E-MAIL THE AUTHOR
PART ONE
September of this year marks an anniversary of great significance to television music. Incredibly, it's been 10
years since a stylishly angular Batman first dropped onto a rooftop to dispatch thieves in the night. Ten years
since a sleek new Batmobile first raced to the call of the Batsignal. Ten years since a clap of thunder snapped
shut the jaws of viewers after they first heard a brilliant arrangement of the Batman theme, as their hero stood framed by
lightning on the Gotham skyline. September 1992, BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES was born.
To explain the musical significance, we first of all have to thank Steven Spielberg. At his suggestion, Warner Brothers (WB) created TINY TOON ADVENTURES back in 1990. The concept followed in the footsteps of the Fifties' LOONEY TUNES, and would have multiple shows a week. Such a high volume of product necessitated a similarly high volume of music. Thankfully it was acknowledged as important enough to warrant a sizeable budget allowing for orchestral scores. No one composer could be asked to provide so much material, and so Bruce Broughton (SILVERADO / YOUNG SHERLOCK HOMES) was appointed as a Supervising Composer. Again, this was something not seen since the Fifties and Carl Stalling's attachment to the studio.
TINY TOON's success invited similar product and before long there were the likes of ANIMANIACS and FREAKAZOID!. Looking to do something a little different, artist Bruce Timm took the opportunity to pitch BATMAN to WB in the wake of Tim Burton's 1989 blockbuster feature. With his terrific artwork to back the idea, it was snapped up and rushed into production so as to benefit from the release of BATMAN RETURNS in June of 1992. Burton's commitments to the sequel meant he had to turn down being Executive Producer on the show. So it was that Timm found himself with the lion's share of decision-making responsibility. Which meant musical question # 1 was who could possibly manage such an enormous project?
BRUCE TIMM: We didn't think that Danny Elfman would be interested or affordable for our show, so we didn't really bother going to him originally. I remembered that Shirley Walker worked on the BATMAN movie with him and also DICK TRACY and whatnot. At the time she was doing WB's THE FLASH TV show. So I went to her thinking she could give it that kind of Danny Elfman music. We were delighted and thrilled that she came on board. Of course she gave it her own style even though it had his influence.
SHIRLEY WALKER: Bruce Timm really liked the style and sound of the music I was doing for THE FLASH. Doug Frank, at that time Vice President of TV Music for WB, approached me regarding the animated series. I was reluctant to entertain the idea, as I (wrongly) felt it was a step backwards for me, career-wise. I really was an outsider to the comic/fantasy world and had no appreciation for the legacy of the Batman character, which, by the way, has managed to survive all of the various incarnations it has been put through. Once I met with the creators of the series and saw the look of the show, I was delighted that they were interested in my work.
Conceived as another multiple parts per week show, the workload was going to be as much as (if not more than) the already successful WB shows.
SHIRLEY WALKER: I don't know for sure whether 60 shows were envisioned from the start. I do know that we were talking about 25 shows, which was intimidating enough. I can easily become overwhelmed by the task if I think too much about the difficulty of what needs to be accomplished. WB had already tried the concept of a Supervising Composer with great success with Bruce Broughton. I liked the plan of writing as much as I wanted to myself, and then working with others to get the job done. It was an opportunity for me to pick and choose which episodes I would like to do. I wrote the first 10 shows myself and then began incorporating other composers. [A quick check of the
Credits Database shows these 10 episodes ended up scattered throughout the year.] It is a considerable feat to create and produce six hours of quality cartoon music in three months' time. Fortunately for me, WB was budgeting for orchestral performances of the music. We were allowed a small orchestra of about 29 players for each episode.
The show progressed through development with Walker's participation and then hit a wall when procrastinating over a title sequence would wait no longer. The look was quickly agreed upon, as being like a series of Thirties art deco posters. But the addition of an all-important signature theme was a longer process...
