{"id":892,"date":"2010-10-20T16:10:03","date_gmt":"2010-10-20T20:10:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/?p=892"},"modified":"2011-04-18T14:43:13","modified_gmt":"2011-04-18T18:43:13","slug":"maribeth-solomon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/?p=892","title":{"rendered":"MARIBETH SOLOMON"},"content":{"rendered":"

Return to<\/strong>:\u00a0Home <\/a>\/\u00a0Exclusive Interviews & Profiles<\/a> \/\u00a0Composers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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Space Station 3D<\/strong> (2002) reunites co-operative partners NASA and Lockheed Martin for the world\u2019s first 3D IMAX film photographed in space. Directed by the versatile Toni Myers,\u00a0Space Station<\/strong> also features narration by Tom Cruise.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe minute I saw the amazing 3D footage shot by the astronauts in space, I knew I had to be involved with this very special film,\u201d Cruise enthusiastically states in IMAX\u2019 press release.<\/p>\n

Audiences will experience the vastness of space in far greater scope, observing fourteen nations constructing the massive space station, seemingly inches from their fingertips. In addition to director Myers, the film also marks the sixth IMAX space film scored by Maribeth Solomon and Micky Erbe, the husband-and-wife team best known for their Grammy-Nominated theme and Gemini-Winning music for Gene Roddenberry\u2019s\u00a0Earth: Final Conflict<\/strong> (1997 \u2013 2002), which featured vocal work by their daughter,\u00a0Leah Erbe<\/a>, who recently contributed original songs to writer\/director Peter Cho\u2019s\u00a0Changing Times<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The scoring couple has more than ten IMAX films to their credit, and yet they continue to find new ways to expand the musical landscape offered by the world\u2019s best-known large film format.<\/p>\n

Size is clearly the biggest obstacle, as a close-up produces a face as big as a low-rise office tower; and rudimentary edits and effects \u2013 cuts and dissolves \u2013 have greater impact, as though you\u2019ve just been moved around like a chess piece from the bottom of the ocean floor to Times Square, with passersby by and traffic in full motion.<\/p>\n

Recognizing the impact of the IMAX scope was exploited in the company\u2019s first commercial venture for Ontario\u2019s then-new amusement park,\u00a0Ontario Place<\/a>, situated at the edge of Toronto\u2019s waterfront. Opened in 1971, the park is crowned with a huge IMAX cinema\u00a0dome<\/a> (the Cinesphere), and a surrounding white grid-work hung over interconnected water pools.<\/p>\n

The world\u2019s first permanent IMAX theatre, the\u00a0Cinesphere<\/a>, remains a gathering place for tourists, film fans, loads of families, and continuous school outings. Plenty of ex-children can recall their first IMAX experience with\u00a0North of Superior<\/strong>, the first IMAX film directed by Graeme Ferguson and edited by Toni Myers.<\/p>\n

Made in 1971 and still playing around the globe, the film\u2019s exploitation of Ontario\u2019s land and waterways remains a thrilling ride, though a contributing factor to the film\u2019s eternal success lies in the film\u2019s stunning intro.<\/p>\n

Percussive bars of the film\u2019s score play rather conservatively from a modest array of speakers, reflecting the raw, natural splendor of an aerial glide over forests and Ontario\u2019s typical rock-edged lakefront. The pretty pictures occupy just a smidge of the IMAX screen, and represent a standard 35mm projection on an average cinema screen.<\/p>\n

After a few bars, the entire IMAX screen fully illuminates with a continuation of the aerial glide, and the score\u2019s thumping drums boom rather madly through the discreet 6-track surround sound system. Lake Superior\u2019s escarpment passes beneath, and the tribal pounding increases in ferocity as the journey becomes a fluid rollercoaster ride, veering above, below and at sharp angles, while trees, rocky cliffs and vast water expanses glide below.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that was two drummers practically breaking their legs there,\u201d recalls Maribeth Solomon, with genuine laughter. \u201cNo synthesizers were harmed in the making of that film, \u2019cause they weren\u2019t around yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since 1971, Solomon and Erbe have scored feature films and several TV movies and network series, and continued to collaborate with Ferguson and Myers, refining their skills with each unique project. Pioneers of surround sound and sound design, the composing team gradually mapped out the dos and don\u2019ts for large film format scoring.<\/p>\n

