Another Last Jedi scoring session: Mark Hamill and Laura Dern visit

[Faleel 5,326]

Duel of the Fates had the choir recorded seperately. At least a section.

Also I believe the unreleased cue for Snoke having Hux to bring him Kylo Ren can be gotten without choir through one of the channels of the 7.1 rip.

[mrbellamy 6,270]

Hey just noticed this small but cool pic from Laura Dern, full view of the orchestra/studio:

 

 

Any savvy JWFan members see anything worth noting?

[crumbs 14,287]

Is that a guitar or cello case on the right?

 

And is this guy a well known LA musician? He left a comment on Laura Dern's post about the Jurassic Park sessions, and he appears to be an avid guitarist. He has some involvement in the TLJ score.
 

https://www.instagram.com/scorecordist/

 

Apart from that, looks like a pretty conventional orchestral setup for a Star Wars score. No sign of overly exotic or experimental instrumentation from these angles.

[Tom 4,631]

51 minutes ago, crumbs said:

Apart from that, looks like a pretty conventional orchestral setup for a Star Wars score. No sign of overly exotic or experimental instrumentation from these angles.

Experimental instrumentation?  violins made out of hemp and maracas full of cancer drugs? 

[crumbs 14,287]

10 minutes ago, Tom said:

Experimental instrumentation?  violins made out of hemp and maracas full of cancer drugs? 

 

Well, Chase Through Coruscant type stuff. TFA was a fairly traditional score orchestrationally (for a series filled with 'weird' music in places).

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Exotic instruments are usually recorded separately.

[thx99 1,740]

3 hours ago, crumbs said:

And is this guy a well known LA musician? He left a comment on Laura Dern's post about the Jurassic Park sessions, and he appears to be an avid guitarist. He has some involvement in the TLJ score.

 

Greg Dennen, I believe.  He appears to be part of the recording/scoring crew for TLJ, and he's credited as having been on the scoring crew for Jurassic Park as well as other Williams scores.  IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0219337/?ref_=nv_sr_1

[Marcus 390]

7 hours ago, mrbellamy said:

Hey just noticed this small but cool pic from Laura Dern, full view of the orchestra/studio:

 

 

Any savvy JWFan members see anything worth noting?

 

 

Well, the two harps at opposite ends could perhaps indicate some very specific "stereo"  writing... Might be fun! 

[Faleel 5,326]

So like in that one cue from Jaws 2?

[Omen II 1,235]

2 hours ago, Marcus said:

 

 

Well, the two harps at opposite ends could perhaps indicate some very specific "stereo"  writing... Might be fun! 

 

I reckon the two harpists are not on speaking terms.  The atmosphere in the recording sessions must be pretty toxic; I can imagine Williams having to call them to one side and having a word.

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

Multiple harps are usually placed like that on scores.  Doesn't mean anything. 

[Indianagirl 298]

This whole thread makes me happy

[ocelot 508]

Please no guitar a la chase through coruscant. Totally ruins that cue to this day. As for Laura Dern and Mark Hamill at the scoring sessions. That's lovely but doesn't help me hear anything !!! lol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I doubt you will hear anything before the autumn

[Cerebral Cortex 3,357]

With an event film like this, I really feel like you need to wait until seeing the film in the theater to hear the music. Makes the experience that much more special. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I will be doing just that

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Me too

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I didn't do that with TFA. Hadnt heard a note before i saw the film.

 

Rather enjoyed that.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[pete 902]

I can't imagine not listening to the music at the earliest opportunity. I'm way more into music than movies, so the idea of experiencing the score for the first time in a theater just doesn't excite me unless that's my first opportunity to hear the score. Plus, what if I get hit by a bus??!!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[crumbs 14,287]

What if you had the chance to hear the soundtrack, but decided to wait until the movie itself, only to get hit by a bus in the interim?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[crumbs 14,287]

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Marian Schedenig 8,153]

6 hours ago, crumbs said:

What if you had the chance to hear the soundtrack, but decided to wait until the movie itself, only to get hit by a bus in the interim?

 

What if you listened to the soundtrack on your headphones, and that's what caused you to get hit by the bus?

[crumbs 14,287]

4 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

What if you listened to the soundtrack on your headphones, and that's what caused you to get hit by the bus?

 

While frozen in shock after hearing the opening note of Main Title, discovering Williams tracked in the TFA version.

[mrbellamy 6,270]

9 hours ago, Cerebral Cortex said:

With an event film like this, I really feel like you need to wait until seeing the film in the theater to hear the music. Makes the experience that much more special. 

 

With TFA, I compromised by listening to "Main Title/Attack on Jakku" and the concert pieces (except "Jedi Steps & Finale"), plus "The Scavenger" since people were making that sound interesting. Saved the rest for the film. It was easy to do since the OST leaked so late and there were no samples.

