Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/832212
32 CINEMONTAGE / Q2 2017 eye there; that's probably the biggest thing she taught me. CM: How does your job differ between your studio and independent film work? MS: A lot of times in the indie world, you work with people without a lot of experience. That can of course be chaotic, but it can also be very creatively fulfilling because you get to try a lot of things. It's not that one type of film is better than the other. If you have a team of seasoned pros coming together and nobody feels like his or her ego is being trampled on, that's also very nice. But the indie experience definitely has the nucleus of trying to create something for the first time, and I think that's inspiring. CM: Do you gravitate toward the indie world or does it find you? MS: I've been drawn to it for a long time and I think it has something to do with me finding my own voice. When you first start work in LA, you're often called to mimic things that have previously been successful. That can be really exciting and challenging: "Can I really pull this off?" But after a few years, you start questioning your creative voice: "What's my sonic fingerprint?" I think I've been drawn toward things on which I could experiment with that. I've had some great creative relationships come out of it and those people are now working with bigger budgets. CM: What are some projects that really enabled you to try something and find that voice for yourself ? And how do you define that voice? MS: A big one was working with Mike White and, of course, the great composer Mark Mothersbaugh, who is one of the really original voices, on Enlightened. The show's combination of tragedy and comedy played a big part. We know Mark for somewhat whimsical music, but he can write some really heartfelt themes. I liked working with those, and even some wild stuff he wrote off-picture, and bringing them into the theme. My aesthetic seemed to fit in with what Mike wanted and what Mark was writing, which is a small ensemble — not too many instruments playing at the same time, but instruments handing off to each other with just one or two instrumental voices playing at the same time. Especially in those vulnerable moments when Laura Dern is raging against this huge corporate monster, and then feels vulnerable and wants to give up. The sparse and heartfelt music really seems to work. And I find myself drawn to it. CM: What about the relationships with composers and the responsibility you have with the their work? Beatriz at Dinner. Roadside Attractions