creativity

"Converse"

Photo by haydnseek

Producing music and sound design for live theatre presents some of the most unique challenges you can face as a creative composer, especially if you are used to working in the linear medium of film or TV.  There are some similarities, but also a number of important differences, which offer surprising opportunities and rewards.

Won’t Get Fooled Again

As a composer for media, you can get seduced into thinking your music is better than it actually is, if you compose while running picture.  Just as music can lift a scene, in turn the film (acting, dialogue, and the cinematography) can very much lift the music, giving it importance and meaning that may not be inherent!  This is one of the big lessons of working in theatre, where you are forced to work away from the scene – you can’t take it with you, and it’s going to change anyways!  In order to work ‘away from picture’, you must absorb the scene and have a complete handle on it, both in terms of the emotion/mood/story/meaning/etc, and the exact timings for ‘hits’ and changes.  Once you have those nailed down, you can focus on writing strong music.  When you bring back your work and line it up, you can then make any necessary adjustments, but your mind will no longer be seduced or divided – you’ll be confident knowing that you focused on writing great music, and now can focus on making sure it works to picture.

Equal and Opposite Reactions

One of the first things that is apparent before you even begin working on any production is that things are always in a state of flux – as the show moves towards opening night, it becomes more and more polished, tight, and predictable; however, even during a run it can still change and evolve in subtle ways.  The actors find new motivations, hook onto some energy of a particular night, and develop their characters and relationships as they grow through the show.  In film, the composer will usually score a ‘locked’ picture (or something like it) – the scenes are static – a performance is frozen in time and will never change.  On the stage, a scene will never be repeated exactly the same way.  The actors respond and react, they find inspiration, they expand and contract.  In film, when you put your music against a picture, you can have a powerful impact on the reading of that scene.  In theatre, there is an additional layer – once you bring music into the ‘picture’, they respond and react to it, changing the impact even further and more deeply.  One of the most rewarding aspects of working in theatre as a composer is that you become involved early, and are truly one of the team – a group that becomes very close as the show progresses.  You create in response to them, and they in turn to you – it’s a very organic and multi-layered process.  There is a great thrill in watching an actor ‘hit’ their mark, and use your music to leverage their performance, in turn making your music work in new, different, and often better ways.

Tick-tock tick-tock

One of the advantages of a locked picture, a static and unchanging scene, is that you can write cues with to-the-frame accuracy.  Trying to ’spot’ a scene in a play is kind of like trying to hit a moving target – an amorphous mass that congeals as rehearsals progress.  It starts loose and improvisational, and slowly becomes more polished and exact.  When you begin the process, it’s nearly impossible and pretty much useless to try and time out scenes and ‘hit’ any points.  As the rehearsal process progresses, you then can sit in the dark with a stop watch (bring a flashlight!) and scribble notes furiously.  Create a cue sheet, much like the one you would use for a film, which includes Act and Scene, page number, line cues, length, and notes on the music itself.  You will need to be very integrated in the team, and have an ongoing communication with the Director and the Stage Manager, and whoever is ‘running’ the show in terms of audio.  As things develop and change, everyone needs to be on the same page – the chain of command is important here as well – you will not be approaching an actor with a request that they speed up their monologue because your cue is running out.

Designing Sound Environments

Another aspect to working in theatre is that you may also be the sound designer for the show, depending on the budget.  This means you will need to have at your disposal the means to create sound environments and cues.  This may range from extremely ‘natural’ (trying to create a sense of time/place/space) to very abstract.  Sounds may come from a production library, or from field recordings you capture and manipulate yourself – everything from a doorbell ring to the sound of a dog barking in the distance, a crowded bar or a street scene, music playing on a radio or waves lapping on a shore.

Test Drive

Once you have assembled your cues and applied the necessary treatments, they will be tested and adjusted for the space itself during ‘tech week ‘  – when the show is run in the theatre space, with complimenting lights and sound (aka ‘wet cue-to-cue’).  All technical adjustments are made here – crunch time!  Whereas in film you ship off the final mix for dub and don’t have to worry about how it will sound in the theatre, it is your job to make sure everything sounds as it should in the space and on the system the space uses .  From the very beginning, you should make yourself familiar with the sound system and how the sound will be run – samples triggered via midi?  Run off of a laptop using a cuing program like Q-Lab?  Via a two-deck CD player?  These things become extremely important once you hand over the sound to the sound tech running the show – you want to make it reliable, fail-safe, easy, and effective.  During cue-to-cue, you’ll be calling out changes – volume up/down by how many dB?  Cross-fade longer/shorter?  And so on…

This is just a very introductory overview on designing sound and music for theatre – there is a lot more to know and learn!  If you are intereseted, a great resource  is Sound and Music for the Theatre: The Art and Technique of Design, Second Edition by Deena Kaye and James LeBrecht.  It covers every aspect in great detail, and is a good reference for someone familiar with audio and music looking to get into theatre.

