Everything about me and what I love the most

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2008-10-28T21:52:00.000+01:00

Gillian Anderson leaving her hotel in London, July 30

2008-08-12T13:05:00.001+02:00

Gillian Anderson leaving her hotel in London, July 30

5 MQs

Gillian Anderson at the SoHo House July 31

2008-08-05T23:01:00.002+02:00

Gillian Anderson at the SoHo House July 31 2008

6 HQs

Chris and Frang signing session at Forbidden Planet, London

2008-08-02T17:43:00.004+02:00

Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz signing at Forbidden Planet in London, the day after the London Premiere

4 HQs

+ Clip from Gia

Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny pose for a portrait in Beverly Hills, July 19

2008-08-02T11:44:00.001+02:00

Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny pose for a portrait in Beverly Hills, July 19

3 HQs

XFiles: I want to believe premiere in London

2008-08-02T09:59:00.002+02:00

XFiles: I want to believe premiere in London
Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz

186 HQs

The XFiles Q&A session at HMV, London 29.7.08

2008-07-30T23:28:00.001+02:00

The XFiles Q&A session at HMV, London 29.7.08 with Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz

4 HQs

XFiles Screening in Vancouver

2008-07-30T23:13:00.002+02:00

XFiles Screening in Vancouver with Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz!

8 HQs

David Duchovny arriving at Radio One in London July 30

2008-07-30T22:58:00.001+02:00

David Duchovny arriving at Radio One in London July 30

9 HQs

David Duchovny at the Claridges Hotel in Mayfair, London 29 july 2008

2008-07-29T22:56:00.001+02:00

David Duchovny at the Claridges Hotel in Mayfair, London 29 july 2008

4 HQs

Gillian Anderson outside The Letterman Show

2008-07-29T20:51:00.007+02:00

Gillian Anderson outside The Letterman Show!

19 HQs

David Duchovny filming Californication in New York City

2008-07-27T22:03:00.005+02:00

David Duchovny filming scenes for the second season of Californication in New York City!

Californication Season 2 Promos

2008-07-26T15:39:00.003+02:00

Californication Season 2 promos staring David Duchovny!

Gillian Anderson outside The Kimmel Show

2008-07-26T14:05:00.004+02:00

Gillian Anderson signing autographs after The Kimmel Show!

9 HQs

+ Clips
Part 1

Part 2

XFiles: I want to believe red Carpet Premiere at the Chinese Theater in LA

2008-07-25T20:44:00.005+02:00

XFiles: I want to believe Premiere at the Chinese Theater in LA!
Pictures staring Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, Amanda Peet, Xzibit, Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz, Mitch Pileggi!
HQs

Credit: Phil, CU, Marie and other friendly peeps

Gillian at Jay Leno

2008-07-24T17:23:00.002+02:00

Gillian Anderson at Jay Leno - Pictures
Promoting XFiles: I want to believe

10 HQs, not tagged

Press Portraits of Gillian, David and Chris

2008-07-22T19:39:00.002+02:00

Press Portraits of Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny and Chris Carter!
Gillian Anderson looks absolutely stunning in these pics and very pregnant! =)

36 HQs, untagged

New Californication Season 2 Promo vid

2008-07-21T17:36:00.002+02:00

New Californication Season 2 Promo vid

XFiles Interview on CBS

2008-07-21T16:52:00.002+02:00

Interview with David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson on CBS Morning Show

Chris Carter Interview on Acces Hollywood

2008-07-21T15:19:00.001+02:00

Chris Carter Interview on Access Hollywood

David and Gillian interviewing each other

2008-07-21T15:06:00.001+02:00

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson interviewing each other on Access Hollywood.
MOST.HILARIOUS.VIDEO.EVER!!!

XFiles Special on Pro7 (Germany TV channel)

2008-07-21T14:07:00.001+02:00

XFiles Special on Pro7 (Germany TV channel)

Part 1

Part 2

David and Gillian on ET

2008-07-21T13:48:00.001+02:00

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson on ET!

Gillian Anderson in German InStyle Magazine August 2008

2008-07-19T17:05:00.002+02:00

Gillian Anderson in German InStyle Magazine August 2008

Credit: Torboah

Sneak Preview of XFiles:IWTB on the Deadliest Catch

2008-07-19T17:00:00.000+02:00

Sneak Preview of XFiles:IWTB on the Deadliest Catch

Madeleine Zima @ "Pink Plastic Party" For The Launch Of Tarina Tarantino's Barbie, Los Angeles, July 17

2008-07-19T14:38:00.001+02:00

Madeleine Zima @ "Pink Plastic Party" For The Launch Of Tarina Tarantino's Barbie, Los Angeles, July 17

7 HQs

David Duchovny - Showtime panel at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Beverly Hills, July 18

2008-07-19T14:34:00.003+02:00

David Duchovny - Showtime panel at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Beverly Hills, July 18
2 HQs

David on the set of Californication

2008-07-19T14:30:00.002+02:00

David Duchovny on the set of Californication season 2, July 17!
16 HQs

New Trailer for How To Lose Friends And Alienate People

2008-07-19T01:35:00.000+02:00

Davids Introduction at the VH1

2008-07-18T10:56:00.000+02:00

David Duchovnys Introduction at the VH1

Another XFiles Poster

2008-07-18T10:52:00.001+02:00

Another XFiles Poster, which can be seen in Russia.

Another TV spot on Spike TV

2008-07-17T10:20:00.000+02:00

Salute to Dana Scully

XFiles First look on Access Hollywood

2008-07-16T17:54:00.002+02:00

XFiles First look on Access Hollywood

David on Jay Leno

2008-07-16T10:19:00.001+02:00

David Duchovny on Jay Leno

XFiles movie spot on Spike TV

2008-07-15T19:02:00.000+02:00

A cool spot on Spike Tv
Salute to Fox 'Spooky' Mulder

1 new XFiles still

2008-07-14T00:26:00.003+02:00

1 new XFiles promo still for the 2nd movie staring Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, Amanda Peet, Xzibit and Billy Connolly!

3 new XFiles promo stills + 1 behind the scenes pic

2008-07-13T22:30:00.002+02:00

3 new XFiles promo stills + 1 behind the scenes pic

Source: kultx.cz

How To Lose Friends And Alienate People promo stills

2008-07-13T21:30:00.004+02:00

How To Lose Friends And Alienate People promo stills staring Gillian Anderson!

14 UHQs

David Duchovny @ VH1 Rock Honors

2008-07-13T20:13:00.008+02:00

David Duchovny @ VH1 Rock Honors

MQs

HQs

Source: wire, getty, CU, you know the drill

Chris Carter gets all foxy about 'The X-Files'

2008-07-12T21:59:00.003+02:00

When facing questions about the film, the writer-director turns into one of his own mystery men.

