Up Tempo

Hi, everyone. Not too much to post about really, but I wanted to let everyone know that the scoring for “Up” has begun. And in keeping with the trend of having all the thread titles here start with the word “Up,” I decided to call this thread “Up Tempo” (hey, it was either that or “Up Beat.”)

For those who don’t know, I am NOT a Pixar employee, but a studio musician who has played on many of Pixar’s films. Please note that I have a strict “No Spoiler” policy and will not reveal spoilers (doing so is bad form, and not my place). However if no one objects, I’ll be happy to answer generic questions on scoring, and give you all an idea of what the “Up” sessions are like.

With most Pixar projects, there’s usually an initial day or two of scoring done early on… then the bulk of it is done later, as more of the film is finished. Well, the first two sessions for “Up” occured yesterday and today (December 8th and 9th).

In a change from previous Pixar films, the sessions took place at Warner Bros instead of Sony/MGM or Fox, with Michael Giacchino (the film’s composer) noting that this was the first Pixar film to be scored at Warner Bros (there used to be five large scoring stages in LA, but two recently closed, leaving only Sony/MGM, Fox, and Warner Bros). By the way, the stage at Warner Bros is now called the “Eastwood Scoring Stage” because Clint Eastwood was instrumental in keeping the stage open when the studio considered closing it a while back.

So the very first thing Monday morning, Michael came up to the podium with a very nice Pete Docter (director) and Jonas Rivera (producer) to welcome everyone and tell us a little about the movie. First, they showed us all the trailer (a nice touch; that never happens), then explained a bit about the film. Pete Docter called it a “Coming of Old Age” story, and said it was pretty much a tribute to their grandparents. Michael talked about what a wonderful film it was, and encouraged us to turn around and have a look at the screen every once in a while. Mr. Docter then mentioned that coming to the scoring stage was one of his favorite parts of the job, and talked about the difference in schedules between animation and scoring: he said a Pixar film takes around five years to make, and a year and a half before you begin to see the first results on film – yet he can come to the scoring stage and at the end of just one day, have a bunch of music finished.

For these initial early sessions most of the music was for the first part of the film, though we did a few cues for later in the film as well. Michael’s doing a fantastic job with the score… from the whimsical cues, to the poignant, reflective parts of the movie, the cues really fit the scenes well.

Looking at the screen, it was interesting to see the various stages the animation is in. Some scenes looked almost finished, but others were still only partially rendered. Sometimes there’d be no background, or a character would just be in underwear (clothes not added yet)… and in one particular scene, a character’s hair suddenly had a different color for one shot, then no hair at all for some of the other shots. But other scenes looked almost finished, and the film’s progress seems to be coming along nicely.

Tuesday was “Hawaiian Shirt Day” for anyone who felt like it, and a camera crew came in to film us for a bit (perhaps for the DVD). Then at the end of the day, the Pixar folk had us all squeeze together for a group picture on the scoring stage.

The next sessions won’t be for a while, but the film’s production is coming along nicely, and from what I’ve seen, Pixar has done it again. I’m already looking forward to seeing the finished film!

Thank you for the very detailed information, miafka!

Wow, you’re a studio musician…

That’s so cool that you’re working on the music for Up, miafka. That’s interesting that it’s being recorded at Warner Bros. for the first time. Is there an actual reason for choosing Warner Bros. over the others, or is it what’s available at the time?

I’ve always wanted to meet Pete Docter! What’s he like in person? He seems so friendly on the Monsters, Inc. extras DVD.

Ah, I love how quirky Pixar is. Hawaiian Shirt Day sounds inspired- a slight reference to Lasseter, perhaps? So, we might be seeing you on the second disk of an Up DVD one day? You’ll have to point yourself out to us!

I know you can’t say anything specific, but how does the score as a whole compare to previous Pixar films? It seems like so far, every film has had it’s own feel, it’s own theme, and it’s usually down to the individual score. How is the Up score coming across to you, what’s its feel so far?

Thanks for telling us all about it, miafka! It seems like it will be from the positive reaction from the trailer, but do you think Up will be another Pixar hit?

You are a musician huh? Wow, I’ll say thats really cool. I have a couple of questions for you, both regarding Up and about yourself.

