Summary: WANT TO WRITE FILM SCORES? WANT TO TAKE YOUR INDIE FILM TO ANOTHER LEVEL WITH ORIGINAL MUSIC? WHAT IS A SPOTTING SESSION? Episode 009 of the ACTORS TALK PODCAST is devoted to exploring some of the issues involved in writing original music for film. How does one become a film composer, where does one begin? ATP producer and host Tommy G. Kendrick explores these questions and more in an interview with composer Jurgen Beck, recorded June 27, 2012. Want to know even more about Jurgen Beck? Please visit his web site. Listen to and purchase pieces you hear in this podcast and many, many more at JurgenBeck.com "One of the most satisfying aspects of composing music is watching the filmmakers I get to score music for go on and get selected into film festivals and winning awards." Jurgen Beck Film music. What would a great film be without a great score? Well it just wouldn't be a GREAT film, would it? Think of your favorite films and I'll wager that somewhere in that thought process there is a tune or a melody or a riff of music that immediately comes to mind. I'll go back into my own film going experiences and pull out a couple of examples off the top of my head: What would the Pink Panther series be without the scores by Henry Mancini? Of course you'd still have the brilliant comedic performances by Peter Sellers and the direction by by Blake Edwards but who can think of The Pink Panther and not begin to hum a few bars of the theme music? On the dramatic side of things, I think about the music of composer Maurice Jarre and some of the films of David Lean. The scores for Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago (including the popular hit Laura's Theme) immediately come to mind. During the interview, Jurgen Beck mentions the work of composer Hans Zimmer. Yes, the film score is a vital component to the experience of watching and becomming absorbed in a film. For this episode, I am very excited to have had the opportunity to interview Mr. Jurgen Beck. This interview was conducted via skype between my home in the Austin,TX area and Jurgen Beck's location in Dallas,TX. The interview lasted for over an hour but it has been edited for time so that I can include some music cues written for film projects by Jurgen Beck. In a little over an hour we touched on many aspects of composing original music for film. The interview begins by getting a feel for Mr. Beck's childhood and when he first realized he had a gift for music. We move through a discussion of his development as a mostly self-taught musician, his teen years writing, arranging and producing music for his own and other bands. And we also spoke at length about some of the process and challenges of working with directors and producers on film projects: how the composer is brought into the filmmaking process, what the responsibilities are for the artist writing the score, working with the director on spotting sessions, working under the pressure of time and budget, how much an original score can cost, use of live musicians, the development of electronic music and its impact on film music,music scoring for short films, music scoring for feature films and much more. Excerpts from a number of Jurgen Beck's musical compositions are interspersed throughout the interview in an attempt to give some additional context and flavor to the discussion. Links to sites for various films with original music by Jurgen Beck are listed below: RESCUED:THE MOVIE on Facebook RESCUED:THE MOVIE web site THE SAVE THE SAVE on Facebook Follow THE SAVE on Twitter CHARISMATA MY NAME IS PAUL MY NAME IS PAUL on Facebook JIMMY VALIANT: SCIONS OF DANGER JIMMY VALIANT on Facebook THE PENNY THE PENNY on Facebook STANDING FIRM STANDING FIRM on Facebook WORTH SAVING
