Incredible Video: John Williams and Steven Spielberg working on E.T. The Extra Terrestrial score

[Jay 46,244]

This is seriously one of the best Williams-related videos I've ever seen

http://www.mtv.com/v...rrestrial.jhtml

I wish stuff like this was available for everything he's written

[wanner251 18]

Love!

[Datameister 2,586]

I saw this the other day. Absolutely love it. I would seriously pay big money just to watch the entire composition process Williams goes through on a single score...or, for that matter, to just hear what he plays on the piano along the way. There's a little footage like this in that old British ESB score documentary on YouTube, showing Williams composing "This Is Not a Cave", but it's far too brief.

[Delorean90 47]

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing.

[indy4 160]

Wow, this is great. Thanks for posting!

[crumbs 16,007]

Hasn't Spielberg had someone film all their scoring sessions and spotting sessions since E.T.?

[scallenger 665]

I assume this is a clip featured on the new BluRay extras? Damn, I can't wait to get it!

[Maurizio 6,913]

It's part of the John Toll behind-the-scenes footage doc, "E.T. Journals". Some of it was used also in the DVD music featurette.

[Andy 7,730]

I love fly on the wall style footage. It says so much more than any interview or talking heads reminiscing.

[russds 8]

Thanks for posting, I always love these fly on the wall style footage like this. Really a rare treat to see two masters at work.

I saw this the other day. Absolutely love it. I would seriously pay big money just to watch the entire composition process Williams goes through on a single score...or, for that matter, to just hear what he plays on the piano along the way. There's a little footage like this in that old British ESB score documentary on YouTube, showing Williams composing "This Is Not a Cave", but it's far too brief.

I saw this one too, and also a very good rare treat.

[karelm 3,271]

That's really great to see! A lot can be learned from this one minute of footage...just imagine seeing hours of this from various films throughout his career. A real model of professionalism, craftsmanship, and talent in perfect balance.

[Incanus 5,890]

That was really lovely and interesting and I recall seeing a section of this on the DVD documentary. I wonder if they still work like that from time to time on a picture.

[King Mark 3,975]

Well, MTV blocks out any viewer out of the US. Thanks MTV for contributing to make the internet less people friendly

[Trumpeteer 304]

That was awesome!

[Thor 9,362]

Well, MTV blocks out any viewer out of the US. Thanks MTV

Yeah, but if you click 'continue anyway', you'll get to see it.

I want more of this, please! MORE, MORE, MORE!!

[Incanus 5,890]

I remember seeing on the DVD documentary how Williams was slightly uncomfortable that Spielberg was using a hand held camera to shoot the recording sessions of E.T. Williams wryly remarked, feeling very self conscious, something to the effect of being as comfortable as he would be if Spielberg was shooting him taking a shower.

[nightscape94 968]

I find it cool that he has a Mozart book at his piano.

[King Mark 3,975]

Well, MTV blocks out any viewer out of the US. Thanks MTV

Yeah, but if you click 'continue anyway', you'll get to see it.

?

The page just tells me to fuck off

[Wojo 2,458]

Well, MTV blocks out any viewer out of the US. Thanks MTV

Yeah, but if you click 'continue anyway', you'll get to see it.

I want more of this, please! MORE, MORE, MORE!!

Ironic, huh? Welcome to our world.

[alicebrallice 134]

thanks for posting, jason!

[Incanus 5,890]

I love the old fashioned moviola JW was using at the time. And probably would be using today if they hadn't forced him to use more modern technology. I bet he still has one like that but adjusted to digital projecting.

[Muad'Dib 2,059]

This is magnificent. When will Steven do a proper JW documentary? With all the footage he must have, he could do something amazing.

[KK 3,313]

Can't see the video since I'm outside of the States. A shame.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

On YouTube:

[KK 3,313]

That was awesome. Thanks Koray!

[mrbellamy 8,244]

So cool! Someone already mentioned that ESB documentary, but is there any other footage out there (JW or otherwise) from spotting sessions or of composers working with directors outside of recording? This stuff fascinates me, but it's not the kind of thing you get to see much of.

