My name is Chris Westlake.
I'm the Composer for Star Trek: Lower Decks.
One of the most amazing things about Lower Decks
is you're sort of stepping into this incredible world
where there's been a million stories told,
and so much music has already been written for it.
And so it's just really fertile ground creatively
for musical ideas, and making nods,
and then also doing our own thing.
And it's just a wonderful playground.
It's really great.
One of the things that felt inappropriate
was to do individual character themes.
And I think one of the reasons why
is because it's not a show about individuals.
I think I wanna be a part of something
that stands for the greater good.
The most important thing was getting music for all
the characters coming together, working together.
That, to me, felt like Lower Decks.
We have to help. No, we don't.
It's a bloodbath.
Those are my friends.
Today, we're scoring Episode 310,
which is our season finale.
It's a big one.
Super excited for it.
The musicians are gonna have a tough time playing
all of these tough passages that we've written for them,
but they also do such a great job, it's incredible.
They're coming pretty fast, Captain.
They're still in pursuit, Captain.
Holding at warp eight, but they're gaining.
The Cali class ships all showing
up at the end that Mariner has called,
it's one of my favorite moments of the season.
There's something about the turn of thinking
that you're doomed to all of a sudden,
'cause of your friendships, that you've made it through.
And I think one of the themes of Lower Decks
is that there's strength in numbers.
[Boimler] The Sherman Oaks, the Vacaville,
the Burbank, the Fresno, Santa Monica,
San Jose, Sacramento, Culver City, Anaheim,
Riverside, Vallejo, West Covina, Pacific Palisades,
Eureka, Mount Shasta!
It's all of them, Captain.
The Merced is at your disposal, Captain.
[Chris] Even though they may not be captains,
when they work together
they can accomplish incredible things.
And that's the thing that I most love about that scene
is that sense of elation.
'Cause when the lower decks win
it's just such a wonderful moment.
One of my greatest joys from working on the show though
is some of the emotional work
between the Lower Decks cast.
Their vocal performances are just so inspiring to me.
Is that what I sound like to you?
Lieutenant Shaxs?
[Boimler] No, I didn't mean--
[Shaxs] I was going to ask you for help with my phaser,
but I guess I'm just a big joke to you!
[Boimler] Wait, I'm sorry.
[Chris] Between the writing, and the animation, it's just
some of those moments just between our main characters,
wonderful things to get to write music for.
The music always has to reflect the emotion
and the character relationships.
The important thing is that the music serves
as sort of the heart of the show.
Hey, Mom.
The biggest moment for me is Mariner
and Captain Freeman hugging at the end of the of the scene.
That, for me, is just such a great moment.
I think when their relationship is working
it's a really wonderful thing.
I think I needed this.
I remember watching Star Trek
with my sister, on the couch.
And she was eight years older than me,
we had a big age difference.
But that was the one thing
that we could always watch together.
And so getting to write music that contributes to that
for somebody else is just, I mean, it's a dream come true.