Jean-Christophe Beck (born in 1968 in Montreal)[1] is a Canadian television and film score composer and conductor. He is best known for his collaborations with Disney and its subsidiaries, which include composing the soundtracks of The Muppets (2011) and Muppets Most Wanted (2014), Frozen (2013) and Frozen 2 (2019), the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Ant-Man (2015), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) as well as the TV miniseries WandaVision (2021), Hawkeye (2021), and Agatha All Along (2024) for Marvel Studios, and Free Guy (2021) for 20th Century Studios, as well as Disney’s 100th anniversary logo.

Christophe Beck
Beck at San Diego Comic-Con in 2014
Beck at San Diego Comic-Con in 2014
Background information
Birth nameJean-Christophe Beck
Born1968
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
GenresFilm and television scores
Occupations
Instruments

He composed the scores for several of Shawn Levy's films, including Big Fat Liar (2002), Just Married (2003), Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), The Pink Panther (2006), The Internship (2013), and Free Guy (2021). Notably, he won an Emmy Award in 1998 for his work on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He is also known for composing the scores of the film series The Hangover (2009-2013). He is the older brother of composer, pianist and rapper Chilly Gonzales.

Early life

edit

Beck started piano lessons at the age of five, and by the time he turned eleven, he was learning Bee Gees songs by ear and performing with his first band, Newton Talks, who licensed a song to Hot Tub Time Machine. Beck attended Crescent School where he studied piano, saxophone, and drums. He wrote two musicals while studying music at Yale University.[2]

Career

edit

Upon graduation, Beck moved to Los Angeles to attend USC's film scoring program, where he studied with Jerry Goldsmith. A personal recommendation from Buddy Baker, then head of the USC Music Department, led to his first assignment for a Canadian TV series called White Fang. Several TV series later, he was asked to score the second season of the WB Network show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Beck received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for his score to the Buffy episode, “Becoming, Part 1.”

In 2000, the cheerleading comedy Bring It On launched Beck's film career. His credits include Under the Tuscan Sun, Edge of Tomorrow, Crazy, Stupid, Love, Pitch Perfect, and the Hangover trilogy. More recently, Beck scored the Oscar- and Grammy-winning animated film Frozen, and several installments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). At the D23 Expo in 2022, it was announced that Beck had composed a new arrangement of "When You Wish Upon a Star" to accompany Disney's 100th anniversary logo, conducted by Tim Davies, which debuted ahead of the film Strange World.[3]

Beck works out of his studio in Santa Monica, California.[2]

