# 'The Dark Knight' score



## RiffWraith (Aug 16, 2008)

Picked this up the other day. Very good. Alot of nice textures, and melodies. Fans of Zimmer should like this; Zimmer haters will say it's typical Zimmer and it all sounds the same. I agree to a small extent, but I still like it. Save for a couple of small things (one a VERY typical Zimmer thing, and another cue that sounds very close to a 'King Kong' cue), I am having a hard timing deciding who wrote what. Which I guess is a good thing - that it's transparent and it all blends.

I am thinking, very well done. Then I look at the liner notes....lol

There is:

Additional music by one guy
Ambient musical design by another guy
Another guy doing 'musical arrangement'
Another guy doing synth programming (w/HZ)
Another guy doing digital instrument design
Three guys doing sequencer programming
Three guys doing sample dev
Three guys as 'technical score engineers' (one as an ass.)
Eight orchestrators

And that's not to mention the three music editors, two contractors, coordinator, and copyists, and recording and mixing engineers.

Wow.

Now, I am not saying I am all that, but honestly, I really don't think my stuff is half bad. Stuff that I compose, orchestrate, mock-up, mix, tweak, etc all by lonesomne (as do most of us). I can't help but wonder how I would be doing if I had ^ at my disposal.....

Cheers.


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## Niah (Aug 16, 2008)

That's all fine but youi need to get to the top first  and for that you need a whole new set of skills...


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## synthetic (Aug 16, 2008)

You could spend a day working on one of the loops in "Why So Serious." With a big movie like that, cuts are changing every day, big orchestras to administer, etc. I can see where it takes an army. It's not like Hans is sipping ice tea by the pool while all of this is happening, I'm sure he's putting in 20-hour days with the rest of them. Plus, remember it's HZ and JNH together, so you're seeing both of their teams listed. 

One of my favorite scores of theirs, though.


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## Waywyn (Aug 16, 2008)

RiffWraith @ Sat Aug 16 said:


> Now, I am not saying I am all that, but honestly, I really don't think my stuff is half bad. Stuff that I compose, orchestrate, mock-up, mix, tweak, etc all by lonesomne (as do most of us). I can't help but wonder how I would be doing if I had ^ at my disposal.....
> 
> Cheers.



One question:
Did you ever hear an RMX, Evolve, Stormdrum loop in his music?
Where you able to make out standard orchestral effect of EWQLSO, SISS, SAM in his stuff?
Had you moments of loading up e.g. Zebra2 synth and find the exact same preset which was used on one of his movie scores?

No?

Now you see the difference between you and Zimmer. You still may sound unique in terms of compositon and all this. But you don't spend a day creating a loop or a single synth patch which you hear for 2 or 3 seconds in the whole score, don't you? 

Besides all that I want to see you finishing a movie score of e.g. 90 or 120 mins of lenght within a few month only without hearing one familiar soundpatch 

EDIT: One thing to think about additionally. Look at every other profession. What about fashion again? Do you think the designer of cloth really designs everything until the last piece of cloth is added? Mostly they do sketches and then lots of "minions" work it out ... now go and apply it to any other profession and you would see that there is mostly one guy who represents the product, but actually lots of people were involved to get it done.


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## choc0thrax (Aug 16, 2008)

On album, I think the first score was better.


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## RiffWraith (Aug 16, 2008)

Waywyn @ Sat Aug 16 said:


> RiffWraith @ Sat Aug 16 said:
> 
> 
> > Now, I am not saying I am all that, but honestly, I really don't think my stuff is half bad. Stuff that I compose, orchestrate, mock-up, mix, tweak, etc all by lonesomne (as do most of us). I can't help but wonder how I would be doing if I had ^ at my disposal.....
> ...



Wow. I appreciate anyone's input here, but that post ^ tells me you missed the point. Part of it being, "But you don't spend a day creating a loop or a single synth patch which you hear for 2 or 3 seconds in the whole score, don't you?" no - and neither does Hans.

Cheers.


