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Alan Silvestri - Ready Player One (Theme) Transcription

Discussion in 'Score Study Resources' started by Aaron Venture, Jun 10, 2018.

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  1. #21 Mike Verta, Nov 13, 2018
    Bullshit. It's "hard" because it's not directing. I've done this about 1000 times. We try and recruit elements of actual, realtime, human-involved directing into the process, by injecting ourselves into voice sessions, motion-capture sessions, etc., because otherwise it's nothing like framing shots, adjusting lights and getting performances from actors. When lots of CG is involved, it's a little easier for me as VFX artist because I can see though the roughest wireframes and animatic representations of storyboards, but mostly, we describe something and then wait days to see if it's right, and then make notes, and wait days, and all the stuff that actually goes on is in somebody else's hands. It's hard because it's so counter-intuitive and time-consuming and hard to get cohesion out of. Methinks he protests too much.
     
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  2. #22 Luke Johnson, Nov 14, 2018
    Sorry, Speilberg didn't say "hard" he said "difficult". Sorry for the confusion, and here's a quote from Wikipedia, "Spielberg worked with Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) to oversee the film's visual effects, meeting with ILM for 3 hours three times a week..He has stated that "[t]his is the most difficult movie I've done since Saving Private Ryan."

    Totally understand what you've just written but I think Speilberg's involvement on Ready Player One was a tad more than turning up to "direct 11 minutes of footage" to collect a paycheck. Just wondering if you have seen it or know how they made it (including all the VR sets that they built to frame shots etc) because the technology they used to create it looked pretty amazing (maybe it isn't to someone like yourself).

    Here's an article about ILM combining Virtual Production and Motion Capture. To me that's amazing but no doubt you do this every day (I don't actually know what it is you do outside of music regarding VFX etc)

    https://www.cartoonbrew.com/vfx/how...ools-to-create-digital-characters-157821.html

    Anyway, sorry to have derailed this thread from the OP's musical transcription.
     
  3. #23 Mike Verta, Nov 14, 2018
    Yes I know what's involved; RPO's production pipeline was standard/typical for VFX. It probably looks impressive, but it's actually straightforward especially with an army of units to do the work (what do you think the 9+ minute sea of credits at the end of the film is about? :) In any case, the "meeting 3 hours 3 times a week" actually makes my point, but I'd guess you'd have to know, to know. More importantly you have to understand that we produce ancillary behind-the-scenes and extras content/interviews to further and sell more product; they're commercials. This is why you don't see extras for failed films admitting and analyzing the failures (unless it ultimately becomes a cult hit, like Revenge of the Nerds; then it's safe to talk about how stupid it was, because it ended up making money.) RPO was a failure, and it would be a far more interesting piece to produce on "what happened?" but you won't see this. The message has to be that it was great and amazing, and a real challenge even for a really big deal guy like Spielberg (he worked a whole three hours a day on it, so if you think it's bad, you're wrong). It's all marketing. The goal is to minimize your negative opinion by showing how many other people - all part of this really great machine of experts - disagree with you. I have an entire fireplace mantle full of awards for doing this, because manipulating people successfully and mercilessly is part of my skillset -and part of what I'm trying to teach you. :)
     
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  4. #24 Rohann van Rensburg, Nov 14, 2018
    In this vein, it was interesting to see them admit in the Hobbit's extras that Jackson was called in to direct the film because del Torro was contractually obligated to work on another film, and that he was having to write the film as it was shooting thanks to time constraints. It showed him agonizing over it and how he was unhappy with it, and it also showed some of the actors becoming really frustrated and isolated with its almost-entirely-CGI approach. No one came out and said it was a terrible idea but a few production crew members sure said it implicitly. The films were garbage, for the record.
     
