Another week, another blog. That it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s another blog about this short film is curious enough. That it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s coming so soon after the last one, and we haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even shot anything in a couple of weeks, well, that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s something of a miracle. But my goals require fast work, not months of slacking.<\/p>\n
This past week, I began work on scoring \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Unwinnable Hand.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d In point of fact I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been working on the music since late 2007, but this week I began recording it. And what did I learn?<\/p>\n
Well, what I should have remembered from my experiences on \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Case\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for Chris- when it comes to scoring, you gotta have the film in front of you. Very little of the ideas from that early writing are actually being used in the composition as it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s being rewritten to the film, but such is the way of things. In the case of the piece currently in question, entitled \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Edge Runner\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (which I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve always liked as either a name for a band or composition), there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s something kind of problematic about that, as I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m trying to find a balance of not wanting it to FEEL like underscore, while also trying to have move with the flow of the action onscreen. Why?<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Edge Runner\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is intended to be \u00e2\u20ac\u0153source music,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d that is, music from an onscreen source. In this case, a stereo in the living room. The sound mix for the film will help that illusion, but my goal was always for the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153techno music\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (as it was called in the script) coming from the stereo to flow somewhat with the action onscreen. This was an idea that came about from Henry Mancini\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s score for the Welles\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 classic \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Touch of Evil\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (and no doubt others along the way, but that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the benchmark for me), and has always intrigued me. So why not incorporate it into a film of my own? Seeing as though no actual \u00e2\u20ac\u0153underscore\u00e2\u20ac\u009d- that is, music NOT from an onscreen source, and written specifically for the scene- seemed appropriate for most of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Movement I\u00e2\u20ac\u009d- it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all dialogue folks, it sporadic \u00e2\u20ac\u0153cues\u00e2\u20ac\u009d would seem somewhat odd in a lot of places- here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a solution that not only calls upon my skills as a composer (\u00e2\u20ac\u02dccause let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s be honest, love to as I might, I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t exactly afford to license music, although a couple of pieces came to mind for inspiration), as well as helps me to further tell the story in a unique way.<\/p>\n
Those of you familiar with much of my music over the past few years- Hell, my entire composing career really- will no doubt notice, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not one for grand orchestrations. Reason being, well, I have yet to really delve deep into large ensemble writing- though some pieces (my electronic \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Otherworldly March\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Gothic Twilight,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d as well as other pieces, heretofore unreleased) fit the bill. On top of which, many of my pieces sort of gravitate towards simple orchestrations anyhow.<\/p>\n
Part of this is my compositional technique, which relies heavily on immediate improv and on-the-fly writing. If something seems to get in the way, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s generally gone (and mostly percussion, as you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll notice\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6sorry percussionists). Plus, in film music (my main field of composing I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve taken an interest in), less is more, and while the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Wall of Sound\u00e2\u20ac\u009d approach works for some (and don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get me wrong, some of my pieces DO work within this philosophy), it sometimes can feel heavy-handed to the ears. I noticed this a lot working on \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Case,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and have noticed it again in the case of writing \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Edge Runner\u00e2\u20ac\u009d- sure, there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not much going on musically, but it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll serve its\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 purpose with what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s onscreen, and that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s where its\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 strength lies. Film writing is not the same as writing for the concert hall. That said, music that can stand up in both listening environments is music you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll remember.<\/p>\n
The trick for me is to ultimately remember why I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m writing the piece I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m working on to begin with. Back to the musical keyboard.<\/p>\n
Thanks for listening,<\/p>\n
Brian Skutle Click here<\/a> to download or watch Brian\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s first video diary after the first day of shooting.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> to read my ninth “Unwinnable Hand” Production Diary.
\nwww.sonic-cinema.com<\/a>
\nwww.myspace.com\/brianskutle<\/a>
\nwww.myspace.com\/cinemanouveau<\/a>– Featuring deleted scenes, trailers, and more from \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Unwinnable Hand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\nClick here<\/a> to read my eighth \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Unwinnable Hand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Production Diary.
\nClick here<\/a> to read my seventh \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Unwinnable Hand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Production Diary.
\nClick here<\/a> to read my sixth \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Unwinnable Hand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Production Diary.
\nClick here<\/a> to read my fifth \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Unwinnable Hand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Production Diary.
\nClick here<\/a> to read my fourth \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Unwinnable Hand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Production Diary.
\nClick here<\/a> to read my third \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Unwinnable Hand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Production Diary.
\nClick here<\/a> to read my second \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Unwinnable Hand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Production Diary.
\nClick here<\/a> to read my first \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Unwinnable Hand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Production Diary.<\/p>\n