 

This time, though, I'm gonna listen to the music first if I can. TFA was the first time I'd saved a score that I'd anticipated that much and I actually found myself sort of distracted. With Williams, some of my fondest memories have always been that brief time of just enjoying the music on its own and letting it conjure its own imagery before it's forever tied to the specifics of the film in my mind. Then the way it matches up is a completely different sort of surprise and experience altogether and just makes me listen in new ways. I'm not split between watching the film and trying to hear the music, I can better take it all in. I dunno, I've never watched a John Williams-scored film and thought "Wow, I wish I hadn't listened to all of this awesome music before" whereas I left TFA sorta wishing that I had!

 

I feel like if the film and score are brilliant, then I want to let the music be brilliant first. It creates even more anticipation and it's always satisfying to see great John Williams music used well. If the film isn't so great but the score is brilliant, then I'll be all the happier I took the time to enjoy the music first. And if the score isn't that great, well then I'm curbing disappointment. 

[Cerebral Cortex 3,357]

Lot of great points there. That does make a good deal of sense.

A problem I find is that if I listen to the score before going into the movie, I find myself getting distracted thinking trivial things like "Oh, here comes Scherzo for X-Wings. Damn, it's tough to hear because of all these sound effects. Damn, I think that's a microedit, etc." It sometimes gets to the point where I lose track of things like the actual musical intent or even the film itself. It's a silly problem I have, but avoiding the score until the film helps for me to mitigate my own personal flaw. 

I also just think I find it more enjoyable discovering the music within the context of the film first and then rediscovering on the OST later. For example, in TFA you have that great moment where the Resistance fighters are shown in the distance approaching Han and Co. and you get the first rumblings of some music before ultimately cutting to the fighters full on while also coinciding with the Resistance March blasting in full. Had that cue been on the OST (and not just the FYC), I would have known the cue would have started slow right before the imminent triumphant playing of the march. In other words, I would have known what was coming. I guess I like opting for the surprise. 

And while it is very satisfying for me to see Williams' musical intent* first on the big screen, you do make a great point that it comes at the cost of forever losing those precious moments of being able to imagine what the music could be saying sans visuals, and that is great fun. After the first viewing, cues become intrinsically locked mentally to their visual confines and it takes great personal effort to try to unlock them once more. And, again, that really is a terrific point, so much so that I'm kinda reevaluating the points I've made prior in this posting. My points seem kinda petty when put against the prospect of letting the music take hold of yourself and your imagination in a manner void of preconceived notions and imposed visuals. And that, to listen to music and to hear it and feel it purely for what it is, much in the same way a newly born child looks at the world with a wonder that is free from the sometimes oppressive societal realities, is really what it's all about, I think.

So, for the umpteenth time, good point. Sorry for spewing. You've put me in a bit of a bind here. I must meditate on this further in my chambers.  

*- I suppose said intent becomes lost sometimes once the editors have had their way with it. 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

It is very very rare for me to listen to a new Williams score in any way before seeing the film.  The only one I can think of from this century is Memoirs of a Geisha which I still haven't seen.

[mrbellamy 6,270]

@Cerebral Cortex all your points are things I've debated with myself as well haha. I didn't mean to send you into a further bind!

 

Quote

A problem I find is that if I listen to the score before going into the movie, I find myself getting distracted thinking trivial things like "Oh, here comes Scherzo for X-Wings. Damn, it's tough to hear because of all these sound effects. Damn, I think that's a microedit, etc." It sometimes gets to the point where I lose track of things like the actual musical intent or even the film itself. It's a silly problem I have, but avoiding the score until the film helps for me to mitigate my own personal flaw. 

 

For me, I kind of have that problem either way. One of the reasons I wished I had listened to TFA was that I was left a little underwhelmed by "The Falcon" in the film the first time, I felt like I was trying too hard to listen to the music underneath everything and in some ways I was probably listening for things that weren't there (if a big "money shot" went by I'd feel disappointed he didn't emphasize it etc). The second time I saw the film, after I had listened and appreciated the track on its own, I enjoyed it in context a lot more and just locked into it. Try as I might, it's impossible for me to go in without expectations and I wonder if I could have avoided picking it apart so much by getting some of that out of the way on album.

 

The microedits I never notice until after multiple viewings and listenings, anyway. It's not like I'm ever able to memorize the whole score or anything beforehand, once or twice is enough to tide me over. I guess that can bring its own distractions of trying to remember whether or not something was on the OST, but that's less of a preoccupation for me in general.

 

On the other hand, I do know what you mean about how it can be distracting the other way, noticing all the music. It reminds me of my reaction to Fantastic Beasts last year. I listened beforehand and it kind of radically changed my expectations for the film. It made it sound so much more fun, eccentric, colorful than I expected. When I saw the film, however, a lot of my favorite cues were sort of mixed low and the visuals weren't as inspired as the music lead me to believe.

