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Meet the composer
General Discussions » Meet the composer (Posts 1 to 30 of 80)
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- CommentTimeApr 2nd 2021
This is a topic that Thor might dominate.
Only one rule here. One composer per post (but you can post as many times as you want).
I thought about doing this in a sort of chronological order (as far as I can remember).
An early experience with composers was via email rather than physically meeting but, at the time, it was my first real experience of the overlapping my own everyday life with that of film composers.
I don't remember how it started but I briefly got into an email conversation with Jeff Danna. We got into talking about one of his scores (it may have been The Gospel of John). I was interested in this score (one of my favourites of his) and we had a bit of a to-and-fro chat. I enjoyed the chat and the chance to talk to someone who had written a favourite score of mine. But, my enthusiasm eventually was too much for his busy schedule. Although he was polite about it, he more-or-less said to me to stop emailing me so frequently.
So I just left him alone after that. An early lesson to me to not be too intrusive!The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentAuthorPawelStroinski
- CommentTimeApr 2nd 2021
Let's do it indeed chronologically, but let's say that in my case that'd be easier as having a film music festival, a major one, in my country, makes things a tad easier.
Gabriel Yared
Something inclined me to e-mail him after the Troy debacle, had an interview with him. I, sadly, lost the English version and it's available in Polish only.http://www.filmmusic.pl - Polish Film Music Review Website -
- CommentTimeApr 2nd 2021
What a fun topic Alan - and a great story!
What's the Troy debacle, Pawel? I know his score was rejected and James Horner came in, but I don't know the background. If you shared it already, I can go and search the past posts. -
- CommentTimeApr 2nd 2021
FalkirkBairn wrote
This is a topic that Thor might dominate.
Perhaps, but I don't like to be 'show-offy' either. It's not more than some 15-20 years ago that I hadn't met a single film composer. We've broached the subject in the Zoom chats too, but easier to do in a thread, perhaps.
I'm not 100% sure, but I think the first film composer of note I met live was the Norwegian composer Trond Bjerknes. We met for a lunch here in Oslo after a brief chat by e-mail; this would be the early 2000s. At this point, Bjerknes had had some success scoring Harald Zwart's early films (he would later go to Hollywood to direct films such as KARATE KID, ONE NIGHT AT MCCOOL'S, PINK PANTHER 2 and others). I think I was writing my thesis on film music at the time, maybe that spurred the meeting, I can't remember.
Anyways, such a cool and relaxed guy, but quite shy. We've kept contact through mail and Facebook since then, but never met live again.I am extremely serious. -
- CommentTimeApr 2nd 2021
I don't mean for this to be chronological. And my own experiences will mainly be restricted to the few festivals I have been to but I thought that it would be nice to hear some stories people have.The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentTimeApr 2nd 2021
I've never gotten to interview anybody, but when I used to live in Los Angeles, I was able to go to one signing and a couple concerts where I was able to meet a few composers and get a couple pictures. And through a friend I was invited over to Christopher Young's house where we chatted a bit and I got to see his composing space.
But my first ever composer meet was Alan Silvestri.
There was a film music concert happening in Royce Hall at UCLA, I think the film music program there was putting it on, and somehow I got tickets to it. I'm not sure how many composer attended UCLA, but there were some famous composers that conducted pieces on stage, as well as some in the audience. During intermission, I noticed Alan in one of the aisles and just had to go up to him and say what a big fan of his I was. It was a bit of a whirlwind. I gushed about how much I love his score to Van Helsing and asked my friend to take a picture of us and forgot to turn on the flash in the hurried moment - so now I have a fuzzy low-light picture of us, but it was such an awestruck amazing moment, and one I'll never forget! -
- CommentTimeApr 3rd 2021
Filmscoregirl wrote
I've never gotten to interview anybody...
Me neither! I don't think that I could come up with interesting enough questions to make an interesting interview.
And what a shame you didn't get a good photo memento of your Silvestri encounter!The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentTimeApr 3rd 2021
It's not the very worst, but not the best either! I temporarily uploaded it to my Maintitles profile so you could see it. At least we're both recognizable, I think. -
- CommentTimeApr 3rd 2021
Actually, that's a pretty good picture. Not THAT dark and blurry.I am extremely serious. -
- CommentTimeApr 3rd 2021
I think that my first meeting a composer experience was at the first SONCINEMAD film music festival held in Madrid in the mid-2000s (I think). I had met up with another member of MainTitles - Tintin (Martin) (I am pretty sure that it was him) - and I think that we were heading back to the hotel and we bumped into Harry Gregson-Williams in the hotel lobby.
I think that Martin was already acquainted with him as I recall that they seemed to know each other. Martin may have previously interviewed him. We only had a short chat but it was a nice first experience at meeting a composer whose music you were familiar with.The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentTimeApr 3rd 2021 edited
I've always been very envious of you who managed to attend the Spanish festivals (I think there were three at one point -- only Tenerife remains, sort of). I never did. But then I've attended others, like Ghent, Krakow, Vienna and Berlin. I think the real "revolution" for me was from 2010 onwards. I can't really recall a lot of composer meets in the 2000s. There were no doubts some (especially Norwegian), but I can't remember much other than the previously mentioned Bjerknes.