Discography

edit

Composer

edit
Year Work Notes Reference
1993 White Fang (TV series)
1995 Pig Sty
1996 Good Company
Second Noah
Crossworlds
Past Perfect
Mr. October (Short)
1997 Friends 'Til the End (TV Movie)
Two (TV series)
Killing Mr. Griffin (TV Movie)
Hostile Intent
The Alarmist
1998 George & Leo (TV series)
Starstruck
F/X: The Series (TV series)
Bone Daddy
Airborne
Dog Park
Earthquake in New York (TV Movie)
Spy Game (TV series)
1999 Thick as Thieves
Let the Devil Wear Black
Guinevere
Coming Soon
The Last Witness (TV Movie)
2000 The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy
Angel (TV series)
Bring It On
The Practice (TV series)
Big Time (Short)
2001 Lightmaker
Wolf Girl (TV Movie)
The Cutting Room (Short)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series)
2002 Big Fat Liar
The Skulls II (Video)
Interstate 60: Episodes of the Road
Stealing Harvard
The Tuxedo
2003 Just Married
The Event
Confidence
American Wedding
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Under the Tuscan Sun
Cheaper by the Dozen
2004 Saved!
The Skulls III (Video)
Garfield
A Cinderella Story
Little Black Book
Without a Paddle
Taxi
2005 Elektra
Ice Princess
The Perfect Man
3 Needles
Two for the Money
Yours, Mine & Ours
2006 The Making of 'Two for the Money' (Video documentary short)
Insider Interview: The Real Brandon
The Pink Panther
The Sentinel
Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties
Zoom
School for Scoundrels
Day Break (TV series)
We Are Marshall
2007 Year of the Dog
Charlie Bartlett
License to Wed
The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising
Fred Claus
2008 Phoebe in Wonderland
Drillbit Taylor
What Happens in Vegas
2009 The Greatest
The Pink Panther 2
The Hangover
I Love You, Beth Cooper
Post Grad
The Marc Pease Experience
All About Steve
2010 Waiting for 'Superman' (Documentary)
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Hot Tub Time Machine
Date Night
Death at a Funeral
RED
Due Date
Burlesque
2011 Cedar Rapids
The Hangover Part II
Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Tower Heist
The Muppets (Original songs by Bret McKenzie)
2012 This Means War
The Road We've Traveled (Documentary short)
The Watch
Pitch Perfect
Paperman (Short)
The Guilt Trip
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! (TV series)
Rogue (TV Movie)
Little Brother
2013 Movie 43 (Segment "Happy Birthday")
The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman
The Hangover Part III
The Internship
R.I.P.D.
Runner Runner
Frozen (Original songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez)
2014 Endless Love
Muppets Most Wanted (Original songs by Bret McKenzie)
30 for 30: Soccer Stories (TV series)
Red Army (Documentary)
Edge of Tomorrow
Let's Be Cops
Good Kill
Cake
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
2015 Hot Tub Time Machine 2
Frozen Fever (Short)
Get Hard
Hot Pursuit
Ant-Man
The Peanuts Movie
Sisters
2016 Trolls
June (Short)
2017 Lou
An Ordinary Man
A Symphony of Hope (Documentary)
American Made
Olaf's Frozen Adventure (Short)
The 12th Man
2018 Gringo
Anon
Ant-Man and the Wasp
The Christmas Chronicles
2019 Watson (Documentary)
Frozen II (Original songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez)
Frozen II - SAKS - Enchanted Forest (TV Special)
2020 Like a Boss
Once Upon a Snowman (Short)
The Christmas Chronicles 2
2021 WandaVision (Limited series, original themes by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez)
Free Guy
Hawkeye (Limited series, composed with Michael Paraskevas)
2023 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (Replaced Benjamin Wallfisch)
Nimona
2024 Road House
Unfrosted
The Instigators
Agatha All Along (Limited series, original songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez)

Music department

edit
Year Work Job Notes Reference
1990 Jetsons: The Movie (orchestrator) [4]
1994 Death Match (additional music programmer)
(music scoring mixer)
1995 Pig Sty (composer)
(lyrics)
(TV series)
Land's End (composer)
1997 The Alarmist (music producer: score)
1998 F/X: The Series (composer) (TV series)
1999 Let the Devil Wear Black (score produced by)
Guinevere (score producer)
2000 Bring It On
2001 Buffy the Vampire Slayer (musical director)
(song arranger)
(song producer)
(composer)
(TV series)
(Episode: "Once More, with Feeling")
2002 Interstate 60: Episodes of the Road (conductor: score)
HBO First Look (musician) (TV Series documentary short)
2003 Confidence (conductor)
(score producer)
2004 Saved! (score produced by)
Without a Paddle (score producer)
2006 The Pink Panther (score producer)
School for Scoundrels
2007 Day Break (composer) (TV series)
Charlie Bartlett (score producer)
2010 Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (composer: theme music)
Hot Tub Time Machine (score producer)
2012 Struck by Lightning (score produced by)
2013 Frozen (additional song orchestrator)
2018 BaseBoys (music) (TV series)
2020 Like a Boss (music by)