What are some ways that you branch out and expand your artistic and technical horizons?

Photo by Gaetan Lee

I’m a big fan of seeing people succeed at whatever they are passionate about.  To me, it is in a way like watching an athlete perform – there is an elegance, a beauty, a truth in the Universe in the movement and their grace.  They flow – they are in their element.  It also gives you hope, because if they can do it…

A common challenge for creative people is the lack of support they encounter as they build their career.  Amazingly, the most likely source of support is from strangers or acquaintances.  I believe that the hesitation of family and friends to pledge unconditional support does stem from a place of love and concern, but it manifests itself negatively almost every time – as judgment.  We see someone about to take a risk, and we are worried – moreso because we judge creative risks to have a low ‘return on investment’, so to speak, and that it’s a ‘waste of time’ or will end badly (drugs, depravity, desperation – you guys are creative types – you know how we live).

Which Witch is Which?

I think one of the big challenges in trying to lead a fulfilling life is learning to tell the difference between Fears - those things which make you afraid because they are actually dangerous and/or a bad idea, and those which you fear because they are new, different, challenging, and may result in (GASP) ‘failure’.  If you ask an entrepreneur, these last are called ‘opportunities’, and ‘failure’ is simple a natural part of the journey to ’success’.  There is no easy way to learn to tell the difference – it’s a matter of being very honest with yourself and listening to your intuition.  You will eventually be able to judge your fears with good accuracy, and I’ve made it a recent habit to always say ‘Yes’ to doing things which terrify me for all the right reasons.

What does this have to do with support?  Well, a lot of people don’t know how to tell apart their fears, and their fear for you takes over – that you’ll fail and be unhappy, that you’ll end up in a bad place, that you’ll blow the family fortune, or even (and possibly more often than you’d expect) that you’ll be a big success and they’ll feel lousy for not having taken a chance on their dreams themselves – dreams which they let die long ago for all the wrong reasons (fear of ‘failure’, being pragmatic).  Now, I’m not saying people should enable foolhardiness – again, this is one of those times when you have to see fear for what it is – is there a justifiable reason you are afraid?

Hector Projector

Now, by virtue of who this blog is intended for, I doubt I’m going to convert anybody who is not on a creative endeavor into being a Champion of the Dreamer.  But I think it helps to know where they are coming from – that fear.  It’s not really about YOU, it’s them and their own ’stuff’ that they are projecting on to you.  So what to do?

Do everything from a place of love.

Do it for yourself, don’t rely on outside support to do what you do.  Treat it as a nice ‘extra’ if you do receive it, and cherish and nurture that in people – it’s a rare thing.  That’s important too – to realize it’s not a given that people will support you.  Learn to give yourself support by judging your own stuff less critically, and by letting the work be a reward in itself.  And, even more importantly – GIVE AWAY WHAT YOU WANT – if you want support, support others.  It’ll come back to you, in such abundance it will surprise you.  It’s one of the weirder laws of the Universe – if you want something, give it away.

Quack quack

Let the negative roll off your back (you were wondering what the heck ducks had to do with this, eh?).  I mean really: let it roll off and dissipate (no baggage hanging around for future bitterness) – and this is a challenge.  Let it go.  Again – it’s not easy and it does take practice.  But if you are going to succeed, you are going to have to keep at it – and if you are going to keep at it, you’ll need to build thick skin – for rejection, and for those who just don’t really care about you or your work.  Work hard, but learn to move on quickly if you’re not getting anywhere.  Approach things without expectation and with no emotional attachment to the outcome – do it for what you love to do, not for what you think you should get.

No Island

But that’s only part of the picture – you need some sort of sustenance, support – you can’t be completely self-sufficient, you just won’t make it all alone.  Seek out you champions and supporters.  Actively look for people and groups that are aligned with your values and goals.  They will become your support structure, and provide guidance and direction when you need it.  Find a mentor in your field – they will help you in real ways that others cannot – on an emotional, and practical level.  Surround yourself with positive, inspiring, motivated people who themselves have goals that they are not giving up on.

Come on people now, smile on your…

Finally, I really want to encourage everyone to… ah… encourage everyone!  Try to jump in with genuine excitement and enthusiasm the next time someone describes their latest pet project, album idea, business plan, film treatment, or whatever.  It’s a small thing, but having that support, even a token ‘Sounds awesome!  Go for it!’ can make a huge difference to opening up creativity and improving chances – don’t perpetuate limiting beliefs – perpetuate passion, creative energy and love.