CHRIS CARTER is not the sort of guy you'd expect to produce shadowy stories about government conspiracies and alien invasions. Even as he's hard at work finishing "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" -- a new feature film based on the landmark science-fiction franchise he masterminded in the 1990s -- he's the embodiment of a relaxed California surfer, thoughtful and easygoing rather than tense and paranoid.

The deadline to deliver his cut of the film to the studio is looming, but inside a cozy Malibu residence, he's calm and deliberate, watching scenes with a critical eye and decisively directing editor Richard A. Harris to alter a particular sequence to enhance its rhythm and pacing.

The scene on the monitors is one that will later appear in trailers for the film, due to open July 25. Looking surprisingly untouched by age over the last several years, special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), her signature red tresses grown out past her shoulders, stand amid a snow-covered landscape talking with a mysterious man with shaggy gray hair played by Scottish actor Billy Connolly. Something unsettling is taking place, but what, exactly?

Carter won't comment. In fact, neither he nor Frank Spotnitz, the series' former show runner and the movie's producer, will reveal anything about the film -- except that, chronologically, it picks up six years after the series ended in 2002 and is a stand-alone story that they very much hope will please fans of the show while also appealing to a new audience. Amanda Peet and Xhibit costar, and the film is rated PG-13, with Carter making assurances that it is both "smart and scary."

But what's the nature of Mulder and Scully's relationship? "You'll have to watch the movie." Is it safe to say there are other actors from the series who appear in the film? "It's not safe to say. There may be." Are there plans for more "X-Files" features? "We'll have to do a good job on this one."

Interestingly enough, though, the policy of remaining tight-lipped goes beyond speaking to journalists. Before shooting began in December, only a handful of people -- Carter and Spotnitz, Duchovny and Anderson, a few select 20th Century Fox executives -- had laid eyes on Carter's script. And before doing so, they were required to sign nondisclosure agreements. During production, the heads of the various below-the-line departments were not given their own copies; instead, they were required to go into a locked room with a video camera if they needed to revisit something from the screenplay.

Roughly 90% of the crew never was allowed to see a copy for fear that the top-secret story line would be leaked. Even the sides, small pages with dialogue from a scene being filmed on a particular day, were collected and destroyed after that day's shooting.

Area 51 doesn't have this kind of security.

"We're very good about being paranoid," Spotnitz concedes with a laugh.

Revisiting a cultural phenomenon

IT'S A risky strategy. For a time in the mid-1990s, "The X-Files" was one of those ubiquitous pop culture flash points, collecting critical accolades and attracting a rabid fan following obsessed with the characters at the center of the show. Mulder was a man driven to believe in "extreme possibilities," with Scully acting as his foil, a medical doctor who clings to reason and science and treats her partner with respect but also a healthy dose of skepticism. Their rapport remained constant despite a sprawling story line that at various points involved alien abductions, shadowy government conspiracies, otherworldly bounty hunters and black gummy substances, clones, shape-shifters and a two-headed monster with a passion for Cher.

"The show brought a cinematic quality to episodic television that was lacking," Duchovny said recently. "The story ideas, week by week, were movie-worthy for the most part. And the style of acting was not campy. For the genre fans, who had followed many shows without those ambitions, it was less 'We love to love this show' as it was 'We love this show.' "

The series was, on any number of levels, groundbreaking, not least for spinning off a feature film, 1998's "The X-Files: Fight the Future," in the middle of its prime-time run -- the movie received largely satisfactory reviews and topped out at the U.S. box office at just more than $85 million.

But by the time "The X-Files" ended in 2002, Duchovny and Anderson had made no secret of their readiness to move on, and new special agents played by Robert Patrick and Annabeth Gish essentially had taken over as the series' leads. Particularly after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, audiences seemed less interested in watching stories built on the idea that the American government is deliberately deceiving the citizenry, a theory that the declining ratings seemed to bear out.

By then, Carter was exhausted. Looking for creative and personal renewal, he decided to pursue the host of interests he'd shelved while working not just on "The X-Files" but also on such other science-fiction-tinged programs as "Millennium," "Harsh Realm" and "The Lone Gunmen," a short-lived "X-Files" spinoff based on three computer nerds who aided Mulder and Scully from time to time.

"I actually made a point of not watching the show on TV during my time away and doing as much as I could that wasn't 'X-Files' oriented," Carter says. "For me, it was 10 years of output, and I needed input."

The Bellflower native climbed mountains and spent time with "big thinkers" at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics in Santa Barbara. He also became a licensed pilot. "Learning to fly an airplane taught me a way of thinking, an approach to problem-solving that was applicable and effective," he says. "Pilots are very methodical and meticulous, and artists tend not to be."

What lured him back from the skies was Duchovny -- and slightly more mundane matters. In the middle of last year, right around the time the actor convinced Carter that it might be time to resurrect the franchise, a lawsuit Carter had filed against 20th Century Fox Television over payments allegedly owed to him was settled, paving the way for a second "X-Files" movie.

"I came back because David was very interested in doing this movie; I came back because Frank had a long talk with me, and he was convincing. I came back largely because there was enthusiasm," Carter offers. "And Fox called and said, 'If you want to do this movie, it's now or never.' With all that incentive, I was convinced that it wasn't going back, it was going forward, and [it was an] opportunity to actually reconsider 'The X-Files' not just for me but for the audience, for the fans."

He returned to a story idea that had emerged in 2003 and completed a script ahead of the Writers Guild of America strike last November. Additionally, Carter stepped behind the camera to direct the film, shot during the winter largely on location in Pemberton and Vancouver, Canada.

It was another in what he calls "a series of new opportunities" -- he had directed a number of episodes of the show but never a movie before. He says he's not necessarily looking to reinvent himself as a feature film director, nor is he all that concerned if people continue to associate him most closely with "The X-Files."

"It's a natural thing to be labeled," he says. "It's my big success. There's no getting away from that. If I wanted people to take me seriously as something else, it's my responsibility to go out and do something else."

Compared to those Manhattan gals

FOR THE time being, "The X-Files" is the only thing on his mind. Several weeks after an initial meeting, the movie is finished, and it is still shrouded in secrecy. In the interim, "Sex and the City" demonstrated that a much-loved television series can relaunch on the big screen after years away from the public eye and be met with the sort of enthusiastic response that virtually guarantees sequels, although it's difficult to draw too many inferences from that film's performance.

"Sex and the City" succeeded not just because interest in the characters was high but because it served as an event for female moviegoers whose interests often go overlooked in the summer months.

