The Note Show Features Interview With Celebrated Composer Olivier Deriviere to Discuss Work on Latest Assassin's Creed Game

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Feb 12, 2014, 12:40 ET

LEEDS, England, Feb. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Joshua Note, host of arts-focused podcast The Note Show, recently sat down with a certified superstar in the world of video game music composition. Olivier Deriviere joined Note in an hour-plus discussion for the episode released January 31. Much of their discussion revolved around the composer's work on Freedom Cry, the newest downloadable content (DLC) for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. The complete interview, which also features samples of the mesmerizing in-game score, is available here: http://www.thenoteshow.com/episode-8-olivier-deriviere-assassins-creed-black-flag-freedom-cry/.

"It's so rare to hear soundtrack composers, especially one of Deriviere's esteem, chat so casually and be so down to Earth," explained Note. "The long interview was yet another bonus, as many composers, who are understandably busy, are only able to manage a few minutes of talk time. In chatting with the composer, it was remarkable to see a glimpse of how the music for a beloved game evolves from idea to completion."

When Deriviere was first shown the game, he immediately realized that the developers had created something quite special. Freedom Cry takes place in the Caribbean region during the 18^th century, adding new layers of human interest to the dense historical fiction.

The Assassin's Creed IV team worked on an ambitious timetable, hoping to release the first DLC for the game less than a year its release. To help make that possible, Deriviere completed the soundtrack in only two months. As with the greatest video game and movie scores, the music of Freedom Cry unfolds in tandem with the events on screen. Deriviere produced variations of regionally appropriate music, such as traditional Haitian melodies, to create the proper feeling for the game.

What's most remarkable, according to Note, about the soundtrack to the new DLC is how much of a departure it is from the original game music. Deriviere crafted an entirely new, immersive sonic experience for players, helping to enhance an already much-admired brand.

Freedom Cry is only the latest in a long line of remarkable soundtracks penned by Deriviere. In the course of his ten-plus year career, he has also worked on Of Orcs and Men, Alone in the Dark and Tangled, to name just a few.

In addition to the website (www.thenoteshow.com), listeners can tune in to The Note Show by subscribing on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-note-show/id733743851?mt=2. Note anticipates a continuing lineup of compelling guests to join him on the podcast. He also expects to film several video episodes in Las Vegas and San Francisco.

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The Note Show features interviews with unknown artists, filmmakers, musicians and bands, actors, comic book writers and authors of all kinds, designers, producers and everything in between. As long as it's creative, it's here on The Note Show. We're here every week. Rain or Shine.