Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), the global leader in music rights management, held its annual Film & TV Awards on May 15 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The ceremony saluted the composers of music featured in the past year's top-grossing films, top-rated primetime network television series and highest-ranking cable network programs.
Cliff Martinez received BMI's Richard Kirk Award, which is bestowed on composers who have made significant contributions to the realm of film and television music. As the 2013 recipient of the Richard Kirk Award, Martinez joins a prestigious list that includes David Arnold, Rachel Portman (PRS), Alan Silvestri, David Newman, Thomas Newman, Christopher Young, George S. Clinton, Harry Gregson-Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Michael Kamen, Mark Mothersbaugh, Danny Elfman, Alan Menken, Mike Post, Lalo Schifrin, John Barry, Rolfe Kent, Charlie Fox and John Williams.
BMI Vice President, Film/TV Relations Doreen Ringer-Ross stated, "Tonight's awards reflected the broad spectrum of extraordinarily gifted composers in BMI's 'family.' It was an unforgettable night and a beautiful celebration of achievements in film and television music."
Cliff Martinez's introduction to music began when he joined bands including Captain Beefheart, The Weirdos, Red Hot Chili Peppers and later became a member of The Dickies. These experiences positioned him to create a body of work that is fiercely original and artistically bold. His venture into film scoring began with the Steven Soderbergh directed Sex, Lies, and Videotape—the first of ten theatrical releases they have collaborated on including Kafka, The Limey, Traffic, Solaris and Contagion. His percussion background can also be heard in his scores crafted for such films as The Lincoln Lawyer, Narc, Wicker Park, Wonderland and Drive, for which he received a Broadcast Film Critics Award nomination.
Cliff's additional achievements include a GRAMMY Award nomination for Traffic, a César Award nomination for A L'origine and also notably, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2012. He recently served as a juror for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and served on the International Feature nominating committee for the 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards. Martinez's recent films include Robert Redford's The Company You Keep, Nicholas Jarecki's Arbitrage and Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers (co-composed with Skrillex). Cliff's second film with Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn, Only God Forgives, will be released later this year.
The 2013 BMI Film & TV Awards were hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and BMI Vice President, Film/TV Relations Doreen Ringer-Ross. For a complete list of winners, as well as information on BMI's film and television composers and events, please visit www.bmi.com/filmtv.