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## Waywyn (Aug 16, 2008)

Sorry but it seems you miss it or we kinda have a language issue going on 

Maybe neither does Hans, but in the end, in his score you don't hear anything which sounds similar to what you use. He has his custom samples all over the place and if he uses synths such as Zebra2, he got people working out individual patches for him.

What I am trying to say, that maybe Hans doesn't do it anymore on his own .. but I put a big guess in here that he did for a very long time.

I know this is not the main point but I am watching a movie in the cinema and very often go: "Oh, a RMX loop, ... another Atmosphere patch ... SAM Horn FX" ...

... but Hans score always sounds totally unique. Again it doesn't matter if he does it himself or if he got people work it out for him.
I am not here to defend him and people may think about his compositions what they want, but a big big point is, that his stuff sounds like HIM. It is unique and even if people don't hear out VSL, EWQLSO, SAM or similar ... they might feel that thòz™   ‚lÄz™   ‚lÅz™   ‚lÆz™   ‚lÇ


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## Waywyn (Aug 16, 2008)

bryla @ Sat Aug 16 said:


> Waywyn @ Sat Aug 16 said:
> 
> 
> > I know this is not the main point but I am watching a movie in the cinema and very often go: "Oh, a RMX loop, ... another Atmosphere patch ... SAM Horn FX" ...
> ...



Well, let me put it like this. I don't have a list writing things down like this :D
Most of the time I go to the cinema and watch a movie and leave everything aside. Even the music. If someone asks me how the movie was, I have my opinion on THE movie - not the CG, the music, the acting, the storyboard.

Yes, I am able to turn off my mind and just watch the movie like someone who is not involved in graphics or music etc. ... but it surely doesn't work everytime.
Sometimes I have those little bells in my head, telling me that I just heard an RMX or SD1 loop.

But of course and again it is really not important.

If a score is good I don't care if I hear something the "common mortal" could buy ... all I am saying that everytime I am listening to a Zimmer score, it is a complete unique sound. It sounds all recorded, sometimes samples of course, but all sounds custom and uniquely recorded ... and this gives his scores totally different colors.


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## handz (Aug 16, 2008)

Funny, so many people and only things you actually hear in the movie are loud ta ta ta tam ta ta ta bum prcussions and some taaaaaa daaaaa taaaaaa daaaa brass, I cant recall anything like catching melody and absolutely not a theme. :?


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## bryla (Aug 16, 2008)

I'll ditto that, handz! It was like listening to a 150 minute trailer


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## choc0thrax (Aug 16, 2008)

Not all movies need themes, sometimes electronic scrapey sounds created by a sweaty intern work better. Get with the times grandpa!


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## Ed (Aug 16, 2008)

handz @ Sat Aug 16 said:


> Funny, so many people and only things you actually hear in the movie are loud ta ta ta tam ta ta ta bum prcussions and some taaaaaa daaaaa taaaaaa daaaa brass, I cant recall anything like catching melody and absolutely not a theme. :?



Therers themes all over Dark Knight, if you cant hear them I think you have a problem. Theres no real "main" theme like the old Batman or a Williams score true, but to say theres "absolutely not a theme" is just silly.


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## handz (Aug 16, 2008)

Sorry, only I could recall are too loud drums with some brass phrases. Ok in these days drum line with some simple brass lines are called themes, but i just dont eat that.


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## José Herring (Aug 16, 2008)

I think in that movie they were trying to go for an emotionally effective score with minimal theme. Hans has tried to score both Batman films with as few traditional "notes" as possible.

Personally I think for the context it's very effective within the context of the film. Is it good music? Can't say. Does it work with the picture. Hell yes!

Jose


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## choc0thrax (Aug 16, 2008)

It did work very well in the film, just on album it's a snooze.


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## Waywyn (Aug 17, 2008)

choc0thrax @ Sat Aug 16 said:


> Not all movies need themes, sometimes electronic scrapey sounds created by a sweaty intern work better. Get with the times grandpa!



Hehe, recently I have seen "30 days of night". Not the best movie ever but as far as I remember the music there sometimes were some drums and rhythms, but generally the whole or most of the music consisted of electronic noises and eerie pads.

