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"(The Wachowski brothers) were very involved. It was a workshop
process. I would present some ideas for some cues and we'd talk about
it, discuss some options. I'd then re-work some things and show it to
them again. It is kind of a process of discovery."
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Don Davis
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CC: I'd like to start
and ask you about THE
MATRIX. Have you been
surprised with the
popularity of the film
and your score?
DON DAVIS: As far as
the popularity of the
film is concerned, no,
I'm really not. when I
first read the script,
I new that there was
something there. I was
actually really
excited at how the
Wachowski brothers had
managed to take an
intelligent science
fiction story and use
it to their advantage
to make it the origin
story of an action
adventure film. I
could see then that it
would have the kind of
broad appeal that
would make it a hit.
CC: This is your
second film with the
Wachowski brothers,
right?
DON DAVIS: Yes, so I
also knew what they
were capable of as
directors. So with the
combination of those
two things I said,
"Goldmine!"
CC: How involved were
the Wachowski brothers
in the scoring of the
film?
DON DAVIS: They were
very involved. It was
a workshop process. I
would present some
ideas for some cues
and we'd talk about
it, discuss some
options. I'd then
re-work some things
and show it to them
again. It is kind of a
process of discovery.
CC: Is that the norm
as far as the
involvement with the
directors and
producers that you
have worked with in
the past?
DON DAVIS: Well,
everyone is unique,
but it seems that
these days directors
want to have an active
involvement in the way
that scores are
presented and rightly
so. They have their
ideas about the way
they want their film
to be perceived and
music has a lot to do
with that. So it seems
to me that any
director would want to
be involved with what
exactly the music is
communicating to the
audience in their
film.
CC: There is an
interesting mix of
music in THE MATRIX.
Your score is set
against some
contemporary
electronica used for
some of the action
sequences of the film.
Did the Wachowski
brothers know right
from the start that
they wanted to have
this sort of a
mixture?
DON DAVIS: Yeah. They
did. They were
interested in specific
songs for specific
action sequences.
Before they had the
actual song, they
asked me to cover it.
That was a very tricky
sequence because of
all of the sound
effects. Actually, I
was kind of glad when
they did get a song,
because it would have
been pretty trick to
mix that sequence.
That freed me up to
concentrate on the
other parts of the
score.
CC: Did you write for
all of the action
sequences first?
DON DAVIS: I demo-ed
every cue for them. We
had gotten started
early enough in the
process that I was
able to mix those
demos so they could
mix the actual the
score into the film
for the preview
screenings. All the
sequences that had
"songs" I had covered
with scoring prior to
that.
CC: What would you say
is your favorite piece
from that score?
DON DAVIS: That's a
tough one. I have an
number of favorites.
The opening with the
roof-top chase just
pulls you into the
picture so fast. That
was really
exhilarating! The film
really took off when
Neo takes the red-pill
and the mirror starts
coming up his arm -
that was just a blast!
CC: Those two
sequences were the two
that stood out to me.
The score didn't
overshoot what was
being done visually,
but greatly enhanced
it.
DON DAVIS: Of course
what they shot was so
spectacular, it would
be hard to overshoot!
(laughs)
CC: How long did you
actually have to score
the film?
DON DAVIS: I had kind
of a long time, but
when all is said and
done it didn't seem
like quite enough. We
spotted it the first
part of December
(1998), but they
wanted to have it
demo-ed for the temp
mix, which they
started to mix around
January 4, 1999. So I
had about a month to
scramble get
everything down on the
synths and from that
point I could start
orchestrating. That
took me about another
month.
CC: There has been
some talk about one or
two sequels to THE
MATRIX. Have they
talked to you about
scoring either of
these, if there is any
truth to these rumors?
DON DAVIS: Well, I
know that the sequels
are on the table. I
haven't heard that
they have come to any
agreement to "green
light" them. I would
imagine once they
finish their
negotiations and
decide to do the
sequel - and I'm
pretty sure they will
- then they'll start
talking to me about
what they want and
what the schedule is
going to be. At least,
I hope they do!
(laughs)
CC: You utilized the
prepared piano in this
score, which I found
unique. Do you find
this is done commonly?
DON DAVIS: I don't
know if it's common,
but it has been done
before. This is
something that John
Cage came up with in
the '50s. I was
thinking of it as an
adjunct to the real
piano that was playing
in unison with it.
That kind of gave it
the real piano this
other worldly sound.
That actually worked
acoustically rather
than electronically.
CC: Have you ever used
that technique before?
DON DAVIS: No, I
haven't done that
before.
CC: With the
popularity of THE
MATRIX and your score,
has your door been
getting knocks on your
door for future
projects?
