1 00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Elliott, you've been learning to surf. 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:08,400 Speaker 2: I think that's the grandiose statement of what I've been doing. 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 2: But yes, I have been taking a surfboard down to 4 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:13,120 Speaker 2: the ocean and falling off it a lot. It's been 5 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 2: a wonderful, wonderful addition to my life. 6 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: From The Australian. This is the weekend edition of The Front. 7 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: I'm Claire Harvey. What if I told you there was 8 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: a composer who'd worked with Jay Z, Florence Welsh, Brian Ferry, 9 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:37,240 Speaker 1: Rappa Nas, Christina Aguilera, Nile Rodgers Sea, and that this 10 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: same composer had written the scores for Baz Luhrman's The 11 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: Great Gatsby, The Get Down and twenty twenty two's Oscar 12 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: nominated smash Elvis. Would you believe me if I told 13 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,879 Speaker 1: you this composer was born in woggle Wogger, Well, he was, 14 00:00:51,200 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 1: and his name's Elliott Wheeler. We've all walked out of 15 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: the cinema humming the theme of the movie we just saw. 16 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:17,960 Speaker 1: Then notice where humming the same tune weeks later, when 17 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 1: memories of the movie's main plot points have started to fade, 18 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: like this beautiful piece of Elliott Wheeler's from Netflix series 19 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: The Get Down. Elliot's kindly given us some of his 20 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: music to use throughout this episode. I've always been fascinated 21 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 1: by how composers plant their work so deeply in our 22 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:41,960 Speaker 1: subconscious how it's the music we recall first when we 23 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: think of certain movies or TV shows. Film composing is 24 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: a fascinating art form, and our guest today is one 25 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: of the genre's masters. Joining me from his home on 26 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: the Gold Coast is Elliot Wheeler. Elliott wrote the score 27 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: for Spit, the new movie featuring David Wenham, which is 28 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: in cinemas now, a sequel to the beloved Australian movie 29 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: Getting Square, in which when and played the oddly lovable 30 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: rogue Johnny Spatiri. Your full name is John Francis Spatiri. 31 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 3: Suh, excuse me, there's just paying for my bush fear today. 32 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: One of the things I love about film scores is 33 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: the way different characters have a little theme of their own. 34 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: The most famous one is probably the shark in Jaws. 35 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: You know as soon as you hear the music, you 36 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 1: know that the shark is coming. 37 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 2: And the thing I love about the shark theme in 38 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 2: yours is a scary thing isn't actually the cellos and 39 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 2: the bases, it's the piccolo. It's a little what terrifies everyone. 40 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: You know, how do you do that? And did you 41 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,519 Speaker 1: do a theme for Johnny Spatieri in Spit? Yeah? 42 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 2: Absolutely, For Johnny spip there's numb themes. So there's sort 43 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 2: of a theme for he's got a relationship with his sister, 44 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,839 Speaker 2: which is a much more emotional theme that carries through 45 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 2: the film as it's sort of him as a character 46 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 2: who's sort of always run from everything all his life. 47 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 2: He suddenly faced with a bunch of decisions where he 48 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 2: has to work out whether he's going to run or stay. 49 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 2: So there's a piano based theme with strings that comes 50 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 2: through whenever he's sort of dealing with that side of 51 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 2: his personality. But then there's another side of him, which is, 52 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 2: I guess the more comedic side of Johnny Spit. You 53 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 2: can't work out whether he's the dumbest guy in the 54 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 2: room or the smartest. We've dectinitely gone around and around 55 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 2: trying to work out what this was, and I'd written 56 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 2: a bunch of stuff as you sort of meet his 57 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 2: character for the first time, and I'd written some beautiful 58 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 2: strings stuff and I like, now, I didn't watch it 59 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 2: with a film and be like, it's got nothing to 60 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 2: do with what this film's actually about. And David actually 61 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 2: came in because he's a producer on the film as well, 62 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 2: and watched it and he said, you know what, Johnny's 63 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 2: at clown and we're like, what speaks clown? And we're like, 64 00:03:56,480 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 2: what about the accordion? And so we tried the accordion 65 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 2: and the accordion actually became the main instrument that we 66 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 2: used as Johnny's sort of comedic theme. 