Audiences also had vague ideas about what actually was going to happen in the movie. "X-Files" has more competition, especially with the moody, brainy "The Dark Knight" opening one week before its release and going after the same core group of older men. That said, the movie is creating buzz online, with fan sites devoted to the sequel carefully analyzing the trailers and hypothesizing about whether Mulder and Scully will wind up together.

Carter puts only so much stock in comparisons, preferring instead to believe that if he and the other creative principals have crafted a sufficiently compelling story, the audience, as they say, will be out there.

"I don't think people go to the movies saying, 'Oh, I liked that television show from the '90s, I'm going to like this one,' " he says. "I think they go to the movies to be entertained or to be scared or to be moved, and that's why I hope they're going to see this movie."

Source: latimes.com

XFiles articles and Interviews in Ecran Fantastique magazine [ France]

2008-07-11T19:11:00.004+02:00

Credit: gilly76

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People promo stills

2008-07-11T18:59:00.002+02:00

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People promo stills staring Gillian Anderson!

6 HQs

New XFiles promo pic

2008-07-11T16:26:00.003+02:00

New XFiles promo pic! Looks much better then the photoshopped ones on some magazine covers!

1 new and 1 old Gillian Anderson pic

2008-07-10T23:21:00.005+02:00

Gillian Anderson looks incredibly hot!
I think the second one is an old one which was printed in a magazine but the other one I haven't seen so far!

New promo

2008-07-10T23:19:00.002+02:00

New XFiles promo pic

Source: kultx.cz

Another TV spot

2008-07-10T23:09:00.000+02:00

Australian XFiles TV spot

XFiles Comic Book Cover

2008-07-10T22:55:00.003+02:00

Source: weeklycomicbookreview.com

Six Exclusive New Pics from 'X-Files: I Want to Believe'!

2008-07-10T12:56:00.002+02:00

I had to do it, I had to use the exclamation point in the headline because it's six brand spanking new pics sent over by Fox exclusive to RopeofSilicon.com from The X-Files: I Want to Believe.
Why RopeofSilicon? Why indeed. Perhaps it's because we kick much ass, and our set visit article was so demonstratively kick ass that they made us remove even our tongue-in-cheek story details all while one spoiler remains if you can find the clues. I'm tellin' yah, it's right in front of your face folks.
Anyway, thanks goes out to Fox and their reps and the boys and girls behind-the-scenes working on The X-Files: I Want to Believe as they didn't rip into us and were nice enough to shoot us six new exclusive images to share with the fans. Teased above and below are two of the images and you can get the rest by clicking here or on either of the pics in this article.
X-Files 2 hits theaters on July 25 and stay tuned as I am prepping a primer for those, like me, that didn't watch the show but would like to have a little bit of an idea what is going on when you go see the movie. For now, peep the pics.

Source: www.ropeofsilicon.com

6 new TV XFiles spots

2008-07-09T20:08:00.003+02:00

Spot during TLC

2 TV ads in one on US TV

Invaded Spot

On Australian TV, slightly different

XF2 TV Spot On Swiss Music Channel TM3

Some new XFiles pics

2008-07-09T18:32:00.003+02:00

1. Chris Carter on the XFiles set
2. New Scully & Mulder promo
3. First Movie Table read

New XFiles promo pic

2008-07-07T18:03:00.001+02:00

New XFiles promo pic

Esquire Magazine scans in HQ

2008-07-06T19:53:00.002+02:00

Esquire magazine scans in HQ

Credit: Scarletb

David Duchovny Interview in FHM

2008-07-06T19:48:00.004+02:00

Credit: poetic

David Duchovny Interview in FHM magazine

Maverick Magazine - #17 July [Spain]

2008-07-06T11:46:00.004+02:00

XFiles article in Maverick Magazine - #17 July [Spain]

Credit: MiZuNo

TV Guide Cover and Article

2008-07-06T10:47:00.004+02:00

Yay! Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny on the cover of TV Guide and a new article!

Thanks to Mal-El!

Gillian Anderson in Esquire Magazine [UK] August issue

2008-07-04T23:20:00.003+02:00

Gillian Anderson in Esquire Magazine [UK] August issue

Credit: Penlittlestar

3 stills in HQ

2008-07-04T23:12:00.004+02:00

3 XFiles movie stills in HQ

Source: kultx.cz

Xfiles Promotion in Madrid

2008-07-04T21:38:00.002+02:00

XFiles Promotion in Madrid

Source: capitrueno @ flickr

M2 Magazine scans

2008-07-04T20:36:00.004+02:00

Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny Interview about the Xfiles in M2 Magazine from New Zealand

Credit: Tina4

2 new stills + 1 old still in HQ

2008-07-04T20:27:00.004+02:00

2 new XFiles movie stills
HQs

Source: kultx.cz

Some old stills in UHQ

2008-07-04T16:30:00.006+02:00

Some old XFiles stills in UHQ!

A few new stills

2008-07-03T22:48:00.003+02:00

A few new XFiles stills
MQs

Source: www.kultx.cz

Creative Screenwriting July/August issue

2008-07-03T22:16:00.004+02:00

Credit: abracadabra1754

XFiles article in Creative Screenwriting magazine July/August issue

XFiles mention in SciFi Now [UK]

2008-07-03T22:09:00.002+02:00

Credit: abracadabra1754

XFiles mention in SciFi [UK]

Xfiles article in Fangoria magazine

2008-07-03T21:41:00.005+02:00

Credit: abracadabra1754

XFiles article in Fangoria magazine

Empire Magazine [UK] August issue

2008-07-03T21:35:00.003+02:00

Credit: Philiater

XFiles article in Empire Magazine August issue

SciFi World Magazine [Spain]

2008-07-03T20:24:00.006+02:00

Credit: MiZuNo

XFiles article in SciFi World magazine.

Empire Magazine [Russia]

2008-07-03T20:13:00.002+02:00

Credit: VERO83

XFiles article in Empire Magazine from Russia

Imágenes Magazine - #282 July [Spain]

2008-07-03T20:05:00.003+02:00

Credit: MiZuNo

XFiles article in Imágenes Magazine - #282 July [Spain]

Gillian in Oprah magazine August issue!

2008-07-03T10:38:00.003+02:00

Gillian Anderson in Oprah magazine August issue!

