NASHVILLE FILM MONTH: 'SCORE-COM'
April 13-14, 2013
By Chuck Whiting
MCAU Editor
The
Nashville Composers Association always does an outstanding job with its annual
"Score-Com" event during Nashville Film Month, but this past
weekend's seminar has taken the organization to new heights.
The
two-day symposium (April 13-14) at Ocean Way Studios gave budding and
professional songwriters/composers invaluable insights on the business and
creative sides of writing music for film and television.
John
Capek's credits are noteworthy. He has achieved international acclaim as a
composer, songwriter, keyboard player, producer, arranger and scorer for films
and TV shows, including "A Perfect Storm", "Cocktail", and
"Blown Away". He has written songs for Bonnie Raitt, Cher, Diana
Ross, Joe Cocker, Toto, and many others. When you add his laid-back charm and
experiential (alternative-to-Music Row) philosophy, you have one of the best
motivators in the business.
The
composer spoke on two topics during his Saturday and Sunday afternoon sessions:
"The Other Half of A Song, Melody and Harmony" (Day One) and
"Let's Write An Anthem Together: An Interactive Group Songwriting
Exercise" (Day Two).
According
to John, the key to music success rests on several key steps:
*
Find your niche... a one-of-a-kind songwriting approach that no one else has
(think Lennon, Queen, Dylan and Nirvana). (John is known for his colorful chord
structures, creative rhythms, and unexpected twists and turns.)
*
Develop your social skills to help build a professional network of potential
collaborators. (John ended up working with a number of people he met at
networking events.)
*
Understand and adapt to fast-changing computer technology. (John demonstrated his
use of Pro Tools during the seminar.)
*
Write songs and compositions that build tension, anticipation and surprise by
delaying the resolution until the very last moment. (The artist demonstrated
this by playing examples from his own catalog, as well as legendary artists of
our time.)
He
outlined the process a songwriter/composer takes to find success. In the
beginning, an amateur songwriter typically tries to emulate his or her favorite
artists (i.e. The Beatles copied Chuck Berry). Later, the writer expands
his/her boundaries with risk-taking and experimental writing (i.e. Queen broke
through musical boundaries with tunes such as "Bohemian Rhapsody").
Finally, the writer connects with his/her audience through graceful simplicity
(one example is the Lennon classic, "Imagine").
John
admits that he is no fan of traditional songwriting techniques taught by Sheila
Davis and others. To him, there are too many Taylor Swift wannabes writing in
the same predictable way. Their songs essentially sound the same with quick,
tonic-oriented melodic resolutions and common lyrical rhymes. To him, every
song needs a surprise (both melodically and lyrically). Writing a successful
song requires personality, experimentation, long hours, and a certain amount of
risk.
"There are so many ways to
bring out your personality in a song," the composer added. "Try
keeping every line in suspension until the very end, where you resolve. Explore
the total range of possibilities."
John
used several Lennon demo clips to show how the late legendary tunesmith
experimented to discover the perfect approach for the Beatles classic,
"She Said She Said". Experimentation includes writing nonsense,
trying out new chords, and phrasing things in unconventional ways. You continue
working until you break through what he calls the "cringe factor".
As
an overnight exercise, John asked the two-dozen composers to write and record a
one-minute piece of music based on an emotional experience. He was impressed
with the resulting wide range of original music (featuring piano, strings,
guitar, and sound effects), telling members of his audience that they have a
"bright future."
John
closed by having the audience collaborate on the writing of an original song
for film or television. First, attendees were asked to write a letter about
their imaginary experiences in Afghanistan. Then he used selected lines for the
lyric. Later, he used his piano to choose the rhythm and instrumentation for an
experimental recording.
Attendees
left feeling invigorated and encouraged... and ready to experiment!
Footnotes... The
Morning Sessions and the Big Party
The
morning sessions (Deidre Emerson, Scott Hallgren, John Pisciotta, and Stacy
Widelitz) were equally satisfying and informative. Here are a few highlights:
*
Have a lifelong yearning to learn and adapt to what's happening now.
*
Success is not going to wait for us.
*
We're moving in the direction of "Star Trek".
*
Unlearn... then re-learn.
*
You must have "thick skin".
*
Be as business-like as possible.
*
You have to re-invent yourself every five years.
*
Don't give everything away for free.
* Producers look for "emotional
value".
* Self-promotion comes down to
relationships.
* "This is the Wild West"...
Keep your business house in order.
* Always file a cue sheet.
*
Be in control of your own copyright.
Saturday
night's "Score-Com"/"Film-Com" party was sensational.
Scroll down for photos.
Coming Up: A story on this week's "Film-Com",
followed by a series of stories on this year's "Nashville Film
Festival". See the stories and others at
http://www.MusicCityArtsUpdate.com .