OK, time for a group hug!  … and maybe some Gravol for the nausea?

The Spotting/Cue Sheet in progress...

Being organized is glamorous and sexy!

… well, maybe if you wear a sequined dress while filing (remember to shave your pits if it’s strapless, gentlemen)…

The spotting session is one of the first things a director and/or producer will do with the composer on a project. During this session, which usually lasts 3 – 8 hours, you watch a fine cut of the film. Scene by scene, frame by frame, the filmmaker will talk about what they want in terms of music – the style, genre, mood, emotion, dynamic, and importantly the function of the music in a scene. The composer takes detailed notes, usually saying quite little, unless asked for input.

Whadda I do with this chicken scratch??

Something I learned while apprenticing was the value of creating a Spotting Notes/Cue Sheet document. This document is the distillation of your notes and lays out the detail of every cue: for each act, for each reel. It contains all the ‘vitals’ including timecode IN and OUT points, length of the cue, format and output notes, and notes on what the director wanted, as well as your ideas. When you are finished, it is your Holy Bible for your score on this project; at any point, you will know EXACTLY where you are at, and what you need to do. You’ll even know, pretty much exactly, how much music you need to write.

Spotting notes should be transcribed as soon as possible, while still fresh in the mind. If left too long, there may be trouble interpreting ones own notes, and one doesn’t want to appear flakey by calling and asking what the director wanted over the speedboat chase with the explosions again? Solo oboe?

Here are some things you’ll find on this type of Spotting/Cue sheet:

Cue Number – more details on this in a moment

Cue Name – something that will bring to mind what is happening and what the cue is for. Some composers are famous for their hilarious cue names.

IN and OUT points – when you review the film, make sure you tighten up your IN points to the frame!

Time - the total length of the cue

Notes – what the director said… what you thought of – your brilliant musical ideas. The scene – what’s happening? Function – what is the music supposed to do – from the mundane to sublime.

Other things – A/B reel indications, Stereo/5.1 etc., and Type – source, library, location, song, etc.

When you are in the heat of creating music under a deadline, this little bit of non-creative housekeeping can save you time and mental strain. You can forget about keeping any data on how a cue relates to something two acts down the road, because you already made detailed notes on this. You know that you have finished 12 cues and 23 and 1/2 minutes of music, and have 7 cues and 16 minutes of music left to write. You made a note that cue 2m06 will be mirrored in 3m01, so you should write that now which shouldn’t take long since it’s just a slight variation. The cue sheet is key to freeing your mind to do the creative work of writing music, while making you efficient and organized. I personally believe it will make your score better, because you’ll have laid out the framework of the WHOLE score, and can see it from a distance. This helps you keep track of how the score fits together as one musical thing, as opposed to a procession of unrelated cues written without a solid plan which was thought out in advance.

Do you use something like this when you work?   Any other time-saving, insanity-offsetting practices you employ?

This week I’m guest blogging at Studio Manifesto!

http://studiomanifesto.ca/2009/04/01/voodoo-your-creative-flow-using-rituals-to-maximize-your-creativity/ !

Creative Flow - Photo by entrelec

You know how a particular smell or perfume, or a song, can bring back a powerful memory of a person, place, or time in your life? Certain stimuli can trigger strong emotional states. For me, if I smell Calvin Klein’s ‘Eternity’, I’m back in grade 9, going out on my first date, and I’m madly in love. It’s as if I’ve time traveled on an emotional level, re-living all those strong feelings from those turbulent times.

In this phenomena lies a key to enhanced creativity and unleashing inspiration.

READ THE FULL POST AT http://studiomanifesto.ca/2009/04/01/voodoo-your-creative-flow-using-rituals-to-maximize-your-creativity/ !

Photo by Craig Elliott

Don’t be ashamed of your own ideas. Most musicians get applauded for sounding like someone else. People try something out that they think is exciting, and everyone looks a little unsure. Then they play an old James Brown riff and everyone’s saying: ‘Wow! That’s what we want!’ Most of the time musicians are being encouraged to sound recognizable. What I’m doing [as a producer] is encouraging them at the points when they’re not.
- Brian Eno

Who Are You?

An aspect of being an artist is the path to finding your voice. Your ‘voice’ is your signature, your ‘thing’, that which you get known for, something to which you become associated. Sometimes, even, it’s a schtick. If you think of any successful artist, someone who stood the test of time, you’ll note one particular trait – they had a unique voice. They did something no-one else did, or they did something far better than anyone else. This is something you want to cultivate, for a number of reasons.