Soundtrack

edit
Year Work Job Notes Reference
1997 Nightwatch (performer: "Looking for James")
(writer: "Looking for James")
[4]
1999 Coming Soon (performer: "Alive Again")
(writer: "Alive Again")
2000 Buffy the Vampire Slayer (performer)
(writer)
(TV series)
2002 Slap Her, She's French! (writer: "The Beef Song")
Big Fat Liar (writer: "Spanish Backlot")
2003 The Event (performer: "F**k You Very Much", "Mother", "Final Goodbye")
(writer: "F**k You Very Much", "Mother", "Final Goodbye")
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star ("Son Sueños")
2005 Wedding Crashers (writer: "Springtime" (2003))
2006 Click (writer: "Home 3")
Employee of the Month (performer: "All About the Money")
(writer: "All About the Money")
2007 Fred Claus (writer: "Kids Miss the Old Life", "Even the Dog Is Homesick")
2008 Phoebe in Wonderland (arranger: "Ninety Times Nine")
2009 Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts (performer: "Rave Opera") / (writer: "Rave Opera") (Video)
2010 Hot Tub Time Machine (writer: "Blind Man")
Knight and Day (writer: "Dolby's Con")
2012 Think Like a Man (writer: "Jack and Ali")
Atop the Fourth Wall ("Close Your Eyes") (TV series)
2013 Frozen [producer: "Vuelie", "Heimr Àrnadalr" (uncredited), "Vuelie (Reprise)"]
[writer: "Vuelie", "Heimr Àrnadalr" (uncredited), "Vuelie (Reprise)"]
2014 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (writer: "Blind Man") (uncredited)
The Judge (writer: "Rose Pregnant")
2015 Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (writer: "Joy Steals Cab")
2016 Disney Magic Kingdoms (performer: "Elsa and Anna", "Epilogue")
(writer: "Elsa and Anna", "Epilogue")
(Video Game)
Life Is (music: "Let It Glow") (Short)
2018 Ralph Breaks the Internet ["The Great Thaw", "Vuelie (Reprise)"]
2019 The Grand Tour (writer: "Heading To The States") (uncredited)
(TV series)
Avengers: Endgame (writer: "Ant-Man Theme")
Frozen II (producer: "Vuelie")
(writer: "Vuelie")
2020 Trolls World Tour (writer: "Trolls You Wanna Have Fun")

Filmography

edit

Actor

edit
Year Work Role Notes Reference
2000 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Pianist (uncredited) [4]

Self

edit
Year Work Role Notes Reference
2007 Finding Kraftland Himself Documentary [4]
2009 Le grand journal de Canal+ TV series documentary
2014 Just Seen It TV series
2016 Score: A Film Music Documentary Documentary
2017 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Documentary
2018 Score: The Podcast TV series

Accolades

edit
Year Award Category Work Result Reference
1998 Emmy Award Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) Buffy the Vampire Slayer
For episode: "Becoming: Part 1"
Won
Gemini Awards Best Original Music Score for a Dramatic Series F/X: The Series
For episode "Quicksilver"
Nominated
F/X: The Series
For episode "Requiem for a Cop"
Nominated
2000 OFTA Television Award Best New Theme Song in a Series Angel Nominated
2002 Emmy Award Outstanding Music Direction Buffy the Vampire Slayer
For episode "Once More, With Feeling"
Nominated
2006 Stinker Award Most Intrusive Musical Score Zoom Nominated
2007 IFMCA Award Best Original Score for a Comedy Film The Pink Panther Nominated
2010 HMMA Award Best Original Score - Indie Film / Documentary / Short Waiting for 'Superman' Won
2011 IFMCA Award Best Original Score for a Documentary Film Nominated
SLFCA Award Best Music The Muppets Nominated
2012 ASCAP Award Top Box Office Films Won
2013 Awards Circuit Community Awards Best Original Score Frozen Nominated
ICP Award Best Original Score or Soundtrack 10th place
PFCS Award Best Original Score Won
SLFCA Award Best Soundtrack Nominated
WAFCA Award Best Original Score Nominated
2014 Annie Awards Outstanding Achievement in Music in an Animated Feature Production Won
DFCS Award Best Original Score Nominated
Gold Derby Award Original Score Nominated
HMMA Award Best Original Score - Documentary Red Army Nominated
IFMCA Award Best Original Score for an Animated Film Frozen Nominated
2015 Grammy Awards Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Nominated
HMMA Award Best Original Score - Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film Ant-Man Nominated
2018 Annie Awards Outstanding Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature Production Olaf's Frozen Adventure Nominated
HMMA Award Best Original Score - Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Film Ant-Man and the Wasp Nominated
Kosmorama, Trondheim Internasjonale Filmfestival Best Music Den 12. mann Nominated
2019 HMMA Award Best Original Score - Animated Film Frozen II Nominated
2020 Annie Awards Outstanding Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature Production Nominated
Awards Circuit Community Awards Best Original Score Nominated
IFMCA Award Best Original Score for an Animated Film Nominated
2021 Emmy Award Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score) WandaVision: Previously On Nominated

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Christophe Beck". geni_family_tree. 1968. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  2. ^ a b "Christophe Beck - Official Composer Website". Christophe Beck. February 15, 2020.
  3. ^ "New Details About Disney 100 Years of Wonder Revealed to Fans During D23 Expo". The Walt Disney Company. September 12, 2022. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d "Christophe Beck". IMDb. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
edit