The secret lair of Hans Zimmer, from where he inspires the world
I Approach my Quarry!Six days ago I was up at 3 AM, listening to Hans Zimmer while editing photos, and then I had an idea for a project with him, so I made a blog post. Now, less than a week later, I was in his studio in California! For those of you that don’t know who Hans Zimmer is, he’s, like, the Liger of composers. He did the soundtrack for The Dark Knight, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lion King, Gladiator, Sherlock Holmes, and many more! In fact, back when I was in college and had a double major in Computer Science and Geophysics (I dropped the Geophysics bit after a fight with the professor), I commandeered the SGI machine in the Geology department to make a computer animation, and I set the whole thing to one of Zimmer’s songs from Backdraft called “Burn it All”. So, in short, I’ve had Hans Zimmer’s music in my head for about 20 years. |
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The Story of How I Got Into Hans Zimmer’s Studio
It’s because of you! We have millions of visits here on the blog every month, and you all know how thankful I am for your repeat patronage. It’s tough to get a pretty photo up every day, and I thank you for all your feedback! So, when I put out the call in my newsletter, I got a ton of responses. My math-guess was that I was one or two degrees away from Hans, especially since there are many creative-types that are regular visitors.
Also, many of you hyper-active types (like me!) talk to me, ask questions, and follow me on Twitter — thank you for being responsive to real-time requests and news.
About an hour after I sent out the newsletter at midnight, I got a response from a German gentleman (name private) who is friends with Hans! In fact, he told me he was going to see Hans the next day at his studio near Hollywood! He did a few things to help out, and, although I could not meet Hans today, I did get an amazing opportunity to take photos of his studio. I knew I could make his studio look the way it feels — I had a sublime confidence I could make it happen. Anyway, I was like a kid in a candy store. I got a ton of shots… I only had time to process four of them.
Hans Zimmer’s Studio
I don’t know if words do it justice, but I hope these photos do.
The studio is even bigger than I thought, and I was reminded of the Crimson Lounge in Chicago. In fact, I pulled up the image on my laptop there on the table to compare textures and light. I thought everything worked well together — the decadence and richness of the decorations integrated with the technology. I don’t know if there is a word for such a look… It’s something out of a Phillip Pullman novel, somewhere between Steampunk and Techno-boudoir. Again, words fail.
The first two photos I have placed on Flickr. You can click on them to go to Flickr and then zoom into the full-res size. Amazing details — especially in the chair photo. I’ll post more in coming weeks, months, and years, as usual. So, stay tuned… my ongoing quest continues!
Filed under the categories: California, LA, Nikon D3X, Travel
WOW! That room is amazing! Great job! Trey, could you email me. Thanks!
Amazing place and rendition. You can see the ‘madness of the man’ in the details ex. figure art drawing on the desk and skull candles…
Great stuff, I’m a HUGE Hans fan so it’s good to see his inner sanctum
Awesome! Regarding the last picture, Trey: Is this all audio gear mounted into the wall? Or just some kind of decoration? If it IS audio equipment: Double-Awesomeness!
Holy crap! That is AWESOME!!!
I must build a room like that in my house…
John P.
congrats. I hope he’ll see this and immediately say yes to your project proposal
congrats. I hope he’ll see this and immediately say yes to your project proposal
This is so unbelievably AMAZING!!! How lucky you are!
This is A.W.E.S.O.M.E. Congrats Trey, this is a wonderful experience for you, i’m jealous
A TRULY AMAZING STORY ! Thanks for sharing
WOW, your adventures get even more amazing, thank you for bringing us along.
Congratulations on your encounter with an artist you greatly admire, it must be a great feeling.
The story of how you got there is amazing on it’s own, but these pictures just blow me away. What a neat opportunity and it could not happen to a nicer guy.
insane!
Good for you man! Those pictures look awesome. I’m glad you got what you wanted. Maybe when Hans sees these photos, he’ll want to meet up with you. Thanks for sharing!