Before you record the music for the film, do you get any sheet music to practice at home? If so, are you coming across any challenges in the Up score?

What instrument do you play?

What is your favorite song that you have played for Pixar? What is your favorite overall Pixar movie score? Favorite Pixar movie?

How did you get hired as a musician? Did you audition?

I always love to read your posts, miafka.

Have you attend any score session with Michael before? Like Incredibles, or Ratatouille? I hope it’s not border on spoiler but what can we expect of the Up score and what is its difference from the previous score?

Thanks for sharing with us your experience.

I also love to read your posts, miafka.

You made an Up AND a music pun… nice.

Good to know that the Up session went well and that you got called for it, so you can tell us about it. I’m really eager to know what the music sounds like! But I’ll wait… That was nice of Pixar to get a photo of all the musicians, maybe they’ll frame it and put it on a wall at the studio.

Could you compare the Up music to any other Giacchino scores?
You know how The Incredibles has the short Incredibles theme (the one at the beginning of the movie when the logo comes up and just before “The Glory Days” comes on), have you noticed any themes like that, that may be changed to reoccur throughout the movie in various ways?
How long is a typical session?
Did you wear a Hawaiian shirt?

Thanks in advance for answering these questions. And thanks for the update! =)

A question to miafka, whose posts i always read avidly, like everyone here: how comes that you play “always” in Pixar scores? Are you a free-lance that looks specifically for Pixar? Are you member of an orchestra that Pixar always hires for its scores?

Did you play in other Holliwood movies scores sessions?

Thanks for the write Up, miafka! I look forward to your further posts!
And I’m happy to hear from a fellow fan that Up is yet another masterpiece from Pixar!

Hi everyone.

After seeing lizardgirl’s post I realized I misspelled the director’s name. Sorry! I went back and corrected it. Pete Docter is very nice in person.

Is there an actual reason for choosing Warner Bros. over the others?

Hm, I don’t know. It could have been availability, but that’s just a guess on my part… I honestly don’t know. But Warner Bros is a good stage, and a lot of great scores have been recorded there.

Before you record the music for the film, do you get any sheet music to practice at home?

Nope. We see the music for the first time when we walk in the door, which is why a studio musician has to be good at sightreading. Actually this question was answered before… I don’t mind answering it again, but for those of you who perhaps didn’t know, I wrote some posts on what it was like doing the Wall-E scoring sessions as well, and they explain a lot about the scoring process. They’re in the archives now, but if you’re interested, you can see them by going here:
pixarplanet.com/forums/viewt … 9&start=75
and scrolling down a bit. Because they’re in the archives, the thread is locked, but if you have any questions you can always ask them here.

What instrument do you play?

As I answered in the Wall-E thread, I’ll simply say “One o’ them musical thingies…”

Do you play in other Hollywood movies scores sessions?

Oh yes, many.

how comes that you play “always” in Pixar scores? Are you a free-lance that looks specifically for Pixar? Are you member of an orchestra that Pixar always hires for its scores?
How did you get hired as a musician? Did you audition?

I don’t always play in Pixar scores, it’s just that since this is a Pixar board, I’ve mostly posted about the Pixar sessions (and actually I don’t post anywhere else, just here on Pixar Planet). I’ve played for many of the Pixar films, but not all of them – I don’t think there’s anybody who has played for every single one of them. In the old days (1940’s, 1950’s) the studios used to have their own in-house orchestras, so for instance, any 20th Century Fox film would be recorded by the 20th Century Fox Orchestra… but that time has long since passed, and today studio work is all freelance. There are no “auditions” per se because there’s no set group to audition for, but often someone starting out will ask the principal players of their instrument to hear them. I’ve just been lucky to be asked to play in many of their films.

Have you attend any score session with Michael before?

Sure, many. The upcoming Star Trek film is worth seeing just to hear Michael’s score.

do you think Up will be another Pixar hit?

I hope so, but who knows? In a world where a film like Shrek 3 can make more money than Ratatouille, I’m not going to even venture a guess. But if you’re asking “is the quality still there?”… from what I’ve seen so far, the answer is most definitely “Yes.”

What is your favorite overall Pixar movie score? Favorite Pixar movie?

