The John Williams Interview Question Pool

[indy4 160]

Post any questions you would ask the maestro if you had the opportunity to do so. This thread has several purposes:

1. If there are questions fellow JWFans think are unanswered but that Williams has actually already addressed in prior interviews, those fans can be directed to the answers.

2. For fun--at least, I think this type of brainstorming is interesting.

3. I was told by JW's assistant that I might get a chance to interview him if an opportunity arises in the "foreseeable future." Now, I'm not expecting anything at all, BUT if that interview was granted at the last minute it would be nice to have a well thought-out pool of questions to pull from.

So, post away! Ask whatever you'd like, nothing is off limits as it can always be pulled from the pool if it's too offensive/personal/off topic/whatever...

My first contributions:

- How did you get involved in scoring Thomas and the King? What was it like writing the score? You've stated that you rejected the opportunity to write an opera because you felt you weren't good enough at writing vocal music. What are the main differences between a score for a musical and a score for a film, and what do you feel you're lacking?

- What was it like working on Images? What were you intentions with the score?

- When you write a piece of music, how much of it has specific functions that you write to serve some symbolic or intellectual purpose, and how much of it just intuitively feels right (even if later you understand why that appealed so much to your intuitions)?

- What is your least favorite work that you have written since the 1970s?

- What are your thoughts on the use of temp tracks?

- What are your thoughts on those who look down upon your compositions? Upon film music in general?

- Do you have any plans to write a concerto for trombone, piano, or mallet percussion?

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Why won't you cough up the dough for your Hollywood star on the walk of fame?

[Alejandro 31]

1. What did Michael Phillips have on you that led you to commit to Heartbeeps?

2. Did you and Jerry Goldsmith ever have BBQs together?

3. Will you ever record a new album of your older film music?

4. Are you done scoring for directors other than Lucas and Spielberg?

5. Have the changes in film editing in today's films altered the way you score films?

[Richard P 5,303]

I think James Horner is the only composer who has ever given an interesting answer to the question 'What was it like working on....<film>'.

The problem I have with most composer interviews is they always ask the same questions... how did you get into film scoring... what's your favourite film you did.

I absolutely agree that if ever the chance did suddenly arise, we need a pool of thought-provoking questions that would be interesting to Williams himself.

My suggestions:

1. While your original soundtrack albums tend to be selected and sequenced for the optimum listening experience, are you in support of your older works receiving more complete releases, for listeners who enjoy pieces that went unreleased?

2. Have you ever felt that the restrictions of writing for film (sync points, emotional changes, timing issues) overshadow the enjoyment of writing music that pleases you personally?

3. Does the fact that music is often buried under dialogue and sound effects ever affect how you approach a piece of music? Do you react differently if you know the music will be the most prominent sound element?

What would be really fascinating would be an audio 'conversation' like the Herrmann one. Although there would probably be fewer annoyed outbursts or moments where it feels he's about to cry

[Augie 1]

Come on, boys - you can do better!

[Thor 9,362]

I know which questions I'm going to ask if I get to meet the master, and HOW I'm going to ask them, but I'm not sharing them with anyone before that. Journalistic integrity!

[indy4 160]

Why won't you cough up the dough for your Hollywood star on the walk of fame?

3. Does the fact that music is often buried under dialogue and sound effects ever affect how you approach a piece of music? Do you react differently if you know the music will be the most prominent sound element?

Thanks for the contributions Richard! I am very curious to the answers to your first 2 questions, but for the 3rd one Williams has already answered that. He has said that the sound design will affect his music in some interview. I can't remember which one. Also, on an interview about Raiders he mentioned that he chose to score the boulder scene with a trumpet in higher register because he expected the boulder to have low, rumbling sound effects.

[Wojo 2,458]

Johnny, do you like movies about gladiators?

[Xander Harris 9,675]

More questions about Hook.