Geoff Zanelli
Geoffrey Zanelli (born September 28, 1974) is an American composer working primarily in the medium of film, television, and video game scores. His early career was notable for scoring additional music on roughly 30 film scores written by Hans Zimmer, Klaus Badelt, John Powell, Harry Gregson-Williams, Ramin Djawadi, Danny Elfman, and Steve Jablonsky including several blockbuster films. He has since moved on to more solo work, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special for his score to the miniseries Into the West.
Geoff Zanelli
- Name
- Geoff Zanelli
- Birth Name
- Geoffrey Zanelli
- Born
- 28 September 1974
- Birthplace
- Westminster, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Composer, orchestrator
- Nationality
- United States
- Education
- Berklee College of Music · Ocean View High School
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Geoffrey Zanelli (born September 28, 1974) is an American composer working primarily in the medium of film, television, and video game scores. His early career was notable for scoring additional music on roughly 30 film scores written by Hans Zimmer, Klaus Badelt, John Powell, Harry Gregson-Williams, Ramin Djawadi, Danny Elfman, and Steve Jablonsky including several blockbuster films. He has since moved on to more solo work, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special for his score to the miniseries Into the West.
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wikidata · Q352395 · wikipedia · Geoff Zanelli
In this article
Biography
Biography
Aside from film and television scores, Zanelli also works with recording artists, writing arrangements for Steve Martin, Edie Brickell, Robbie Williams, The Webb Sisters, Mest and Story of the Year. He is credited as a guitarist, bassist, and keyboardist on the song "I'm Not Dead" from recording artist Pink.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Geoff Zanelli • Birth Name — Geoffrey Zanelli • Born — 28 September 1974 • Birthplace — Westminster, California, U.S. • Genre — Film and television score, video game score, pop, rock, electronic, experimental, jazz • Occupation — Composer, orchestrator • Instruments — Piano, keyboards, synthesizer, guitar, bass • Years Active — 1997–present • Website — http: www.geoffzanelli.com
Early life and education
Early life and education
Zanelli was born on September 28, 1974, in Westminster, California. He graduated in 1996 from Berklee College of Music.
Career
Career
In 1994, at 19 years old, Zanelli met Hans Zimmer, believing him to be a promising young talent, Zimmer invited him to Los Angeles to join his group of film composers. Zanelli worked as an engineer on the debut album from Goldfinger as well as Zimmer's score for The Preacher's Wife. Zanelli's experience and desire to collaborate led him to work with British composer John Powell on his first Hollywood feature, Face/Off. Throughout the following years he built the foundation for his scoring career, composing with Powell, Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, and Steve Jablonsky on many feature films, including: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Rango and the Golden Globe-nominated scores for The Last Samurai and Pearl Harbor. One of his earliest solo works, Steven Spielberg's miniseries Into the West, earned him an Emmy. In approximately one year, Zanelli scored the films Disturbia, Hitman, Outlander, Delgo, Ghost Town and Gamer. In early 2013, film blog Ain't It Cool News called his score for The Odd Life of Timothy Green the best score of 2012. In 2017, he composed the score to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, picking up the mantle from long-time series composer Hans Zimmer. In June 2018, he composed the score for Disney's Christopher Robin with Jon Brion.