Credit: Tina4

SFX #172 August issue

2008-07-02T22:47:00.003+02:00

Credit: Scarletb

SFX #172 August issue with XFiles mention

Gillian Anderson Interview in Family Circle

2008-07-02T22:44:00.003+02:00

Gillian Anderson Interview in Family Circle

2 XFiles scans from Geek Monthly July 2008

2008-07-02T22:36:00.002+02:00

2 scans from an XFiles article

Gillian in Wienerin Magazine scans

2008-07-02T22:26:00.003+02:00

Gillian Anderson in Wienerin Magazine

Acción Magazine - July #807 [Spain]- Xfiles mention

2008-07-02T19:12:00.000+02:00

New David Duchovny scans

2008-07-02T10:27:00.003+02:00

X-Files IWTB TV Comercial

2008-07-01T10:48:00.000+02:00

Jennifer Morrison @ Journey to the Center of the Earth premiere in Los Angeles, June 29

2008-06-30T12:58:00.001+02:00

Jennifer Morrison @ Journey to the Center of the Earth premiere in Los Angeles, June 29

HQs

New Gillian pics from another magazine

2008-06-30T10:12:00.005+02:00

New Gillian Anderson pics from an unknown magazine!

Courtesy of yiyi_meyzan at Haven

Some new X-Files scans from Contacto Digital

2008-06-29T17:50:00.003+02:00

3 new X-Files scans from Contacto Digital!

David Duchovny on the set of Californication

2008-06-28T15:51:00.008+02:00

David Duchovny during filming of the second Season of Californication

HQs

Gillian's new role is one for the X Files

2008-06-27T23:30:00.001+02:00

Gillian Anderson will take on one of the most controversial roles an actress can play on the stage.
She will star as Nora in Ibsen's A Doll's House, which opens at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre in Covent Garden next spring.
A new version of the drama has been written by Zinnie Harris and will be directed by Kfir Yefet. More than a century after Henrik Ibsen wrote A Doll's House, where Nora famously, walks out on her husband and children, that defiant act still has the capacity to shock.
'How does a woman... how can a woman... abandon her children like that?' Gillian wondered, when we discussed A Doll's House on Wednesday in London.
The actress, who has two children and is pregnant with her third, added: 'To some of us, it just feels absolutely shocking. I couldn't imagine it, and yet it happens all the time for one reason or another.'
And in between preparing for A Doll's House and her new baby, Gillian is waiting for the release, in August, of X Files: I Want To Believe, a big-screen movie in which, after a break of several years, she reprises her role as agent Dana Scully. 'They've all matured, which is such a funny word to use because of course we've matured - we're ten years older in X Files, and look it,' she said.
The part of Scully made her a star, but she has more than proved her acting abilities in other work, particularly the film House Of Mirth and her spectacular performance as Lady Dedlock in the award-winning BBC TV serial of Bleak House.
But she likes to return to the stage even though, she says, it terrifies her. 'Every time I put up my hand (to go on stage again), it's the other arm trying to pull my hand down,' she said, laughing. 'It's like: "What do you think you're doing?" But it's so rewarding when I do theatre.'

Certainly not in monetary terms, and not at the Donmar, where she'll be on the Equity union minimum of around £400-£500 a week. 'I still choose to get involved in theatre. It's important enough to me in my life, that I think I'd choose it regardless of whether I could feed my children,' she joked.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

House Season 5 Filming

2008-06-27T21:42:00.003+02:00

Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard filming Season 5 of [House]

Credit goes to m_ouse and SHouseIsRight

UNKLE Gives 'X-Files' Theme A Fresh Spin

2008-06-27T21:40:00.000+02:00

When "X-Files" heroes Fox Mulder and Dana Scully wrap up their second big-screen search for the truth this summer, audiences will exit to two tracks by U.K.-based electronic/rock artist UNKLE: One an original, hand-picked by series creator Chris Carter, and one a reinterpretation of the classic "X-Files" TV series theme song, commissioned after the fact.

"There was something I was looking for at the end credit of the movie, and it needed to be a really specific beat," Carter says. "I had gone to see the Police over the summer. They opened the show with 'Reggatta De Blanc,' which is one of my favorite Police songs. I love that song, and it was in my head as I was writing the movie. Then [20th Century Fox music supervisor] Danielle Diego gave me this UNKLE piece, and I realized that was really what I was looking for. Immediately I called her and I said, 'I think I've got my end-credit piece.'"

The song, "Broken," from UNKLE's 2007 album "War Stories" (Surrender All), has the spry new wave guitar and insistent pulse of "Reggatta," plus wayward lyrics sung by vocalist Gavin Clark, which seem to fit the profile of Carter's eternally tense fictitious duo ("We're miles adrift/We're inches apart").
"It's funny, because the lyrics ended up working unexpectedly," Carter says.

"It's really the beat that's the perfect fit for the end of the film."
Carter phoned UNKLE mastermind James Lavelle personally to explain his intentions for "Broken," and the two discovered a mutual admiration: Lavelle was a fan of the long-running TV series. A big one. "I've seen every episode," he says.

After that conversation, "it was decided by all of us that James would be the person to ask to -- 'remix' is the wrong word, I'll call it 'reinterpret' -- the 'X-Files' theme for the end of the film as well," Carter says. The two tracks will also be featured on the "X-Files: I Want to Believe" soundtrack as the only additions to the Mark Snow-composed score. The album is due July 22 via Decca.

Lavelle took the distinction between "remix" and "reinterpret" to heart. "Most of the time when you hear remixes of themes, they're never as good as the original and they sound cheesy, like the James Bond theme," he says. "With this piece it was difficult to take the original parts and move them around; it didn't sound right. And we wanted something that would work in context with 'Broken' as well. That was the directive: to have the same kind of emotion. So we went that route sonically, with a snare and a rockier bassline."

Carter -- a self-proclaimed "student drummer" who took DJ'ing lessons during his "X-Files" downtime -- says there are more collaborations in the future for he and Lavelle, who is also an internationally renowned DJ. "His sense of tempo and beat and the blending of it will be a beautiful match for some ideas that I have," Carter says. "We've already talked about it."

Source: billboard.com

Mulder and Scully Cast Pictures

2008-06-27T11:03:00.002+02:00

Source: xfiles.com

X-Files Sequel Still Totally Secret, Kinda

2008-06-26T21:52:00.001+02:00

Creepy sequel The X-Files: I Want to Believe comes out next month, but the thing is still under info lockdown. Even two clips revealed last week at the L.A. Film Festival shed little light on Mulder and Scully's latest mystery. And it sounds like David Duchovny might not even have read the script yet.

"I actually had to convince [director Chris Carter] to give me a script," Duchovny told an audience at the fest this week. He and Carter then dished on the way extreme on-set secrecy:

Carter tried to improvise an entire night's shooting, and told the crew to follow him. No plans, no advance notice, just leading people around saying, We're going to shoot here and we're going to do this. "It's not a good way to make a movie," Carter admitted.

Plus, of course, Mulder didn't know any of his lines. "That's what I was saying," Duchovny deadpanned.