For Solomon, scoring in discrete surround sound is an exilharating experience. \u201cYou learn all these little tricks, but there\u2019s no tricks to doing the right thing. There\u2019s also these little enhancements that you can do for the medium that experience has sort of helped us with, [like] if we just spectrum the sound a little different here, or if we sort of shadow the speakers a little bit differently, or if we have a solo instrument and we double it back here, or if we put a little whisper track in the top speaker.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s more of a macro canvas, and yet, paradoxically, the little things come out more too, so there\u2019s just nowhere to hide. It\u2019s a big, huge, kind of colourful textural palette, but you really have to pay attention. [Audiences] love the little details and they notice them, and I\u2019m always surprised that people will say, \u2018Oh, I liked what you put on the top speaker there; you had a harp there, and I noticed it and it felt like it was coming right over your head.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

In order to create some of that motion, close collaboration with the sound effects crew is vital to the film score\u2019s finalization. \u201cWe get along great with sound people, because instead of fighting with them, we\u2019ve learned how to work together with them over the years, so\u2026 they\u2019re our best friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

A highlight of the duo\u2019s lengthy career occurred when they worked with revered sound designer Ben Burtt. Best known for his work for George Lucas\u2019 action-packed\u00a0Star Wars<\/strong> (1977) and the Indiana Jones films, Burtt has directed several IMAX films himself, including\u00a0Blue Planet<\/strong> (1990) and\u00a0Destiny In Space<\/strong> (1994).<\/p>\n

For the immense imagery of the film\u2019s first shuttle launch, the veteran sound designer preferred a montage of authentic sounds. \u201cHe likes big, BIG effects,\u201d explains Solomon, \u201cso we learned to work around it, but we really had a nice time with Ben. He was terrific to work with.\u201d Solomon and Erbe also traveled to George Lucas\u2019 Skywalker Ranch, where Burtt mixed the film.<\/p>\n

\u201cBurtt recognized that, when dealing with spacecrafts, the technology is often what fascinates people, so giving them the closest experience to an actual ride into space was the best way to satisfy that audience need,\u201d she says. \u201cAfter the first launch, all subsequent launches are less exciting \u2013 because the intricacies and imagery are now familiar \u2013 so that\u2019s where the score brings the audience back, adding the human element to the experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Besides the esthetics, Solomon acknowledges that \u201cyou have to really know what the others guys are doing. You have to stay in touch, and [editor Toni Myers] will always guide us and say, \u2018I want this to be a really musical moment, kind of larger than life and more magical, and maybe [in] this other scene I want the sound to carry it and let the music just go underneath.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Solomon and Erbe had met Myers in the early seventies through a musician friend, and also performed on the\u00a0North of Superior<\/strong> soundtrack, which included a song composed by The Lovin\u2019 Spoonful\u2019s Zalman Yanovsky.<\/p>\n

The allure of space has resulted in five outstanding IMAX films: the first shuttle launch in\u00a0Hail Columbia! <\/strong>(1982); shuttle travel in\u00a0The Dream Is Alive<\/strong> (1985); Earth\u2019s environmental changes from space in\u00a0Blue Planet<\/strong> (1990); exploring the universe in\u00a0Destiny In Space<\/strong> (1994); and a\u00a0Space Station<\/strong> precursor,\u00a0Mission To Mir<\/strong> (1997).<\/p>\n

