Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1010195
216 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 8 A friend recommended Governor to legendary auteur Roger Corman, whose company was known as the "Roger Corman Film School." Among the many Hollywood giants who got their start there are Francis Ford Coppola, Jack Nicholson, Ron Howard, Sandra Bullock and Martin Scorsese. "I loved it," Governor says. "You didn't get paid a lot, but it was invalu- able experience. The level of my music rose." Having followed the composer's work, Corman took him aside one day and said, "Mark, if you continue to do work like this, you'll never have to work for me again." More projects ensued. His big-studio break came with the commission to produce the score for "Pet Sematary 2." "My scores are always a mix of live music and synthesizers," Governor explains. "I bring in elements of rock bands such as guitars and mix them with orchestral music. Also, I had learned the ar t of recording production along the way. The director of 'Pet Sematar y 2' envisioned a score that was half score and half live bands. That produc- tion experience came in handy." Years later, Governor was hired to work on the extensive extras that came with the DVD release of Peter Jackson's "Hobbit" movies. "I was hired as music editor, but the producers realized they needed original music because the extra features went deep into the culture of hobbits, dwarves and elves," Governor says. "I wrote 24 hours of music for this project, including imagining the indigenous music of these make- believe people." That was hard work, with "intense and insane" schedules. "I was burned out and, needing a break, my girlfriend and I visited In addition to film work, Mark Governor kept his hand in as a performing and touring musician. Here he's filming a cameo for the Roger Corman's 1990 "Hollywood Boulevard II." He also wrote the movie's soundtrack. Four years or so on, it looks like Mark Governor is here to stay, and he's earned a spot as a valued and respected member of the close-knit Monterey Peninsula music community. Photo: Steve Barnett