So, you get the rare opportunity to have coffee, alone, with one of Hollywood's most legendary composers. It might be Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Elmer Bernstein, Bruce Broughton, or whoever... how would you use your time? What questions would you ask? Let's make this intellectual, folks. The rules go like this (much like real life): You get an hour... and if the conversation is intellectually stimulating enough for (firstly) the composer and (secondly) yourself, you get more time. Take any P.O.V. you'd like, whether it be as an aspiring director, screenwriter, car mechanic, astronomer, Sun Coast Movie Co. Employee, or just your regular, day to day Moviemusic.com junkie. And PLEASE, don't fall into the "Would you sign a CD for me? What was scoring The Magnificent Seven like? Can I come to a scoring session??" kinds of questions. While this type of attention can sometimes be flattering, more often than not, it could be construed as just plain annoying (as I'm sure fandom can sometimes get). Pour some thought into this.

On my mark... Get Ready. Get Set. Go!

I think I'd give the first 15 minutes or so just talking like I would with any friend; nothing film/music related, just personal stuff... (I think they'd get bored talking for an hour about their work - but hey, maybe not).

I think then I'd ask the "typical" questions... What are their favorite scores (both their own and others); what other composers/musicians they like; what's it like scoring a film you hate... Just stuff like that; stuff I think most everybody would ask.

And, if I got to sit down with Horner, I'd ask him to spill the details... Is he gay, or was he once really a woman?

Boy, you Americans make everything SO BIG

Seriously speaking, Jeron & friends,
I give a good piece of advice: ACT NORMAL, act as you would with any other friend or person you meet. I strongly believe that being oneself (even in a negative way) is much better than giving a false, b***licking image about oneself. Sincerity prevails !!

The following quote is my own text:

"Celebrity Encounters - -
So, my advice is - CONFRONT your idols and use your mouths, whatever the words may be. Be courteous, but also critical - don't tell just 'how much you love' him/her, TELL why you feel what you feel. And really, negative critique isn't a bad thing - it tells that the fan isn't just blindly worshipping the ground underneath the idols feet.
Naturally, the most important thing is to remember that a celebrity is a human being just like yourself - so, use your own head to decide what things you wouldn't like to experience yourself."

The full post about my adventures with Celebrity Encounters can be read here: http://pub25.ezboard.com/fewanspottingfrm5.showMessage?topicID=1096.topic

KEN

[Some HappyFaces edited by Ken S on 02-01-2002]

I tend to ask about their personal lives, what they think about crazy fans, film music internet websites, and their take on current events. (Not in that order, and not necessarily all the time.)

Dan

quote:

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Originally posted by Ken S:
An HOUR for COFFEE..??!?!!?!!

Boy, you Americans make everything SO BIG

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I’d love to interview my two favorite composers whose music lead me to a love
for film music: Elmer Bernstein and Jerry Goldsmith. I’d meet each one separately
for any drink they wanted.

I’d first tell each about the scores that lead me to my avocation and about how
much I appreciate their gifted artistry. Then I’d probably ask the following: (if
I could untie my fangirl tongue.)

1. Do you have a favorite genre or genres that you most enjoy writing music
for? (i.e. western, science fiction, comedy, drama, romance, etc.)

2. Is there a genre that doesn’t particularly appeal to you?

3. Most actors have at some time turned down a role offered to them to later
regret it when they saw the finished film. Have you ever turned down a film
that you later wished you would have scored? Are there any films that appealed
to your creativity that you wish you could have scored.?

4. You know which of your scores have been highly rated. Are there any of your
scores that you feel were excellent musically but went unnoticed or were underrated?

5. I’m always amazed by the versatility of quality music composers. For instance,
To Kill a Mockingbird, The Ten Commandments, and The Magnificent Seven ALL
sound so different from each other as the films are vastly different. (Same with
The Sand Pebbles, Rudy, and A Patch of Blue.) What kind of academic
background is necessary to know ethnic sounds, Americana sounds, emotive
orchestrations etc.? (Here I fumble along because I’m not a musicologist.) What classical
composers and specific compositions need to be studied?

