweaking this so maybe I can add some more," Holt said during the episode. "I find it really hard to kind of reach that cutoff point where you have to deliver a cue and stop mixing something."

Fans will recognize Holt as the maestro behind many blockbuster franchises as of late. She gained immediate acclaim for her work on Loki Season 1 and followed that up with collaborative work alongside John Williams on Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Toprak has been in the entertainment industry for roughly the same time as Holt but has already scored a career's worth of projects. While she has dozens of filmography credits, Toprak's work has extended to both streaming and video games, as she worked on Prime Video Sports' theme song as well as music for Fortnite.

"It's such a great honor to be part of this community that we've all loved and admired. I've been watching the Oscars since I was six years old," Toprak noted. "I haven't missed one. I would wake up at three in the morning in Istanbul and watch the Oscars."

Members Only Episode 2 is now streaming on The Academy's YouTube channel.