DON DAVIS: Well, I
know I am being
considered for some
films that I certainly
wouldn't have been
considered for six
months ago. So I
think, then,
absolutely, yes.
CC: You've done a
great deal of scoring
for television. What
are some of the
challenges you face or
what are some of the
differences in your
approach to scoring a
television show,
series, episode, or
television film?
DON DAVIS: The big
problem with TV is
that there are huge
budget constraints and
huge time constraints.
Whenever you're
working in television
your are working
against those two
constraints. In most
feature film
situations, the
question isn't "What
can we do with what we
have?" But the
question is, "What do
we need here?" Because
there are resources to
do what needs to be
done. This is why
feature films are so
much more of a
comfortable
environment to work
in.
CC: Are you still very
active in scoring for
television?
DON DAVIS: Let's see.
The last TV thing I
did was last August. I
did a cable-film
called, In the Company
of Spies, that Tim
Mattheson directed-
very good director-
Tim Mattheson the
actor. I haven't done
anything since then
and I don't think I'm
up for anything at the
moment. I'm certainly
not going to exclude
the possibility of
ever doing TV again,
but the success of THE
MATRIX may have
afforded me the
possibility that I can
focus on feature
films.
CC: Who are some of
your favorite
composers to work with
or who are those that
most inspire you?
DON DAVIS: Randy
Newman is the most fun
to work for. Besides
being a brilliant
composer, he is fun to
be around. When I'm
orchestrating for
Randy I'm always
working with great
music. Every time I
have worked with
(James) Horner, I've
learned a great deal
about film scoring,
because he is the
consummate
professional.
CC: Are you a
film-score fan
yourself?
DON DAVIS: Yes.
Absolutely. But I
think I am more of a
fan of concert-music.
But, you know, there
is very little that
Jerry Goldsmith or
John Williams has
written that is
nothing less than awe
inspiring.
CC: Do you collect
film scores?
DON DAVIS: Yes, I do.
I don't collect them
with the same fervor
that a collector
would. I collect them
in terms of, "Well, I
think I need to hear
that to know what that
composer is about or
as research for a film
I may be doing of a
similar nature." I
don't go out thinking
that I need to have
every single score
that James Horner has
ever put out,...but it
sort of ends up the
same (laughs)!
CC: Do you ever find
yourself when facing
writers-block,
wondering what might
John Williams do here
or Randy Newman or do
you try to stick with
something that is
uniquely "you?"
DON DAVIS: I think
that both of those
things go through your
mind. Whenever I
trying to write
something melodic, I
think of what Randy
Newman might do
because I think he is
the best melody writer
in the business. Such
beautiful melodies and
such integrity just
flow from him, so I do
think, "Now, how would
Randy approach
something like this?"
The reason that
writers-block occurs
is because you can't
outputting all of the
time. You need to
regenerate the
batteries by hearing
music, so I try to
hear as much music as
possible. That seems
to be less and less of
late because I simply
don't have the time. I
do; however, still try
to go to concerts and
that sort of thing.
CC: As my last
question, I'd like to
ask you from a
composer's point of
view, what sort of
trends do you see
happening in film
scoring?
DON DAVIS: Wow! That's
a tough question.
Well, with the advent
of this new
installment of Star
Wars, I'd imagine it
would reinvigorate the
orchestral approach,
like the first one
did. This is such a
difficult question to
answer because of all
the technological
advancements going on.
CC: Do you think we
will see more and more
synthesizer oriented
scores?
DON DAVIS: Well,
you're not going to
see less of it because
it offers some pretty
unique advantages.
Directors are going to
want to hear
synthesizer mock-ups
more and more which is
good and bad really.
Unfortunately, that
can hinder some really
intricate writing,
because its when you
have pencil to paper
that you can work
things out, but when
you're knocking out
something quick on the
synth so the director
can hear it, you're
going to jump into
some expedience. I
don't think this adds
to the quality of the
music. On the other
hand, there is this
digital camera that is
on the market now that
costs about $4000 and
the quality is suppose
to be incredibly good.
As a result there are
people who are getting
a hold of some of
these cameras and
going out and
directing. These would
never have had a
chance to director
otherwise. So, I think
you are going to see
an explosion of
product and an
explosion of directors
who have this kind of
ability. I'm sure this
could open some doors
for some composers who
might have not had
opportunities
otherwise.
CC: Well, with that
I'd like to express my
appreciation for
taking the time for
this interview. I look
forward to hearing
some of your upcoming
projects.
DON DAVIS: It was a
pleasure speaking with
you Chris. I look
forward to seeing your
website!
Read Tracksounds' 2001
interview with Don Davis
"Welcome to Jurassic Park!"
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