"With composers, I think you have to hire somebody you believe in and then get the fuck out of the way."
And Fincher does believe in french composer Alexandre Desplat: "'Birth' is one of my favorite scores, as good as anything I've heard in 25 years. Alexandre's music is playful and witty. But I think it's the oblique nature by which he goes at things."
The article gives quite some room to describing the atmosphere and feel of the soundtrack-in-progress, and, I feel, holds some wise words and advice from David Fincher about approaching scoring from a director's point of view.
It definitely has me preordering the CD as soon as possible, ... and highly grateful to fincherfanatic Gould, who contributed the link! -- Thanks, man.
Yeah, Fincher and I have the same taste, the score of Birth is one of my favourites scores, it's just a magic soundtrack, terrific and highly recommended.
ReplyDeleteAlexandre Desplat is astonishing as a composer, he so prolific but his scores are always of the highest quality.
If Desplat (with the help of Fincher) succeed to reproduce the eerie quality of the birth score for Benjamin Button, we are in for a treat!
"With composers, I think you have to hire somebody you believe in and then get the fuck out of the way."
ReplyDeleteNice quote by Fincher.
Underlines the notion that not all creative input comes from the director.
@ A Blunkt Blashsphemist said
ReplyDelete"with composers, I think you have HIRE somebody you BELIEVE in and get the fuck of of the way.
Hiring Alexandre is a creative decision.
WHY hire him?? Because Fincher BELIEVES that Alexandre can bring something of value to Button.
Birth is one of the most beautiful haunting scores of I've ever heard and I listen to a LOT of SCORE music.
I'm sure Fincher didn't call Alexandre Desplate up and said "hey loved your work on Birth. I would love for you to come and do the same thing on my movie."
Then Fincher goes of shoots the movie comes back and throws the edit in front of Desplate and said "Ok your turn go"
I am very very certain the conversation went something like this. " Loved your work on birth and I would love you to take a look at the script for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
I'm sure Alexandre said yes got the script in the mail, then read it. then called David back to say "Yes I loved the script, I would love to contribute to this.
Then they probably spoke about the exact same thing David spoke to his coustume designer, his cinematographer, his dolly grip, his sound recordist, all the people involved I'm sure David had this converstaion.
Alex" "So David what is the movie about?"
David then went on to tell alex about his experience reading the script and how he want the audience to have that experience because the moment when he...and she...this is what it is all about.
Alex. "that is a wonderful moment. I felt the same, I really understand those things too and would love to tackle this in a story that will have all that."
I'm sure the spoke at length about what the story was, what the major beats of getting to that overall aim are and I'm sure it went on for sometime.
Alex probably sent david rough ques to temp with and the discussion went on and one back on fourth until they got to a point when they were ready to go record.
I'm 100% sure Alexandre Desplate did not just show up to the the recording sessions and started figuring in it out while the clock was ticking and cash was just flowing through the door.
The first conversation a director has to have with ANY one working on his movie is the WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT conversation.
The director has to ensure that everyone is onboard to tell the same story because it just has bad to have an actor walk on set and say "No, I'm not going to do that, I won't go there" as it is for the composer to say the same thing.
The director can say. Remember when we were talking about what this movie was about and we said x y and z?? Well we have the moment of you going through the door in order tell her you love her because if we don't have that moment we can't get to this moment when she tells you that she...
So I think you misread the quote to mean the director doesn't then need to keep everyone in line working towards the same end. and that is wrong.
I can tell that you don't want to believe what is written on this blog and you think we've all drunk some weirdo cool aid, but I assure you we haven't.
@ a blunt blasphemist
ReplyDeleteDirecting can be done with the director not knowing what each person is doing.
It can be done with a director who doesn't know shit about camera and or lenses and the D.P make all the decisions.
There are plenty of movies made where the director don't understand what is story is about nor understand how to convey that story.
But no one here want to discuss those directors. We choose to look at a director who does have a full understanding of "PURE CINEMA"
David Fincher is in fact worthy of the praise and the scrutiny of his technique that he receives here. It would do a lot of filmmakers good to study his methods and techniques which is why I do.
and am happy to come to this blog and read any news or get any further insights into his creative methodology.
@ Kevin.
ReplyDeleteYou've outdone yourself.
Your last two comments were pure cinema lessons.
If I can get financing for a movie of yours, can you teach me some of those things?
; )
Take care mate.
And, I'm soon putting online kevinfanatic.blogspot.com