Kathryn Bostic interview: ‘Women of the Movement’ composer

“I look at it as a sonic conversation,” declares composer Kathryn Bostic on how a good score adds emotional depth and dimension to a series of film by shifting between light and shade. For our recent webchat about her haunting and heartfelt score for ABC’s “Women of the Movement,” she adds, “just like when you’re talking, there are times when they’re more intense, or the inflections are more noticeable, and then there’s times of silence, and it’s a back and forth exchange with those moments.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.

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ABC’s “Women of the Movement” was created by Marissa Jo Cerar, based on the books “Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement” by Devery S. Anderson and “Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America” by Mamie Till-Mobley and Christopher Benson.

The historical drama centers on Till-Mobley (Adrienne Warren), who devoted her life to seeking justice for her murdered son Emmett Till (Cedric Joe), and co-stars Tonya Pinkins, Ray Fisher, Gary Basaraba, Carter Jenkins and Emmy winner Glynn Turman. The six-episode limited series opens in 1955 Mississippi, in the lead up to Emmett’s vicious murder. The series then explores the aftermath of the crime, and Mabie’s fight for justice for Emmett, ensuring that his legacy would help spawn the civil rights movement in the Jim Crow South.

Bostic’s score for the series blends the nuance of piano melodies and string elements while also leaning in to the guitar and banjo motifs that are so entwined with the sounds of the deep South. It’s no wonder that the score she delivered for the series is so emotional, given what the subject matter meant to her personally and professionally. “It meant a great deal to be a part of this team and this endeavor because we are actually saying we’re at a tipping point yet again in this country,” she explains. “The legacy that Mamie and Emmett Till have left, in so far as shining this kind of spotlight and forcing us to really have a much deeper not only conversation, but a call to call to action about this is extremely important. I’m delighted to be a part of that type of activism.”