6. What are some of your favorite scores written during the Golden Age?

7. If you are given total control of musical placement, how do you decide which
scenes need silence and need music?

8. Is there a type of movie(or genre) that you’ve never composed for that you
would like to try? ( I.E. Has Goldsmith ever wanted to do a religious or Roman
Epic?)

9. Not being a fanboy but being a middle-aged FanLady, would you please
autograph my forehead in indelible ink?

Hey, Jeron, you have to play this game TOO!!

So I'd probably come to the film music related questions rather quickly.

Marian: Condition yourself otherwise! It's good for the soul.

Joan: Thanks!! Great response. You obviously put a lot of thought into what you wrote, and for that, I thank you.

Ken: You big suck up. No, but really, good ideas and advice. Thanks.

Hasta: You're preoccupation with Horner's sexuality is beginning to worry me...

Dan: Thank you, sir, for your unique perspective.

Alright now... keep 'em comin'! This thread still has a ways to go!!

quote:

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Originally posted by Jeron:
[b]Pete: How original!
[/B]

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"Like Oh my God, you are the best composer EVER! I was listening to The Empire Strikes Back and I have to say it's the best score ever written!"

(Williams feigns a sigh.)

"Well, let's get on with the interview. (I flip through my notebook nervously.) I can't believe I'm talking to John Williams!"

Now back to reality. Following are the questions I wanted to pose to Williams in my interview:

2002 has been a busy year for you. Aby chances for a break coming up?
Would you rather be scoring three to four films in a 12-month span, or would you like to have time to work on one or two?
Run through the process of scoring a film.
Have you deviated from this process at any time in your career?
Tell me about the experience of hearing your music played for the first time?
How often does listening to the music on a trumpet or a violin as opposed to only on a piano change the feel of the music?
You use a lot of brass in our scores. Is that your favorite instrument to write for?
Tell about the most fun experience you had writing a score or concert piece.
You've scored a movie in almost every genre. Is there any genre you liked the most?
What's the best score that you did not compose?
What's your opinion on the current state of film scores?
What's the magic ingredient that keeps your working relationship strong with Steven Spielberg?
Why do you continue to compose symphonies and concert pieces when you have such a thriving film career?
What's it like being John Williams in Hollywood? How many offers do you get each year?
Anyone in Hollywood you have yet to work with that you would want to?
Do you think much about how far you've come in the industry?
Has there ever been a point in your career where you felt like you lost any creativity?
Is it a challenge to stay original?
One last question: can you give me any hints on the new themes for the Star Wars movie?

quote:

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Originally posted by Jeron:
Alright now... keep 'em comin'! This thread still has a ways to go!!

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Well, to echo Joan's sentiments... how about you, Jeron?

quote:

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Originally posted by dgoldwas:
Well, to echo Joan's sentiments... how about you, Jeron?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Jeron:
I'm in the middle of a bunch of school-related stuff (Mom Joan can empathize), so I'm sure she won't mind if I wait until all of that's out of the way before I begin formulating a response...

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No prob - take your time.

Clayton

Although games are always fun, there's one thing I like to point out here. Jeron himself said that the coffee-break would have a conversation, NOT an INTERVIEW.

"...if the conversation is intellectually stimulating enough for (firstly) the composer and (secondly) yourself..."

Stimulating conversation is certainly NOT answering to the other one's questions only, but more of an "interactive communication" - again I can speak for my own experience, because it is certainly not fun if the other one just asks questions and doesn't tell anything about him/herself - or worser still, if the other one hasn't anything to say.

A "conversation" build on questions only can be extremely stimulating for the interviewer but very UNstimulating for the composer.

So please, folks, when meeting a Celebrity - please don't assume that the celebrity wants to speak only about him/herself.

Jeron, I'm REALLY looking forward to you starting "formulating the response"