SHIRLEY WALKER: The producers of the series wanted to have their own musical signature for the Batman character. It just wasn't possible for that to happen in the first season.
BRUCE TIMM: When we got around to needing a Main Title theme, Shirley did a piece based on the character theme she'd created for the show. We storyboarded the animation to her track, and then it turned out at the 11th hour that Danny Elfman was interested in doing the Main Titles. So that was a tricky situation because we'd had Shirley do this piece. There was a lot of discussion about how Danny's name would be a marquee draw. We'd already had the animation timed to Shirley's piece, but we didn't use it as a temp track for him. We told him for money reasons it couldn't be the actual theme from the movie. So it was tough for him to come up with something that recalled the flavour of the movie without using exactly the same notes. He had to sort of clone himself.
In order to do that, Eflman called in the aid of regular orchestrator Steve Bartek, who was assisted by composer Mark McKenzie. They worked fast to produce what remains one of the most exciting title sequences on TV, animated or otherwise.
MARK MCKENZIE: I remember being at Danny's studio discussing it with him and Steve. I remain a fan of Danny's and I love that theme!
BRUCE TIMM: When we changed the title to THE ADVENTURES OF BATMAN AND ROBIN, it was requested that we do a new Title theme. At that point Danny wasn't interested in doing a new one, so then we had Shirley's.
In fact, co-ordinating or participating in the Titles theme was the least of Walker's problems. Somehow she had to recruit a composing team amongst whom she could spread the workload.
BRUCE TIMM: From the very first episode we did with Shirley, the Man Bat episode "On Leather Wings," I went to the recording studio to hear the orchestra and literally from the opening bars I knew it was a home run. The minute I heard those trombones and those low strings, I knew she'd nailed it. The hardest part from that point on was that Shirley wasn't going to be able to score every episode. The problem was replacing Shirley with "Shirley Clones." Fortunately she was there to supervise all the shows even if she wasn't able to write the scores herself. She was in charge of recruiting the "Shirley Ghosts." They all did a great job. Some better than others, of course.
SHIRLEY WALKER: The biggest decision for me was in choosing to work with up-and-coming composers instead of established ones. I was being sent materials directly by composers and by composer agents. I was also asking around at the music libraries, who, at that time, frequently employed composers as supervising copyists, and talking to music contractors and musicians. The contractors and musicians were aware of talented orchestrators who may have written cues for established composers. I got quite a few angry letters and phone calls when it became clear I was working with composers who hadn't gotten their "break" yet instead of those who clearly could have done a great job and had miles of credits to prove it. It was difficult for me to send out the letters, I think there were upwards of 50, to the composers whose writing style didn't interest me.
An amusing aside here is that Walker was intimately familiar with this procedure and the type of letter it produced, since she received one when turned down for working under Bruce Broughton on TINY TOONS!
SHIRLEY WALKER: Each new composer first orchestrated on a show that I was writing. That was my litmus test to see if we could work together or not. I didn't want to put myself in the position of having to creatively arm-wrestle with another composer about the musical/dramatic style of the music. It would have been easier if we were emulating Carl Stalling's music, as was the case with the "comedy" animated shows WB Animation was doing at the time. The next steps were to write cues on one of my episodes, split a show with another composer, and finally be assigned a complete episode. Not every composer had to go through this progression of events. It was mostly designed to protect the less experienced composers from the pressure of the deadline trauma. Even seasoned writers can become paralyzed by deadline pressure. The fact that the team narrowed down to Michael McCuistion, Lolita Ritmanis, Kris Carter and me was a distillation that occurred naturally over time. The series producers had their favorite composers and I had mine. These preferences determined the final group of four.