That’s impossible to answer, because like each Pixar movie, each score is different. A score’s job is to fit the movie and support it, and I’ve never seen a bad Pixar movie nor heard a bad Pixar score.

It seems like so far, every film has had it’s own feel, it’s own theme

As for questions about the Up score in particular… it’s really hard to say. I’m not trying to be cagey, but comparing movie scores is like comparing apples and oranges. Each movie is different and unique… that’s what makes them so great. All I can say is, I’ve really been impressed with what I’ve heard so far. It’s a great score that really matches and compliments the film. I know that’s not saying a lot, but you won’t be disappointed.

Thanks once again for telling us about all this, miafka. You’re so lucky to be involved in the ‘Pixar process’ like this! And I’m glad to hear that so far, Up is looking- and sounding- good.

A great read, miafka! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts. It is really interesting getting a peek another area of film production and getting an idea of what it is like at a scoring session. Glad to know you are having fun and that Up is gearing up to be another great Pixar film!

thank you very much for answering.

I’ve never seen Star Trek (movies and tv series), but I’m looking forward to this one because of JJ Abrams and of course of Michael Giacchino!

I really enjoyed reading those responses, miafka. Thank you! =D I understand why you can’t be specific about the music that you record, but it’s worth a try, he he.

You know the new Disney music that debuted with new Disney logo in front of WALL•E, aka “When You Wish Upon a Star”, you didn’t happen to attend that session, did you? Because that music is really good, has a very classic feel to it. And with short music for logos like that, would they call everyone together to only record that short type of logo music, or would they stick that recording onto the end of another session? (I suppose they’d have to get the logo theme music exactly right since it would be played again and again in front of that studio’s films for many years.)

Thanks for the answers. I understand you can’t tell much about the Up score but I take your words that it will be great!

Please keep us updated when the next half is scored!

Hi, everyone.

“Wish Upon a Star” Logo Music…

Very good question. The logo music isn’t recorded each time of course, it’s recorded once (until they decide to change it again). I didn’t do that particular session, but I’ve actually wound up doing it both ways – once where there was a session called just to record some logo music, and another time where they were changing the logo music and just decided to have it be one of the cues for current movie we were recording (no special session for it). Of course Pixar has no logo music, just boing, boing, boing… (hm… isn’t it about time Pixar gets its own logo music?)

exactly right since it would be played again and again

You’d think that, huh? Most of the time this is the case of course… but occasionally stuff slips through that gets repeated all the time. I remember seeing one of the 1990s Star Trek TV shows once (can’t remember which one since I never really watched them and didn’t play on them) but it was either the opening credits (played every week) or the bumper music (played all the time between commercials) where one of the french horns (I believe) flubbed a note. Now if it was just the underscore in the middle of “Episode 21” say, it’d probably be OK to just let it go. But I remember hearing it numerous times as the show would be on in the background occasionally with someone else watching… kind of a bad flub to be heard on a weekly basis. But I digress.

I understand you can’t tell much about the Up score but I take your words that it will be great!

The music we did those first two days really fit the movie well (and yes, there was a fitting melody that reoccured in a couple of the cues). But keep in mind that we mostly worked on just one section of the movie so far.

Unfortunately, there’s also a bit of sad news to report… I just heard today that a colleage to all of us suddenly passed away yesterday. You may not know the name Larry Corbett, but you’ve heard him many, many times without realizing it. He was probably one of the most-recorded cellists in the world, playing on pop albums and film scores far too numerous to mention – including many Pixar movies such as The Incredibles, Wall-E, Ratatouille – and just a few weeks ago, Up (often as principal cello, as he was for Michael Gicacchino’s sessions). Most of all though, he was one of the nicest people you could ever meet: someone relaxed, easy-going and friendly, with a really great sense of humor, yet talented and smart, who made his own cello and tinkered with a Model-T Ford he managed to find. A really great guy all around, he was only 54, and he’s going to be missed by all of us.

Perhaps you could write some logo music for Pixar, miafka? That’d be amazing.

A quick question- when you’re recording, because getting it right is probably pretty essential, do you actually feel like you’re under quite a bit of pressure? I can’t imagine how nerve-wracking it must be, to know that if you get something wrong it messes everyone else up. Or do you just used to being in that situation?

