Meet Douglas Pipes, Musician/Composer/Funny Man

Yesterday I had a short but important conversation with the music composer, Douglas Pipes. He has the Fine Cut of the film (I don't say Final here because I know I'm taking out a couple of frames to clean it up) and he had questions -- about music, sound, vibe, feeling. We talked about what he needed to understand the "vibe" that I wanted, and I listened. Officially, he has all the temp tracks on the iPod and a little table chart that I created that said where each track should go in the film. And he'll be taking it on vacation with him to the Caribbean. So picture this: Man lounging on sailboat, drinking beer, laughing with friends, remotely composing (in his mind, of course) the lovely and bittersweet score to our friendly little bridal film. Very nice.

I'm amazed that this project has come together the way it has... and I look back at all the little seeds I've planted along the way to get here. Douglas is one of those flowers.

I first met him when I was 29, aka young and having lots of fun living on the beach. We became immediate friends and have remained in touch throughout the years. I was fascinated back then - and still am - by his talent, sense of humor, and simply just the way he is. But he knows this. He was at the time playing in a band, singing, writing songs, and generally figuring out the next big thing. I was really impressed by the work he'd already done on other films. He'd done film soundtracks and played some of the music for me. One night we were hanging out in the basement, or the garage (I forget what that room was exactly, but it had a piano there, and his computer) and I asked him to show me how he did the music. He was surprised... do you really want to know? why are you asking me this? But I did really want to know. So he walked through the software he used, how he worked with the timeline and extending or cutting the sound to fit the scene. I remember sitting in there, writing in that room, pen and paper, with him next to me, headphones on, breathing hard, just working on music. It was sweet. (I wish I had a picture of us from that time, but people just didn't have cell phone cameras then folks)

When my original composer decided early on that he didn't have the time or interest in this film, I immediately thought of Douglas. In fact, I had thought about Douglas much earlier but figured he was too busy, too talented, and just too big to work on this short film. In the end, I thought, heck, won't hurt to ask. He responded immediately via email. "Yes! Would LOVE to!"  All I could think was "wow"... and then, "Thank God."

In the years since those idyllic days on the beach, he's gone on to do many cool things. Finished his degree. Worked in an ad agency. Composed for shorts, features. His most well-known work to date is the 2006 soundtrack to the animated film, Monster House, which my daughter has seen at least half a dozen times.

His most recent big film was Trick'R Treat, a  feature released by Warner Brothers in 2008. It has received universally great reviews from blogs and critics, and has a huge following among horror film fans.

Next up on his plate: Dinner with moi. Then we finish the film.

I know I've said this a lot, but we are indeed so very lucky to have him on our team. Douglas is the Big Fish here, and I promise to cook him a mean dinner... with Cat Stevens in the background.

MUSIC COMPOSER
Douglas Pipes

Douglas Pipes is a film music composer whose music has appeared in a spectrum of short and feature films including City of Ember (Universal Pictures) and the 2006 soundtrack to Monster House (Columbia). His loud, brassy instrumentations have drawn comparisons to action-music composer guru Alan Silvestri. He has won a variety of awards for his compositions including World Soundtrack Awards, Royal Television Society, and Gold Spirit Compositor Revelacíon (Spain). Doug’s most recent work is the score of horror film Trick ’r Treat.

Tunes for Tots, better known as Child Labor (Goddess images included)

Saraswati, Hindu goddess of knowledge, creativity and openness

I have a great love affair with films. I grew up watching movies with my mother, a huge film buff who could name the year, the director, and the actors in almost any film from the 1940s and onward. So, while most parents take their kids to the park, I would take my little 5-year-old charmer to a Yugoslvian film with subtitles. (yes, she reminds me of this often!) Or, we'll spend a lazy Sunday making cookies and laying on my bed and watching four films back to back.

One thing we both do is turn down the volume when the scene gets tense, and we'll keep watching. Sometimes we have to change it, and have been known run out of the room if a scene gets too heavy. That's because music can make you feel. All musicians know that. And combined with visuals, movie music is just simply this: POWERFUL... it can leave you breathless, bring tears to your eyes, or scare the royal crap out of you. Music in film creates texture and meaning, and communicates to the viewer not only what to feel, but how to feel it. Like I said... powerful.

I have a tremendous appreciation for traditional musicals (Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Grease); they're a genre all their own. But film soundtracks are different beasts -- whether original compositions or licensed tracks. Everyone knows the Tier-1 stunners like John Williams, Patrick Doyle and Ennio Morricone, or classic themes like Jaws (John Williams), Rocky (Bill Conti)  and Halloween (Dan Wyman/John Carpenter). When we think of those, how can you deny that music compositions drive the film, and sometimes even carry it?

• The Godfather (Nino Rota)
• Lord of the Rings (Howard Shore)
• Blade Runner (Vangelis)
• Jean de Florette (Jean-Claude Petit, Giuseppe Verdi)
• The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Leos Janacek)
• The Mission (Ennio Morricone)

I've spent the last few weeks diving into my secret stash of potential soundtrack CDs and getting leads from friends and industry contacts. After weeks of listening, making CDs, and playing tracks over and over at my desk and in my car, it was finally time to choose. (I confess, the whole process was becoming emotional to me, and probably was the most symbolic and important choice I could make for the film, outside of hiring the DP and choosing the cast.)

It was a lovely Sunday morning and I was driving Miss O to dance class. She had the clipboard on her lap and as we did the 45+ minute drive she put in CD after CD and cross-referenced the song titles with the scenes. After some deliberation, we would select the song and she'd mark it down. There were some tracks that I really liked. In fact, I liked most of them, which is why they were on the shortlist. But she didn't have any emotional attachment to it. She was quick with a "no way" and actually confirmed my decision on some that I was wavering on. By the time we arrived at the banjar (the Balinese community house), we had all of our tracks, and some alternates, selected and ready for prime-time.

Hindu Goddess Durga (Goddess of Multi-Tasking)

This, my friends, is the great art of multi-tasking. Child labor included gratis. The contribution of Miss O for her invaluable input on the song selection and her endless patience and energy is priceless. Sample tracks to be posted later.

Now, on to licensing... whew.

In addition to those listed above, I do have a few soundtrack favorites from the "licensed song" category, if anyone's interested. Probably one of the most integrated and poignant soundtracks is Magnolia, written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Just stunning. I don't own the CD, but I probably should pick it up one of these days.

1. Stop Making Sense
2. Repo Man
3. Magnolia
4. O Brother Where Art Thou
5. Amadeus
6. Let It Be
7. Pulp Fiction
8. American Graffiti
9. Purple Rain
10. The Graduate
11. Saturday Night Fever
12. Quadrophenia