John Williams will begin recording Star Wars VIII this month

[Damien F 1,742]

6 minutes ago, Romão said:

Episode VIII has an unusually long and relaxed post production schedule. The movie is more than a year away and it's already been in post production for nearly 5 months. I think they'll stick roughly to the production schedule as if the movie would be released in May as initially planned.

 

After 5 months of post production and editing, they should already have a nearly definitive edit of the final movie (albeit sans all the complete SFX), so there's more than enough for Williams to start working with. Didn't he see a rough cut in September?

 

Exciting times indeed

 

I think you're right about that timeline. The move from May to December was probably not done for production schedule purposes but rather to repeat the success of TFA's December release and its longevity at the box office instead of trying to complete in the crowded summer.

 

The cast, crew, vx companies, orchestra etc had probably all been booked with that initial May release in mind, hence JW working on the score now.

[Will 2,215]

Wow!!!!!! 

 

I feel like I'm in film score heaven right now! 

 

I was logging on to hear the first bit of Gia's Rogue One, and now I see that Episode VIII is about to start recording!!

 

Plus confirmation, for all the doubters, that there was indeed a full album recorded for Sony, and that it will be released next year!

 

The Fantastic Beasts bits were also really interesting ... but I'll take that discussion over to the correct thread.

 

Now to my worries (albeit rather minor ones in comparison to all the great news!): 

 

I really wish that Williams would write something for the Episode VIII teaser ... but if he is it's strange that the article wouldn't mention it. It would make sense if he doesn't, since it sounds like there was a bit of a falling out with the trailer-creators regarding the TFA second teaser. 

 

Also, I'm worried about Williams finishing recording next spring. That leaves several months for the filmmakers to tinker with things without Williams being able to record revisions. I sure hope they schedule more sessions latter ... or that Rian Johnson is a less invasive editor than J.J!

 

[Romão 2,274]

On the other hand, it also gives him several months to write and record small revisions that the director might feel necessary

[Disco Stu 15,495]

That would be ideal.  I'll be crushed if the soundtrack in the film is a tracked and edited mess.

[crumbs 14,305]

So theoretically JW might have been writing for 3 months already. As the BFG proved, Williams can still write incredibly complex music incredibly fast. Even if he was only writing a minute a day on weekdays, that's still an hour of music to record before Christmas. With more sessions in March/April that gives him another few months to finish the last hour of music.

 

Seems like he didn't write Ready Player One in November after all. Maybe Spielberg couldn't fit it in with pre-production on KOEM getting too busy?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

7 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

That would be ideal.  I'll be crushed if the soundtrack in the film is a tracked and edited mess.

 

Don't worry. They could still call in Pope to fix things.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

3 minutes ago, BloodBoal said:

 

Don't worry. They could still call in Pope to fix things.

 

I thought Gia had officially replaced Pope as the punchline around here?

[Faleel 5,342]

But Pope is a Williams orchestrator

[mrbellamy 6,272]

I'm quite anxious for Rian Johnson to start commenting about the music and working with Williams, and vice versa. Beyond the expected niceties (RJ: "Oh he's such a genius!" JW: "Oh he's such an intelligent young man!") I still don't quite know what to expect out of this collaboration, and what Johnson might make of the opportunity. It's encouraging to me that his tastes are seemingly more eclectic than JJ but that he's also not a snob about genre filmmaking. Could produce cool results...like most people I'm just hoping "different" becomes a buzzword on this movie and that extends to the score.

 

Haven't seen any JW mentions out of Johnson on Twitter, but there was this 

 

 

[Will 2,215]

58 minutes ago, crumbs said:

Seems like he didn't write Ready Player One in November after all. Maybe Spielberg couldn't fit it in with pre-production on KOEM getting too busy?

 

Oh, right. I'd forgotten about that. Hmm. 

[crumbs 14,305]

5 minutes ago, Will said:

 

Oh, right. I'd forgotten about that. Hmm. 

 

Maybe the visual effects weren't far enough along and Spielberg wants JW to score a more complete version of the film once he finishes Star Wars VIII in April?

 

There's no great rush on scoring RPO, the release date is still 15 months away and Spielberg will be in Italy from February, so it was probably January or bust for those scoring sessions.

[Jay 37,323]

Guys, it's entirely possible he already wrote and recorded Ready Player One, and Burlingame's article simply didn't mention it. 

[Will 2,215]

8 minutes ago, Jay said:

Guys, it's entirely possible he already wrote and recorded Ready Player One, and Burlingame's article simply didn't mention it. 

 

Well, yes, I did think about that. I suppose anything's possible. 

[Taikomochi 1,136]

Wasn't he already recording The Book Thief before any of us heard about it?

[mrbellamy 6,272]

A little bit before, I think. This was the first we heard of it:

 

 

[Jay 37,323]

42 minutes ago, Taikomochi said:

Wasn't he already recording The Book Thief before any of us heard about it?

