Skyland
est une série télévisée d'animation franco-canadienne en 26 épisodes de
26 minutes, créée par Alexandre de la Patellière, Matthieu Delaporte et
Emmanuel Gorinstein. Récompensée en 2006 à Annecy lors du festival du
film d'animation, la série, mêlant personnages en 3D animés à partir de
la capture de mouvements de comédiens et somptueux décors peints à la
main à remporté le Pulcinella Award ( best Serie of Action and
Adventure).
A
l'occasion de la sortie du coffret DVD de la seconde partie de la
saison 1, le compositeur de la série, Paul Intson nous parle de sa
participation à ce chef d'oeuvre de l'animation française. Au fait, ne
dit-on pas que la passion permet de déplacer des montagnes?
© 2006 Method Films
Paul INTSON, how may you introduce
yourself?
Paul INTSON - I am 48
years young. I was recently in Paris and would
gravitate towards the artists Ambroise Vollard
represented …although this is ever evolving.
Musically I’m all over the map –Hank Williams to
the Russian 7. Film wise I’m a litmus test for the
populist.
What about your training?
I
dropped out of high school and studied classical bass. I was a terrible
study. I’m someone who gathers work experience as the optimum formal
training. And I believe that is where all my life’s luck has
accumulated. At 46 I decided it was time to study hockey; so that takes
up quite a bit at the moment.
Addressing a small orchestra -2004
And what about your background?
As a kid, I was in trouble frequently– until I started playing bass seriously. I seem to need stimulus to stay out of jail…
How would you describe or characterize your own musical style?
I dream that it exists as an extension of Manfred Eicher’s ECM label
sound – but I’m probably closer to some guy in a basement somewhere in
Canada…
How do you choose a project to work on?
Well … I guess if they say yes then I’m working on it..
Do you have a method of working?
For
the past few years I’ll study the project by trying to absorb what
materials are available to me ie: scripts, grahics, ect. I’ll then go
to the Hamilton library to get my hands on resources … if not there
I’ll end up at the University library. Most of the time this process
takes me out of my preconceived myopia so I can have a 360 degree spin
on available options. And then I peck at the piano – sometimes for
days...
What do you feel when you’re composing and what do you like in this process?
The
evolution of an idea– that buzz along with the interpretation of the
notes on a page during the recording stage, is quite hard to beat.
How did you come on Skyland?
I was one of 10 composers asked to submit. They called and said ‘you’.
May
you describe your score for this film? May you tell me about your
approach on this film? Did it evolve during the production?
The director Emmanuel Gorenstein had great ideas for a ‘sound’. He
would send me music that liberated me to show him anything. It seemed
that with each thematic idea it became closer. In the end we used all
the ideas in some form. It was lovely – my only regret is we were not
able to physically occupy the same space more.
Do you think Skyland
is characteristic of your style, was it natural to you, or did you have
to struggle to find the musical voice of the series?
The show happened at the right time for me as a composer- that being it seemed effortless once we developed a sound.
How was each episode scored?
The
score existed as a library. The first 4 episodes were scored, the
second 4 less so, and then there were composed scenes during the rest
of the season as special request. It was done on and off for about a
year and a half.
Did you want to go to a kind of a “Leitmotiv” approach ? Are there themes that are not character-oriented ? Why ?
The
series approach was theme and variation. I felt that the music was the
untangible quotient to the story – the ‘Hope and Faith’ that Mahad and
Lena would reunite with their parents – and on a bigger scale the
residents of Skyland would become free of Oslo and the Sphere and the
Prophecy would be fulfilled. I tried to compose the series so that no
matter how the music was edited the hope element could not be erased.
Hopefully…
How did you manage to plunge the audience in another universe from the sonic point of view?
Jim Longo (the sound designer) was really responsible for that …
Can
you tell me about these gamelan-like sounds? How did you come to this
kind of a signature sound for the series? How did you use them? In what
circumstances? And how did you record them?
Emmanuel proposed a lot of gamelan Akira references – I happened to
compose for the Evergreen Club Gamelan in Toronto so was therefore
familiar with the ‘pelog’ system of the Sundanese gamelan.
Unfortunately due to constraints I ended up using samples …. So I wrote
with the 5 note system to try and keep it somewhat authentic.
How did you work with the crew? What kind of material, of images did you have to draw your inspiration?
Method Films (of France) did a promo for Skyland at the initial stage. That combined with stills sent to me were my early inspiration.
Did you want to treat Skyland as animation or as live action? Can you explain why and how?
My guess there is I tried to treat the series as a ‘new’ art. Although
there are composition processes I’m never going to quite shake; I did
not conscientiously apply either … and maybe it’s because my lack of
formal training limits my intention towards a composition ‘system’.
Who did you work with? Who was your main contact while working on the series?
Emmanuel …although lots of other people like to share their thoughts
…and are therefore pregnant with suggestions…
How did you work with the French creators of the series?
The first few spotting sessions were done over a conference phone...
How did you do with the spotting sessions?
Where both groups lined up their own Quicktimes and then both pushed
‘Go’. It actually worked … and we worked more in broad strokes as a
result. After a while spotting involved the music editor and Emmanuel
would respond before the mix for adjustments.
Can
you tell me about the recording sessions? Did you appeal to live
musicians? How did you choose the live parts and the electronic parts?
And why?
We recorded via internet
and also in Ancaster, Ontario at my studio. I had to divide up the
sections like trombones, trumpet & french horn because my room is
so small …and a live large ensemble would just sound atrocious. I tried
to use as many live players as possible however; the series was
extremely limited on their allocation of music funds – the choice to
use players was like deciding which of your best friends doesn’t walk
the plank.
Do you know why they waited so long between the release of the first and of the second part of the season on DVD?
I know there was a hiatus between the delivery of the first and second 13 episodes (26 in total).
What kind of hiatus?
Production Hiatus - essentially a break for everyone to breathe.
Do you know about the release date of the second season? Did you start working on it?
There were a total of 26 episodes produced with a break between the
delivery of the first and second group of thirteen episodes. I don't
believe there will be any other episodes produced past that, but then
you can never say never...
Have you heard about a Skyland videogame? Will you be part of it?
I have heard of the game, I have not heard anything further...
Have you heard about a Skyland' movie? Will you be part of it?
It's still in development stages ... that's all I know for now.
More
and more first-rate music composers come to video game music. Do you?
What do you think about that? Do you think it is the normal venture for
a composer nowadays?
The
first time I heard Michael Giacchino was on a video game score. If the
medium is open to the composer making good art I can’t see any reason
to limit any type of collective venture between video and audio...
Do you think there will be a cd of your music for Slyland released? Will there be a second season? Would you like that?
Sure … you bet!
Last minute changes -2005
Can you tell me about your projects?
Doing a new animation series entitled “Spliced”, a second season of the animation series “Grossology” … a National Film Board animation entitled ‘Labrynth” and Emmanuel Gorenstein has a new project…
Do you have specific message?
A
website is on the drawing board and should be up sooner than later. If
you’d like to share your ideas look me up! And if you’re in Ancaster
give me a call, if you can’t shoot a puck we can go for a beer…
Remerciements particuliers à Paul Intson et Agathe PINCHON
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