For Episode 2 Season 2 of UNSUNG we continue with film music editor Nancy Allen, who joins hosts @mixedbyjocelin and Mirek Stiles to explore the craft of film scoring, storytelling, and collaboration at the highest level of cinema.
With over 90 film credits, Nancy Allen is best known for her work on The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Black Swan, and A Quiet Place Part II. A Golden Reel Award winner, she has worked closely with composers including Howard Shore and Philip Glass, and collaborated with directors such as Peter Jackson and Martin Scorsese across some of the most ambitious film productions of the last two decades.
In this episode, Nancy shares a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on the making of The Lord of the Rings at Abbey Road Studios, including the moment the production shifted from tape to Pro Tools in real time. She reflects on the pressure of working with full orchestras before modern digital workflows, and how those constraints shaped both the creative process and the people involved.
Nancy also breaks down the role of a music editor — sitting between director, composer, and picture editor — and explains how music shapes storytelling beyond the obvious. From Peter Jackson’s note to “score the anxiety, not the action,” to building emotional context before a single note is heard, she offers practical insight into how great film music actually works.
Alongside this, Nancy shares her unconventional path into the industry — from waiting tables in New York to working on Scorsese’s Kundun — and the habits that matter most for anyone trying to break into film and audio today. She discusses the importance of organisation, communication, and understanding storytelling, as well as the evolving challenges of the industry in the age of streaming and AI.
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Timecode
0:00–0:55 — Intro
0:55–5:30 — Early career and discovering music editing
5:30–11:20 — Working before Pro Tools and the “Oracle” system
11:20–18:00 — Pressure of recording with full orchestras
18:00–24:30 — The Lord of the Rings at Abbey Road
24:30–30:00 — Transition from tape to digital workflows
30:00–38:00 — Remote collaboration and early digital workflows
38:00–46:00 — What a music editor actually does
46:00–52:30 — Scoring emotion vs scoring action
52:30–58:00 — A Quiet Place and character-driven scoring
58:00–1:05:00 — Breaking into the industry
1:05:00–1:10:00 — Advice for aspiring editors and creatives
1:10:00–End — Closing thoughts
UNSUNG is a podcast from Audiomovers that explores the untold stories and creative processes behind the music we love. Each episode features producers, engineers, mixers, and composers shaping records and soundtracks across genres and industries.
Audiomovers software is used by professional engineers and creators worldwide, across countless GRAMMY-winning records, major film productions, and global releases.
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