Here in their own words, is how that group came on board the show:
LOLITA RITMANIS: A wonderful music contractor (who is no longer with us) by the name of Patti Zimmitti (back then -- Patti Fidelibus) recommended me to Shirley. Patti opened the door for me with Michael Kamen, Basil Poledouris and many other fine composers for whom I had the pleasure of working for. I believe Shirley had asked Patti if she knew of "up and coming" talent that might be interested in working with her. (Lucky me!) Also Joel Franklin, head music librarian at WB at the time, suggested that Shirley and I meet. I was working as a freelance composer and orchestrator, as well as a music proofreader at WB. Shirley heard my demo and subsequently invited me to orchestrate a few cues for her. With that, the mentorship process began, gradually orchestrating more and more for Shirley, following score for her in the booth, and eventually composing.
MICHAEL MCCUISTION: I had known Shirley's husband for several years through the technical side of the business (equipment wiring, MIDI, etc.). At that time I was working as a personal assistant to Mike Lang (a first-call LA studio keyboardist) to help make ends meet and writing music during my time off. It just so happened that Shirley's husband didn't know that I was a composer. One day we were talking about what we did in our off time and I mentioned that I had come to Los Angeles to pursue a film composing career, so he asked me for a tape to give to his wife. I was only vaguely aware of who Shirley Walker was, but I was eager for feedback so I happily provided him with an audiocassette (this was before CDs!) and a video of a short scene I had scored. Our paths didn't cross for quite a while after that, and then several months later I got a call from Shirley out of the blue to ask me if I wanted to work with her on her new series. She was very serious and asked me to take some time to think about my answer, so I called her back a couple of days later and of course I said "YES!" I guess she liked the tape!
KRISTOPHER CARTER: I was acquainted with Shirley's son in college. He arranged to meet Shirley, and based on my demo reel she offered me a chance to work under her tutelage after I graduated. I had to wear many hats: the phone-answerer, the typist, the schedule-keeper, the driver, the coffee-maker (which I must say I have no talent for and was quickly relieved of duty!), the computer tech, the synthesist, the orchestrator, and the composer-in-training. I am so grateful to her for introducing me to the business and imparting some of her wisdom of Hollywood.
Well before the September debut, Walker and her team were entrenched in a punishing production routine. As
she commissioned new composers in "try-out" assignments, the production hierarchy also sought to spread
the load with the appointment of Paul Dini as a Story Editor later on in Season One (he became a Producer on Season Two).
PAUL DINI: When I was a kid and watching the MGM, WB and Disney cartoons, I began to realize, as Walt Disney often said, that in a cartoon, music is as much a part of the storytelling process as good dialogue and great animation. When I got into animation around age 21, cartoons as an art form were basically on life support. Most of the music on Saturday morning shows was done on tracks, often with one guy knocking out a few chords on an electronic keyboard. You could repeat that stuff over and over; wacky track, suspense track and there you have the music for 13 half hour shows. One of the really great things about WB Animation is they have always appreciated the key role good music scored to picture plays in a cartoon. It really makes it sing, so to speak.
Suffice to say, Dini was delighted at being on a show indulging all of this and getting to work with Walker and Timm on the tone and style of music that realised his scripts.
PAUL DINI: Once the rough cut for each new episode came in, Bruce would hold a music spotting session with Shirley and her composers. They would discuss what sort of music best fit the tone of the individual episode, whether it was something kind of light-hearted like "Harley's Holiday" or dark and dissonant, like "Two-Face, Parts One and Two." My involvement with Shirley was much more casual. Occasionally I'd suggest an idea or two for a musical motif to Bruce while going over a storyboard with him, but he's the film score expert and that was really his domain. Shirley once told me that the characterizations in some of my scripts gave her ideas as to where to take villain themes, which I took as a very nice compliment. I did put the song "Say That We're Sweethearts Again" for Harley to sing in the episode "Harlequinade." It's actually a comic number from an old MGM musical called MEET THE PEOPLE. Arleen Sorkin (Harley) was singing it one day in the car as we were carpooling to a BATMAN recording. She was using it as an audition piece but I thought the cheerfully grim lyrics would work as a comment on her relationship with the Joker and the outright screwiness of that episode. Also it was fun to see Harley try and vamp her way through a torch song.
