Composer Klaus Badelt was producing work at home in Germany when well-known contemporary Hans Zimmer invited him to work at his studio in Santa Monica. Zimmer and Badelt ended up collaborating on a laundry list of modern film scores, including Gladiator and The Pledge. Since striking out on his own, Badelt has become a sought-after talent in the cinematic world and beyond, memorably writing the complex music for the 2008 Beijing Olympics Closing Ceremony.