Ghent in 2010 was really great. As it happens, my first trip to the WSA coincided with their anniversary, so a lot of great composers present: Angelo Badalamenti, Elliot Goldenthal, Howard Shore, Stephen Warbeck, Bruno Coulais, Frederic Devreese, Gustavo Santaolalla, Nico Muhly, Abel Korzeniowski, Alexandre Desplat. Probably a few more I've forgotten.
There are two meets that were particularly great during that event:
The first was meeting my third favourite composer of all time, Elliot Goldenthal, for the first time. We chatted a bit at a reception. I would later interview him (twice) during other festivals. By the 4th or 5th time I ran into him at these events, he started recognizing me. That was great.
Here's a pic of that.
The other was meeting Angelo Badalementi after the concert. I've told you this story before. TWIN PEAKS (and its music) inspired me to write a novel as a teenager. I told this story to Angelo, and he said "you should make a film out of it and give me a call". That made my day.
Here's a pic of that.
But even more important than these composer meetings was meeting the Maintitles crowd "in the flesh" for the first time. We hung out a lot, drank loads of beer and had a great time. I think I slept one night on the couch in Thomas' small apartment.I am extremely serious. -
- CommentTimeApr 3rd 2021
I did try and lighten the picture in Photoshop, but I was just disappointed that my first ever celebrity composer meet picture is bad quality!
Well, I'm jealous of any festivals at all that you got to go to! Not ONE film music festival has happened in the US to my knowledge!
Thor, I love the photos you posted too! That's amazing that Elliot Goldenthal started to recognize you! So cool!
Alan, I'm super jealous of you getting to meet Harry Gregson-Williams, I love his work, and that would have bee so neat to bump into him like that! -
- CommentTimeApr 3rd 2021 edited
Filmscoregirl wrote
Alan, I'm super jealous of you getting to meet Harry Gregson-Williams, I love his work, and that would have bee so neat to bump into him like that!
These days, yes. But if I had bumped into him in the 90s or early 2000s, it would have been awkward, because I didn't like his music much at the time. Fortunately, I've come around on him. Never met him, but I've met his brother Rupert.
That reminds me of another story -- in Krakow a few years ago, I was a 'special guest' at the festival. One of the festival co-ordinators introduced me to a woman. She said her name was Maria Giacchino, and I immediately froze. I'm notorious for my dislike of her big brother, and I was worried that she had read some of my rants against his music on the boards. Fortunately, she had no idea who I was, so I got away clean. LOL!
But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll tone it down now, and get back with more stories later.I am extremely serious. -
- CommentTimeApr 3rd 2021
Thor wrote
These days, yes. But if I had bumped into him in the 90s or early 2000s, it would have been awkward, because I didn't like his music much at the time. Fortunately, I've come around on him. Never met him, but I've met his brother Rupert.
But surely if you met him when you weren't keen on his music you would have at least have been civil to him and not just come out with "Sorry, Harry but I think your music's crap!"?The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentAuthorPawelStroinski
- CommentTimeApr 4th 2021
My second composer encounter, though still online and that led to a Skype interview? Jeff Danna!
Nice interview I had with him, with one hilarious experience: my computer was quite weak at the time and I had to use my parents' desktop to perform the interview (the first one to actually have an English version on the site, I hate to admit that posting both language version - the original English and my own translation into Polish was not my idea, oh well). For some reason a bowl of salad was still on the main table and somewhere mid-interview my dog decided to have some of it. I noticed it and excused Jeff mid-answer and started yelling (in Polish, of course!) at the dog to get off the table. Then, of course, I had to excuse myself to Jeff and explain what happened.
Good times.http://www.filmmusic.pl - Polish Film Music Review Website -
- CommentTimeApr 4th 2021 edited
PawelStroinski wrote
For some reason a bowl of salad was still on the main table and somewhere mid-interview my dog decided to have some of it.
Haha, that is too hilarious! What a fun memory/experience! -
- CommentTimeApr 4th 2021
PawelStroinski wrote
My second composer encounter, though still online and that led to a Skype interview? Jeff Danna!
Nice interview I had with him, with one hilarious experience: my computer was quite weak at the time and I had to use my parents' desktop to perform the interview (the first one to actually have an English version on the site, I hate to admit that posting both language version - the original English and my own translation into Polish was not my idea, oh well). For some reason a bowl of salad was still on the main table and somewhere mid-interview my dog decided to have some of it. I noticed it and excused Jeff mid-answer and started yelling (in Polish, of course!) at the dog to get off the table. Then, of course, I had to excuse myself to Jeff and explain what happened.
Good times.
That sort of anticipates the humorous 'children bombing*' episodes you see on the news sometimes where serious Zoom interviews are suddenly invaded by the family's young child and (sometimes) chaos ensues.
*children bombing may not be the best phrase but I can't come up with a better one at the moment!The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentTimeApr 4th 2021
Another memorable meeting was again at one of the Spanish SONCINEMAD festivals (so it would be 2005/2006). I can't remember whether Dario Marianelli was actually participating in the festival or whether he had come along to see what was going on, but he was there.