The "Shirley Ghosts" were naturally there to do much more than merely "clone" her style. The first job for Ritmanis was the episode "Christmas With the Joker," a collaboration between herself, Walker and McCuistion. After another collaboration on "Pretty Poison," she was"'cut loose" for "It's Never Too Late." McCuistion then followed suit with "Be A Clown." Here are their memories of commencing work on the show. [Note how each commemorates their beginnings with something on their office walls...]
LOLITA RITMANIS: Although I was a fairly established orchestrator in town when I started working with Shirley, the first composition gig for her was very, very exciting and an amazing opportunity. Shirley's graciousness and her gift for mentoring was a godsend for me at that point in my career. In essence it was a paid apprenticeship. Shirley divvied up the episode ["Christmas With the Joker"]. Mike and I wrote our cues. Shirley checked our sketches and made suggestions and/or gave us definitive notes on what needed to be changed. Both Mike and I were receptive to her comments. We completed our work and conducted our cues. It was a magnificent experience. I might add that with those kinds of shared experiences lifelong friendships began that in this business are rare. I have a framed credit of "It's Never Too Late - Music by Lolita Ritmanis" hanging on my wall. That was my first big credit. You always remember your "first." I labored over each note. That episode will always be dear to my heart.
MICHAEL MCCUISTION: Basically I was hired by Shirley to orchestrate her music with the understanding that I might get to do some writing if she liked my work. I remember laboring over every note. Everything was very, very important to me since I was properly hired and being paid professionally. I think I went through an entire eraser stick orchestrating my first set of cues just trying to get all my notation to look as perfect as possible! The orchestrations worked out well so she asked if I'd write a couple of cues on "Pretty Poison." Shirley went over my music with me ahead of the session. She was so generous with her time and support, really nurturing. That first session was so exciting and nerve-wracking and just plain wonderful. I think I had made a note error in my orchestration which she corrected after the first read-through, so I thought my career was over, but in reality it was the beginning of a wonderful mentorship and collaboration. Those first collaborations were really just a division of the workload; Shirley assigned Lolita and myself two cues each to write while she wrote the balance of the show. She reviewed our material and we made changes based on her suggestions to make sure everything was cohesive. This process was continued throughout the series to ensure a smooth recording session each time. Words fail me when it comes to describing my feelings about writing my first show. "Be A Clown" was truly my first solo effort as a paid composer. It was very special for me because of the musical needs of the show: lots of circus-flavored themes and marching band-type pieces. I grew up in the marching band tradition (we didn't have orchestras at my elementary school) so I was able to go back to my childhood a bit and draw from that experience. I had three weeks to write that show and I spent every waking moment writing and rewriting. It was a joyous occasion. I have a framed cel on my wall from the climactic roller-coaster chase with the Joker and Batman. That show was a real milestone for me and the beginning of my professional career.
Kristopher Carter joined the group for Season Three (1994), but has very similar reminiscences of commencing work on the show. His first job was a collaboration with Brian Langsbard on "Lock-Up," before an initial solo effort on "Catwalk."
KRISTOPHER CARTER: Being a show I had watched from the time it debuted, it was quite surreal to be sure! I gradually was given responsibility a little at a time, beginning by attending the scoring sessions, then some orchestration, and finally a chance to do my own composition. Brian and I both came on board the "Bat-team" around the same time, and it was the most efficient way for Shirley to audition our writing. Shirley assigned us each cues comprising half of the show, and left it up to us to demonstrate how we could mould our individual creative voices to fit the "sound" of the series. We each did our respective work on our own, and had no idea how the other's score sounded until we met with Shirley to present our work prior to the scoring session. She went through our sketches note-by-note, suggesting changes and adjustments, and ultimately approved our work for the big recording day. "Catwalk" was my first solo score on the BATMAN series. I have an animation cel from that episode proudly hung in my studio! The story had a lot of layers, and it was a real treat to explore music that would highlight the thematic complexities of the episode. Bruce Timm decided to drop the sound effects during the flashback scene at the top of the show so the music could be featured clearly. That was a real affirmation of the hard work that was poured into the score.
 |
PART TWO
Further affirmation of the composers' hard work was in being kept on throughout the many series re-incarnations. After 85 episodes of the show in its original format, a slight pause allowed recuperation before SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES took over (lasting 53 episodes itself). Another pause that occurred mid-Season Two was the feature release of MASK OF THE PHANTASM.