Fantastic story Trey! Really says a ton about blogging and the world wide web. And what a great studio to shoot in. Congrats!!
Incredible shots, Trey! What a fantastic opportunity. It’s amazing what can be accomplished with the interweb and the kindness of strangers.
That room is amazing! Its a band geeks dream! LOL
I am going to download some Hans Zimmer this weekend on my ipod. Maybe it will inspire me a little more. I do have the Backdraft CD downloaded but will have to look at some of his other stuff.
Thanks everyone – glad you are into this stuff too!
Christof – yes – all that is REAL audio equipment along the walls…. I have no idea what any of it is! hehe
Wow, Trey, what a privilege!!! Thanks for sharing photos of his inner sanctum. I don’t have any of his music, so I’m going to Amazon.com and buy a CD. Now I’m curious to here it!!!! I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear you have created at least one more fan, lol.
I just ordered the Pirates of the Carribean album with all the sound tracks of those movies!!!! Can’t wait to get it. Thanks, Trey, now I have a better idea of what his music is about and I have heart it, lol!!!!
oops, how about heard it, sorry for the typo!!!! Although heart it isn’t inappropriate
Great captures of an amazing studio. Looks more like a movie set.
How do you say…social media opening doors!
What a fun place to work.
This place looks like HDR heaven. Very nicely captured!
Great shots, I would love to see Hans in some of the photos. Oh well maybe some day.
The details are amazing when viewed at original size on flickr…
Cool studio too — I’d love to have that office setup.
Your images are masterpieces that captured a home and studio that are masterpieces. Oh, the beauty of it all!
What a fabulous opportunity, Trey! Thank you for sharing it with us. The photos are truly mind-blowing. I hope your next visit to Zimmer’s studio includes the man himself.
…on further review, it looks like a room at the Hearst Castle.
Fantastic shots Trey. Yes it does look like the Crimson Lounge. Those chairs have that same look in HDR. Cool story. You do get around.
Bruce
Great Pics. Great post. Can anyone tell me how to access Trey’s playlist on iTunes? Can it be done? I figure why recreate the wheel if he has already done it and I’d like to download it. Thanks.
I don’t care so much for Hans’ music… but I would love to live in his room! That’s a creativity-inducing environment right there!
WOW! That is a sweet pad. The last image cracks me up, all that expensive stuff and then….a plain Kleenex box just like everyone else has. lol
WOW! Awesome photos, great studio! Drooling.
Trey, awesome! Hans rules!! Dont forget he worked wih Will.i.am on Madagascar 2…I like em big and chunky!! LOL Have fun!
Wow…that’s not at all like I imagined it would be…it’s even cooler! Jules Verne meets the 21st century.
I’ve been a fan of Hans’s work for over 15 years, and by now I can usually listen to the first few bars of opening music in a movie and know it was his score. And I don’t hold it against him that he wrote the score for Top Gun; a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do to feed his family
So did you get to meet the great man????
and you haven’t even seen his machine room…
Holy WOW. That is amazing. Thanks for sharing. I totally thought that was books in the cabinets. All studio equipment. This studio rocks and of course so do your photos. Look forward to checking out this secret project.
That is so cool! I have been a Hans fan for as long as I can remember! I’m very excited to see some more pictures. I can’t believe that visit was arranged and happened that fast thats pretty surreal. By the way you were definitely right your pictures were far better than that other one
You should check this out http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/16-10/ff_walker?currentPage=all Thats definitely got to be one of the most amazing libraries I’ve ever seen. I bet you could get some amazing shots in there
Oh wow!! Love Hans studio!! Sooo cool!! Glad you got to live your dream Trey!
[...] click here to read the full story about Hans Zimmer and this famous composer’s space where he … [...]
Fantastic! I agree, Zimmer is one of my favorite composers. This is a treat for all of us to see his studio.
Wow. That is beautiful. Put an analog console in there and I would gladly mix in that room for the rest of my life. The photography is amazing as well. Really captures some magic in the space.