I think it must have been quite early on in his career: only when he was becoming a better-known name having recently scored V For Vendetta. The festival itself was being held in a multiplex cinema and I think that they were showing the James McTeigue-directed movie because there was a poster for the on the wall. And whether Marianelli thought that no-one would know who he was, I remember seeing him stood next to his film's poster like it was a large calling card.
I went over to have a chat about his scoring of this movie but I don't really remember what we spoke of. But one thing I do recall is that he complemented me on my accent and quality of voice: one of the nicest voices he'd heard he said. (not shame as the smilie says but, this time, embarrassment).
What a nice guy he is!The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentTimeApr 5th 2021 edited
He's right, though. Scottish is gorgeous. I love listening to both you and Graham Watt on the Zoom chats. And then we have Thomas' Irish to jigue it up!I am extremely serious. -
- CommentTimeApr 5th 2021
Thor, I did see that one of your posts in the old 'what's annoying you' topic was your aversion to people in photos with composers calling them friends.
I hope that everyone remembers this when recounting their own composer stories. Unless they are your friends!The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentTimeApr 5th 2021 edited
FalkirkBairn wrote
Thor, I did see that one of your posts in the old 'what's annoying you' topic was your aversion to people in photos with composers calling them friends.
I hope that everyone remembers this when recounting their own composer stories. Unless they are your friends!
I still stand by that! Major annoyance! There are only a very few composers - all Norwegian - that I would consider friends. A couple of international composers that I've met repeatedly, I would consider acquaintances at the most. But none would be 'friends'. That requires a whole other level of regular social interaction.I am extremely serious. -
- CommentTimeApr 5th 2021
Can a purely online interaction be classed as a friendship? I would say 'yes', and is a major reason why things are relaxed when I meet a previously-online only person for the first time (and I am talking about the film music community).The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentTimeApr 5th 2021
Yes, certainly. I consider all of you here friends, even though there are some - like you - I've never met in the flesh.I am extremely serious. -
- CommentTimeApr 5th 2021
Thor wrote
Yes, certainly. I consider all of you here friends, even though there are some - like you - I've never met in the flesh.
The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentTimeApr 5th 2021
My second composer meeting was at the aforementioned UCLA concert. Michael Giacchino had debuted a suite from his new film The Incredibles and had conducted it on stage. After the concert, my husband and couple friends who'd attended the concert with me (we were waiting in the auditorium in hopes of meeting James Newton Howard). We were the only ones in the place, kind of blocking the aisle when Michael Giacchino came out on the stage to pick up his score sheet and then headed down the aisle to exit the theater. So we all congratulated him on the suite and I said hello and shook his hand. That evening was the first I had ever heard of him, and hadn't heard The Incredibles other than that live performance, so while he was a super kind and a really nice guy, I wish I'd known more of his work at the time because I didn't appreciate that meeting as much as some others. And I'd appreciate it so much more now that I've heard more of his stuff. -
- CommentTimeApr 7th 2021
I remember being introduced to Spanish composer Carles Cases and us bonding. From Barcelona I think that he's a big fan of Catalan independence from Spain (Barcelona is in Catalonia). When he found out I was Scottish he saw a kindred spirit of me being from Scotland, a nation being governed by Westminster, mirroring Barcelona (and Catalonia) being governed from Madrid.The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentTimeApr 7th 2021
Unfortunately, I don't know who Carles Cases is, but that's super neat that you had a special connection over your heritage Alan! -
- CommentTimeApr 7th 2021
Filmscoregirl wrote
Unfortunately, I don't know who Carles Cases is, but that's super neat that you had a special connection over your heritage Alan!
I admit that he is a bit obscure. I would recommend LOS DEL TUNEL, AMOR IDIOTA, ANITA NO PERD EL TREN, AMIC/AMAT and Music for the Temple. But anything by Cases is worth checking out.The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentTimeApr 8th 2021 edited
One of the good things about film music festivals is the events organised alongside the festival talks. One of those events at the second SONCINEMAD was a big screen showing of THE DARK CRYSTAL (Trevor Jones was a guest at the festival, conducting a suite of his music).
Another event was an organised dinner at a local restaurant. We all had to be taken to the venue by bus and I was fortunate enough to end up sitting next to Jones. So I was able to have a chat with him for about 30 minutes.
I don't recall much of the content but we did chat about whisky. He is a huge fan of the stuff and I think that he was involved in an appreciation society in the UK for whisky.
He was a very approachable person to talk to. He invited me to visit his studio but, unfortunately, when I tried to organise it afterwards I couldn't get past his contact guy. For some reason, he just didn't seem to believe me when I explained things to him.The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn -
- CommentTimeApr 9th 2021
FalkirkBairn wrote
He invited me to visit his studio but, unfortunately, when I tried to organise it afterwards I couldn't get past his contact guy. For some reason, he just didn't seem to believe me when I explained things to him.
Awwww, that's such a shame - that would have been so neat! Sounds like a really cool guy, and I really enjoy many of his scores, especially that tv movie Merlin, and The Mighty.