SHIRLEY WALKER: Creatively, I was asked to do what I'd been doing for the series. The sound of the music was still working for the Batman character, and the series creators were satisfied with what they were getting. The budget given to PHANTASM was a generous feature film budget. WB gave its full monetary support to the creation of the music. The film fell prey to studio politics at the last minute and was denied a proper release at the critical Xmas holiday period for fear that it would compete with some other WB film that was coming out in the same school holiday time frame.
The score featured orchestrations from Ritmanis and McCuistion, as well as synthesiser performances by none other than Hans Zimmer (GLADIATOR). It remains the only part of the original incarnation to see release on album.
During Season Two of SUPERMAN, their workload upped considerably when a decision was taken to create an hour's worth of programming with THE NEW BATMAN/SUPERMAN ADVENTURES. Essentially just a show for each character added together, it meant the composers stretching to keep up with the ongoing job of SUPERMAN, plus finding time to reach back into their collective past for an only slightly altered version of BATMAN -- now known as GOTHAM KNIGHTS.
McCuistion enjoyed solo spotlight on the video feature SUB-ZERO, but then in 1998 it suddenly looked like the end of the group's time together when BATMAN BEYOND was announced with an all-new approach ...
SHIRLEY WALKER: Bruce Timm called me in to tell me that he didn't think I and my team of composers had the right stuff for the new BATMAN BEYOND series. It was a difficult meeting for him as we had a 3-year history of working together successfully. He told me he had been avoiding, for weeks, having the conversation with me. Much to his credit, he didn't handle this difficult task over the phone or via e-mail. I understood completely his desire to have a different sound for the new series. I did ask him to give us the opportunity to compete for the work. He talked with me about what he was looking for and some of the bands, White Zombie being one of them, who exemplified the musical direction he wanted to take. Michael McCuistion, Lolita Ritmanis, Kris Carter and I all created music based on Bruce's input. Here's where I stacked the deck a little, although I've never told Bruce this: I added some instrumental tracks that I knew weren't quite on target from existing bands just to add a misdirection factor. I made sure there was something on the CD we prepared that wasn't what he wanted, that hadn't been created by us. Bruce came to my studio and sat and listened for 30 minutes straight. It was wonderful to see the expression on his face as he realized that he was going to get just what he was looking for. He confessed his relief, as he hadn't been looking forward to finding a new music team to work with. As it turned out, he fell in love with one of Kris Carter's tracks, which then became the theme for the new series.
 |
KRISTOPHER CARTER: I think a lot of the impact of the main title owes to the combination of the music and the incredible visuals created by Darwyn Cooke. In creating spec compositions to demonstrate how we would approach this new musical direction for Bruce and the other producers, we collectively shaped the resulting style of the show. I suppose I would have to describe my musical tastes as being really heavy classical and really heavy metal! I find a lot of similarities in the two kinds of music, and I think all of us found a logical progression from one to the other. Music is about color in sound, and so we simply brushed on to our canvas with a different sonic palate. We were still expressing energy, action, and at times the darkness and angst that embodies the Batman mythos, just in different hues.
