This summer has been a huge season for theatrical releases, but Prey, one of the biggest streaming releases of the year, just stalked its way onto Hulu. The Predator prequel has been praised by both critics and fans alike for its back-to-basics approach, tense action sequences, and emotional storytelling. However, arguably one of the best parts of this new installment is the musical score by Sarah Schachner. In a recent interview with Variety, Schachner broke down her score and unique approach to the Predator franchise.
“We were making a Predator film with all the fun gory action and suspense you’d expect, but the music had to simultaneously tell Naru’s emotional story and her evolution,” Schachner said. That’s a hard balance to strike, but Schachner captures the core themes of this film beautifully while still retaining what makes Predator iconic. Naru (Amber Midthunder) is trying to prove herself to her tribe as a hunter, but is constantly being underestimated. It’s the classic human vs nature story with a Predator twist and the backdrop of 18th century America. That’s something that Schachner said was her biggest challenge. Keeping the large scale of the franchise and mixing it with the intimately raw nature of the setting/time period. As Schachner put it, “The key was to not be afraid to say something in a film with so little dialogue.” That fearless approach can be felt throughout the film as the visuals and musical score are the linchpin to this story’s thematic success.
When it came to the Predator theme she said, “That came about almost in full form right away. I have a voice note of me playing it and working it out for the first time on the double bass.” Schachner went on to add, “ I tend to channel my own emotions directly into my playing, so writing and performing all the increasingly aggressive iterations of the Predator motif was like therapy for me.” Schachner performed and recorded almost all the string instruments herself and those different complex emotions can be felt throughout the film. Schachner's emotions and sound almost act as a brilliant mirror to Naru’s journey.
Speaking of Naru, Schachner worked on her theme with the film’s director Dan Trachtenberg. “Dan and I spent a while collaborating on Naru’s theme. He was adamant that it should feel like a journey; that it starts small and really takes you somewhere,” she said. The funny part is Schachner actually didn’t score the film to what was already shot. Naru's theme is much longer on the soundtrack than what appears in the final film as she revealed, “They told me they went out and shot more footage to accommodate the length.”
Finally, Schachner talked about how she collaborated with Pueblo musician and Native American flute player Robert Mirabal for Prey. “I recorded with Robert on several wind instruments one evening over Zoom and asked him at the end if he sang at all,” she said, adding that his voice was “one of those perfect moments to give that extra layer of depth to the film.”
Even though Prey just released this weekend, it has quickly become one of the best films of the year. That’s in large part to Schachner's weighty score which adds so much to the overall tone and atmosphere of this intimate sci-fi epic. Her sound is all sorts of thrilling and emotionally chilling. Whether it’s a breathtaking landscape shot or the enthralling final showdown between Naru and the Predator, the musical score is a major reason why this film is so memorable. Like Naru or the Predator themselves, the score creatively adapts to its environment with every new scene. To hear Schachner's amazing score, you can stream Prey on Hulu now.