All that gear built-in to the walls is analog modular synthesizers. Roland Sys100 is the monolith, but there’s just oodles and oodles of the stuff everywhere.
Unfortunately its used to create some not-so-awesomely-adventurous music.
Amazing images, Trey! As a modular synth trainspotter, I’d really love it if you could post a full-res version of the ‘Back Room’ image.
Dammit. Hans copied my home studio layout again! I love the Roland System 100 series in the wall and the giant Adam-Dynaudio speakers hidden in the other wall of fabric. Brilliant!!
Far cry form the old Media Ventures. Those were the days ; )
Jesus Christ that’s cool!! I know that had to be an awesome treat!! I hope Hans like them! (How could he not)
Holy crap, Trey! Those images are insane!!! What a wonderful opportunity…
Outstanding shots Trey! I happy to hear you got in there! This an amazing room. To see the inner sanctum of one so talented gives you a clearer insight into his works! Congratulations on being able to go! Wish you could have met him though, hopefully soon. Can’t wait to see what this project is all about!
Great shots! I downloaded your playlist and maybe I’ll play as I look through the photos:)
Please allow me to introduce myself, I am a man of wealth and taste.
that’s freakin awesome! hans is like hands down the greatest composer for films! love his work. i think you did a GREAT job getting the “feel” of his studio.
Schönes Zimmer !!! harhar…. If you understand German you’ll get the joke.
Seeing that room gives a glimpse into the mind of the man. My first exposure to his music was the soundtrack to Beyond Rangoon. He’s now one of my favorite composers.
[...] youre a fan of Hans Zimmer, than pictures of what his studio looks like shouldnt really surprise [...]
I love that picture , 70s style ! the picture and the work itself on it makes a beautiful result it’s similar to that site : http://www.photoserge.com but in a different atmosphere, really nice !
I just knew someone would hook you up quickly!!! It’ll be no time at all till you meet the great man…..Great shots of his place…….Do you have the “luck of the irish”, or what??!!?
I just read that entire entry as one long run on sentence. It reminded me of when a kid is so excited about something they forget to use punctuation
I’m happy that you got to visit the studio – great visuals. Do you get to meet him anytime soon?
Very cool that you had this opportunity. Happy for you.
Great shot, I want a workplace like that
Did you think about trying to do a 360 HDR panorama? Especially in a location like this with only artificial lighting, you can take your time, create a 360 sequence and then put it up in an interactive viewer on your website. I think it can look amazing.
My studio room is like the opposite of this in every way. Old, half-functioning systems and tape echos that shock me half the time. I prefer it to this velvet nightmare.
I wonder what kind of computers he’s using… must be sick!
Awesome – Can we starting making requests now, like trying to find out what John Williams studio looks like etc?:)
Amazing photographs and amazing story too! The studio truly depicts Hans Zimmer.
Wow – that room is amazing and the pictures are absolutely beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Hans is my favorite composer; has been since I fell in love with the music in Backdraft.
Great studio and excellent picture.
Will love to see more larger pictures of the back wall.
Any chance you shoot some picture in the machine room (the room with all the computers)
Thanks
Great work
[...] The secret lair of Hans Zimmer Filed under: Uncategorized — brentabousko @ 8:22 pm http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2010/01/29/the-secret-lair-of-hans-zimmer-from-where-he-inspires-the-w... [...]
Wow, at first it looked so unreal I started thinking it was CG. But apparently this is the real deal! Great photo’s Trey, they really do look –for the lack of a better word– awesome! Bravo.
These are incredible photos. What an amazing workspace!
[...] Hans Zimmers studio (photo credit) [...]
[...] far as a dream studio goes, well something like Hans Zimmer’s studio would be amazing! But for the most part I don’t really see any need to bring it out of the [...]
Have you ever seen McDonald’s headquarters or Taco Bell’s? They’re pretty impressive as well. Doesn’t mean you want to eat a McDonald’s burger or Taco Bell taco.
The music that comes out of Hans Zimmer’s studio is paint by number, simplistic wallpaper. It’s the Walmart of film scoring. The general public doesn’t know better really.