Think it worked well. Maintheme? I think the setting alone was so scary and sinister, a maintheme ... no even a melody would be at the wrong place


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## Waywyn (Aug 17, 2008)

josejherring @ Sun Aug 17 said:


> I think in that movie they were trying to go for an emotionally effective score with minimal theme. Hans has tried to score both Batman films with as few traditional "notes" as possible.
> 
> Personally I think for the context it's very effective within the context of the film. Is it good music? Can't say. Does it work with the picture. Hell yes!
> 
> Jose



This also reminds me of the soundtrack for "Transformers".
I actually didn't read anything like that but I can imagine that lots of people used expressions such as "very sterile" or "sometimes almost robot-ish instruments/repeating/cold" etc. to criticise the music.

Well, ... what was the movie about? :D


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## Andreas Moisa (Aug 17, 2008)

I recognize that there is a lot of Hans Zimmer bashing on the net going on, but I want to tell you that I only feel great respect for Hans and his team. That is because I had the chance to do an interview with him this year while he was working on the batman-score. First of all - the guy is a workoholic. The day before the interview he left the studio at six in the morning and after the interview he went straight back to the score without noticing anything around him anymore - while we did pictures of the studio.

So, you can say he doesn't program every single patch of a synth anymore...he doesn't claim that he does and gives all the credit to Howard Scarr who did all the Zebra 2 patches.
I noticed that he has this ability to get around with people what makes him this succesful. He assembles the best team in the world and get's a score done. And he is working with the directors in a way that we all dream about - that is creativ while obtaining his own language and keeping his own ideas in the score instead of just following directors orders (like we do so often...see the thread about directors So there is a lot of trust from directors/producers that he gets these multi-million$ movies done - and that doesn't have to do anything with music at all.

And adding to these points comes the fact that every other composer that I talked to feels the same amount of respect for him. 

Working with such a team must be the greatest thing in the world as there is so much input from everybody which adds up...actually in the few hours I spent at Remote Control I could feel this kind of energy sucking me in already...
Somebody might feel that their compositions are more "sophisticated" than the score of batman - but would the movie need more "sophisticated" music at all?

Besides that, I got me Zebra 2 myself and played around with it a little. When you add some concerthall reverb from altiverb, you can get some real nasty patches!

Batman starts next week in germany...why on earth do we have to wait so long only to hear crappy german voices instead of the original perfomances???

Andreas


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## Ed (Aug 17, 2008)

handz @ Sat Aug 16 said:


> Sorry, only I could recall are too loud drums with some brass phrases. Ok in these days drum line with some simple brass lines are called themes, but i just dont eat that.



If you refuse to call a spade a spade I guess thats up to you.


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## Leandro Gardini (Aug 17, 2008)

I haven´t seen the movie yet, but I think it should be put in consideration that there´s a big difference beetwen musical motives and themes...I particularly don´t like score with no themes...that´s why I love JW...he seems to be the only one that always come put with something memorable today!!!


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## mixolydian (Aug 17, 2008)

mcmace @ Sun Aug 17 said:


> Batman starts next week in germany...why on earth do we have to wait so long only to hear crappy german voices instead of the original perfomances???


Is it that bad? Sometimes when I watched a movie in native language I thought the german actors/voices did a pretty good job. BTT


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## Waywyn (Aug 17, 2008)

mixolydian @ Sun Aug 17 said:


> mcmace @ Sun Aug 17 said:
> 
> 
> > Batman starts next week in germany...why on earth do we have to wait so long only to hear crappy german voices instead of the original perfomances???
> ...



