KQEK.com Digital / Big Head Amusements / ArtScopeTO - Podcasts
Toronto based journalist & filmmaker Mark R. Hasan interviews artists & producers for the film / video / filmmusic media site KQEK.com and the filmmaking site Big Head Amusements.com.
KQEK.com -- Interview with film composer John Piscitello

Podcast with up & coming composer John Piscitello regarding his work on the documentary No Place on Earth (2012).

Special thanks to John Piscitello for discussing his latest work, and Chandler Poling at White Bear PR.

The digital soundtrack album is available from Varese Sarabande Records, and the DVD is available from Magnolia Home Entertainment.

 

If you enjoyed this podcast, connect with us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Visit KQEK.com for additional film reviews, soundtrack reviews, interviews, and read the Editor's Blog by Mark R. Hasan for additional info and related links.

All podcast editing, mixing, and audio restoration produced in-house. For inquiries and demo reels, please visit Mondomark.com.

Direct download: KQEK_Digital__John_Piscitello_Int__2013_09_12__2_track_192_Kbps_MP3.mp3
Category:Filmmusic -- posted at: 2:24am EDT

KQEK.com -- Interview with film composer Frederik Wiedmann (2013)

After apprenticing under John Frizzell (LegionWhiteout), Frederik Wiedmann has maintained multiple careers as an orchestrator, mixer, and composer of several graphic horror films, including Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007), The Hills Run Red (2009), and Mirrors 2 (2010), but with Green Lantern: The Animated Series (2011-2012), he’s written a multi-thematic, almost classic orchestral score, with organically blended electronics and sound samples.

Special thanks to Frederik Wiedmann for discussing his latest work, and Beth Krakower at CineMedia Promotions. Volumes 1 and 2 of Green Lantern: The Animated Series are available from La-La Land Records.

A 2009 print interview with Frederik Wiedmann is also available.

 

If you enjoyed this podcast, connect with us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Visit KQEK.com for additional film reviews, soundtrack reviews, interviews, and read the Editor's Blog by Mark R. Hasan for additional info and related links.

All podcast editing, mixing, and audio restoration produced in-house. For inquiries and demo reels, please visit Mondomark.com.

Direct download: KQEK_Digital__Frederik_Wiedmann_Int__2013_09_04_192Kbps_MP3.mp3
Category:Filmmusic -- posted at: 11:53am EDT

KQEK.com -- Interview with film composer E.C. Woodley

Although he’s only scored a handful of feature films, E.C. Woodley’s latest work, the music for Brandon Cronenberg’s Antiviral (2012), may be his most impressive calling card, boasting an engrossing if not hypnotic marriage of analogue and digital sounds.

Inspired by the film’s striking visuals and the performances of its cast, the music also reflects the peculiar struggle within the film as fans trying to get close to their idols through biological ingestion, if you will.

The resulting score, released as a digital album by Lakeshore Records, is lush and immersive, and features sounds that stem from Woodley’s own unique way of perceiving, crafting, and adapting material into a tailored-made score.

In our lengthy conversation, Woodley discusses his time as Michael Kamen’s assistant on Brazil (1985), and the thought processes that ultimately created a remarkable score.

Besides scoring Antiviral for cousin Brandon Cronenberg, Woodley also scored Rhinoceros Eyes (2003) for brother Aaron Woodley, Paul Fox’ The Dark House (2005), and the anthology film Toronto Stories (2008).

 

If you enjoyed this podcast, connect with us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Visit KQEK.com for additional film reviews, soundtrack reviews, interviews, and read the Editor's Blog by Mark R. Hasan for additional info and related links.

All podcast editing, mixing, and audio restoration produced in-house. For inquiries and demo reels, please visit Mondomark.com.

Direct download: KQEK_Digital__E_C_Woodley_Int__2013_08_03_192_kbps.mp3
Category:Filmmusic -- posted at: 2:51pm EDT

KQEK.com -- Interview with film composer Michael Wandmacher (2013)

Michael Wandmacher is one of horror’s most in-demand composers, and this year’s he’s scored the latest entries in two successful franchises: The Last Exorcism Part II, and The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia for director Tom Elkins, who began his career as an assistant editor for Wes Craven.

Wandmacher has maintained a collaborative relationship with director Patrick Lussier, himself a former editor on Craven’s Scream (1996), Cursed and Red Eye (both 2005), and Lussier’s own directorial efforts – My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009) and Drive Angry 3D (2011) – have resulted in a pair of very strong and distinct scores.

In out latest podcast, Wandmacher touches upon working with first-time director Elkins, and how horror scoring no longer includes straight music, but elements of sound design.

