Mike Figgis
I've held onto little musical sketches that I thought could be useful, and the more time that I spend doing them for each film, then the more I have to draw on.
Mike FiggisI play piano and trumpet. I studied classical guitar.
Mike FiggisIn discussing the process with the actors, I made it clear to them that they could improvise but that the sum total of their improvisation needed to impart certain plot points, and schematic material.
Mike FiggisI might have a guitar or a piano on set to play something for the actors.
Mike FiggisThere's a sadness to the human condition that I think music is good for. It gives a counterpoint to the visual beauty, and adds depth to pictures that they wouldn't have if the music wasn't there.
Mike FiggisEach film is different. Time Code was very quick - a matter of months. Miss Julie has been on my shelf as a script for some seven or eight years. But then the shooting process was very quick - 16 days.
Mike FiggisWhat I'm interested in is tone, and the ability to articulate in a very minimal way. That's the sign of a mature musician, and that's what I look for.
Mike FiggisThere's nothing I've done which I'm ashamed of or I thought was actually bad.
Mike FiggisI had no plans to be a director.
Mike FiggisI would certainly say that films like Time Code and the Loss of Sexual Innocence were far more rewarding to me in terms of being able to move forward as a filmmaker.
Mike FiggisObviously, I try to make the films work for an audience. That's the main point of making a film, and in retrospect, one can see that certain films, let's say Leaving Las Vegas, demonstrated its own success.
Mike FiggisBut you could argue that it was not the character's choice to die in any way, shape or form in One Night Stand.
Mike FiggisFilms take up so much time, and with theatre, you do have to plan a period of time that you can be free.
Mike FiggisI've spent my life hearing people trying to apologize for music.
Mike FiggisYou make sure that there's a structure that's interesting for them to play on top of, then do temp versions and try it on the film. By the time the players come to the recording session, I've found what works. So I'm not wasting their time.
Mike FiggisWhen I do the music, I make the musicians listen to what's happening in the film. That way they treat the dialogue as if it was a singer.
Mike FiggisI want the score to have a really big voice.
Mike FiggisBut I don't have such a strong desire to need to get away from filmmaking.
Mike FiggisIt's difficult working with very rich actors, because inevitably they become a little spoilt, and the managers and agents tend to control things more than is healthy.
Mike Figgis