Yes actually german dubbers do a really great job, but in the end if you watch a movie in native languange, there is so much more atmosphere going on. If you watch a lot of movies in native language and check back to a german one you might think it almost sounds like a gameshow 

You actually also recognize when you are going to study in forgeign countries and many cultures meet (as it happened back then to me on Los Angeles Music Academy). All the guys from Brazil, Sweden or wherever they are from, their english totally ruled while the germans with all their dubbed movies didn't understand a word. I remember one guy who studied there, who couldn't even speak a few words in english after the whole year that would make sense. I think he really felt like an alien in an terrestrial sanitarium :D


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## synergy543 (Aug 17, 2008)

I thought LA IS a terrestrial sanitarium?
>8o


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## Aaron Sapp (Aug 17, 2008)

RiffWraith @ Sat Aug 16 said:


> Wow. I appreciate anyone's input here, but that post ^ tells me you missed the point. Part of it being, "But you don't spend a day creating a loop or a single synth patch which you hear for 2 or 3 seconds in the whole score, don't you?" no - and neither does Hans.
> 
> Cheers.



When I visited Han's studio in 2006, one guy told a story about how a group of assistants worked on a particular percussive sound for two weeks - intended for just a couple seconds of use in a score.


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## Lpp (Aug 18, 2008)

Waywyn @ Sun Aug 17 said:


> Yes actually german dubbers do a really great job, but in the end if you watch a movie in native languange, there is so much more atmosphere going on. If you watch a lot of movies in native language and check back to a german one you might think it almost sounds like a gameshow



Funny, I always have the exact opposite feeling. Perhaps I´m used to german dubbing, but most of the time, I find the original a bit dull and strange. 0oD


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## Andreas Moisa (Aug 18, 2008)

> Funny, I always have the exact opposite feeling. Perhaps I´m used to german dubbing, but most of the time, I find the original a bit dull and strange.



Yes that was my first impression also. Then I got used to watch everything in english that i can't listen to german dubbing anymore - although they really do a remarkable job, especially Christian Brückner who is the german voice of robert deniro.

It all started with "24": DROP YOUR WEAPON! DO IT NOW! :mrgreen:


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## Waywyn (Aug 18, 2008)

Hehe, to be honest I would have never start to watch original voice if my best buddy wouldn't be a canadian.

Since the day I know him and we went to the cinema we always went to the original voice theaters here in Hamburg. Okay, sometimes it is really hard to understand (The Assassination of Jesse James ...) but if you have very characteristic roles such as The Joker in Dark Knight (just by watching the trailer) german becomes very boring ... the same as with "300" ... when the german dubber shouts out the german version of "Tonight we dine in hell" it sounds like Bush would do a speech in slo-mo.

Arg ... sorry for feeding the off-topic-worm


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## bryla (Aug 18, 2008)

It is still better than the polish way to do it. They duck the original voices and get ONE MAN to read - not act - the entire dialogues!! in a very monotone way


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## handz (Aug 18, 2008)

Bryla are you kidding? They do that in cinemas???!!


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## Niah (Aug 18, 2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Sx2mD0HvFY


It's a question of habbit really. 

For instance my cousin in France can't watch anything that isn't dubbed.


In my country we never had any dubbings it's all subtitled, so I literally can't stand dubbings. Once my aunt brought me a DVD of crouching tiger hidden dragon from the States and it was dubbed in english-american. Terrible I just couldn't watch it.

I still remember waking up in the morning when I was 6 and watching the flinstones with subtitles, and that's how I learned english anyway. Nowadays I think they are dubbing cartoons and I can't even watch that.

No doubt the original is just better, you take away the voice of an actor and you're taking like 50% of his performance. 

Same thing with music or books, once I read shakespeare in english I couldn't believe what I was missing.

But anyways I know it's hard to give up dubbings once you grew up with them.


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## José Herring (Aug 18, 2008)

Niah @ Mon Aug 18 said:


> Same thing with music or books, once I read shakespeare in english I couldn't believe what I was missing.
> 
> But anyways I know it's hard to give up dubbings once you grew up with them.



You can read Shakespeare?.....whoa :shock:


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## Niah (Aug 18, 2008)

josejherring @ Mon Aug 18 said:


> Niah @ Mon Aug 18 said:
> 
> 
> > Same thing with music or books, once I read shakespeare in english I couldn't believe what I was missing.
> ...



