Ròm ~ writing the film score... The situation isn't new... I am sitting in front of the piano or my computer, and nothing comes out. Mind you, it's my third long feature film this year, so that may be understandable. And I am to have finished everything in about two weeks, and Franco is coming this afternoon to record his guitar parts, and my head is blank and I haven't written down a single note...
Half past midnight. Paris. I was in the metro, headphones on, iPod playing Philip Glass and reading a book. I stood up to get off the train and put the book in my bag. I noticed a grey-haired, bearded middle-aged man with a dark blue woolen hat on, drinking a can of beer. As the doors were about to open I felt someone tap lightly on my coat. It was the man. He was pointing up at my bag, his dark eyes twinkling . "Do you like it?". As he saw my confused expression, he added "The book!". I was reading Virginie Despentes' Vernon Subutex.
"Yes, I do like it! Very much!", I replied.
The man smiled. "First or second?". A young girl was watching our exchange with a puzzled look.
"I'm reading the first tome" I said. "It's great", the man continued. He seemed so pleased and smiled broadly. The door signal was ringing. It was time to get off. I looked back one more time and made a thumb up sign to him.
It wasn't the first time I had this kind of connection, this sense of kinship with other readers on the train. It was heartwarming.
I don't mind long days of hard work when I get do much joy out of what I do. I must have spent one of the happiest and most fulfilling week of my life, working on, editing composing, mixing and finalising the score for the black and white and silent reworking of The Third Wife, now entitled Between Shadow and Soul - which was the film first title before Ash changed it to 'The Third Wife'.