"We took crazy precautions," Carter explained. "We only let the key people from each department read the script, and they read it in a room with video cameras on them."

Locked in a room and under surveillance? This is starting to sound more and more like a Saw sequel. Could they at least call their moms? "They couldn't call their moms," said Carter."

Source: eonline.com

Tea and kids out shopping June 1

2008-06-26T10:48:00.002+02:00

MQs
Tea and kids out shopping in Malibu June 1

Duchovny family at the beach in Malibu June 21

2008-06-26T10:44:00.002+02:00

MQs
Duchovny family at the beach in Malibu June 21

X-Files clips from LA at yahoo.com in HD

2008-06-25T22:26:00.004+02:00

The 2 clips shown at the LA Film Fest are now available at yahoo in HD!

Go check it out!

Does Anyone Still Care About ‘The X-Files’? Here’s Why You Should

2008-06-25T22:23:00.001+02:00

Apparently some people out there, including at least one colleague (cough, Josh Horowitz, cough) think that the upcoming film “The X-Files: I Want to Believe” is not worth covering. I’ve heard several excuses: the TV show ended too many years ago; the stars are old; the movie has nothing new to offer today’s audience; no one cares. Now this is a movie that, as an “X-Files” fan, I’ve been awaiting for some time - and I don’t think I’m alone. Even for the non-fan, the casual movie-goer, there’s plenty to get excited about. So, I will now give you five reasons why “The X-Files: I Want to Believe” merits our attention:

1. “The X-Files” wasn’t just a show, it was a pop culture phenomenon. The combination of innovative plotting, inspired writing, great production values, and the chemistry between the two leads — Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny — spawned many imitators. But no sci-fi show has come close to what “The X-Files” achieved in its nine years on the air (and it never really went away; you can still see the show in reruns on various networks). It brings to mind another iconic TV show that became a hit movie very recently…

2. …but unlike “Sex and the City”, “The X-Files” will have something to offer both guys AND girls: action, intrigue, humor, probably a bit of romance… what more could a movie-goer ask for?

3. For a flick based on a TV show, the first “XF” film did pretty well at the box office. Granted, the series was still going strong at the time, but not everyone who paid to see that first flick was a dedicated “XF” fan, or even a casual viewer of the show. And from what I’ve already seen and heard, the second flick could top the first.

4. The core of the “XF” gang is back: Duchovny and Anderson — both of whom have been steadily working in TV and film since the show ended — of course lead the cast as FBI partners Mulder and Scully. Their boss Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) is also back, as are director/creator Chris Carter and co-writer/producer Frank Spotnitz. These guys had years of success together, and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t strike gold again.

5. Xzibit is in it.

I want to believe that the truth is out there. Do you? Speak up, and maybe we’ll change the hearts and minds of the cynics and doubters. Otherwise, the conspiracy of silence will continue…

Source: moviesblog.mtv.com

Another Mark Snow Interview

2008-06-24T21:12:00.001+02:00

ScoreKeeper: Thank you for taking the time out to speak with me today. I’d like to start off talking about THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE. As a bona fide fan of the series, I am very excited about this new movie. How does it feel returning to the world of Mulder and Scully after six years? Did you miss it?

Mark Snow: I did and I knew many years ago that this project was in the works. In fact, Chris Carter called me from London about five years ago and said “Get ready. We are going to do another one…”.

Then it got bogged down and there was red tape with the studios while they were “ironing out” the contracts. But it came to pass and I was thrilled to be invited back. It just felt so comfortable.

SK: Having scored nine seasons of episodic television and a feature film, how did your approach to the new film fit within the X-FILES universe?

MS: It’s very different than the first movie. This is more of a stand alone episode while the first one followed the mythology story with government conspiracies and aliens. There is a lot more heart, warmth and tuneful music in this one - as well as all of the wonderful sound design and atmospheric things.

The idea of being able to write some great themes for some of these very emotional scenes…well, it’s really great! In the score there is this great contrast of fast and slow and loud and soft and melodic and atmospheric. There’s just so many wonderful textures.

I had my full battery of samples and synthesized sounds. I certainly bring back a few things that people might remember from the old days plus a lot of new things. I had a session with a big orchestra that just did atmospheric sound effect music. There was no music written out. I would just give the orchestra instructions like with an accent or a “boom,” or “let’s crescendo here,” or “make a funny noise here,” or “drop a pencil on the music stand,”…all kinds of real cool inventive things.

There’s a battery of percussion with these fabulous taiko drums and all kinds of things. Plus live whistlers and live singers…It’s quite a sound!

It was all very creative.

So, you’ve got that and then a big orchestra hanging out playing written out music for four days of recording. The thrust of the orchestra is mostly like a baritone to low orchestra. There are no trumpets, no high woodwinds. There is a flute solo but it’s an alto flute solo and there is one moment where there’s a high baroque trumpet playing over a very emotional scene. There are eight French horns, five trombones, and two pianos and harps…thirty-two violins, sixteen violas, twelve cellos, and eight basses…

SK: Wow!

MS: That makes a hell of a sound! It has been great.

One of the most wonderful things was I was able to get Alan Meyerson to be the scoring engineer and the music mixer. He does all of James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer’s stuff. His creativity is really just fantastic! His mixes just come alive.

SK: That improvised aleatoric jam session you talked about…Were you doing that to picture?

MS: No, there was no picture. I just made a tool box of all these sounds and had it at my disposal to sprinkle throughout the score. There’s all sorts of short accents and long sustained things…all kinds of drums…just really marvelous stuff.

SK: You mentioned Chris Carter said there was interest about five years ago to do a second film. At what point did the creative process begin for you? Did you receive a script during that time to start thinking about music? At what point did the compositional process begin for you?

MS: There was such incredible secrecy about this project. I did receive a script and each page had my name watermarked on it. I had to sign something saying if I gave this out then I would be killed.

[Both Laugh]

MS: So that script was going to be chained to my wrist for the whole duration so to speak.

Certainly reading it was the beginning of my thought process and I remember the most direction that I got from Chris Carter was “This is a love story with spiritual and religious overtones.”

I’m reading the script and saw a love story in it along with real good classic X-FILES weirdness. It’s a very complex story. After the first reading, I was so intrigued and I read it so quickly that I had to read it twice and even a third time. But there is still nothing like seeing the visuals. That’s when it really kicks in!

I did write a couple of themes that I thought might work and actually one of the things I wrote before seeing the picture did work out beautifully. Another piece, Chris (Carter) and Frank Spotnitz, the producer, weren’t crazy about but I was able to take it and turn it around and make a variation of it. It worked out great.

To read more visit aintitcool.com

XFiles.com updated

2008-06-24T17:29:00.002+02:00

Finally the official website looks much better :) Go check it out!

