CC: As you transition
into new projects now,
what do you do to wipe
clean your mental and
creative slate?
HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS:
Well, I tend to listen
to lots and lots of
music that has nothing
to do with films and
are from many
different genres.
Also, since I've just
started Tony Scott's
next film, THE TAKING
OF PELHAM 123, it's so
utterly different from
PRINCE CASPIAN,
polar-opposites
really, that it just
helps me begin again.
If I were to do
another children's
fantasy straight away,
it would be quite
tough.
CC: I read some
interesting things
about IMOGEN HEAP who
wrote a beautiful song
for THE LION, THE
WITCH AND THE
WARDROBE, "Can't Take
It In" - that she also
wrote a song for
PRINCE CASPIAN but it
was rejected because
it was too dark. Did
you personally hear
the song and have any
input there?
HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS:
Yes. Absolutely.
Imogen (Heap) has
become a great friend.
I sat down with Andrew
(Adamson) regarding
her song. She is
utterly loyal, but I
think she was just in
a spot where what she
wrote was not quite
what we thought was
the right thing for
the end of PRINCE
CASPIAN. It was a very
beautiful song though
- as you would expect
from her.
CC: I'd like to ask
you about WAVECREST
STUDIOS - the studio
you've set up for
yourself and the
composers who are
privileged enought to
work with you there.
HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS:
Well, you know, what
goes around comes
around basically. As
you probably well
know, I got a great
start in this business
from HANS ZIMMER. He
took me under his wing
at at time when there
were only a couple of
us at Meda Ventures.
It seems to me that
this is necessary for
young people trying to
get a start in this
industry. I don't know
how you would break
into this business
otherwise. So, in my
own way, I wanted to
pass along what Hans
(Zimmer) had done for
me. I have a couple of
young guys who have
worked really hard for
me and it all happened
just at a time when
they needed a break to
get into this
business.
CC: Like in the case
of David Buckley.
HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS:
Yes. Joel Schumacher,
after THE NUMBER 23,
said to me, "Harry,
I'm going to shoot a
little horror film
called TOWN CREEK but
I don't think you are
going to want to do
it." But of course I
said, "I'll do
whatever you ask of
me." However, when I
looked at the timing
of the project, it was
going to be very
difficult for me to
do. He was very
open-mined about DAVID
BUCKLEY scoring it, as
long as I might attend
the occasional music
meeting and keep an
eye on things and, if
need be, help solve
any problems that
might pop up.
CC: Was this a similar
situation to composer
Stephen Barton?
HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS:
Yes. A couple of years
earlier he got to
score one of DAN
IRELAND's movies. I've
scored a lot of Dan
Ireland's movies as he
has become a great
friend of mine. For
MRS. PALFREY AT THE
CLAREMONT, I was again
in a position where I
just couldn't write
the score, so I
introduced him to
Stephen (Barton) and
he did a great job. I
just don't know, as a
young composer, how
you can get your start
in this business, so
that is why I say,
"What goes around,
comes around," because
I was very fortunate
in this way myself.
CC: Let's jump back to
DAVID BUCKLEY and his
score for THE
FORBIDDEN KINGDOM. You
are credited as "Score
Producer" on that
film. What was your
particular involvement
on this project?
HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS: I was a general support for David and a safety-net for
the film-makers. At
that particular point,
David (Buckley) didn't
have too many film
credits under his
belt, so hiring him
was a credit to the
imagination of the
film makers. David
wrote every single
note of that score. I
wasn't called in to
save the day. Nothing
went so badly wrong,
but I was there lest I
was needed. So I was
primarily there to
encourage David,
especially early on.
CC: So do you feel a
similar satisfaction
with seeing the
success of a Stephen
Barton or David
Buckley to completing
a score yourself?
HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS:
Or course. Absolutely.
It is no surprise to
me, though, as they
are both talented
people and are heading
down the right path.
CC: So you are working
on Tony Scott's next
film now, THE TAKING
OF PELHAM 123, but
you've got some other
big projects on the
horizon as well:
WOLVERINE and G-FORCE.
HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS:
Yes. WOLVERINE with
Gavin Hood, which I'm
really looking forward
to. What really
attracted me to the
project was Gavin. I
happened to meet him
at the Golden Globes
dinner about three
years ago. That night
we were both nominees,
but both losers. He
had been nominated for
TSOTSI and during the
dinner I had spoken to
him and he seemed like
a really smart and
creative guy...and
into music. So I was
really delighted when
I got a call to meet
him and discuss the
possibilities for
WOLVERINE.
CC: And you have
G-Force which will be
early next year. Are
there any other
projects in-between?
HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS:
(laughs) Probably, but
I'm focused on what's
happening now.
CC: Thank you so much
for taking the time
today.
HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS:
Thank you very much,
Chris.