 

Yes. It was a complete surprise when JKMS revealed it

[Taikomochi 1,136]

Ah, okay.  Well, my point is just that he got that far without anyone hearing about it, so maybe he has a good amount of work on RPO in.  Though, having recorded a score and having sketches proofed are different, I recognize.

[Tom 4,640]

Given RPO will be release months later than VIII and that fact that VIII has a workable edit, it really does not make any sense to begin scoring the former first. 

[Incanus 5,713]

7 hours ago, alextrombone94 said:

I'm looking forward to his end credits suite. He's done some great ones over the past few years  (Jedi Steps and Finale is amazing) having all but abandoned them (albeit for some cut and paste jobs) in the early 2000s.

Well at least The Patriot, The Terminal, SW Episode II, Minority Report, Memoirs of a Geisha, Munich, Indiana Jones and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, War Horse, Lincoln and The Book Thief all had one.

 

But the TFA end title suite is beautifully constructed and among his recent highlights. Hopefully he'll be able to composer something as grand for Episode VIII.

[crumbs 14,305]

I think he means end credits that aren't just cut and paste jobs of other cues or concert suites. I think only KOTCS, TFA, War Horse and Lincoln have had completely original arrangements for the end credits recently, in the vein of what he used to write in the 80s (ESB for example).

[Incanus 5,713]

4 minutes ago, crumbs said:

I think he means end credits that aren't just cut and paste jobs of other cues or concert suites. I think only KOTCS, TFA, War Horse and Lincoln have had completely original arrangements for the end credits recently, in the vein of what he used to write in the 80s (ESB for example).

Well The Patriot did have a completely original end credits suite arrangement. If you go by what the end credits are in the film compared to the suite presented on the disc then the number might be smaller in the post 2000 period.

[crumbs 14,305]

I need to listen to the Patriot again then! Can't even remember the end credits suite.

[Incanus 5,713]

10 minutes ago, crumbs said:

I need to listen to the Patriot again then! Can't even remember the end credits suite.

You should! Mark O'Connor's fiddle work is gorgeous.

[crumbs 14,305]

2 minutes ago, Incanus said:

You should! Mark O'Connor's fiddle work is gorgeous.

 

It's a really underrated score, still weird to think JW scored a Roland Emmerich film!

[Quintus 5,399]

16 hours ago, Lewya said:

According to Jon Burlingame's article:

 

http://variety.com/2016/film/spotlight/fantastic-beasts-bfg-john-williams-1201930763/

 

"He begins recording “Star Wars Episode VIII” in December and expects to record off and on through March or April 2017. "

 

F***ING YES

[Damien F 1,742]

4 minutes ago, crumbs said:

 

It's a really underrated score, still weird to think JW scored a Roland Emmerich film!

 

Yeah, definately an unexpected collaboration. It was Americana that appealed to JW for sure.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

I hope LLL makes an expansion!

 

(But dont leave out gibson's teeth on the cover please ) <- Sorry...this is going to be a recurring joke until it wears out...

[igger6 894]

Back on the subject of reusing "The Jedi Steps," I do think it'll come back.  I initially thought it was a one-off scene theme, and I'd be perfectly happy if it stayed that way (especially since it's basically the only such theme in TFA), but lately I've started reconsidering the theory that this is a new theme for old, wise Luke.  The theme's basic melodic contours actually correspond roughly to Luke's original (i.e. the main franchise) theme.  Here they are in super-scientific professional musicology terms:

 

Original Theme:

LOW---HIGH---3-NOTE RAMP-UP---HIGH---LOW---RAMP-UP---HIGH---LOW---4 "RESOLVING" NOTES

 

Jedi Steps:

HIGH---LOW---2-NOTE RAMP-UP---HIGH---LOW---RAMP-UP---HIGH---LOW---4 "RESOLVING" NOTES (then one last HIGH-LOW that doesn't fit my theory, but whatever...)

 

Does that make any sense?

[Sandor 796]

15 hours ago, Jay said:

Guys, it's entirely possible he already wrote and recorded Ready Player One, and Burlingame's article simply didn't mention it. 

 

Seriously..? The film comes out in 2018...

[Jay 37,323]

Yes, but its already been filmed.  And, it was originally supposed to come out in December 2017 when Episode 8 was scheduled for May 2017.  When Ep8 got moved to Dec 2017, RP1 got moved to 2018.

 

It's basically the Tintin process all over again; He recorded that score in 2010 after Spielberg assembled a rough cut after filming.  Then, he kept tinkering with the cut and WIlliams recorded revisions and inserts in 2011  I except RP1 to follow the same pattern.

[TownerFan 4,983]

It seems Williams is having another luxurious schedule as he had on TFA. This likely means he's writing and recording cues in chunks as he gets the finished sequences, hence the reason of recording on and off over the span of several months. He surely will have to do rewrites/pick-ups later in the process.

 

I guess he will write and record RPO next spring/summer once the bulk of EpVIII is done.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

Hopefully with ample time for The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara after that!

[Sandor 796]

9 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

Hopefully with ample time for The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara after that!

 

Is it even confirmed that Williams will score that film..?

