Philip Sheppard

The work

Music to picture and games

Scores for more than 85 films and series, from Sundance documentaries to an International Emmy winner, and the music for Kara in Detroit: Become Human.

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Scores for

  • HBO
  • Netflix
  • BBC
  • Disney+
  • PlayStation
  • PBS
  • CNN Films
  • Discovery
  • XPRIZE
  • London 2012
  • 85+films and series scored
  • SundanceAudience Award · In the Shadow of the Moon
  • International EmmyBrawn · Best Sports Documentary, 2024
  • The AcademyMember of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Philip Sheppard conducting a string session at Abbey Road Studios
Recording at Abbey Road StudiosPhotograph: Nathan Azopardi

From the session · AIR Studios, London · 2006

In the Shadow of the Moon

Philip conducting the orchestra at AIR Studios for David Sington’s film about the men who flew to the Moon. A few months later it premiered at Sundance and won the Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary.

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Selected scores

Detroit: Become HumanDetroit: Become HumanQuantic Dream · game · 2018Music for Kara“A masterful string-based score” · Soundtrack CentralIn the Shadow of the MoonIn the Shadow of the MoonDir. David Sington · Passion Pictures, Discovery · 2007Sundance Audience Award“Filled with a sense of wonder and discovery” · Movie Music UKI’ll Be Gone in the DarkI’ll Be Gone in the DarkHBO · dir. Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff · 2020Emmy-nominated seriesHuman UniverseHuman UniverseBBC · with Professor Brian Cox · 2014Mercury 13Mercury 13Netflix · dir. David Sington and Heather Walsh · 2018The Final YearThe Final YearDir. Greg Barker · Motto Pictures, Passion Pictures · 2017Bobby Fischer Against the WorldBobby Fischer Against the WorldHBO Documentary Films · dir. Liz Garbus · 2011The Tillman StoryThe Tillman StoryDir. Amir Bar-Lev · 2010Love, MarilynLove, MarilynDir. Liz Garbus · Studio Canal · 2012

What the critics say

“Noble, patriotic, emotional, heroic, and filled with a sense of wonder and discovery.”
Movie Music UKon In the Shadow of the Moon
Philip Sheppard at the desk in the Abbey Road control room
The control room, Abbey RoadPhotograph: Nathan Azopardi
String parts for Hope Remains on a music stand
Parts for “Hope Remains” on the stand

Behind the score

More from the studio

How the scores are written and recorded, in Philip’s own words.

How I wrote Kara’s Theme from Detroit: Become Human | Cello + Loop Pedal
I invented this cello technique at school and years later used it on a Bowie song

See the full playlist on YouTube →

Filmography

Feature documentaries

  • The Great Thirst: William Mulholland 2022Dir. Matthew Justus · Alto California Films, PBS
  • Danica: Driven 2021Dir. Scott McDermott · Magenin Films
  • Bolivar 2021Dir. Neil Teare · ReKon Productions
  • Mercury 13 2018Dir. David Sington and Heather Walsh · Netflix
  • The Final Year 2017Dir. Greg Barker · Motto Pictures, Passion Pictures
  • Legion of Brothers 2017Dir. Greg Barker · CNN Films
  • Keep Quiet 2016Dir. Sam Blair and Joe Martin · Passion Pictures
  • Love, Marilyn 2012Dir. Liz Garbus · Studio Canal
  • Bobby Fischer Against the World 2011Dir. Liz Garbus · HBO Documentary Films
  • The Tillman Story 2010Dir. Amir Bar-Lev
  • Sergio 2009Dir. Greg Barker · Motto Pictures, Passion Pictures
  • In the Shadow of the Moon 2007Dir. David Sington · Passion Pictures, Discovery

Television

  • Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story 2023Dir. Daryl Goodrich · North One, Disney+
  • I’ll Be Gone in the Dark 2020Dir. Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff · HBO
  • Human Universe 2014Dir. Nat Sharman and Annabel Gilling · BBC
  • The Fantastic Mr Feynman 2013Dir. Christopher Riley · BBC Scotland
  • God in America 2010Dir. David Belton and Sarah Colt · PBS
  • Little Ships 2010Dir. Linda Sands · BBC Northern Ireland
  • The Planets: An HD Odyssey 2010Dir. Duncan Copp
  • Moon Machines 2008Dir. Duncan Copp and David Copp

Games

  • Detroit: Become Human 2018Quantic Dream · music for Kara

Full credits on IMDb

Film · Detroit: Become Human

How to build a theme

Philip takes apart his theme for Kara from Detroit: Become Human and builds it again from nothing, with one cello and a loop pedal.

Listen to the Detroit: Become Human soundtrack →

Listen to the scores

Soundtracks and the full catalogue on Spotify.

Start a conversation

Tell us about the film, series or game. Enquiries are read by Geoff Muncey, Philip’s studio manager.

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