At the time of our conversation, a label had been approached to release the soundtrack to Lionsgate’s The Haunting in Connecticut: Ghosts of Georgia, and I’ll post further details when Wandmacher’s shape-shifting work is available.

Prior interviews at KQEK.com with Michael Wandmacher include discussions on scoring the video game Twisted Metal in 2012; scoring Lussier’s 3D film Drive Angry in 2011; composing the score for Alexander Aja’s Piranha 3D in 2010; and writing music for My Bloody Valentine 3D and his large orchestral score for The Punisher: War Zone in 2009.

 

If you enjoyed this podcast, connect with us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Visit KQEK.com for additional film reviews, soundtrack reviews, interviews, and read the Editor's Blog by Mark R. Hasan for additional info and related links.

All podcast editing, mixing, and audio restoration produced in-house. For inquiries and demo reels, please visit Mondomark.com.

Direct download: KQEK_Digital__Michael_Wandmacher_Int__2013_07_29__MP3_192_kbps.mp3
Category:Filmmusic -- posted at: 10:54am EDT

KQEK.com -- Interview with film composer Jeff Toyne (2013)

Since his debut in 1999 with Maxwell's Demon, Jeff Toyne's scored a diversity of feature films, gliding between studio (Hall Pass) and independent visions (Abel's Field), and working steadily as an orchestrator - most prominently for mentor Brian Tyler on the Final Destination films.

In our interview, Toyne discusses his collaborations with Tyler, and scoring Rogue -  DirectTV's first foray into original programming, starring Thandie Newton and Marton Csokas.

In Seaon 1, Toyne's music (set for a commercial release later this year) is both strategic and stealth, fluidly gliding between each episode's sound design and the profanity-laced dialogue. The fragmented life and identity crises of central character Grace - undercover cop by day and night, barely functional mom when time permits - is nicely complimented by an incomplete theme which periodically expands and recedes as Grace experiences the extreme vicissitudes of her quest for rogue justice.

Also available: a 2014 interview with Toyne on the horror film The Privileged, and a 2007 print interview regarding one of his early film scores, Shadow in the Trees.

 

If you enjoyed this podcast, connect with us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Visit KQEK.com for additional film reviews, soundtrack reviews, interviews, and read the Editor's Blog by Mark R. Hasan for additional info and related links.

All podcast editing, mixing, and audio restoration produced in-house. For inquiries and demo reels, please visit Mondomark.com.

Direct download: KQEK_Digital__Jeff_Toyne_Int__2013_06_14_MP3_192_Kbps.mp3
Category:Filmmusic -- posted at: 3:53am EDT

KQEK.com -- Interview with film composer John Debney

John Debney is one of the few composers able to drift between various genres and apply his gift for strong themes and craft either richly melodic orchestral works or large-scale works featuring orchestral dissonance with deft touches of electronics.

Although he's been scoring film and TV projects since 1980, he's perhaps best-known for the hugely successful score for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ (2004), plus a long string of popular comedies (Liar Liar), family films (The Ant Bully), sci-fi (Predators), and horror (I Know What You Did Last Summer), and the release of The Call features a unique fusion of heavy electronica and light orchestral elements for Brad Anderson's 2013 thriller.

In our podcast, Debney also disscusses his classic horror score for The Relic, recently released in an expanded CD by La-La Land Records, and the Emmy Nominated music for Hatfields & McCoys, co-composed with Tony Morales (also interviewed), and released by Silva Screen Records.

 

If you enjoyed this podcast, connect with us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Visit KQEK.com for additional film reviews, soundtrack reviews, interviews, and read the Editor's Blog by Mark R. Hasan for additional info and related links.

All podcast editing, mixing, and audio restoration produced in-house. For inquiries and demo reels, please visit Mondomark.com.

Direct download: KQEK_Digital__John_Debney_Int__2013_03_17__MP3_192Kbps.mp3
Category:Filmmusic -- posted at: 4:15pm EDT

KQEK.com -- Interview with film composer Rob Simonsen

Since his debut in 2003 with the indie film Westender, Rob Simonsen has evolved into a composer in his own right with credits spanning a diversity of genres in film and TV, but his formative years were spent learning the intricacies of composing, collaborating, and the realities of the film scoring business with Canadian composer Mychael Danna.

With the Oscar for Best Original Score going to Life of Pi this past February, Simonsen’s career will further flourish, and in our discussion he describes his entry into film scoring, and the chance meeting with Danna which provided an important entry into Hollywood, and has resulted in several important collaborations including 500 Days of Summer(2009), Moneyball (2011), and the TV series Dollhouse (2009-2010).

Simonsen’s recent solo work includes TV’s Battleground (2012) and the films The Way, Way Back and The Spectacular Now (both 2013).