Solomon and Erbe\u2019s involvement with an IMAX project begins when the film is in a rough cut stage, although both research the film\u2019s subject matter for more focused inspiration. In the case of the space films, personal contact with some of the astronauts provided the face of an experienced traveler, and someone whose heart has been affected by witnessing sights impossible to pretty much everyone else.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe met a lot of the astronauts,\u201d explains Solomon, and \u201csome of them came to our sessions\u2026 I learn so much about things I would never, never know about, and because it\u2019s a short period of time, you really have to know what you\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Solomon and Erbe had already scored 3D films (Into the Deep<\/strong>), the\u00a0Space Station<\/strong> 3D footage brought back from the various space missions and EVAs (Extra Vehicular Activity) \u2013 particularly the space walks looking down at the Earth \u2013 still packed an emotional punch.<\/p>\n

\u2018Trundling down\u2019 to an IMAX theatre early in the morning, the duo donned the custom 3D glasses, and had to absorb information beyond the more familiar 2D realm. \u201cBecause it\u2019s so macro and it\u2019s so big, you have to understand what is hitting you,\u201d explains Solomon. \u201cMusic deals so much in the emotions, and we have to kind of underscore the first emotion that hits, and we have to know what that is, and it\u2019s not readily evident unless you go to a screening.\u201d<\/p>\n

Knowing the musical objective before writing is vital, but even the best plans can\u2019t determine the ultimate needs of a film\u2019s score. \u201cSometimes things come out amazing, and it just happens to be in the details, and the magic just happens. You can\u2019t always predict how things are going to come together, and that\u2019s part of the excitement of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe kind of take our cue from the picture, and from Toni Myers, who\u2019s usually involved in some way, and Graeme Ferguson; they\u2019ve been incredible mentors, musically for us, because they\u2019ve given us films with such heart, and given us so much carte blanche to do them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a highlight of our career to be able to punctuate our work with these films,\u201d she concludes, \u201cand to be able to go in and out of the rest of the industry and keep our hands in these films, because they\u2019re every composer\u2019s dream\u2026\u00a0The Dream Is Alive<\/strong> and\u00a0The Blue Planet<\/strong> and\u00a0Destiny in Space<\/strong> are so unbelievably popular, and they\u2019re still running all over the place. I mean they don\u2019t let up; some of these have been running for twenty years.\u201d<\/p>\n

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KQEK.com would like to thank Maribeth Solomon for speaking candidly about her craft, and Leah Erbe for facilitating this interview.<\/em><\/p>\n

For further info on Maribeth Solomon and Micky Erbe, visit their website <\/em>HERE<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

For more information about IMAX, visit the official company website <\/em>HERE<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

For a history of Canada\u2019s large film format, check out this <\/em>Wikipedia entry<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

To read a related interview with Editor\/Producer Toni Myers, click\u00a0HERE<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

All images remain the property of their copyright holders.<\/em><\/p>\n

This interview \u00a9 2002 and 2009 for the original and the revised versions respectively by Mark R. Hasan<\/em><\/p>\n

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Related links:<\/em><\/p>\n

DVD \/ Film: \u00a0Hubble 3D<\/a><\/strong> (2010)\u00a0\u2014\u00a0S<\/a><\/strong>pace Station 3D<\/a> <\/strong>(2002)<\/p>\n

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Related external links (MAIN SITE)<\/em>:<\/p>\n

DVD\/Film: \u00a0Under the Sea 3D<\/a> <\/strong>(2009)<\/p>\n

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Return to<\/strong>:\u00a0Home <\/a>\/\u00a0Exclusive Interviews & Profiles<\/a> \/\u00a0Composers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Return to:\u00a0Home \/\u00a0Exclusive Interviews & Profiles \/\u00a0Composers . Space Station 3D (2002) reunites co-operative partners NASA and Lockheed Martin for the world\u2019s first 3D IMAX film photographed in space. Directed by the versatile Toni Myers,\u00a0Space Station also features narration by Tom Cruise. \u201cThe minute I saw the amazing 3D footage shot by the astronauts in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[26,22,54,53,4212],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8nuyW-eo","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=892"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2756,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892\/revisions\/2756"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}