Doing interviews for this site is a lot of fun. So many of them have stuck in my head for a variety of reasons whether it was the witty banter, unexpected hilarity, great life lessons, or some other unique and intangible takeaway. If luck works out we get a follow-up with any particular creative for their new project, be it a film, show, score, album, etc. So enter one James Cullen Bressack, a young writer/director who is about as self-made and humble as they come. He’s also got a wonderful personality and he sees films from a different perspective. He makes lean pictures, and there is a real fun to…
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Interview…Composer Chris Benstead on the Worlds of Guy Ritchie
When a composer and a filmmaker find a groove, the results are a seemingly never-ending well of material. Suffice to say, the best partnerships are far more than just one note. Pun intended! Filmmakers whose work spans multiple genres – war, action, fantasy, crime, all of the above – need a sound that suits the story. There are several long-standing director/composer partnerships out there and one of the more recent noteworthy pairings is the one-two punch of Guy Ritchie & Chris Benstead. We’ll be completely honest here: one of our very favorite (if not all time favorite) director is Guy Ritchie. A legend now, he blew people away with his…
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Interview…Composer David Fleming on Danger and Discovery in ‘Damsel’
Every once in a while it’s fun escape into a popcorn fantasy film, and something with a sword or two and a dragon are usually sure to please. In this case, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo delivers in all categories all the while offering a tale you thought you had seen before. With Netflix’s Damsel, he puts a spin on the “princess in distress” framework to make Millie Bobby Brown the hero of her own story. Then again, just looking at the album artwork below, you could probably figure that out. To elevate and enhance the story, composer David Fleming was brought in to give Juan Carlos’ story literal wings. His work…
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Interview…Composer Julia Newman on Technique and Timing in ‘FEUD: Capote vs. The Swans’
Sometimes you can meet a person and the way they look at life, their experiences, or just a few choice words can change the way you think about things. Having conducted over 200 composer interviews – each with unique stories from the industry – this particular podcast was one for the books for a number of reasons. We spoke with Julia Newman about her work on the second season of FEUD on FX. Most of the session was spent talking about life, her time in school, family ties to the industry and the valuable connections and foundation she’s made for herself. But mere minutes into the session (even before hitting…
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Interview…Composer Andrew Kawczynski on Collaboration, Inspiration, Huge Films and Dream Jobs
Where does inspiration come from? How much influence does it have on you? And how does it help any creative get their work across the finish line? These are questions every artist has, and the answers can be wildly different. We interview a lot of composers and everyone has uniquely different stories, yet there is one constant we continually find baffling: they never have any time. On this episode of The GoSeeTalk Podcast Experience we spent more than an hour with seasoned composer Andrew Kawczynski. Last year, he and Lorne Balfe produced the adrenaline-fueled, head-nodding score to Gran Turismo. If you thought young Jann Mardenborough was in for a rough…
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Interview…Randy Edelman on Songs, Scores, Musical Instincts and the Fiftieth Anniversary of ‘Prime Cuts’
Fifty years ago, Randy Edelman released his third record. Leading off this special album is the song Bluebird. “Prime Cuts” has many standout tracks – a mix of joyous, playful, down tempo and lovelorn tunes – but that one in particular exemplifies how he can pen something that seems simple yet comes across as wildly creative, poignant and timeless. He’s got the tools, he’s got the talent, and a very lovely voice; that’s what you call a triple threat. Randy has seen almost every aspect of the music business and while song writing and composing for films are two completely different animals, he can float back and forth between the…
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Interview…Director William Eubank on Realism, Rawness and Relationships in ‘Land of Bad’
Looking at the calendar, we’re just now into February. But after seeing William Eubank’s latest actioner you’d think we were deep in the Summer season where high-octane films are typically blowing up cinema screens. So that speaks highly of Eubank’s film as well as the state of entertainment these days – no matter where you look, you’re going to find something to surprise you or knock your socks off. Land of Bad is a taut film about drone warfare, but Eubank and co-writer David Frigerio make this more about character than technology. It’s an exercise in ramping up tension. Moreover, it tells the unique relationship between two soldiers working on…
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Interview…Composer Harry Gregson-Williams on Aardman Animation, Tony & Ridley Scott, and Working with Family
One of the best bits about running GoSeeTalk is getting to know people over time. As consumers, we can watch anyone’s career grow. But from a journalistic standpoint, having conversations about what a particular creative makes, how they do it, and all the steps along the way make for a greater understanding and appreciation of the things we see and hear. So let’s go back to 2013 when we first had the great opportunity to speak to rock star composer Harry Gregson-Williams. We had an interview at length and dove head first into multiple high points on his resume. That was then followed up a couple years later to discuss…
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Interview…Composer Joby Talbot on Paul King, Neil Hannon and ‘Wonka’
When you talk about comfort food, or feel-good movies, I’m sure everyone has their go-to picks, and the range of titles is probably as vast as any horizon. We’ve got a few for sure, but one that constantly offers something new upon repeat viewings is Garth Jennings‘ 2005 adaptation of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. One of the many reasons it works so well is the score from Joby Talbot. In a word, it’s tremendous. Talbot, who began playing music at a very young age, has tried all manner of instrument and musical outfits and made a name for himself as keyboardist and arranger with Neil Hannon’s pop group…
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Interview…Director Peter Hutchings on ‘Which Brings Me to You’
It’s always delightful and refreshing when a film plays out against type and expectations. All too often we know how something will end well before the halfway mark. But in the case of Peter Hutchings’ romantic comedy, the film has enough twists and turns to keep things exciting and offer a handful of surprises. We sit with director Hutchings to talk about various aspects of the film adapted from the epistolary novel by Steve Almond and Julianna Baggott. One of the most interesting aspects of the production is how the team came up with an innovative framework for the film’s many flashback sequences. It feels appropriate to the conversational nature…
