the early breakfasts in NYC at the Olympic a director who is unversed in musical Diner on 49th and 8th, and later years at terminology and procedure, and perhaps Shutters in Santa Monica. You must attend… self-conscious about it, I will try to be their that is, if you want to go to the Meat Dinner advocate—asking the composer the questions after the final dub. We’ve been to most of that I believe they are trying to ask, and the famous steakhouses in NY and L.A. It is letting them know they have an ally in the also the event, if there is a candidate who has room. Visits to the editorial rooms, away completed ten Coen films, that the Golden from the composer’s studio, help foster this Porridger Award is given out, a statue of a relationship. Eventually—when I am the sole man holding a victorious bowl of oatmeal advocate of the music on the dub stage—this above his head. I received their second connection pays off, as I am more likely to offering in 2008, the first having gone to be heard when representing the composer’s Skip Lievsay. interests and intentions. The Coens are not micro managers, but rather let each person in their field Caruso: In film the music editor’s role is of expertise have the freedom to manage much greater than in TV. That is especially whatever might be at hand. I can always call so if you have created the temp. You have them at a moment’s notice to talk over ideas established a rapport and relationship with and creative challenges. both the picture editor and the director. If you’ve done the temp, you have insight on SCORE: Can you describe some aspects of your what works for them in a scene and what role as a creative liaison between director and doesn’t; you’ve been in a room with them and composer? seen their body language and hopefully have a feel for what they are looking for. What FROM LEFT: Bill Bernstein, Johnny Caruso, Joanie Diener, and Todd Kasow Diener: Often I’ve been in a situation in you choose for the temp sometimes ends up which a director is expressing what he or she helping to decide who is asked to score the SCORE: How do you approach your role as a Kasow: It goes both ways. A composer’s needs or likes/doesn’t like, but it’s generally film. If the director hears something he really music editor? vision to the director and director’s vision to described in terms of drama and story. I feel I loves that resonates with him, that might do it. the composer. Usually there needs to be some have an aptitude to translate those wishes into MUSIC EDITORS: The first task of the music hand-holding in the beginning. The ultimate musical terms. Or…sometimes a director tries SCORE: Does your role as the creator of the Bernstein: editor is to make sure the needs of both goal is to get the flow going both ways to speak in musical terms without knowing temp track ever conflict with your role as the the composer and the director are being because each side may mistrust the other. how to, and so I try to translate those ideas composer’s ally? A ROUNDTABLE met. The trouble, of course, is that these Both sides can be untrusting of the other, or into workable musical ideas. Occasionally, needs are often contradictory. There is a give in too easily, when there actually might composers have actually asked me to temp Diener: If the composer has been hired by with BILL BERNSTEIN, JOHNNY CARUSO, tricky dynamic at the core of the composer/ be the need for a little friendly tug of war to some cues to demonstrate (if the director isn’t the time I create a temp, I definitely try to director relationship: a composer—one who get the best product. already pointing to my temp). consult to get his or her vision for the score. JOANIE DIENER, and TODD KASOW hasn’t become cynical about the process— As a music editor, developing a dialogue and Being a classically trained musician and I have to synthesize that with the director’s doesn’t want their composition treated like a “vocabulary” where both sides feel comfortable singer/songwriter myself, I’ve always been vision and even my vision. Occasionally there INTERVIEWED BY MARK SUOZZO AND RON SADOFF commodity. They design the music not only to honestly share their thoughts and ideas very sensitive to the composer and the have been conflicts: A long time ago I did a to fulfill a dramatic role but to have artistic is my goal. The film is best served once that integrity of the music. I also love filmmakers, big orchestral temp on a film (a Christmas We sat down with four leading music editors to discuss their craft, value. However, as the music is commissioned process gets going. A by-product of this back so I actually love being able to thread that movie), but it turned out the composer’s the business—and their magical art in fostering communication and for a specific purpose, it is to some extent and forth is that they are both getting more needle and help in any way that I can—be it to deal was basically for a synth score with collaboration between composers and directors. We spoke about how exactly a commodity. A director will treat the and more familiar with the music and picture help the director see why a musical approach guitars. The studio was not expecting the big, music like sound effects or ADR or any other marriage; hence new ideas develop. works or to help a composer realize the heartfelt orchestral temp but loved it so much the technological pace of picture editing has transformed the industry tool—theirs to cut, change, and re-edit to director’s vision without sacrificing quality that they renegotiated the composer’s deal to and impacted their use of demos, stems, and temp tracks, for both TV their liking. They may even express surprise SCORE: Todd—with Carter Burwell and Skip or intention. allow for a bigger orchestral score. Another and film. Vast databases of “tagged” music from hundreds of scores and that a composer would object to having their Lievsay, you’ve worked on every Coen brothers time, a composer I worked with for years music essentially recomposed on the dubbing film. Can you give us a sense of how that Bernstein: Luckily for me, Thomas Newman called me one day—exasperated—saying he sources allow the music editor immediate access to a world of music. stage. Fortunately, the music editor is there collaboration has endured? is an excellent communicator and has much had to rewrite this big set-piece cue for the Picture editors, too, may begin their work on the film using their own to represent the composer at this crucial experience in dealing with personalities. fourth time because of my “damn” temp cue libraries of music—investing the film with a musical signature—or at point. If a director requests a change to a Kasow: Stepping into the Coens’ workplace, He is usually able to establish a personal that worked so well. cue it is the editor’s duty to fully understand there is a freedom to say anything that comes relationship with a director, and they see least a point of departure from which the director/composer/music what they want and try to execute it, while to mind. Sarcasm abounds and jokes are early on how conscientiously he approaches Caruso: I think my role as the composer’s ally editor conversation can develop. maintaining as much musical integrity and as plentiful. This openness flows to everyone on the work. is the most important part of the job. With Our roundtable revealed aspects of our music editor’s much of the composer’s intention as possible. the job and makes for a wonderfully creative But it is still critical for me, as the music that said, there was one project I was working If you disagree with the director’s idea, you environment. And as the years roll by, we editor, to establish my own relationship with on and the director loved the temp. He tried multidimensional perspectives—as a storyteller in facilitating the perform it anyway, and present alternatives. all know each other’s trials and tribulations the director and gain their trust. In cases to license it and couldn’t afford the versions director’s vision; a musical curator on behalf of the composer; and often Compromise is the name of the game, and the about what life has brought us. New kids, where a director is reluctant to confront a used in the temp. He hired a legendary an intermediary, answering to both director and composer, in best music editor becomes the mediator. relationships, life’s milestones. Of the utmost composer about an issue, I must make sure composer to write the score. He also had me importance is the oatmeal breakfast that takes they know that their interests are understood document everything I used in the temp, and serving the film. place before the first day of the final dub: and addressed. If we have a meeting with then had the temp score recreated. Therefore, 24 I SUMMER 2020 2020 SUMMER I 25 the license he required was for publishing Diener: I have always approached temps as Caruso: In film, especially if you are doing creative energy into whatever I work on, in situations where I’ve had to compare director is resistant to the music, then one rights only, but not for the master rights if I was composing the score myself.