Chris Connor chats with Is This Thing On? composer James Newberry…
Bradley Cooper’s third feature as a director, Is This Thing On? has earned rave reviews. Following Will Arnett’s Alex Novak as he embarks on a sudden stand up career, the film focusses heavily on Alex and his wife Tess (Laura Dern), in a character driven piece. We spoke with the film’s composer James Newberry about scoring the stand-up sequences, collaborating with Bradley Cooper and the use of drums in the score…
When did you first get involved with Is This Thing on?
I got involved way before they started shooting the film. There were some scenes that had on-camera music where I arranged or performed a song and they used that to help shoot the scene. It was really cool to arrange something for a group of kids to perform live in the film. After that, I actually started writing score before they began production, just to get ideas flowing between Bradley and I. I always love starting a score based off the script and before I actually get the edit.
What were your first steps in composing the score?
The first steps were to find the tone and sound world with Bradley. He originally wanted just drums or percussion for the score, but we found the heart and centre of the emotion in the score with a blend of choir and percussion, as well as some prepared piano and electronics. The main thing we always discussed was a sense of propulsion, which definitely picks up in the middle of the film.
How involved was Bradley Cooper in shaping the score? (his previous films have been heavily music-focused)
Bradley was as involved as a director could possibly be. We talked every day for almost an entire year, going back and forth and experimenting with scenes, sounds, themes, all of it. Almost every day I would send him music and he would have immediate feedback, which was amazing. His prior work in music-focused films definitely informed his sense of music in film, but he never stifled me in what I was doing. He always encouraged new ideas and trying new things. He was really great and fun to work with.
How did you find scoring the stand-up sequences?
We tried scoring all of the stand-up scenes at different points in the process. We eventually found that less was more with the score in general, as it’s a very natural film with plenty of dialogue. The only stand-up sequence we scored early on and kept was Alex’s final stand up scene, which is titled “Vampires” in the soundtrack. That cue takes all of the built upon soundworld of the score and breaks it down into textures and fragments, which I think is appropriate for how that scene unfolds.
Can you talk us through the differences between writing music for Alex and Tess?
We didn’t really separate the two. Early on there were sketches or some pieces I wrote before I saw the edit that had a Tess theme and an Alex soundworld, but once we saw the picture it was obvious that this is about them, not one apart from the other. Their performances are also so good, that it was important not to overtly state what we were already seeing between them.
Was the plan always to give the film a jazz influenced score?
I wouldn’t say it’s jazz influenced, other than it having a drum set used throughout. The plan early on was drums-only, but as I mentioned, we discovered that wouldn’t serve the film as fully as we wanted. Later on as we developed different ideas, the drumset stayed because I wanted it to help set up songs and moments that happened throughout. It also helped with this propulsion Bradley always envisioned. Harmonically, it’s quite simple in terms of the chord progressions. One thing I envisioned early on and it kind of happened after I forgot about the idea, was this drumset and choir first appearing in the film once Alex decides to really give stand-up a go. It’s like a lightbulb turns on for him, and the film shifts gears with him.
Were there any particular challenges working on this film?
The main challenge was just finding the right tone and soundworld. We didn’t use any temp music, which isn’t common nowadays. Early on there also weren’t any songs in the edit, except for the ending which I helped put together. The first time I scored to picture, it was music-less. Completely. That’s a challenge for sure, but it was rewarding once we found what we were looking for. Now I prefer no temp music for a film, because you have to dig deep and figure out from scratch, which takes a lot of trust from the filmmakers, but ultimately is the best way to create something original.
Is there anything else you’d like to cover on Is This Thing On?
Just a shout out to Jason Ruder, who served as the Music Supervisor on the film. He’s the best! And also to the music team at Searchlight, who were very helpful and great to work with.
SEE ALSO: Read our review of Is Thing This On? here
Many thanks to James Newberry for taking the time for this interview.
Chris Connor