LOLITA RITMANIS: I had been languishing in the safety zone of merely writing and having an orchestra at my fingertips to record my music on a regular basis. The requirements for BATMAN BEYOND basically necessitated that we have full-blown studios in our individual environments. After spending some serious money "gearing up" I completely immersed myself in the electronic music world. My husband (Mark Mattson) is a music producer. Luckily he was able to guide me through some of the technical jungle. As for the actual style of music, having spent several years playing gigs and playing contemporary music, stylistically BATMAN BEYOND was truly a blast. Bruce Timm really nailed the concept for that show. The way the characters were drawn, the sophisticated dialogue all meshed fabulously with great grooves and guitar riffs. Kris' theme also really set the tone. I must mention the show THE ZETA PROJECT. This show came on the heels of BATMAN BEYOND. During our first season of ZETA we had the best of both worlds. We recorded the electronics in our studio and then had an orchestral session as well. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Bob Goodman and Liz Holzman [producers]. They were true music supporters.
Ten years on, the team are still working together, albeit without the aid of Walker. She remained as Supervising Composer for THE ZETA PROJECT before allowing her team to go it alone on the latest Batman incarnation on JUSTICE LEAGUE...
BRUCE TIMM: After we did the BATMAN and SUPERMAN shows with big orchestral scores, we purposely experimented with BATMAN BEYOND giving it a more up-to-date sound with rock elements and electronica. When it came to JUSTICE LEAGUE, everybody knew we had to go back to the orchestral sound. The problem though was we had a budget cut so we couldn't afford to use a real orchestra any more. Am I letting the cat out the bag that all JUSTICE LEAGUE scores are synthetic? That's good! I'm glad it's not widely realised. I was quite nervous about it at first after the budget was cut quite drastically for the music. Fortunately Lolita, Kris and Mike really came up to the plate and they were game to do whatever it took. They assured me that in the last couple of years the sampling software has got so much better. They were confident they could still achieve a rich, full-bodied sound. And I think they have. The nice thing about it being synthetic is that when we were working on BATMAN BEYOND, there were synthetic textures they would use for atmosphere that I really loved. This show allows us to combine them. Occasionally if we want to use something more high-tech like a drum machine, we can.
KRISTOPHER CARTER: Each show has been a real pleasure to work on, and each has brought its own set of challenges. As far as JUSTICE LEAGUE goes, probably the biggest difference with BATMAN would be the intensity level of the episodes. The producers said from the beginning that if they were going to have a show with seven super heroes, they had better have story lines that could keep seven super heroes busy! Well, they have certainly succeeded in that respect. Each character is given his or her share of monumental tasks to face during each story arc, and we as the composers must be right in step, making the scenes exciting, scary, at times sorrowful and other times poignant, and rousing when they ultimately triumph!
LOLITA RITMANIS: The biggest change with JUSTICE LEAGUE is that it is just the three of us (Kris, Mike and I). We all have had to update our gear. Of course we are shouldering many more responsibilities. This show basically gives us a chance to really spread our wings. The safety net is gone. With that, of course, comes added responsibility, but added glory as well. I love my work. I am inspired on a regular basis by my colleagues Michael and Kristopher. Bottom line, when the show is good, it makes the work more rewarding.
[In July of this year, Ritmanis' Title Theme was nominated for an EMMY Award, ironically in competition with another by Bruce Broughton (FIRST MONDAY).]
LOLITA RITMANIS: I am so proud of the Theme. Did it come easy? Hmm... It came to me one dark night as I was gazing at the moon. I had to run inside and jot down the melody but couldn't find a pencil. Just then there was a knock at the door...(dramatic pause!) I must leave you in suspense about the evolution of the theme. Let's just say Bruce was happy with mix number 3A, version 4 (or something like that)! The prime-time EMMY nomination for this has felt so sweet. I am very honored and grateful for this type of recognition.
BRUCE TIMM: The theme does have an orchestra in it. But it's not half and half. Lolita had done a temp synthesiser track for my approval, and we fine-tuned, adding things to it and making it sound very rich. As I always do I listened to it in my commute to work. I learned to love many things about that version. So when she did the orchestral version, it had a little synthesiser backing, but I found myself thinking there was something meatier in the original version. She went back and did another mix that pulled out more of the synthesiser elements.