 

But I dunno, rather than wishing that I hadn't listened beforehand, I just felt glad that I got to be so surprised and delighted by the score's highlights on their own first. It's not like I would have thought the film was a masterpiece otherwise and the music might not have stirred my imagination the same way listening to it afterwards. Plus there were several moments that did work for me and that's always thrilling, I didn't feel like I lost anything watching those.

 

Quote

I also just think I find it more enjoyable discovering the music within the context of the film first and then rediscovering on the OST later. For example, in TFA you have that great moment where the Resistance fighters are shown in the distance approaching Han and Co. and you get the first rumblings of some music before ultimately cutting to the fighters full on while also coinciding with the Resistance March blasting in full. Had that cue been on the OST (and not just the FYC), I would have known the cue would have started slow right before the imminent triumphant playing of the march. In other words, I would have known what was coming. I guess I like opting for the surprise. 

 

Yeah, I'm a little different in that way. To me that's still a tremendous payoff, watching everything play out to the music brilliantly. Kinda like when a film uses one of my favorite rock/pop songs in a great way, I'll be thinking "Ohh shit here comes the chorus!" and when the movie delivers visually, it's fantastic. I don't think I have a preference between that type of excitement and other memorable moments where I had never heard the music before and I'm digging everything at once. It's all great.

 

Quote

And while it is very satisfying for me to see Williams' musical intent* first on the big screen, you do make a great point that it comes at the cost of forever losing those precious moments of being able to imagine what the music could be saying sans visuals, and that is great fun. After the first viewing, cues become intrinsically locked mentally to their visual confines and it takes great personal effort to try to unlock them once more. And, again, that really is a terrific point, so much so that I'm kinda reevaluating the points I've made prior in this posting. My points seem kinda petty when put against the prospect of letting the music take hold of yourself and your imagination in a manner void of preconceived notions and imposed visuals. And that, to listen to music and to hear it and feel it purely for what it is, much in the same way a newly born child looks at the world with a wonder that is free from the sometimes oppressive societal realities, is really what it's all about, I think.

 

Yeah, to me I suppose it's mostly just about hedging my bets. If I love the music by itself more than how it's used in the film, then I'll be really happy that I listened beforehand so I can still remember how excited I was on my first listen. If I love how it's used even more than I imagined, then there's no problem...when movies are that good it just makes me forget all my preconceptions anyway.

 

Bottom line is I decided if I'm gonna scramble my brain this much over the issue, then I'd rather save myself the trouble and just listen to the fucking thing.

[Will 2,215]

I think for TLJ I will definitely try to not listen to the OST before seeing the film. Part of the reason I listened before with TFA was that I wasn't going to be able to see the film for about a week. This time, I will hopefully be able to see it right on opening night, so I won't really be missing out on much at all even if I wait to listen to the OST until then.

 

I saw The BFG on opening day without listening to the OST, but that experience was very underwhelming -- that score, as you all know, was not exactly "in your face," and takes some time to get into. But I don't want to give up on that approach, and presumably Star Wars will be much better for it. 

 

That said, I only want to do this if I'm sure I'll be able to watch the film a second time after some OST listens. I'll of course want to have a chance to analyze how the music is used in context. 

[ocelot 508]

21 hours ago, Stefancos said:

I doubt you will hear anything before the autumn

poo on you!

10 hours ago, Cerebral Cortex said:

Lot of great points there. That does make a good deal of sense.

A problem I find is that if I listen to the score before going into the movie, I find myself getting distracted thinking trivial things like "Oh, here comes Scherzo for X-Wings. Damn, it's tough to hear because of all these sound effects. Damn, I think that's a microedit, etc." It sometimes gets to the point where I lose track of things like the actual musical intent or even the film itself. It's a silly problem I have, but avoiding the score until the film helps for me to mitigate my own personal flaw. 

I also just think I find it more enjoyable discovering the music within the context of the film first and then rediscovering on the OST later. For example, in TFA you have that great moment where the Resistance fighters are shown in the distance approaching Han and Co. and you get the first rumblings of some music before ultimately cutting to the fighters full on while also coinciding with the Resistance March blasting in full. Had that cue been on the OST (and not just the FYC), I would have known the cue would have started slow right before the imminent triumphant playing of the march. In other words, I would have known what was coming. I guess I like opting for the surprise. 

And while it is very satisfying for me to see Williams' musical intent* first on the big screen, you do make a great point that it comes at the cost of forever losing those precious moments of being able to imagine what the music could be saying sans visuals, and that is great fun. After the first viewing, cues become intrinsically locked mentally to their visual confines and it takes great personal effort to try to unlock them once more. And, again, that really is a terrific point, so much so that I'm kinda reevaluating the points I've made prior in this posting. My points seem kinda petty when put against the prospect of letting the music take hold of yourself and your imagination in a manner void of preconceived notions and imposed visuals. And that, to listen to music and to hear it and feel it purely for what it is, much in the same way a newly born child looks at the world with a wonder that is free from the sometimes oppressive societal realities, is really what it's all about, I think.

