The Tundra will be EF’s creative nesting ground for Sucker Punch AΩ Episode 2. Existing ideas will be shared and new ideas will be unearthed until we build this mojo dojo dance palace and wire it up hot!
Working titles for Episode 2 include “Flashdance,” “Moody Blue,” and most recently, “True Blue.” A fast start would be an improvement from sluggish Episode 1, and I have the proper bopper already cued up – a mambo in F minor at 116 bpm. Just need a compelling hook / lead in.
This morning I was searching for a hook in the same key of F minor from the classical genre. Classical because I had the opening image of a wedding in mind. What I got was a funeral.
Chopin’s 15th Nocturne (Op. 55 No. 1) in F minor is suitable for watery-eyed reminiscence, among other things. Have a listen:
I do not consider myself versed in classical music, but I did recognize this piece, Op. 55 No. 1. I believe Beth Harmon’s adoptive mother, Alma plays this in The Queen’s Gambit upon learning of her husband’s betrayal. (I’m sure it appears elsewhere in the lore). But this is not what I first thought of. Instead I remembered and grieved for the deceased younger sister of a close friend who was a piano player. Listening, I felt I knew this piece was one of her favorites, though she never mentioned it. She was of Polish heritage. I could not remember Chopin’s so I looked it up. Poland. So yeah, maybe I am on the right track.
I’ve grown closer with my friend and bandmate, also a piano player, in the 6 years since the funeral. But I won’t ask him to confirm my intuition for fear it might trigger the avalanche, as it did for me this morning. She was 24 when she died of cancer. And I would like to thank her for her generous visit today. Special shout out to my newly deceased grandfather and uncle as well. May you all rest in peace.
Love to you also, dear reader.
-Experience Film
Experience Film 
I think I got into classical music watching Tom & Jerry. Later we learned the basics and history in school. Around that time I got into movies like Star Wars where instrumental music is essential.
I’m curious do you (or have you tried to) use AI to search for the music that fits the mood you’re looking for?
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I’m considering some John Williams here too (from Memoirs of A Geisha) in Collaboration with Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma. Honestly, I don’t love that particular score though. IDK.
Up until now none of the music in any of the EF montages has been suggested by AI. I choose music as it finds me naturally. And I use a stopwatch to clock song beats per minute (Sometimes I use BPM to proportionately re-time the footage. Other times I just eyeball it). I did, however, use chat GPT for the F minor and bpm search today. So if Chopin makes it into the montage, it would be the first exception to the rule!…
I also plan to incorporate generative AI in this next montage as a post-production supplement. I feel guilty about it. But my rationale is, I’ve always been a lone wolf. I am not personally un-employing anybody. And the technology will revolutionize the industry with or without me. The montages will benefit from the added special effects firepower, which is very time consuming to do manually. And none of it matters without a good, human story.
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I have always seen computers as a tool and AI is an extension of that. You are a bit younger but there was a time period when people look at computers the way they see AI now. Writers insisting on using typewriters or even handwriting that they or someone else typed out only in final draft for submission. I don’t know when Stephen King switched from pencil&paper and you know how productive he was in his early days.
For a good and quality AI creation there’s a lot of thought behind how to form the instructions and then fine tuning the results. I mean you can search on YT “by hand” but you will receive help from the AI algorithm that is showing you similar or related videos. So when you are a one man band or a small company there’s no reason not to take advantage of the modern tools.
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“For a good and quality AI creation there’s a lot of thought behind how to form the instructions and then fine tuning the results.” Agreed!
Film Editor Paul Rogers (Everything Everywhere) said on the podcast, “The Art of The Cut” that editing is about “choices.” (All filmmaking is about choices) ‘Choosing’ is still the hardest part, even with AI assistance. A good project must be filled with choices that are uniform, coherent. Choices that serve the story, the characters and the vision of the human author/director. There’s no story worth telling that does not come from a human heart.
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Exactly. To make better choices you need a good selection to choose from. But when the selection is too vast it’s hard to manage (it takes time and drains your energy), so AI can help with filtering the selection down to more manageable options. But you are still in control of filtering and final decision.
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💙
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I love classical music, especially Chopin’s works in minor keys. You are absolutely on the right track, mate.👍🖖
Honestly, I prefer minor to major, not just in classical but also in rock.😉
Take care.🙏❤️
Here is another favourite:
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I prefer minor keys too. “Melancholy men”🙌 Thanks for sharing another of Chopin’s Nocturnes; I am learning🌃
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So do I! 😉🤗🙏
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I love listening to Classical music but know very little about it. Lovely words.
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Same! Always learning.
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Found Tundra 1! Things are falling into place. I recognize this piece too. I think it’s used a lot in movies, maybe TV too. Beautiful. One of my favorites is Water Music, the one played at the end of Ocean’s 11. Also Death in Venice. I see you mentioned YoYo Ma. Remember this famous piece? I love this one too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1prweT95Mo0
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Thanks, Stacey! The Project has traveled Light years since this first Tundra post. It helped get the ball rolling… I’m going to release a scene from it in a couple weeks… Claire de Lune! Yes I remember that fountain scene from Oceans Eleven… Love the Yo Yo Ma NYC culture video you shared… I didn’t end up using the Chopin piece from this post— but it lead to the classical music I DID use— Mozart’s Requiem 626 Lacrimosa in D minor. And a weaving together of Tons of movie original scores from the middle to end of this episode. Thanks as always for the support. Have a great day!
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