Looking back over their achievement 10 years ago, there are many shows that stand out to me from the original incarnation of the show. There's the self-parody of "Beware the Gray Ghost" (featuring Adam West, score Carl Johnson). The authentic Japanese music for "Day of the Samurai" (Carlos Rodriguez). The Eric Clapton-esque guitar score in "Moon of the Wolf" (Richard Bronskill). And then from the team themselves, the gangster movies homage of "It's Never Too Late" (Ritmanis), the carnival-esque whimsy of "Be A Clown" (McCuistion) and the percolating passion of "Catwalk" (Carter). As for Walker's many contributions ...
BRUCE TIMM: Earlier this year the first 5 episodes came out on DVD, and I had forgotten that she scored every one. She scored maybe half the whole series.
The Credit Database shows the final tally comes out that Walker scored 23 of the original 85 episodes on her own, and then collaborated on an additional 9 others. A phenomenal body of work, from which one favourite I'd like to spotlight is "The Laughing Fish," with a brooding, tense score like something from a classy horror movie. So what does everyone else look back on most fondly?
PAUL DINI: Damn, talk about trying to pick out your favorite kid! We were blessed with great scores on BATMAN. Each one captured the feeling of each episode perfectly. The soaring, strident violins from "On Leather Wings," the haunted music box theme from "Heart of Ice," the epic western theme from "Showdown," I love them all.
MICHAEL MCCUISTION: It's interesting to try to qualify my experience during that time and pick a best experience. Every time I was writing on the series I felt so connected to my craft. Each episode had its own dramatic challenges which made composing anything but routine. I guess I am most proud that I was able to rise to the occasion for both myself and for Shirley. I have such respect for her talent, and to have been chosen by her to continue working with her was a strong validation of my belief in my future as a film composer.
LOLITA RITMANIS: My proudest accomplishment is surviving the "cut!" I managed to remain on board "Shirley's Ship" which provided great opportunities for professional and personal growth in the coming years. Truthfully, each episode has its moments. We treated each episode as a mini-feature film. If I have to pick one episode of the original batch, it would have to be "It's Never Too Late."
KRISTOPHER CARTER: I am proud of the fact that my colleagues and I have tackled several different shows together, and each time we are able to come together and create a fresh sound for a series. One that allows us room to express our individual voices and creativity, and yet still feel unified and cohesive. Each project we have been through together brings us closer together, and I celebrate the uniqueness of our collaboration.
SHIRLEY WALKER: On the most personal level, I have to say it was the opportunity to mentor other composers. Perhaps it's a Mom thing, but I have deep and lasting satisfaction and gratification from working with the many fine and talented composers who participated in the creation of music for the series.
So finally, if for some reason it had been Superman that was re-invented in 1989 by Tim Burton and that was the animated show made -- would it have lasted 10 years like this?
SHIRLEY WALKER: That's fun to speculate about. I don't think Superman is as interesting a character as Batman. An uncomplicated superhero just isn't as much fun.
But the most important question of all needing answering, I left until last for Timm: Why the heckfire was there never an album?
BRUCE TIMM: That is a good question! There certainly could have been more than one.
Fans of the shows were only slightly placated along the way by releases of MASK OF THE PHANTASM, a few tracks from
BATMAN BEYOND and then RETURN OF THE JOKER. The original Danny Elfman theme can be found on a compilation disc (Vol. 3
of Sci-fi's Greatest Hits: Defenders of Justice, on the Edel / TVT label). But who knows what may happen with the success of JUSTICE
LEAGUE right now...
Go here to see a complete Database of all the show's composer credits.
PHOTO CREDITS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: DANA ROSS PHOTOGRAPHY / THE COMPOSERS / STEVE BARTEK / ALISON FREEBAIRN-SMITH / CHRIS RYALL / BRUCE TIMM / PAUL DINI / STEVE RACE
E-MAIL THE AUTHOR |
ARCHIVES
|
