Lippy Productions offered me, alongside other composers, the chance to pitch for the Tangiwai soundtrack. The brief was to write music for the opening sequence, which really defined the essence of Bob and Nerissa's young, exuberant love. The melodies, harmonies and rhythm from this piece would inform the rest of the film, so it was critical to get all the components just right. It's like going for a three-day hike - you might pick up a few things along the way, but you really do need to ensure that you pack all the essentials before you leave! In terms of instrumentation, I felt that the classic tragic-romance of Tangiwai should have a classic score - based around the piano with a 'supporting cast' of a small orchestral ensemble, and for the most part avoiding any contemporary synthetic sounds. Paula and I both adore the work of composer Yann Tiersen (Amelie, Goodbye Lenin), so that was a good starting point for us in terms of general musical tone and approach. 

The most rewarding part of composing for Tangiwai was my creative working relationship with Paula and Donna. As creatives themselves, they understand that if you give someone creative freedom on a project, they'll scoop it up and run hard with it. Initially we just watched the film and  talked through the music - it's overall job and tone, and it's role within individual scenes. It's always a fine balancing/juggling act with composing - constantly keeping in mind the overall storytelling (and parallel musical themes)  while working on individual scenes, and moments within those scenes, and intuitively blending all the musical elements together.  Starting with the most dramatic moments in the film, I'd compose for three or four scenes and then we'd get together to listen and discuss. I'd then make changes before we'd move on to the next few scenes. I loved that there were no egos involved - it was simply all of us working together creatively on a shared goal of making this film all it could be - and in particular honouring the emotional journey of the film's characters. This latter aspect was given further potency due to the Christchurch earthquake which had occurred just before I came onboard the Tangiwai team. The Christchurch earthquake is the fourth worst disaster in New Zealand's history, the Tangiwai disaster, the fifth.

- Peter Hobbs