Karma Chameleon

Composers working for media have a special challenge in this area. Generally, you are expected to be aware of, and be able to compose in, any style imaginable – NOW. I’ve scored an episodic show where I went from comic opera to Joe Pass jazz, then to purposely cheesy PSA music to porn, 50’s bubblegum pop, to copping Prokofiev ballet, then to afro-cuban, and even more. To have these styles in your arsenal, and to be able to say ‘yes’ when asked to genre-hop, is a necessary skill especially when you are getting established.

It’s your thing – do what you want to do

Being versed in many styles is great for your musicianship and breadth. However, this is not your ‘voice’. It’s unlikely you’ll get very far specializing in ALL styles – it’s a bit of a contradiction in terms! What you want is for people to think of you as the person who is the go-to for “X” , but also a capable and professional expert who is also able to adapt and stretch to meet any demand.

You need to differentiate yourself from all those people who are doing the stuff everyone else is doing!

Right now, there are thousands of emerging composers out there, who are trying to emulate the heroes du jour – John Williams, John Powell, Danny Elfman, and Hans Zimmer, to name a few. Some argue that if a producer or director want John Williams, they’ll call him. WELL… yes, and no. No, if they don’t have 1/2 a million in their budget for John’s fee. So yes, the guys who can do ‘that sound’ will get calls.

However, there are two problems with this scenario:

1. The only way to compete in this area is to be THE BEST at it.

2. This is a limiting way to build a career. You might become known as the person who can do Zimmer, and when that goes out of vogue, or worse, when someone wants something original, you could lose.

It’s a short term career move.

Don’t imitate it, don’t abandon it – FILTER IT

This will happen naturally anyways – but try to cultivate your sound when you work. Create a mental environment condusive to this – this means that you have to stop judging your work when it really starts to SOUND LIKE YOU, and instead, recognize it as a good thing and push forward in those crazy directions! You have to develop an awareness of what you do that makes you unique. It doesn’t have to be the most insane thing ever, either – it can be simple. My thing is the guitar – I want to create scores using the guitar in unusual ways. Even if no guitar sounds appear in the final recording, I will use the guitar to compose – and THAT will end up helping to give the score it’s signature – because it’ll be different had I done it another way. I ‘own’ the guitar as a tool, it is part of me and my process.

Do Something Different

Be a little more daring. Try something you think might not work. Pick up a new instrument. I’m getting into instruments from around the world – the Bansuri is my current favorite. This year I plan to learn how to play violin, and eventually I’m going to get a Guzheng. Getting into a different way of playing can really open some doors to different ways of working, new ideas, and a unique path. Study a different style of music, study different composers. Open up – and filter what you learn. Don’t get too bogged down in details – it’s not an academic excercise. Even if you can’t play well, you will come up with some ideas that are unlike what you’d normally develop. Learn fast and take what you learn and make it your own. Each instrument seems to naturally lend itself to doing different things, which is why sometimes you can break out of a rut by composing on an instrument different than what you usually use.

The Devil is in the Sampler

One of the weird things about being a composer these days is watching a film or TV show, and hearing a sample you recognize. I KNOW that one “Thunder Ensemble” hit with the singing bowl ringing overtone from StormDrum2. I even know what velocity level it was triggered at. It’s a damn good sample, too. That’s a little disconcerting when I’m using it for another project – makes it feel a little… cheap. Like cheating. Now, I’m not against samplers, libraries, sounds, and effects, etc. But it’s worthwhile to invest some time into how you can differentiate, even in this area. How your sound, is… well, your SOUND – like a guitar player has their particular sound. Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimie Hendrix, Al Di Meola – these guys play different and they also SOUND different – it’s the TONE. Experiment with your samples. Tweak them. Use them “incorrectly” – play instruments out of their compass or pitch range. Use effects.

A Balancing Act

The one caveat in all of this, of course, is that it is important to stay current. Like the ability to compose in any style, you will be asked to sound en vogue. But it is possible to balance this with a striving to be unique, different… memorable. One of a kind. A Go-To.

All things under the Sun

This kind of thinking naturally extends to your whole music business, aka your BRAND. How you present yourself – visually, personally, the myth or legend, or story you create about yourself. This all gives a context to the music and how it is perceived, and can add to your value as a composer. It’s how well you can sell yourself and your ideas, the kind of music you produce. If you build yourself to be a special kind of composer, then people will see you that way and will look to you to deliver your specialty. I will be looking at the idea of ‘myth building’ in a later blog.

Speakeasy

How do you differentiate? Do you have some great examples of artists making it work for them? (one of my favorites is Carter Burwell). How do you strike a balance between doing it all V.S. doing one thing?