67 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: And it's great. 68 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 2: We've got this wonderful accordion. Players Fetlanta Buni who's down 69 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 2: in Tazzi and she recorded it for us and wow, yeah, 70 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 2: it's not at all where I thought we would have 71 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 2: ended up, but it works great for the film, and yeah, 72 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 2: it was really fun. Choice. 73 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: On the way here, I was listening back to the 74 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: Elvis soundtrack. I'm really interested in how scoring a movie 75 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 1: like that, a huge international movie about a huge international figure, 76 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 1: compares with something like Spit, which is such an Australian story, 77 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: such an Australian movie. What were those two experiences, Like. 78 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 2: There's similarities and vast differences between the two of them. 79 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 2: At the center of it, your job is to help 80 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 2: tell a story. Musically, there's usually something happening on screen, 81 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 2: which is the dialogue and the action, and then there's 82 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 2: also usually another storyline that isn't being told by you, 83 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:07,599 Speaker 2: that what's being said or what you're seeing that the 84 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 2: audience is trying to tap into, or you're trying to 85 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 2: help the audience to tap into, and that's sort of 86 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 2: the thing that you're often trying to find, And for me, 87 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 2: the real joy of screen composing is about trying to 88 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 2: find what that element is, and a lot of the 89 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,679 Speaker 2: conversations that you have with the director and your team 90 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 2: is about what story are we actually trying to tell you. 91 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: Like in so many industries, technology has revolutionized the composing 92 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: world in the past two and a half decades. Using 93 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: digital audio workstations or doors loaded with ultra realistic samples 94 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: of just about any instrument imaginable, composers can produce a 95 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: score without leaving their home studio. They do it by 96 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:55,160 Speaker 1: programming layers of different instruments together. For Elliott, this is 97 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 1: a handy tool for what he calls the sketching phase, 98 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: but no substitute for colaborating with real musicians and getting 99 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: a great human performance. 100 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 2: There's a real danger that you can end up writing 101 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:11,159 Speaker 2: for what you know will sound good on the computer. 102 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 2: And one of the ways that I try and get 103 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 2: around that is now just using live players as much 104 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 2: as possible. And that's one of the real joys of 105 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 2: composing for me, is actually hearing other musicians bringing your 106 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 2: ideas to life, because yeah, I'm so bored of the 107 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 2: way that I play, having done this for as long 108 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 2: as I've been doing it. 109 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 1: And do you also think about the fact that this 110 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: is going to be an album eventually that people will 111 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 1: be listening to in their cars. Is that part of 112 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: your thinking or not? Really? Are you actually just thinking 113 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 1: about the film as the piece of art first? 114 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 2: Really, you've got to focus on the film. I've got 115 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 2: myself into a lot of trouble sometimes trying to think 116 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 2: of how a film protects are going to sound as 117 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 2: an album, and it really can take your eye off 118 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 2: the ball in terms of making sure you're doing the 119 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 2: best storytelling. And like Elvis, where there is obviously going 120 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 2: to be so many eyes on it and such an 121 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 2: appetite for it, there's the whole team of people who 122 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 2: are involved in that process from music supervisors and obviously 123 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 2: at that level you've got record labels involved as well. 124 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 2: And at the end of the day, with someone like 125 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 2: bas bas is driving that entire process. He has a 126 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 2: very clear vision of who and how he wants to 127 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 2: sound to come out like. But really, you've got to 128 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 2: make sure the story works at the first level. Otherwise 129 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 2: people aren't going to be interested in in the album 130 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 2: if the film sucks. 131 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 1: So coming up the Secrets of Elvis. 132 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 3: I've been looking for Trouble, you came to the right place. 