Wow, looks great and very expensive
fantastic! greetings from Europe, Fansite from Hans Zimmer
Lightwave, SoftImage, or 3DS?
Hey, Is the most great studio I ever seen. Can someone send me the equipment list so I can build my studio like it please?
Stunning and lovely work! That studio is a dream come true. Reminds me a little of Ozzy Osbourne’s den (would love to see your take on that!). Another musician with an interesting studio is Klaus Schulz.
I’d like to conjure up the perfect writing room/editing room/lounge one day for myself. If my work room looked anything like that of Hans, it would be even more difficult to tear myself away from doing the work that I love!
Thanks for your magical photographs!
Best,
David
[...] è sottolineata e ricucita nella soundtrack di Hans Zimmer, eccentrico compositore che, guardacaso, lavora in uno studio personale con molto della Fantascienza Vittoriana. Far riconoscere il ruolo cruciale svolto da una colonna sonora nell’accordare la nota giusta [...]
Aquela la é a katana do ultimo samurai?xD
That’s the katana of the last samurai?xD
[...] You can see the first set of photos here in “The Secret Lair of Hans Zimmer“. [...]
Am I the only one, or can anyone else see Albert Einstein in the velvet? (I saw it first on the cabinet door below the stemware.) It looks like the famous picture of him with his tongue sticking out.
[...] I first got to Hans Zimmer’s Lair, I posted a few photos, but only one had the hi-res link. I know sometimes people like to click [...]
I am a HUGE fan of Hans Zimmer for YEARS and I am so glad for you! What an awesome opportunity. I wish I was in your shoes!
Holy freaking cow! This is SO amazing! I’ve ALWAYS loved Hans Zimmer’s music, and now to finally see inside his studio is fabulous! I’m so jealous of you! Wish I could meet him too.
Thanks!
nice….
Incredible, Music is my passion in life and it has always been one of my dreams to meet Hans Zimmer. He is the greatest musical inspiration to me, and i hope and pray oneday i too can visit his studio and possibly meet him.
Thanks for the inside view of his world Trey, your work is incredible!
It’s a cool studio but Mr.Zimmer’s Music is what inspires me the most!
Did you really have to HDR the crap out of all the shots though? Too much blatant photochoppery right here.
Fascinating place however.
Wow, this really shows what a lush and inspiring environment he works in. Definitely a model for beautiful studios/work environments everywhere!
[...] composer Hans Zimmer’s lavish creative lair. These vignettes are from a beautiful site called Stuck In Customs, devoted to HDR photography (High Dynamic Range imaging that adjusts the contrast of shots to [...]
This looks like something out of the old MYST computer game.
[...] It’s been a long time since a movie made me think the way Inception did. I remember that The Matrix had my mind going as well, and I can’t recall anything since then that got my attention in the same way, though I am sure I’ve just forgotten. Not only has Inception prompted me to think bit about dreams vs. reality (how thin is the line between the two), but its even prompted me to shoot and process some new stuff. I also can’t get enough of the movie soundtrack, created by the great Hans Zimmer; this guy is a musical genius! (BTW, if you want to see what Hans’ studio looks like, check out some really great HDRs of Zimmer’s digs over on Trey Ratcliff’s Stuck in Customs website!) [...]
These shots are decently framed, but dude – HDR-ing the crap out of a photograph does not automatically make it a better photograph. These pictures look incredibly fake and messy because of the ridiculous and excessive amount of post you’ve done. Next time, pay attention to how the scene appears through your eyes, and emulate THAT in post instead of taking it to such extremes. As it is it’s confusing and loses credibility to anyone who can identify what’s going on.
Cool studio!! But what really stands out is his music. Hans Zimmer’s work is just phenomenal!!!!!
you cant always listen to it. if he holds a concert im definitely going.
[...] The secret lair of Hans Zimmer, from where he inspires the world Image by Stuck in Customs See the FULL STORY at http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2010/01/29/the-secret-lair-of-hans…; [...]