New movie stills

2008-06-24T11:06:00.004+02:00

Sourse: xfiles.com

X Files music!

2008-06-23T17:20:00.002+02:00

The sound of “The X-Files” is an unforgettable one. I remember watching the hit series early on and it didn’t take too long to hook me in. Some of my favorite moments of television happened each and every Friday night…… that is, until it moved to Sunday nights. Whether it was the amazing chemistry between David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson or just some terrific genre bending storylines, it remained one of my favorite shows for several years. It had the ability to scare you, to mystify you and even make you laugh. Yet my favorite episode was “Home” which was a demented little episode which offered up much more horror on my plate then anything else. If you’ve never seen Home, it is a must watch.

But one of the shows signatures had to be Mark Snow and his music. He created a very distinct audio personality within the series and made the score a fantastically memorable one. So when I was offered the chance to sit in on a scoring session for the newest entry in the dark world of THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE, I would’ve had to be doing a major Scully if I didn’t think it would be an amazing opportunity. And after hearing what Mark Snow had conjured up, I was surprised at the rich sounds that I was hearing. Walking in, I kept thinking of that simple tune that opened each episode. But the sound I was hearing was richly textured, much more so than I thought it would be.

Truthfully, I believed that when I would arrive, it would be Mark and a handful of journalists sitting around a recording studio. I thought this would be another simple take on that little theme. But as we were lead to see and hear the making of the music, I was shocked to find what must have been a hundred piece orchestra. The majority was in the string section. The rows and rows of violinists were gathered under a large screen to see what they would be accompanying. There were over a dozen cellist and five or six bassist. Spread behind the strings were the brass and percussion section. This was a full orchestra, and it was far from Mr. Snow sitting around on a keyboard. As we all gathered in with the orchestra, several musicians were waiting for their chance to become part of the X-Files experience. And once the scene they were scoring began, they added a sense of depth and beauty to make the images all the more powerful.

But as you might have guessed, Chris Carter and his peeps are making sure that nothing is revealed. So the scene we saw was incredibly non-descriptive. One moment looked as if Gillian Anderson was in a car in the middle of an area covered in the deep and white snow. Somebody is knocking on her window and it seemed as if they were smashing it in. It was such a short little glimpse into I WANT TO BELIEVE that I knew as much of the film going in as I did going out… not a damn thing. But to see this group of musicians putting together a collaborative score to make The X-Files really come to life was astonishing. I would have loved to spend the day watching this process, but as kind as Fox was to let us in on what they did, I understand that they want to wait to reveal any aliens, or other worldly beings that might pop up. I did find that this particular film, unlike the first, is a “standalone”, which might make it easier for those audiences who aren’t as cultured in the series history.

With all that, our time in the recording area was short and sweet. The crew and the musicians soon took a break for lunch and left all of us wanting more. But thankfully, we all got the chance to talk with Frank Spotnitz, the films co-producer and co-writer, and of course Mark Snow himself. And I will give both of these guys credit, they sure as hell can keep a secret. So all I can really tell you is that I thoroughly enjoyed hearing what little score I had the opportunity to hear, and it was a pleasant experience to speak with both Mark and Frank. But until July 25th, it seems that all of us will be in the dark when it comes to THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE… and yes, I have to say it… once we know more, you'll be hearing all about it… because the truth is out there. Until then, check out what the guys had to say about the music behind the myth.

Frank Spotnitz and Mark Snow

How much of this is starting something brand new and how much is returning to material you've already created before?

Mark Snow: That's a good question, because it was 10 years ago that we did the first movie and this one is totally different. It's a different time, musically, for the world and for me. And having the wonderful nine years of the show and the first movie, there were certain kinds of sounds and instruments that I'd use that have found their way back in this one, but -- what can I say? -- morphed in a sense and a different perspective and a different creative sensibility about it. I mean, with this movie, there's still so many complex musical motifs. For example, there's a lot of percussion stuff that just plays by itself. There are some very, really emotional pieces of music that people might not associate with classic X-Files sounds, plus the classic X-Files sounds. And then the combination of my own studio electronic stuff that I did on the TV show and now with this almost 100-piece orchestra. And we've got a live boy soprano singing, coming in later. And we've got a second orchestra that just plays effects, not music. We had a session where I just conducted and gave them instructions on what kind of sort of sound-effect things to do, not melodic pieces. There's a fellow who's doing a special percussion sample overdubbed. So we've got two orchestras, all my synth master tracks, a singer and man, we've got the greatest mixer here, this Alan Meyerson, who's done every big movie in the last five years, Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, and he's just amazing. This is a great scoring stage.

How has the musical world changed since the last movie? Is it bringing in those percussive elements?

MS: I think mostly it's about what the movie is about. I mean, after reading the script and I spoke to Chris Carter, the first thing out of his mouth was, 'This is a love story, mostly, with religious sort of overtones and spiritual overtones, so just keep that in mind.' But I'm reading along and there's some pretty wild things that go on. So I'm trying to make sure that the love story really becomes apparent to the audience. And it's a big part of it.

What's your process? Where did you start?

MS: Well, I start with my home studio stuff. And then, there are glorified demos of all the material so I can play it for Frank and Chris and get the this, or the this, or the this. And I can adjust those. It's interesting, because now we have the orchestra here. By the time the orchestra comes in, it's just pure pleasure, because there are no surprises. Everyone knows what the music is going to be, but now it's fleshed out with this marvelous group. And after it's mixed all together, it should be a great CD.

Do you assign specific leitmotifs to the characters and themes? How do you come up with what the body of the score's going to be?

MS: It seems, and actually with the TV show as well, there were mostly themes for situations, not so much for characters, oh, here comes someone, oh, this theme. I mean, that's a little traditional, a little old-fashioned. I don't think that applies to this. This is more of a, I suppose, a standalone episode rather than the mythology episode that the first movie was, which is really kind of fun, because there's a little more room to have a more creative palette with this. The mythology movie, there was a certain palette that I established in the TV show that flourished in the movie, but this one has really more latitude and room to do some crazy stuff.

How long ago did you start?

MS: I guess it was, as soon as there was the first rough cut, which was about a month and a half ago. The nerve-wracking thing about that is we had to sort of race to do a temp dub. So I had to write music, myself and Jeff Charbonneau, the music editor, we had to prepare music for this temp dub pretty quickly so the studio people could see it and start their discussions and how they wanted to shape the movie and work with Chris and Frank. But that was very helpful, because we saw what was working, what wasn't, what areas needed help and it was a really good place to start. It was frustrating, because then getting to the final cut took quite a while and we were all, 'Let's go. When are we going to get it?' Anyway, it arrived and we're here and it's going to be great.

