Antonio Sánchez : Birdman live

Summary

In this interview, a jazz musician reflects on his first experience at the Mus Philharmonic, where he was inspired by the creativity and daring nature of the director he worked with. He shares how he collaborated on a French film, improvising music based on the director’s detailed descriptions of each scene. The drums became a key element in the film, intertwining with the story and standing out due to their unconventional presence. The musician discusses the challenges and excitement of creating music for a movie still in development, alongside a director's visionary approach.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker is visiting the Mus Philharmonic for the first time and highlights its beauty and significance.
• 😀 The speaker has previously played at the Vet Jazz Festival but emphasizes that this is a new experience for them.
• 😀 As a jazz musician, the speaker frequently improvises and reflects on how the director of the project also embraces improvisation.
• 😀 The director is described as daring, creative, and aggressive in his approach, which inspires the speaker.
• 😀 The movie being discussed is a unique French film that deviates from typical Hollywood standards, with a strange script.
• 😀 The speaker received the script before the movie was shot and had to improvise based on the script, as there was no movie footage yet.
• 😀 The process involved the director describing scenes in great detail, allowing the speaker to improvise based on those descriptions.
• 😀 The director used his imagination to visualize scenes while the speaker played, giving cues for the improvisation with hand signals.
• 😀 The improvisation was tailored to specific moments in the film, such as when certain actions, like someone opening a door, took place.
• 😀 The soundtrack and drums are deeply intertwined with the movie, becoming a unique character within the film, which stands out because of its distinctive sound.

Q & A

What is the speaker's first impression of the Mus Philharmonic?

The speaker is visiting the Mus Philharmonic for the first time and describes the area as beautiful, mentioning that they've performed at the Vet Jazz Festival but this is their first time in this particular hall.

How does the speaker describe their experience working with the collaborator?

The speaker describes their collaborator as daring, creative, and aggressive, which they found very inspiring. The speaker highlights the improvisational nature of their work together.

What role does improvisation play in the speaker's work?

Improvisation is a central part of the speaker's role as a jazz musician. They frequently improvise and also note that their collaborator, too, is highly improvisational in their approach.

How did the speaker approach the script for the film project?

The speaker received the script for a French movie, which they found strange and different from typical Hollywood movies. They worked off the script in a studio in New York, improvising based on the descriptions given by the director.

What process did the speaker follow while working on the film score?

The speaker worked directly with the director, who described each scene in detail while the speaker improvised based on those descriptions. The director would imagine the scenes with their eyes closed, and the speaker would adjust their improvisation accordingly.

How did the speaker communicate with the director while improvising?

The speaker asked the director to raise their hand whenever a significant event in the scene occurred, such as a character opening a door, so the speaker could adjust their improvisation to reflect the action in the scene.

What is the significance of drums in the movie?

The drums are a key element in the movie, so intertwined with the story that they are almost like another character. The speaker mentions that the drums' presence stands out because they are not typically heard in such a prominent way in films.

Why does the speaker believe the drums stand out in the movie?

The speaker believes the drums stand out because they are so present throughout the movie, and their sound is unusual in a film context, making it a distinctive feature that draws attention.

What did the speaker mean when they said the drums were 'another character' in the film?

The speaker refers to the drums as 'another character' because of their significant role in the film. The drums aren't just background music but are closely intertwined with the storyline, contributing to the emotional and narrative aspects of the film.

How did the improvisational process help shape the film's musical score?

The improvisational process allowed the speaker to tailor the music to the film's evolving scenes. By working directly with the director and reacting to the scenes' descriptions, the speaker created a unique, dynamic score that complemented the film's atmosphere.