I’m sorry to hear about Larry Corbett. Sounds like he had a big influence in the world of music even outside of Pixar, and he must’ve been such a talented guy, especially to have made his own cello. My condolenses to his friends and family.

Thank you for answering my questions, miafka. =)

Hmm. I dunno about Pixar having logo music… I think it would clash with the Disney music before it, and then the music from the Pixar feature after it. But I’m very picky about Pixar decisions with stuff like that, don’t mind me.

Oh, I’m sorry about your colleague, Larry Corbett. 54 years old is very young to pass away, especially as he had signed on to do Up recently, so that would have been unexpected. I’m sure you and the rest of the studio musicians will be thinking of him during the next session.

miafka, why in particular did you choose to come to Pixar Planet and tell us about the recording process, and why don’t you choose to do the same on other forums? And to expand on lizardgirl’s question a bit, if cameras come in and record you for behind-the-scenes stuff, does it get distracting when you are trying to play while they are filming you?

miafka- Speaking of Pixar logo music, I know this doesn’t really count as the actual Pixar logo music, but as you may recall, The Incredibles and Ratatouille both had music over the logos. Do you remember recording that for Ratatouille? I remember Brad Bird saying that he likes to have music on the logos to set the tone.
That’s not happening in Up as far as you know right? Or is it…?

I totally forgot about the music being played over the Pixar logo for The Incredibles and Ratatouille, Martin. Nice catch. Also, if I remember correctly, the Disney music (the old one) might even run into the Pixar logo, either that or it’s very close together…

Um… that’d probably be a bad idea. We don’t want to send people running from the theatre, do we? Well, PIXAR contains 5 letters. You could always write a little 5-note motif (one for each letter – think Close Encounters’ sol-la-fa, fa-do…) But Pixar’s films are all quite different and unique… maybe it’s just as well there’s no logo music.

Without logo music, you have that option to start the film’s music early (instead of just the quiet boing-boing-boing). As you pointed out, some directors like having the film’s music over the logos to help set the tone early. The music over the logos in Ratatouille: yes, I remember recording it. We almost never record a movie “in order” (we always jump around) but I do remember recording that very opening music. As far as Up goes, I honestly don’t remember if the early cues were over the logo or not.

Good question. I suppose everyone’s different, but basically we’re used to it. It’s part of being a performer… but we’re very much aware that we need to play it perfect as soon as possible. Unlike a normal orchestra, there are no regular rehersals beforehand, we don’t get the music beforehand, and of course it’s all new music, not something we’ve done before in our past. We’ll take out a music cue, read it down once or twice… then usually the red light will go on. We’ll probably record it a couple times (especially if changes need to be made), but it has to be right pretty fast. What you play and where you sit can also be a factor with pressure… for instance, a principal wind player with constant solos will be in the spotlight more than, say, a section string player. But that’s misleading because you’ll still hear a bad mistake regardless if it’s a clarinet solo or the last chair viola… so everyone’s on the spot. It’s part of being a musician. In a studio, it’s just us in the room (no audience), but we know it’ll be recorded forever and want to make it perfect. A live concert on the other hand probably won’t be recorded, but there could be thousands of people in a packed concert hall.

Offtopic just for a second, someone just uploaded some sketches (photos are embargoed until closer to the release date) from the Giacchino Star Trek sessions: scoringsessions.com/news/169/

Nah. We’re used to it. Besides, they can walk around and film for an hour or so, and only 45 seconds (if that) might make it to the DVD. Though it can be pretty fun to watch what shots eventually make it onto the DVD months later…

Five reasons: (5) The voices in my head keep telling me to. (4) I clicked on an email that promised me instant improved physique and wound up here. (3) Had to do something with my time after Pixar fired me for suggesting their next project should be based on the 1986 film Solarbabies. (2) The pie and cookies, of course! But the main reason I post here and nowhere else? (1) The Alvin & the Chipmunks forum wasn’t accepting any new users!

But seriously? Hm. When asked “Why?” Sir Edmund Hillary came up with a good answer: “Because it’s there.” Thanks should go out to everyone who makes Pixar Planet what it is!