On the temp dub, was it existing X-Files music or did you get something new?

MS: It's a good question. It was half and half. There was some existing X-Files stuff and stuff that I'd written. It was a short time to prepare for that, so I couldn't do too much. But the music editor and myself got it together in time.

Had you read the script previously to get some kind of feel or idea for it?

MS: It was the emotional part of the script that was most interesting, because then I could hone in on this melodic, thematic part. There are two major melodic themes that appear in the movie that I think if people heard it alone they might not associate [it] with X-Files, but in this particular case it just marries up beautifully. And then having that interspersed with all the mysterious atmospheric sounds and stuff.

Frank, can you talk about what your collaboration was? What kind of guidance did you give him?

Frank Spotnitz: Well, that's the beauty of working with Mark, is that obviously he knows X-Files and the X-Files musical palette better than anyone, because he created it. So there's not a lot, honestly, of discussion. It's general, like you were saying. The love story is important or we talked a lot about atonal stuff, sections of the movie that aren't melodic. But just very general, because Mark knows how to do it better than anybody. So it's more us reacting to what he does than providing guidance.

MS: It's always collaborative. The collaborative nature of it is always very, very exciting to me, because sometimes I think I'm dead on with something and here's something, and it's like, 'What the hell is that?' No. Or vice versa. I'll write something and say, 'I don't know if this is all right.' And it's like, 'No, no. Just make more of that.' So, I mean, that's the excitement for me in film music, it's that collaboration. You're not just, you're alone and you do it and then you bring it out there.

FS: My favorite part of the process is hearing his music, because I don't do a thing. I just sit there and the movie gets 50 percent better. That's not an exaggeration. It gets 50 percent better just from the music. And it's also interesting because Mark is like this amazing barometer, and you can judge how successful what you've done is based on his music. It's like, 'Oh, that's what we did.' And it's like a counterpoint to what you've done and in some ways it's like, the better the score is, probably the better the movie is. And there was this cue you did last week, Steve was there, and we were just sitting there and we were all silent afterwards and it was just like [claps]. It was so fantastic.

MS: I'll make a note. Which one was that? I'll make a note.

You talk about the romantic theme, but Frank has mentioned there's a lot of scares. What's the balance for you? Is it just seeing what the footage ends up being like or punctuating something that jumps out? How do you figure those moments?

MS: It think it's sort of the challenging part about that, and where you need, I think, a good sense of sophistication is there are moments where you could do so little and it could be so amazingly effective. And then, on the other hand, where you can really jump on something. And when you see the movie in full tilt, you'll see these sections where wow, the orchestra is just going crazy, you know. And other times where it's just making these atmospheric sounds. But there's action. And yet, it's just sort of my feel for the material and the experience of doing the show from the get go, of knowing when to sort of hold 'em and knowing when to fold 'em.

Do you think modern technology could ever replace a live orchestra?

MS: It's getting close, but I don't think so. I mean, what's fascinating in this combination is there's such cool mysterious sounds that I've sort of invented or altered, taken something that you might know as a, for a lack of any better word, a bell, and toned it down and taken the attack off, and it used to sound like "ding" and now it sounds like "wha." So all these kinds of interesting electronically treated sounds are laying in there in a special way for me, and the orchestra plays along. The combination is really interesting.

The level of secrecy that the filmmakers have had, have you had the same amount of secrecy?

MS: Well, I guess there's certain things I can't reveal. You know, if I said something about a certain musical section.

Give us an example.

MS: You know, when I got the script, the cover was bare and I opened the first page and it had my name watermarked on each page. And underneath, 'Dear Mark, you will be killed if this finds its way into the world somehow.' So you'd better shut up. Also, when I get footage it has my name on the film, "Mark Snow. Do not copy." So if one of my kids takes this thing and chucks it into the garbage and someone sneaks around, I'm in trouble. Anyway, that's not going to happen.

FS: I have to tell you as an aside, I was flying and I had a DVD of the movie because I had to give notes and I was out of town. And I'm in the airplane and I'm flying coach, and I'm about to load the DVD into my laptop and it dropped. And it's the second half of the movie. This is true. And it says, 'Frank Spotnitz. Do not Copy.' And I'm reaching on the floor under my coach seat and I can't feel the DVD. And I look and the woman next to me is asleep, so I can't sort of-- I'm contorting around, trying to get the DVD, I could make the story go on for quite a while. I couldn't find it, I asked everybody in the plane, all the way back to the back. It was about an hour and I was in absolute agony, and it turned out that it had fallen and slid like here, behind my seat. And the guy behind me finally pulled it out. But I was, it was just like, I could see it happening. It would be on the Internet. Like, somehow the X-Files fan behind me realized what this was.

Can you talk about the atmospheric or tone music. Were there any classical cues or composers that you took inspiration from?

MS: When I was in New York, a student at Julliard, I was a huge fan of avant-garde music, and I guess one of them, for me the most exciting thing about The X-Files is when we did the pilot, they tracked music from other movies and Chris said, 'I love the sparseness of this underscore, and I love just tons of very atmospheric supportive music under dialogue.' No slick stuff, no melody, just pads and supportive atonal kind of mush, in a way. And that was very successful at the beginning, and it got to be a little old at about episode eight or something. And I slowly started to sneak some other things in it. But it was based on my early experiences as a student being influenced by Ligeti, Penderecki, Xenakis, I mean all these really atonal composers. And the beauty of it is I kept sneaking these different elements in there and no one said stop. It was encouraged. And then eventually some melodic themes came in and it just blossomed beautifully. And no one ever sat on me and said, 'No, no, no. Go back to the original. Just tread water here.' So that was the most exciting thing that I naturally just followed my own instincts, and that's so unusual, because most TV shows and films you're sort of told what to do or here's the temp music and please sort of copy it.

FS: And because the episodes were so varied, the score was so varied as well. So it was just an incredible range.

MS: From black comedy to all the scariest stuff possible.

Have there been any scenes in the movie where you thought this needed some score accompaniment and you saw the scene and you thought it would work better without music?

MS: I don't know. It felt like we were pretty much in agreement.

FS: Yeah. I think there are some cues we're recording here that at the end of the day we might not be using. We'll see. But I think we've decided we'll cover ourselves and then we'll decide whether to pull back.

So you basically design wall-to-wall music and then figure out what fits and what doesn't?

MS: No, I mean we're used to a certain kind of working relationship where we sort of have an instinct with each other knowing where things should go. And if you err on the a little too much, it's much easier to take it out than to add at the last minute.

How was it years later to come back and revisit this franchise. Was it easy to get back into it or was it like an old friend?