So, for the umpteenth time, good point. Sorry for spewing. You've put me in a bit of a bind here. I must meditate on this further in my chambers.  

*- I suppose said intent becomes lost sometimes once the editors have had their way with it. 

See I'm more than OK listening to the score first because whether I go into the film having listened to it or not, I still just focus on the music. I have to watch a film at least twice to know what the plot was..... I'm always analyzing what a composer is doing the first time I go in. If I listen to the score fist, I still do that, however, because I know the music I can hopefully get what is happening on screen as well.... lol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Don't listen to any sample before the CD is released. Then listen to the CD from start to finish. Then watch the film.

 

It is the only way.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

NO!!!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Search your listening habits. You know it to be true.

[Miz 139]

You can never hear a stand-alone score - a purely musical journey - once you have seen it twinned with the images it was written for. Avoiding listening to it before seeing the film is avoiding a unique experience that film music is great for. I remember the uplifting experience of travelling in my own imagination to tracks like The Scavenger and Scherzo for X-Wings.

 

For this reason, I enjoy a score a few times before the film, then enjoy the film without getting drawn into the 'usage' of the score, then afterwards enjoy the score alone as it elicits those images, then enjoy the film and its music in greater depth later.

 

There are quite a few scores in my collection that I currently have not seen the film(/TV) for at all (in order of composer, across my mp3 collection): Polar Express; Battlestar Galactica; Anna Karenina; Somewhere in Time; Jaws 2; Memoirs of a Geisha; Revolutionary Road; Escaflowne. There are a great many more that went unseen for a long time, or that I have only seen once a long time ago yet enjoy the score more recently.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Incanus 5,713]

I'll certainly listen to the CD if there is a chance before seeing the film. Back in 2015 the TFA soundtrack album was released so close to the film release I wasn't able to take a listen before I went to see TFA. While it was a neat experience to be able to hear the music first in the film (for the first time in quite a while), I have no qualms about listening to the score on disc before I see the film.

[Quintus 5,399]

On 2017-5-23 at 2:34 AM, Selina Kyle said:

Laura Dern is a terrible actress.

 

She's in Twin Peaks.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

7 hours ago, Quintus said:

She's in Twin Peaks.

 

Makes sense.

[Will 2,215]

Just saw this quote from Hamill (bottom line):

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/movies/last-jedi-star-wars.html

 

Quote

This is the first “Star Wars” movie for Kelly Marie Tran and Laura Dern. What is it like to be initiated into this franchise?

 

KELLY MARIE TRAN It is both horrifying and amazing. Obviously, I was intimidated, but I never felt intimidated, personally, in Regina George fashion. Every single person sitting here was honest and open. I was allowed to go to set when I wasn’t working and watch them perform. I felt like I was in this epic acting school that I didn’t have to pay for. Someone just gave me the key.

 

DERN I have to discredit you, Daisy, with your comments about yourself [not being great with new people]. When my daughter came to set, she said, “Oh my God, Mom, do you think we get to see Rey?” I was like, “Oh, we don’t want to bother people.” And then your trailer door opened, and you went, [singing to the “Jurassic Park” theme] “Laura Der-rrrr-rrn, Laura Der-rrrr-rrn.” [Laughter] My daughter was like, “She’s the most welcoming person.”

 

HAMILL Another royalty for John Williams.

 

It's probably nothing, but maybe this indicates that Dern's character has a new theme? Hamill's reference seems weird otherwise, although it could I guess just be a reference to the Jurassic Park mention. It's kind of a silly thing to post but I'm antsy for news right now. 

[BloodBoal 7,538]

It's just a reference to the JP theme.

[KK 3,307]

Good Lord, JWFan is clearly very starved for some new JW...

 

P.S. That's definitely just a JP reference.

[pete 902]

Yeah the Laura Dern bit is a reference to the Jurassic Park hymn theme. Daisy sang Laura’s name to its melody. She told that story and sang a demo during the 2-hour red carpet video. 

[aviazn 273]

16 hours ago, pete said:

Yeah the Laura Dern bit is a reference to the Jurassic Park hymn theme. Daisy sang Laura’s name to its melody. She told that story and sang a demo during the 2-hour red carpet video. 

I had to find this.

 

[Muad'Dib 1,800]

4 minutes ago, aviazn said:

I had to find this.

 

 

[artguy360 1,842]

JW must be beside himself with glee.

[Quintus 5,399]

Nice to see Dern enjoying a bit of a renaissance lately.