Doubt thou the stars are fire 
Doubt that the sun doth move 
Doubt truth to be a liar 
But never doubt I love 

:lol:


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## José Herring (Aug 18, 2008)

Beautiful.

SHAKESPEARE ROX!!!!


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## Brian Ralston (Aug 18, 2008)

"One cannot truly appreciate Shakespeare until they read it in its original Klingon." 
:mrgreen:


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## kid-surf (Aug 19, 2008)

THEME --

Let's not forget that the "director" is the boss.  Zimmer didn't determine whether or not he'd do themes in Batman, his boss, Chris Nolan did. And that was, pretty much, that.

Yeah, it's kinda funny to me how some composers expect a film to be about the music instead of the STORY. You really think all these people bust their ass only to create images for which you can then compose themes for? 

Tell you what... when I direct one of my films I'm not using any themes. Fuck 'em... don't need a theme to tell my story. What's important to me is TONE. Composers can write all the themes they want AWAY from film. Bottom line this isn't about the composer it's about the story and the best way to serve that story. THAT is the reason the audience bothers to pay their $10 (STORY not THEME).

Otherwise, I agree, some directors are knuckle-heads w/no "vision", and too many of them wouldn't know how to write a brilliant script if the first 100 pages fell in their lap. Chris Nolan ain't one of them, he's the real deal. (not that I didn't have tremendous issues with Dark Night, because I did. But they DID get the music right... script just needed a lot more work. )


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## RMWSound (Aug 19, 2008)

kid-surf @ Tue Aug 19 said:


> THEME --
> 
> *Let's not forget that the "director" is the boss.  Zimmer didn't determine whether or not he'd do themes in Batman, his boss, Chris Nolan did. And that was, pretty much, that.*
> 
> ...



Actually, Hans and JNH said in an interview recently that Nolan didn't say one way or the other, and that they wrote exactly what they wanted. 

Edit: The interview is at Scorenotes.com BTW.


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## Aaron Sapp (Aug 19, 2008)

kid-surf @ Tue Aug 19 said:


> Tell you what... when I direct one of my films I'm not using any themes. f#@k 'em... don't need a theme to tell my story. What's important to me is TONE. Composers can write all the themes they want AWAY from film. Bottom line this isn't about the composer it's about the story and the best way to serve that story. THAT is the reason the audience bothers to pay their $10 (STORY not THEME).



So... *ahem*.. Kid. Jason. Buddy! pal..... when is this movie going to happen again? 

o-[][]-o


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## kid-surf (Aug 19, 2008)

...After I develop this big film idea I'm already working on with a lauded production company headed by an A-list director. And after I figure out whether I'm writing episodes for a particular one-hour network TV-show. And after I meet with one of the top producers in town next week who likes my stuff. And after I finish developing this TV-show idea of my own with this TV agent at a lauded agency. And after I figure out if I'm selling this other script of mine. And after I discuss another project with another lauded production company. And after myself and TV producer try to figure out a TV-show idea.

After that stuff... 

Did you think films were made over a weekend?  Don't forget that someone must incubate (i.e. develop/write/package/make) these eggs long before a composer such as yourself can compose on it... otherwise there'll be nothing for composers to score. It's a "little bit of work" actually.  

One thing at a time (actually about 4 or 5). I'm slammed.

And, don't forget... I just started writing a little over a year ago... by all accounts things are moving very fast. 

But thanks for asking Aaron. So, do you want to eventually score my movie or not? :lol:



BTW -- that's a big part of the reason I set off in my own direction... I wanted to do things my own way, away from ideas I find uptight and stifling to the creative process. In many ways I disagree with enough people about what "good" looks like on the page, then finally in film (which includes the score). If that offends people, I don't care. If it offends people that I think the Batman script wasn't ready, I don't care. If it offends people that I mention my plan to direct what I already wrote, I don't care. :D


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## kid-surf (Aug 19, 2008)

RMWSound @ Tue Aug 19 said:


> kid-surf @ Tue Aug 19 said:
> 
> 
> > THEME --
> ...