[King Mark 3,975]

amazing video

[Xander Harris 9,675]

So cool! Someone already mentioned that ESB documentary, but is there any other footage out there (JW or otherwise) from spotting sessions or of composers working with directors outside of recording? This stuff fascinates me, but it's not the kind of thing you get to see much of.

There's nothing really intense. Behind the scenes footage from the scoring or spotting sessions is usually only snippets of talking if anything.

That ESB footage is pretty much the goldmine and it isn't much.

[chuck 155]

kewl vid

[stewdog1 50]

I love fly on the wall style footage. It says so much more than any interview or talking heads reminiscing.

I agree. I could watch this stuff all day.

[Quintus 6,496]

I would watch 72hrs of this. All of the classic Spielberg movies stuff, it'd be heaven on tape.

I wonder if the back-and-forth between Williams and Lucas during the SW post production would be as irresistible?

[Incanus 5,890]

Spielberg's and Williams' collaboration has always been more intense and extensive than Lucas' and Williams'. That footage of E.T. looks like they are actually hammering out a specific scene, the finale, on the moviola and piano well into the scoring phase, not your average spotting session, where you would view through the film and take notes as Williams usually does with Lucas. In his own words he said they spotted the Episode I for example and then he went away for 2 months to write with very little interaction or discussion with Lucas. As we know Spielberg is a bit more hands on and likes to check up on Williams from time to time just to hear his music and socialize, while the Maestro is composing.

[Quintus 6,496]

Another way of saying it'd be a lot less informal.

[Salacius 7]

.

[Jay 46,244]

You wanted more, you got it!

http://www.soundtracks.pl/player.php?ID=791

[Salacius 7]

.

[wanner251 18]

You wanted more, you got it!

http://www.soundtrac...ayer.php?ID=791

Prince!

[Andy 7,730]

I love fly on the wall style footage. It says so much more than any interview or talking heads reminiscing.

I agree. I could watch this stuff all day.

Seems to be becoming more common lately with Bouzerau's Raiders and E.T. documentaries created exclusively with on the set footage.

[mrbellamy 8,244]

Spielberg's and Williams' collaboration has always been more intense and extensive than Lucas' and Williams'. That footage of E.T. looks like they are actually hammering out a specific scene, the finale, on the moviola and piano well into the scoring phase, not your average spotting session, where you would view through the film and take notes as Williams usually does with Lucas. In his own words he said they spotted the Episode I for example and then he went away for 2 months to write with very little interaction or discussion with Lucas. As we know Spielberg is a bit more hands on and likes to check up on Williams from time to time just to hear his music and socialize, while the Maestro is composing.

It's beside the point of your post, but just thought I'd point out that it's not the finale they're working on, but rather this little exchange in the forest, on Halloween: http://www.dailymoti...1982_shortfilms

Spielberg and Williams are trying to figure out where to switch to "the call" from the main theme, and it looks like we're seeing them decide exactly where it ended up in the film, as ET slowly turns his head and looks into the distance (around 45 seconds into the clip)

[Incanus 5,890]

Ah good call. Thanks for pointing that. I thought they were talking about the finale, when I watched it again I realize that is not the case.

[Datameister 2,586]

I did the same thing...I kept thinking, They didn't end up using "the call" in that part at all! Then I realized it wasn't the finale, haha.

[Maurizio 6,913]

Did anyone else notice what's sitting on Williams' piano stand? Lovely.

[russds 8]

Awesome thanks, even a video to go with it! I was curious what scene it was, and what ended up the final music. You can see JW was talking about ET looking up twice, and changing to 'the call' on the second time he looks up. Very interesting.

It's beside the point of your post, but just thought I'd point out that it's not the finale they're working on, but rather this little exchange in the forest, on Halloween: http://www.dailymoti...1982_shortfilms

Spielberg and Williams are trying to figure out where to switch to "the call" from the main theme, and it looks like we're seeing them decide exactly where it ended up in the film, as ET slowly turns his head and looks into the distance (around 45 seconds into the clip)