MS: That's sort of the same thing. I mean, was it easy to get back? Yes. Was it an old friend? Yes. It was just fantastic, especially that this movie was more of an individual standalone piece, where the palette, there was much more room for new kind of X-Files sounds, if you will.

Are there any fears that X-Files fans are going to not recognize it? Because what we heard sounds very broad and huge.

FS: Well, that piece might not be--

MS: There's another version of that, by the way, that is so totally different. But it remains to be seen which piece will survive. But all I can say is from the very opening of the movie there will be no disappointed X-Files fans.

FS: I agree. If we can, I'd like to play that music without picture before you guys go. But to me, it sounds unmistakably like The X-Files. But it's like we were saying, in the series Mark did such an incredible range of styles of music and he has something very personal that you recognize regardless of what it does.

MS: But seeing, also, how the characters have grown and changed, just physically over the years, and what's going on with their relationship in the movie made a big impact on me in coming up with these emotional pieces, because it couldn't be over-the-top schmaltzy, but had to have a real super honest, emotional quality about it. And I think the fans, it'll help them get what they want out of this. They'll be very satisfied.

FS: That's the thing. I don't know what the fans were expecting this movie to be. I said before, I don't know what they think it is, but I can tell you it's not a cynical movie. There's nothing about it that is calculated, 'Oh, they're going to want this.' And I think you'll see that when you see it. It's a heartfelt film with integrity and I suspect people will respond to that, or not, but that felt like the right thing to do rather than trying to be calculating and handicapping, 'They're going to want this.' The movie has none of that quality.

Is there a release date for the soundtrack?

FS: I don't think so.

Sometimes soundtracks reveal spoilers in the titles of the songs. Are you guys taking any precautions?

FS: Track One, Track Two, Track Three [laughter]. No, it's a good point, though. I hadn't thought about that. But that's a good point. We'll have to be careful.

MS: It'll be in French.
How has the nature of composing changed since you first started. Do people want the same kind of music that they did then?

MS: Well, this temp track thing is a big deal. Nobody wants to be surprised anymore. So they put temp music in these movies and it's discussed with the composer and if the composer has a big reputation like John Williams, etc., they'll always use his stuff, so he's sort of copying himself. But I mean, it used to be, when I would conduct the orchestras, the producers and director didn't know exactly what was coming and there were always those moments I call walking the plank, where you'd be out there conducting and you'd have to walk back into the control room and hear the comments or in your headset you'd get something like, 'Mark, could you come in here please.' And you think, 'Oh, shit. I'm dead.' Or, 'Oh, man, you're the greatest blah, blah, blah.' And sometimes they'd fool me and say, 'Mark, uh, we've got to talk.' And I'd go in there like, 'Oh, shit.' And I'd walk in and they'd go, 'Yeah!' Like, 'What just happened?' But I think for a lot of composers it's been sort of frustrating, a safety net for the studios, that there aren't going to be a lot of surprises and, like, 'Wow, what the hell is that? We didn't expect that.'

Putting you under the gun here, you've been around since day one, story-wise, what do you think about this movie? How does it stand?

MS: I thought it was an amazing script. I had to read it at least twice, and I read it a third time. On the second reading, I started making notes, so I made sure I understood exactly what was going on. It's very dense and complex. And seeing it on the printed page is so one-dimensional compared when the film is fleshed out. But I had to re-read things and make sure, 'Is that right?' Because sometimes there will be literally a half of a line that's like a clue to a big part of it, and if you just kind of fluff over it, the story is like, 'What? What the hell happened here?'

How much of a break do you take between movies? Do they kind of overlap?

MS: It depends on if you're offered something. You can't do too many things at the same time. I guess it's a good question. The worst time of that for all of us, we were doing the X-Files series, the X-Files movie, Millennium and was there one more?

FS: That was it.

MS: That was it. That was-- I remember, I've never seen this before, but Chris Carter's a pretty mellow guy. He talks quietly, there's nothing really flamboyant about him. I came out of the scoring stage and I saw him, like one of those keystone cop movies running from one end of the lot to the next. I mean, literally running. It's totally unlike him. And he said, 'Man, that that was the toughest.' For you too? We were all dying. But we survived.

Was it hard to keep the music from overlapping?

MS: That wasn't too bad. Millennium, luckily it had a sound of its own. It was in the dark realm as well, but it had this thing with this violin thing and that never showed up in X-File-land. So that was kind of easy to keep that off to the side.

For the trailer, did you do the music on that?

MS: That's become a whole art form in itself. I mean, apparently, for good reason, that is so important, that the trailer get people to show up on opening weekend. And those trailer people, if they think some other music is right, they use it, or if music from X-Files is right, they use it, or a combination, and I think, in fact, my wife called me last night, she saw it on Fox TV, that they played the trailer and she heard [whistles X-Files theme].

FS: Weren't there five pieces of music in that trailer? Five distinct pieces.

They saved the little thing for the end, the best.

MS: Which is going to be in the movie.

[Laughter]

FS: Surprise, surprise.

Is there a point where you feel like you've used it way too much? How did you decide how many times to put that in?

MS: Well, there are a couple of times it's used as you once knew it and loved it by itself. And, I don't know if I can

Sure you can.

MS: But throughout the score, you'll hear it mixed in with the score in variation. So it's sort of subliminal, but I'm sure, it's such a simple tune, it will--

FS: It works on you, though. Like at times you're watching the movie and you go, 'I feel something,' and you go, 'Oh.' It does have its affect.

MS: And you can use it, it's six notes, sometimes it's four or three. All you have to do is, 'Duh dee.' I mean, that's it. 'Duh dee duh.' That's enough sometimes. But there are a couple of really cool variations of it.

FS: There's one, when you see the movie you'll go, 'Oh, that's what they wouldn't tell us.' There's one that's very memorable.

Is the process of composing for you very academic? Is it literally constructing these pieces or is it kind of intuitive?

MS: Because of the advent of the technology, electronics, I'll sit down and I'll have the movie synched up to my equipment, I'll push go and I'll start sort of improvising and playing along with it, and then ideas come and they start to grow and form, and that's really how it happens. God, I remember my first jobs where you'd go, you'd see a show, there was no video. They'd give you these timing notes where every tenth of a second someone jumps or runs or dialogue and you're trying to imagine this and you're writing it out, you know? There's no keyboards. You have a piano, certainly. But things have really changed. I mean, John Williams still sits down and writes out his sketches and they're copied just like the old days. But he is, for that stuff, the best. I don't know if you've seen Indiana Jones. I didn't. I've been working away. But that's not what we're here to talk about.

Source: joblo.com

New X-Files movie stills

2008-06-23T14:39:00.001+02:00