That's what 'they' say but what does Nolan say? I find it hard to believe that a director at that level with that big a film says nothing. But if he did say nothing, good for Hans and JNH for not trying to "overdo" the score. It fit the film.


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## Waywyn (Aug 19, 2008)

kid-surf @ Tue Aug 19 said:


> Yeah, it's kinda funny to me how some composers expect a film to be about the music instead of the STORY. You really think all these people bust their ass only to create images for which you can then compose themes for?
> 
> Tell you what... when I direct one of my films I'm not using any themes. f#@k 'em... don't need a theme to tell my story. What's important to me is TONE. Composers can write all the themes they want AWAY from film. Bottom line this isn't about the composer it's about the story and the best way to serve that story. THAT is the reason the audience bothers to pay their $10 (STORY not THEME).
> 
> Otherwise, I agree, some directors are knuckle-heads w/no "vision", and too many of them wouldn't know how to write a brilliant script if the first 100 pages fell in their lap. Chris Nolan ain't one of them, he's the real deal. (not that I didn't have tremendous issues with Dark Night, because I did. But they DID get the music right... script just needed a lot more work. )



Simply thanks for that post. Kinda sums um everything I wanted to say 
.. or how Meatloaf says it: "You took the words out of my mouth!"


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## choc0thrax (Aug 19, 2008)

Hey kid I've been in a script reading mood, can I read yours? Or maybe suggest some that I should check out.


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## kid-surf (Aug 19, 2008)

Alex -- I think Meatloaf would say "You took the FOOD right out of my mouth!". :D No worries though, glad I'm not alone in my thoughts.

Choc0 -- Sure, PM me your addy. I don't do pdf at this point, only hardcopy so I can control who's reading my stuff. Why? Only so it doesn't end up on tracking-boards, I'm not worried about my ideas being ripped off. Otherwise, I honestly can't think of anything I've read recently (that isn't older and already made) that blew me away. I'll have to get back to you on that one... as well, the new stuff may be hard to get your hands on unless you have a source. I'm not permitted to pass those sorts of scripts on. 

If you just want to read good stuff (that's already been made) I'd start with WGAs top 100 screenplays. American Beauty is a fave of mine. First thing that comes to mind.

I think you mentioned you may be writing something, were you serious?

BTW -- my stuff is fairly dark, although not horror: One is emotionally dark (Family Drama -- been described to me as THIRTEEN -meets- ORDINARY PEOPLE). The other more akin to, dark like The Joker character (action/thriller-ish -- been described to me as a more authentic COLLATERAL). Just be aware that it's darker material. 

Those are the two scripts I'm dealing with out of what I've written. Both are very different from one another, yet are both dark in dissimilar ways.


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## choc0thrax (Aug 19, 2008)

I dunno Kid I'm kinda scared of you having my name and address! I've seen that WGA top 100. I actually have access to any script in hardcopy, I was just looking for suggestions on what to get. I'm not sure about American Beauty, maybe but I;m leanign more towards Shawshank.


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## kid-surf (Aug 19, 2008)

Why would you be scared, it's off-board and between you and I? You have my word that I'd not disclose your identity... my world is gold. How can you expect me to send a pdf of my script to an anonymous person/e-mail? Don't you suppose that would be scary to 'me'? (even though we're technically "going out")  

...So, up to you.

What I like most about American Beauty is Allen Ball's ability to convey TONE on the page. We knew what the movie would "feel" like by reading the script. Shawshank is another great script, definitely! Didn't mean to imply that American Beauty is my absolute favorite. Not sure I have one...

So are you writing, yourself? Or is that a secret?


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## billval3 (Aug 20, 2008)

Back on topic (sort of):

What impresses me is that apparently he credited all of those people who contributed to the score. I'm assuming he didn't need to and think it's great that he did.


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## choc0thrax (Aug 20, 2008)

kid-surf @ Tue Aug 19 said:


> Why would you be scared, it's off-board and between you and I? You have my word that I'd not disclose your identity... my world is gold. How can you expect me to send a pdf of my script to an anonymous person/e-mail? Don't you suppose that would be scary to 'me'? (even though we're technically "going out")
> 
> ...So, up to you.
> 
> ...