As primary score composer
As primary score composer
• Year — Title — Director — Studio / Publisher — Notes • 2004 — House of D — David Duchovny — Bob Yari Productions Lionsgate Films • Secret Window — David Koepp — Columbia Pictures Sony Pictures Releasing — Composed with Philip Glass • 2007 — Hitman — Xavier Gens — Dune Entertainment EuropaCorp 20th Century Fox • Disturbia — D. J. Caruso — DreamWorks Pictures The Montecito Picture Company Paramount Pictures • 2008 — Delgo — Marc F. Adler Jason Maurer — Fathom Studios Freestyle Releasing — First score for an animated film • Outlander — Howard McCain — The Weinstein Company Virtual Studios • Ghost Town — David Koepp — Spyglass Entertainment DreamWorks Pictures Paramount Pictures • 2009 — Gamer — Mark Neveldine Brian Taylor — Lakeshore Entertainment Lionsgate Films — Composed with Robert Williamson • 2011 — You May Not Kiss the Bride — Rob Hedden — Showcase Entertainment Freestyle Releasing • Beneath the Darkness — Martin Guigui — Sunset Pictures Image Entertainment • 2012 — The Odd Life of Timothy Green — Peter Hedges — Scott Sanders Productions Walt Disney Pictures • 2013 — Once Upon a Time in Queens — David Rodriguez — Grindstone Entertainment Lionsgate Films • Louder Than Words — Anthony Fabian — Identity Films ARC Entertainment • 2014 — School Dance — Nick Cannon — N'Credible Entertainment Lionsgate Films • 2015 — The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power — Mike Elliott — Universal 1440 Entertainment Universal Pictures • Mortdecai — David Koepp — Odd Lot Entertainment Infinitum Nihil Lionsgate Films — Composed with Mark Ronson • No Stranger Than Love — Nick Wernham — Innis Lake Entertainment Orion Pictures Momentum Pictures • 2016 — Bling — Kyung Ho Lee Wonjae Lee — Digiart Productions Digital Idea Momentum Pictures • Masterminds — Jared Hess — Michaels-Goldwyn Relativity Media • 2017 — The Ottoman Lieutenant — Joseph Ruben — Eastern Sunrise Films Paladin • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales — Joachim Rønning Espen Sandberg — Jerry Bruckheimer Films Walt Disney Pictures — Themes by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer • 2018 — Traffik — Deon Taylor — Codeblack Films Summit Entertainment • Christopher Robin — Marc Forster — 2DUX² Walt Disney Pictures — Replaced Jóhann Jóhannsson; composed with Jon Brion • 2019 — The Intruder — Deon Taylor — Screen Gems Primary Wave Entertainment Sony Pictures Releasing • Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs — Sung-ho Hong Moo-Hyun Jang Young Sik Uhm — Locus Creative Studios Next Entertainment World • Black and Blue — Deon Taylor — Hidden Empire Film Group Screen Gems • Maleficent: Mistress of Evil — Joachim Rønning — Roth Films Walt Disney Pictures — Replaced James Newton Howard • 2020 — You Should Have Left — David Koepp — Blumhouse Productions Universal Pictures • Fatale — Deon Taylor — Hidden Empire Film Group Summit Entertainment • 2021 — The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2 — Hidden Empire Film Group • 2023 — Fear • The Hill — Jeff Celentano — Rainmaker Films Briarcliff Entertainment • Freelance — Pierre Morel — AGC Studios Endurance Media Relativity Media — Themes only; score by Elliot Leung • Leo — Robert Marianetti Robert Smigel David Wachtenheim — Happy Madison Productions Netflix — Original songs by Robert Smigel • 2024 — 10 Lives — Chris Jenkins — GFM Animation Align Caramel Films L'Atelier Animation — Composed with Tom Howe • 2025 — Bad Haircut — Kyle Misak — Throwback Pictures Innovative Media Group • Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die — Gore Verbinski — Briarcliff Entertainment 3 Arts Entertainment Blind Wink Productions Constantin Film Robert Kulzer Productions WAM Films
As composer of additional music
As composer of additional music
• Year — Title — Director — Composer — Notes • 1997 — Face/Off — John Woo — John Powell • 1998 — Antz — Eric Darnell Tim Johnson — John Powell Harry Gregson-Williams — Also orchestrator • 1999 — Endurance — Leslie Woodhead Bud Greenspan — John Powell • Chill Factor — Hugh Johnson — Hans Zimmer John Powell • 2000 — The Road to El Dorado — Don Paul Bibo Bergeron Jeffrey Katzenberg — Also technical advisor • Chicken Run — Peter Lord Nick Park — John Powell Harry Gregson-Williams • Hannibal — Ridley Scott — Hans Zimmer • 2001 — Just Visiting — Jean-Marie Poiré — John Powell • Pearl Harbor — Michael Bay — Hans Zimmer • 2002 — Eye See You — James Gillespie — John Powell • The Time Machine — Simon Wells — Klaus Badelt • Passionada — Dan Ireland — Harry Gregson-Williams • K-19: The Widowmaker — Kathryn Bigelow — Klaus Badelt • Equilibrium — Kurt Wimmer • 2003 — Ned Kelly — Gregor Jordan — Klaus Badelt Bernard Fanning • Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl — Gore Verbinski — Klaus Badelt • Veronica Guerin — Joel Schumacher — Harry Gregson-Williams — Uncredited • Matchstick Men — Ridley Scott — Hans Zimmer • The Last Samurai — Edward Zwick • 2004 — Catwoman — Pitof — Klaus Badelt • Shark Tale — Vicky Jenson Bibo Bergeson Rob Letterman — Hans Zimmer • 2006 — Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest — Gore Verbinski • 2007 — Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End • 2008 — Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa — Eric Darnell Tom McGrath — Will.i.am Hans Zimmer • 2009 — Angels & Demons — Ron Howard — Hans Zimmer • 2010 — Clash of the Titans — Louis Leterrier — Ramin Djawadi • 2011 — Rango — Gore Verbinski — Hans Zimmer • Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides — Rob Marshall • 2013 — The Lone Ranger — Gore Verbinski • 2017 — Justice League — Zack Snyder — Danny Elfman
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Network(s) — Notes • 2000 — Die Motorrad-Cops — RTL — Episode: "Am Abgrund" • Fear — MTV — 3 episodes • 2000-03 — SportsCentury — ESPN — 8 episodes • 2002 — National Geographic Explorer — National Geographic — Episode: "Lost Subs: Disaster at Sea" Composer of additional music Composed by Steve Jablonsky • Live from Baghdad — HBO — Television film Composer of additional music Composed by Steve Jablonsky • 2003 — Threat Matrix — ABC — Episode: "Pilot" Composer of additional music Composed by Steve Jablonsky • 2005 — Into the West — TNT — Miniseries; 6 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score) • 2010 — The Pacific — HBO — Miniseries; 10 episodes Composed with Blake Neely Theme music by Hans Zimmer Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score) • 2013 — Killing Kennedy — National Geographic — Television film • Christmas in Conway — ABC • 2022 — The First Lady — Showtime
Video games
Video games
• Year — Title — Publisher — Notes • 2004 — Champions of Norrath — Sony Online Entertainment — Composer of additional music Composed by Inon Zur • 2007 — Shrek the Third — Activision — Composer of additional music Composed by Winifred Phillips • 2009 — Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized • 2010 — Call of Duty: Black Ops — Nintendo DS version • 2011 — Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – Defiance • TBA — Star Citizen: Squadron_42 — Cloud Imperium Games
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Geoff Zanelli”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q352395: Geoff Zanelli
General reference · Wikidata
Awards and nominations
• Year — Award — Category — Work — Result • 2006 — Primetime Emmy Awards — Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score) — Into the West • International Film Music Critics Awards — Best Original Score for a Television Series — Into the West • 2008 — ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards — Top Box Office Films — Disturbia • 2010 — Primetime Emmy Awards — Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score) — The Pacific: Part 10 (shared with Blake Neely and Hans Zimmer) • 2019 — International Film Music Critics Awards — Best Original Score for a Comedy Film — Christopher Robin • Hollywood Music in Media Awards — Best Original Score in a Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Film — Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.P!nk - I'm Not Dead. Discogs.
- 2.Geoff Zanelli Biography, Songs, & Albums. AllMusic.
- 3.Geoff Zanelli. Berklee College of Music.
- 4.Schweiger, Daniel. Interview with Geoff Zanelli. Film Music Institute. May 23, 2017.
- 5.Into The West. Academy Awards.
- 6.ScoreKeeper's Top Ten Film Scores of 2012!!!. Aint It Cool News.
- 7.Barker, Andrew. 'Pirates of the Caribbean' Taps Composer Geoff Zanelli. Variety. 2016-08-16.
- 8.Mithaiwala, Mansoor. Disney's Christopher Robin Trailer Arrives. Screen Rant. 6 March 2018.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
People, houses and institutions
Knowledge graph
People, houses and institutions
Teachers, collaborators, publishers and institutions recorded against this person, each on a stated basis.
Studied at
1- Berklee College of MusicOrganisation
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 19 August 2026.
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