The popular Netflix limited series The monster inside me It received nominations for nine Primetime Emmys on July 8, including Outstanding Limited Series or Anthology, as well as Outstanding Actress (Claire Danes) and Actor (Matthew Rhys) in a Limited Series, Movie or Anthology. One of its other nominations came in the Best Original Score Major category, in honor of Sean Callery, a four-time Emmy Award-winning distinguished composer and one of the representatives of the Music Peer Group on the Television Academy Board of Directors — a person who raised some questions.
Indeed, his attention was drawn Hollywood Reporter Although Emmys rules state that the main theme music must be “at least 15 seconds long” to be eligible for an Emmy, it is the longest music heard in any episode of the series. The monster inside me – That is, the fourth episode – its duration is 13 seconds.
The rules also state: “The main title theme must appear in 50 percent or more of eligible episodes. The main title theme is further defined as a musical imprint and a recognizable and unique calling card for a show, thus engaging the audience by setting the tone of the show and what is to come.” While the main title theme music appears in the majority of the series’ eligible episodes The monster inside me – Five of Eight – Each of these five episodes features different music.
(Click here to watch a video including the theme music at the beginning of each episode of the show The monster inside me.)
When asked to respond to these assertions, a Television Academy spokesperson insisted: “The theme song appears in 5 of 8 episodes, so it meets the 50 percent rule, and in 3 of those 5 episodes, the theme song meets the 15-second rule. In discussions with the peer group, the decision was made to accept the submission because there is no language specifying which rule takes precedence when the two conflict. We state that the submission must be at least 15 seconds and the episode that was submitted does that, but we do not state that the subject It must be at least 15 seconds in each episode in which it appears and the Peer Group Executive Committee realizes that they need to tighten up the language ahead of next year’s competition and will do so in October.
The arguer says the Television Academy needs to check its accounts, stressing that the theme music is not heard for 15 seconds in… any episode, not to mention three of them, presenting the following specific counts:
Episode 1 – Titles start at 1:26, and the theme music is heard for 11 seconds
Episode 2 – No special music; Alternatively, a “distortion wave” by the fairies
Episode 3 – Titles start at 5:12, and the theme music is played for 8 seconds
Episode 4 – Titles start at 2:54, and the theme music is played for 13 seconds
Episode 5 – There is no music of its own; Instead, “Psycho Killer” is produced by Talking Heads
Episode 6 – Titles start at 1:29, and the theme music is heard for 11 seconds
Episode 7 – No theme music; Instead, “The Little Drummer Boy” by Sharon Jones and the Kings of Dub
Episode 8 – Titles start at 5:22, and the theme music is played for 11 seconds
A Television Academy spokesperson responded, “Emmy eligibility is based solely on the pitch papers submitted and documented for each production after episodes are completed. Based on the pitch papers, the main title theme of the series is The monster inside me Qualifies in this category, as we originally mentioned. Note that the perceived timing of episode scenes will not always match the timing of confirmed cue sheets, as sound beds and accompanying music are included if they surround the main title. As mentioned, eligibility is based solely on the orientation papers.”
But the disputant says the Television Academy is contradicting its own rules by asserting that “sound beds and accompanying music are included if they surround the main title,” since the rules state that “a score that bookends the title sequence is not eligible.”
Regardless of which side one is on in this argument, no one is pointing to any wrongdoing on the part of Calleri, a highly respected composer who was also nominated for an Emmy this year on behalf of The monster inside me In the category of Best Score for a Limited Series, Anthology, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score). A Television Academy spokesperson confirms, “In no way shape or form was it a part of the application process or judging process.”