Released by on Sony Classical, the music from Life of Pi is available from various online vendors. 

 

If you enjoyed this podcast, connect with us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Visit KQEK.com for additional film reviews, soundtrack reviews, interviews, and read the Editor's Blog by Mark R. Hasan for additional info and related links.

All podcast editing, mixing, and audio restoration produced in-house. For inquiries and demo reels, please visit Mondomark.com.

Direct download: KQEK_Digital__Rob_Simonsen_Int__2013_03_09_192Kbps.mp3
Category:Filmmusic -- posted at: 3:27pm EDT

KQEK.com -- Interview with film composer Fernando Velazquez

Since his debut in 1999, Spanish composer Fernando Velazquez has scored a wide variety of genres in film and TV, but he’s perhaps best known for a a handful of horror and suspense scores, including BackWoods (2006) starring Gary Oldman, the Guillermo del Toro executive produced The Orphanage (2007), Devil (2010), and the box office hit Mama, directed by Andres Muschietti, which the director expanded from his 2008 short film after del Toro showed an interest in producing a feature length version.

Unlike Devil, which featured a series of snarling suspense cues, Mama is a more layered work, and in our conversation recorded in late January of 2013, Velazquez describes his work in horror, writing for the cello, and avoiding musical clichés.

Mama is available from Quartet Records (Spain) on CD, and as a digital album from Amazon.com and iTunes. Special thanks to Fernando Velazquez for his generous time, and Chandler Polling at White Bear PR for facilitating this podcast.  

 

If you enjoyed this podcast, connect with us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Visit KQEK.com for additional film reviews, soundtrack reviews, interviews, and read the Editor's Blog by Mark R. Hasan for additional info and related links.

All podcast editing, mixing, and audio restoration produced in-house. For inquiries and demo reels, please visit Mondomark.com.

Direct download: KQEK_Digital__Fernando_Velazquez_Int__2013_02_07_192kbps.mp3
Category:Filmmusic -- posted at: 11:52am EDT

KQEK.com -- Interview with film composer Atli Örvarsson

After enjoying a successful music career in his native Iceland, composer Atli Örvarsson moved to the U.S. and studied music composition at Berkley. Örvarsson eventually landed a plum scoring position on the hit TV series NYPD Blue with veteran TV composer Mike Post (The Rockford FilesThe Greatest American HeroHill Street BluesMagnum P.I.Murder One, and Law and Order).

Orvarsson eventually joined Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control Studios, learning the ropes of composing for a wide variety of genres until he eventually landed several auspicious solo ventures, where he delivered a heavy, percussive design for Vantage Point (2008), and epic orchestral sounds for Babylon A.D. (2008).

The Eagle (2011) is perhaps his strongest work, in terms of scope and experimentation with natural sounds and folk instruments, and in his latest work, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, Orvarsson creates a kinetic mélange of orchestral, folk, and rock styles to match the transposition of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale from wandering kids to a pair of adult bounty hunters, under the direction of Tommy Wirkola (Dead Snow).

 

If you enjoyed this podcast, connect with us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Visit KQEK.com for additional film reviews, soundtrack reviews, interviews, and read the Editor's Blog by Mark R. Hasan for additional info and related links.

All podcast editing, mixing, and audio restoration produced in-house. For inquiries and demo reels, please visit Mondomark.com.

Direct download: KQEK_Digital__Atli_Orvarsson_Int__2013_01_05_192kbps.mp3
Category:Filmmusic -- posted at: 9:09pm EDT

KQEK.com -- Interview with film composer Penka Kouneva

Born in Bulgaria, classically trained composer Penka Kouneva has spent the past 13 years working primarily as a top orchestrator for some of Hollywood’s biggest composers. Her credits include theTransformers films, Angels & Demons (2009), The Hole (2009), and Hostel Iand II, plus a multitude of video games.

As a solo composer, Kouneva’s tackled several indie productions (Midnight Movie), but her best work is the concept album A Warrior’s Odyssey, written for a fictional video game. Part demo CD and personal project designed to challenge her own skills, WO features a strong blend of folk themes and muscular writing which reflects her adeptness in the action genre.

In our conversation, Kouneva recalls her entry into film scoring, her mentoring years, and the challenges of working within the demanding Hollywood system.

 

If you enjoyed this podcast, connect with us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Visit KQEK.com for additional film reviews, soundtrack reviews, interviews, and read the Editor's Blog by Mark R. Hasan for additional info and related links.

All podcast editing, mixing, and audio restoration produced in-house. For inquiries and demo reels, please visit Mondomark.com.

Direct download: KQEK_Digital__Penka_Kouneva_Int__2012_11_19_192kbps.mp3
Category:Filmmusic -- posted at: 1:38pm EDT