[Jay 37,323]

Nah, but its assumed.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

5 minutes ago, Sandor said:

 

Is it even confirmed that Williams will score that film..?

 

Ummmm....it's a Spielberg film, gast!

[Damien F 1,742]

So, have I got this right:

 

RP1 is already filmed but won't be out until 2018

The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara hasn't started filming yet but is still expected to be released in 2017

[Quintus 5,399]

I haven't read this thread much, but if he starts recording this month doesn't that mean he's already gotten the brunt of the work written and that this recording is going ahead even before official confirmation has come from Disney that he's actually on board? 

[Jay 37,323]

3 minutes ago, dfenton85 said:

So, have I got this right:

 

RP1 is already filmed but won't be out until 2018

The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara hasn't started filming yet but is still expected to be released in 2017

 

Yes.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Will Disney even officially announce it? He signed up for all 3 films, remember.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

1 minute ago, Quintus said:

I haven't read this thread much, but if he starts recording this month doesn't that mean he's already gotten the brunt of the work written and that this recording is going ahead even before official confirmation has come from Disney that he's actually on board? 

The article also mentions he'll be recording again later in March or April so we don't really know how much he has done at this point or what the nature of the recordings will be this month. Could just be music for the trailer and then the score proper in the spring.

[Jay 37,323]

I'm not sure what Disney putting out a press release would really accomplish considering Kathleen Kennedy already said he'd  do all three, Williams has been talking about doing Ep 8 at concerts for half a year, and he just scored Ep 7 and is still in perfect health.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

49 minutes ago, Sandor said:

Is it even confirmed that Williams will score that film..?

 

Technically it's not even confirmed that the movie will happen since it hasn't started filming yet and there's the extra tension now of Harvey Weinstein doing his own version of that story lol...

 

But if production starts in January as planned and Spielberg cranks it out in a couple months and gets an edit together quickly like he's prone to doing, and Williams stays in good health, then it doesn't seem like RPO or Star Wars would conflict with presumably 30-45 minutes of music for a historical drama to be released sometime between October-December.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

I hope The Kidnapping of Eduardo still happens.  Even if it's just a by the numbers courtroom drama, it still provides some interesting mostly unexplored territory culturally for Williams.

[Sandor 796]

38 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

 

Ummmm....it's a Spielberg film, gast!

 

Remember Bridge Of Spies gozer..?!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Health issues, he needed a pacemaker. 

 

It was an exceptional circumstance.

[King Mark 3,626]

5 hours ago, Stefancos said:

Health issues, he needed a pacemaker. 

 

 

Hmm, I'll be more relieved when Episode 8 score is fully recorded

 

but I've been thing this way since RotS

On 2016-12-01 at 2:28 PM, Jay said:

It's pretty great!

5 years ago, I wouldn't have thought we'd ever get new John Williams Star Wars music.

 

 

I was even surprised to get Indy 4 way back in 2007

[Will 2,215]

6 hours ago, mrbellamy said:

Could just be music for the trailer.

 

I hope so! 

 

(Crosses fingers)

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

I doubt it.

[Faleel 5,342]

You hope it is JUST music for trailer?

 

 

[Will 2,215]

6 hours ago, dfenton85 said:

So, have I got this right:

 

RP1 is already filmed but won't be out until 2018

The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara hasn't started filming yet but is still expected to be released in 2017

 

Oh wow! I'd totally forgotten about that one. Very excited -- it will likely be our next Williams score!

 

1 minute ago, Not Mr. Big said:

I doubt it.

 

Me too, at least the rational side, but I am an optimistic person...

9 hours ago, igger6 said:

Back on the subject of reusing "The Jedi Steps," I do think it'll come back.  I initially thought it was a one-off scene theme, and I'd be perfectly happy if it stayed that way (especially since it's basically the only such theme in TFA), but lately I've started reconsidering the theory that this is a new theme for old, wise Luke.  The theme's basic melodic contours actually correspond roughly to Luke's original (i.e. the main franchise) theme.  Here they are in super-scientific professional musicology terms:

 

Original Theme:

LOW---HIGH---3-NOTE RAMP-UP---HIGH---LOW---RAMP-UP---HIGH---LOW---4 "RESOLVING" NOTES

 

Jedi Steps:

HIGH---LOW---2-NOTE RAMP-UP---HIGH---LOW---RAMP-UP---HIGH---LOW---4 "RESOLVING" NOTES (then one last HIGH-LOW that doesn't fit my theory, but whatever...)

 

Does that make any sense?

 

Hmm, interesting.

 

This comparison has been discussed in the past. In fact, Christian Clemmenson of Filmtracks even called Jedi Steps a new theme for Luke in his review. And some hear thought it sounded like a mix of Luke's OT theme and Rey's theme. 

 

However, since then Williams has been interviewed on the subject and said the piece represents "Rey reaching the top of the mountain" and that it's "totally unconnected to the rest of the score." (paraphrasing slightly)

 

That makes it sound like it's a one off thing.