  5. #25 Luke Johnson, Nov 14, 2018
    I would have replied sooner but Simply Silvestri took me to about 4am (excellent watch by the way) and I had to get up at 7am (In the UK here). I'm a little confused why you say RPO was a failure? It had a budget of $175 million and box office took $582.2 million. Unless of course you are gauging success and failure in other ways. And if so, why? I mean, it made a fuck ton of money back. Perhaps it didn't make what estimated figures the studio had projected (it is Spielberg after all and one of the only directors that can guarantee - usually - a billion dollar franchise) but a sequel is planned (Ernest Cline is currently penning the second book) and I bet the box office figures will hit a Billion then. Of course, you maybe saying it's a failure for personal and subjective reasons but I can't see how the film was a failure. Interesting.
     
  6. #26 Alexander Schiborr, Nov 14, 2018
    I don´t need or want to answer for Mike, but I assume he is not in the thinking that success is only bound to box office resutls. Sure just from numbers it is a success. When you only measure this things when it comes to success , then a lot of HW movies from the last decade made quite good box office results and some even crazy money. But are they good memorable long lasting movies which would create generations of fans throughout all societies? Do they have an impact emotionally that they affect pop culture over decade and form subcultural phenomas etc.? I mean I dumped down the ready player one movie and I think it is a bad, really bad movie. Technically it is probably brilliant, but emotionally and dramatic wise..it just doesn´t do anything for me. I am stil curious why a Magnitude of steven Spielberg who is responsible for so many memorable moments in movie history does that kind of rubbish soulless techmovie (though technically impressive). I am there in the clouds..and I can´t understand that. However, taste is always different and when others enjoy the movie, that is fine of course.
     
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  7. #27 Luke Johnson, Nov 14, 2018
    Exactly man. It's why I'm interested in knowing why Mike thinks it's a failure. At the end of the day, we like what we like. Many people love this film and many people don't. When it comes to whether people "like" it or not, I think the only opinion that's valid matters is Ernest Cline's opinion. The author of the book (and had heavy involvement in the Screen play of the film). Despite having to change it dramatically from the book (for obviously licensing reasons and the fact books aren't films and must be changed) he has said he loves the film. So the author loves his creation that's now a film. I think that's a pretty cool achievement and if he loves it, I can't see how it's a failure.

    It IS technically brilliant (as a side note...especially in 3D. It's the first use of 3D since Gravity that helps tell the story - most 3d is just "for fun" and a gimmick - in my opinion). You say you watched it on an airplane? Well, that's like watching a downloaded cam video on a shit Lenovo laptop haha. Probably not the best environment to make a judgement on it's technicalities. Airplane screens are shit! haha!

    And that's the point. It didn't do anything for you. It doesn't mean that it's not emotional and dramatic for other people. It's all subjective and that's fine. I'm so glad we all have opinions that many of the time differ but that doesn't make the film a failure.

    To be honest, it's a wonder any of us write music because when you look at the giants of the shoulders that we all unashamedly stand on, why even bother? (Bit of humour). We pursue music because we love it and will never stop learning to get better but I guess you have to be prepared to know that your entire lifetime of devotion to music can and will just result in someone else just saying "That's dog shit" haha. Always like our online interactions. It's funny how different we are. :)
     
    Alexander Schiborr likes this.
  8. #28 Alexander Schiborr, Nov 14, 2018

    I completely agree. and just because we have different opinions on things like movies or music doesn´t mean that we don´t respect each other. We are different in that regards but I have no problem with that. I actually like it because it maybe gives me also different perspectives. What would be the world when everybody just agrees :D
     
    Luke Johnson likes this.
  9. #29 Luke Johnson, Nov 14, 2018
    It would be horrendous. The world not fighting is just weird! haha
     
  10. #30 Rohann van Rensburg, Nov 14, 2018
    It's probably a failure in the same way that the new Star Wars films are failures. People "love" them, and they made loads of cash, but will they stand the test of time? They already aren't. Are they objectively good films? Compared to their predecessors, on the basis of story integrity, characters, etc...no.

    There are films I enjoy that I don't think are "good". That's ok. Discerning what is worth learning from is another story, though.

    I think the issue with modern film is that most AAA films are technically "brilliant", but strip that away and what are you left with? Compelling story, characters, ideas? A good deal of revered Hollywood music doesn't pass this test once you strip away production.
     
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