Yeah sure ok I'll pm you the address. I was kind of just joking anyways. I am writing at the moment but I'm not sure if it will amount to anything.


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## the sinner (Aug 20, 2008)

My take on the "Theme" of this movie is the actual short bow string motif, the repeating note motif.

Anyway, what's up with all the atypical panning on this soundtrack? Pretty cool and strange to hear the cellos panned left. It's about time someone broke this rule.


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## choc0thrax (Aug 20, 2008)

the sinner @ Wed Aug 20 said:


> Pretty cool and strange to hear the cellos panned left. It's about time someone broke this rule.



I'm pretty sure cellos on the left predates The Dark Knight score.


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## sef (Aug 27, 2008)

Wow! a lot going on here!
I really miss the days of obvious themes and scores you could listen to and remember exactly what was happening in the film. It was an expected part of the experience at one time. Many of the most popular films of the 60's through the 80's
would'nt be as iconic without the music, and main themes.
You can't really blame the composers for sounding redundant at times .The volume
of work expected from guys like Zimmer is crazy. If they don't give it "that' sound
there is a long line of people willing to imitate thier sound for less money.

lately Horror movies have really suffered without good themes .
Claudio Simonetti's score for Mother of Tears was the first music I heard in a horror movie in a long time that sounded as if it actually belonged there. Hopefully the trend of horror movies being one long hard rock video is on it's way out.


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## Waywyn (Aug 27, 2008)

sef @ Wed Aug 27 said:


> ately Horror movies have really suffered without good themes .
> Claudio Simonetti's score for Mother of Tears was the first music I heard in a horror movie in a long time that sounded as if it actually belonged there. Hopefully the trend of horror movies being one long hard rock video is on it's way out.



To be honest and mentioned somewhere else here:
I really enjoyed the music/sound for "30 days of night". I guess all "memorizable melody wanting composers" would just instantly start to cry when listing to those tracks


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## clarkcontrol (Aug 27, 2008)

RiffWraith @ Sat Aug 16 said:


> Waywyn @ Sat Aug 16 said:
> 
> 
> > RiffWraith @ Sat Aug 16 said:
> ...



Listening to the Broken Arrow soundtrack, for example, will reveal that Hans has absolutely no qualms using presets and preset loops (from the venerable JV-1080 in this instance). Only when he gets an even bigger team does he use the custom-rolled sounds.

I like to give him credit for his accomplishments. A lot of his music sounds great.

But I listen to his music for the IMAX African Serengetti (sp?) DVD and while a couple of cues are nice (using male choirs or other Hans staples) I'm thinking "did he only have one day to do all this?" Because really, I hear cues that sound like he was improvising (just noodling lamely) to picture and that was what made the final cut. It's hard to enjoy James Earl Jones kicking a$$ on the VO and hear this in the background.

This next opinion is not particularly negative: I do think most of his music sounds very same-y. And I have quite a few of his titles from over the years, because I'm always interested in guys like him who use lots of technology. I think its great to cultivate a 'sound' but there's way way too much overlap for my personal taste.

I can't help thinking how much better any of his projects would have been if John Williams was the composer. "Minority Report" crossed with "War of the Worlds" would make a much better Batman "sound." Just my $.02...

Clark


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## sef (Aug 27, 2008)

Waywyn @ Wed Aug 27 said:


> sef @ Wed Aug 27 said:
> 
> 
> > ately Horror movies have really suffered without good themes .
> ...


 I agree 30 days of night soundtrack is great on a suspense and action level. Reitzell really captures the feeling of the environment your bones ache from cold when you hear some of those pieces and the sound design is amazing . 'Underture' really has an isolation vibe that is hard to shake.
whatever it takes to help achieve a mood in film and music in general is fine by me.
I just get nostalgic at times. 
I was surprised when I found this soundtrack was released by Ipecac records.


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## dcoscina (Aug 27, 2008)

The Dark Knight score is pedestrian at best.


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