Hi, I'm Doug Adams. I'm the author of The Music of Lord of the Rings Films.
We are here in New York at Howard Shore's studio.
So let's head inside and see who's home.
Welcome to the writing studio.
We're gonna talk a little bit about the new score to The Desolation of Smaug.
This film has the most new thematic material.
Everything expands.
It's kind of like Two Towers. It's very much a mystery.
The music-- It's dark.
Once Peter and I would work on a scene and we would establish the point of view...
...you were just off and running.
The music for Smaug should be almost beautiful, in a way.
- Almost there, Howard? - Yes.
I'll compose a piece in sketch form...
...and then it goes to orchestration...
...and then production.
Recording.
Hi, we're here in the Wellington Town Hall...
"recording the music score for The Desolation of Smaug.
Today is day one of our packing, for recording, into the Town Hall.
The setup is actually something that we would typically do in a recording studio.
We're attempting to bring out the best that we can...
...in a recording environment, just being on location.
Here we go. Heh, heh.
This building is also very noteworthy for me...
...and maybe a few people watching this blog...
...because in 1964, The Beatles played on that stage down there.
It was their only Wellington visit. My cousin was at that performance.
She took some photos from the audience.
A 1960s version of iPhone photos in a concert.
This is the Control Room.
And as you can see, we're setting up the major desk, the console.
Back from that, we've got a lovely sofa area for Peter and Fran to sit at.
No one will admit this, but everybody in the crew at one point has come and sat...
...in Peter's spot and just sort of seeing how it is from his point of view.
This is a very unique situation...
...that he's given his notes about what he needs with the music.
He can then just change his attention immediately to the editing of the film.
I'd like it. I don't know what it means, but I'd like it.
I'm actually finding time, to tell you the truth...
...to be working on the editing of the third Hobbit movie.
We finally get to kill a Dwarf. Thank God for that.
Should've happened a long time ago.
Hi, Mom.
Seeing that these amazing productions are being made here in Wellington...
...we always felt like we would love to be able to do the complete package of the movie...
...so to have that shot is pretty exciting.
I auditioned to be a stunt extra in The Lord of the Rings and they didn't want me.
But now I'm finally involved in the film project, so it's a good thing.
We actually recorded a large section of the Fellowship of the Ring score here...
...back in 2001 with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
All right, here's Peter Jackson.
This was my dream...
Well, there's an eye-opener, and no mistake.
I was here for the "Mines of Moria" recording, and I remember that was a lot of fun too.
- I'm here playing the kazoo and the triangle. - And I'm playing the trumpet.
Which I took--
The thing I love about symphonic writing is there's so much room to do things.
Once you're in that acoustic space with those microphones...
...you can introduce so many subtleties to it.
Previously, I had orchestrated everything...
...but for this film, it's James Sizemore and Conrad Pope.
So welcome back.
A good conductor is not someone who makes a performance...
...a good conductor is someone who actually releases a performance...
...from all the great individuals that are in this orchestra.
Conrad brings a lot of personality into the room.
He's always looking for an opportunity to tell a joke.
Do you know the musician's salute?
He's obviously a highly seasoned professional.
He knows exactly what he's doing.
Whoa, whoa.
- I have no idea how that phone works-- JACKSON". That's obvious, yeah.
When you're playing this, I want you to feel excited.
It's obvious why Howard Shore is doing the music for The Hobbit...
...it is so close to what we heard in Lord of the Rings.
All-new music in the style of the whole of Middle-earth.
There's so many new themes.
I think we've got about 16.
I'm having trouble keeping track of them.
Tauriel has a new theme, and is a new character.
You know, bold, new character. Fighting back, fighting the Orcs.
We have Lake-town.
Peter's guide to it was Smuggling in Cornwall.
- I thought it almost felt like a sea shanty. - Not the sea though.
- It's a lake. Yeah. - It's a lake, so a lake shanty.
Another theme, it's called the House of Durin.
- Yeah, that's a very important theme. - Yeah.
That's the history of the Dwarves and their lineage.
BARB". The King beneath the mountain
Shall come into his own!
With Smaug, there's a main theme for Smaug.
He's got a sinister quality to him, but it's very psychological.
Peter kept talking about the Eastern quality of the dragon.
And he wanted to take it further East and we kind of pulled out the stops...
...and added the gamelan.
We did a lot of gestural things and textural things with the gamelan.
So it was a bit of experimentation.
We explored a lot of interesting percussion with the end set, so...
Flute players is really beautiful, tight people.
I think we're seen as a little bit prima donna-ish...
...princess-y types that are quite uptight.
Then you have the first violinists that are--
They've got so many notes to play and they're always busy...
...and they're sort of slightly hyperactive.
Brass players, they're the life of the party.
Yeah, we are the life of the party. Check out John's tattoo.
Isn't that awesome?
This is gonna take your head off. Okay? is that what you want inside?
Fantastic, that's the sound. But could we try even a little bit more?
- Over the top. - Yeah.
Okay. Reset it. Okay, good.
Thank you very much. You've all been amazing.
I would like to introduce Peter Jackson.
Hi, how are you?
It's always been the one piece of the puzzle that we haven't been able to do here...
...but we can now and we're gonna be doing it here from this point onwards.
You've made our movie sound so incredibly good. Thank you.
This is gonna be our last blog for 2013.
I hope that you enjoy the movie.
I will look forward to our blogs resuming again next year...
...and continuing this journey for the third movie in 2014.
So have a fantastic holiday. Thank you very much.
I can see a lake!
And the Lonely Mountain.
We're almost there!