133 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: Music videos have exploded in the past few decades. I'm 134 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 1: not talking about three minutes t second music videos played 135 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: on Rage, but full length features where music takes center stage. 136 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: There are documentaries on hit makers from Taylor Swift to 137 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:13,239 Speaker 1: Quincy Jones. Every band from Joy Division to NWA seems 138 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: to be getting the Hollywood treatment. In the olden days, 139 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 1: actors on screen would lip sync. Now they're expected to sing. 140 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: Timothy Chalameez, Bob Dylan, Taron Edgerton as Elton John, and 141 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: Austin Butler, who earned a Golden Globe for his performance 142 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: in Elvis Throos. 143 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 2: Working with the actor really closely gives you a really 144 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 2: clear idea of what the instrument is that you're working with. 145 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 2: And in the case of Austin, we were just so 146 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 2: lucky that he's such an amazing individual and performer and 147 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 2: his work ethic is like nothing I've ever experienced before. 148 00:08:57,520 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 2: I mean, the guy would be up at literally four am. 149 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 2: There wasn't a thing you could ask him to do 150 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 2: that was too much trouble. It becomes a real collaboration 151 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:06,319 Speaker 2: because once the trust is there, they can talk to 152 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 2: you about things that they're comfortable doing and not comfortable doing, 153 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 2: and you can lean into where their strengths are. And 154 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 2: with someone like Austin on Elvis, where the voice of 155 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 2: Elvis changed at least four times during his life, like 156 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 2: it starts very high in nasal and by the end 157 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 2: this incredible operatic baritone. We got to work with Austin 158 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 2: to sort of develop all those different styles of his voice. 159 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: It must be hugely daunting for those actors. You know, 160 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:35,320 Speaker 1: you wouldn't be training a novious accordionist like to perform, 161 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 1: but you are potentially dealing with a nervous singer. 162 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean, Austin is on record as saying he 163 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 2: lived on terror because Elvis is literally a religion to 164 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:48,239 Speaker 2: millions of people. I mean, there's a canon, there's pilgrimages, 165 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:51,559 Speaker 2: all the impersonators. So your Austin was that's why you 166 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 2: wake up at four am. He didn't want to let anyone. 167 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 1: Down speaking of the cannon. Bas Luhrman is someone who 168 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: has created a canon of his own. What's it been 169 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:03,680 Speaker 1: like for you working alongside him, and how do you 170 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: to work together? It's very, very collaborative. 171 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:08,200 Speaker 2: There's a shorthand now because we've been doing it for 172 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:09,959 Speaker 2: so long and some of the projects that we've done 173 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 2: have been so intense. Bas is incredibly musical himself. I've 174 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 2: got lots of films of Baz standing in front of 175 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:17,679 Speaker 2: the pictures sort of singing string lines that I then 176 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:19,959 Speaker 2: sort of if you listen to the final recording, you 177 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 2: can absolutely hear the shape of where those lines are. Yes, 178 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 2: and my fondest memories like us over in Nashville recording 179 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,199 Speaker 2: the over sessions over there and these great gospel sessions 180 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 2: that we had. He's absolutely on the floor with us, 181 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 2: working with the musicians and even to the point of 182 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 2: conducting choirs and that sort of thing, which is wonderful 183 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:43,559 Speaker 2: to see. 184 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 1: Well, I can't wait to see Spit. Did you like 185 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: Johnny Spittiri? What is he? Is he the dumbest person ever? 186 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 1: Or is he a genius? 187 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 2: I think he's probably a genius. I'm coming down on 188 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 2: the side of genius. He's such a wonderful character and 189 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 2: such a fantastick characters score and David's performance is hilarious 190 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:06,520 Speaker 2: and heartbreaking, and it's such a complete immersion in the character. 191 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 2: I love it. It's a wonderful character and I think 192 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 2: a really, really wonderful film, and I can't wait for 193 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 2: people to see it. 194 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 1: Spit is in cinemas now. Thanks for joining us on 195 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: the front. Our team is Jasper Leik, Kristin Amiot Leat, Sammerglue, 196 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 1: Tiffany Dimak, Joshu Burton, Stephanie Coombs, and me Claire Harvey.