Biography
Michael Kramer is a two-time Emmy nominated composer and multi-instrumentalist for film, television, and video games. A graduate of USC’s acclaimed film scoring program, he currently scores the hit Cartoon Network TV series LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, for which he received a 2020 Emmy Award nomination. For more than 10 years and counting, the show is one of the network’s longest running animated programs and airs in more than 30 countries.
In 2019, Disney Imagineering recruited Michael to write and produce several new tracks for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the highly anticipated expansion in both Disneyland and Disney World. Playing in the Oga’s Cantina attraction, one of his featured tracks is a follow up to the iconic “Cantina Song” from the original Star Wars film.
Other TV credits include Netflix’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2021), Disney’s The Ghost and Molly McGee, Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, Netflix’s Healing Powers of Dude, Dreamworks TV’s Rhyme Time Town, and Disney XD’s LEGO STAR WARS: The Freemaker Adventures, for which he was also nominated for an 2017 Emmy. On the big screen, Michael’s music can be heard in Furious 7, Thor: The Dark World, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, on which he collaborated with Brian Tyler. His video game credits include Need For Speed: The Run, Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag, and Assassin’s Creed: Unity.
Raised in Chicago by a master woodworker, Michael approaches each score like a carpenter with a keen eye for craftsmanship. Combining a spirit of inventiveness with meticulous attention to detail, he believes that materials matter, and uses his expansive collection of instruments and cutting edge technology to craft a score uniquely fitting of each project. A passion for the process of filmmaking lies at the core of his work, and through collaborating with directors and producers, Michael loves the challenge of guiding a project from the script to the final mix.