You ugly.

So I'm just about finished with my tracks. They're all mixed, I'm just gonna listen to them for another day or two before I hit that "render" button.

My Dennis Nedry track turned out to be a sort of Morricone-style cowboy theme. I have no idea why. I suppose Dennis is the kind of guy who'd see himself as a badass hero/outlaw. It's a nice little galop with some church bells for good measure.

My Toodles track is a 17-second rag piece. I feel a little bad for whoever gets this one, because I'm kind of forcing a melody on them - maybe there's a way around that, I don't know! But I found myself making up my own lyrics to it immediately, so I think it'll work out somehow. I love ragtime, and since Toodles is a very old man, I thought that might be the kind of music he would have listened to as a kid.

For my third track (Reese's Pieces), I tried to do something not necessarily experimental, but...unexpected maybe? I thought about what style of music I could do that nobody else would. And I have no idea where this idea came from, but I thought about those jump rope/hopscotch/double dutch songs little girls sing on the playground. I honestly can't remember any of the ones I heard for double dutch, but hopefully everyone knows what I mean. Closest one I can think of is "U-G-L-Y, you ain't got no alibi, you ugly! Yeah, yeah, you ugly!"

So anyways, I decided to do that. Don't have a jump rope, and I can't imagine they're very loud, so I went outside and got a stick and whipped it in front of the microphone. Also added some clapping and some bucket drumming. It took everything in my power not to add more instruments, but I thought even the bucket might have been overdoing it. I wanted to keep that "playground" vibe and make it as basic as possible. Absolutely no melodic instruments. I suppose that's an IML first?

Good luck to whoever gets that one. Hopefully it's not too out there. I thought the name "Reese's Pieces" already kind of lends itself to a kids rhyme.

Here is the entire ensemble:

 

So anyways, I think mine will be a fun challenge for whoever gets them. Will upload the WAVs by the end of the weekend, probably!

Dan

Duel, and possibly others

I will be composing a backing track on the subject of Duel, the 1971 feature film directed by Spielberg in which a hapless driver is terrorised by a truck driver for no apparent reason. The film is very tense and suspenseful. There is almost a supernatural element to it. It will be hard to capture the feel in 30 seconds, but I have some ideas.

I may also do a piece on the general art of story-telling if I have time. Spielberg has said that he sees himself as a story-teller primarily and that his medium is film rather than the written word.

Two ideas, with maybe a third coming?

As of now, I have 2 tracks I want to do.

The first will be about Dawson Leary and his film obsession.
The second will be about Elmer the dog and the movies he found himself in.

I have a third musical thing I'm working on, but I haven't decided yet if it is IML-worthy.  It may be a bit too wierd...

Kalimar!!!

I've decided to write my 3 songs about:

• Mola Ram, the heart-stealing high priest of the Pankot Thuggee (Indiana Jones and the Temple Of Doom)
• One of my favourite movie-adaptations of all time - Empire Of The Sun
• Spielberg Fashion - the Nikes, the Aviators, the baseball caps

 

John Williams

For my first track I claim Spielberg's relationship with John Williams as his chief composer. I'm going to try and use old school music tracker software to write the music as well so it might end up as a chip tune! My second track is going to be about Torch Beams! I think they're often referred to as Godlights in his films, I tend to refer to them as ... Torch Beams! Let the fun commence.

Willie Scott

My backing track is going to be on the subject of Kate Capshaw and the love that bloomed between leading lady and director on the set of Temple of Doom (I think, I haven't really researched this).

Hold on to your butts.

Just wanted to pop on here and claim my subjects! I'm going to do 3 tracks. I'm thinking:


1) Reese's Pieces. E.T.'s love for them? Their significance in the history of product placement? Vocalist decides, I guess.
2) Toodles, from Hook. Early in the movie, he explains he's lost his marbles. Then this happens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpuG2VBbOlo. One of only a few movie scenes that make me cry. So happy!
3) Dennis Nedry. Enough said.


That's all, can't wait to hear everyone else's!

P.S. Like Steve up there ^^^, I have also never had a cup of coffee. 

30 Seconds of Spielberg!

Greetings IML tune-mongers. Welcome to the IML's 8th album
 'Short Songs about Spielberg'. On this album we're going to be writing about American film director Steven Spielberg - the man, the movies, and other 'm' words. 


As if that weren't fun enough, we're challenging you to limit your song(s)* to just 30 seconds in length! I'm going to be wrangler for this album, so email me if you have any questions or need any assistance. Use this blog to lay claim to Spielberg song-subjects and keep us all posted on your progress. 

Here's the specs for contributions...

Submit .wav or .aiff formats at 44.1kHz, 16 bit
Mix your tracks to peak at approx -6dB
Maximum track length: 30 seconds
*Maximum submissions: 3 per contributor


Deadlines:
Submit back tracks by: July 6th 
Submit finished tracks: August 3rd 

Now go on - say everything you've always wanted to say about Spielberg in half a minute.
Jolly good luck!


Yours,
Tim Donderevo
timdonderevo@gmail.com