“You should write down what you would like your future to look like, because otherwise you will be on autopilot.” – Rolfe Kent
In Episode 3 of Deviate, Rolf discusses music and the creative process with accomplished Hollywood film composer Rolfe Kent (@rolfekent), whose recent project, The Zen Effect, is available on iTunes.
To download a free track from The Zen Effect, visit Rolfe’s website.
Links:
Tools:
- FS Binaural Microphone
- The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, by Steven Pressfield
- The Artist’s Way Morning Pages Journal, by Julia Cameron
- Ketogenic diet
- Oblique Strategies, created by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt
- Pomodoro Technique (time management)
- Melodica (instrument)
- Mixtapes as a Lost Language: A Brief Cultural Primer
Rolfe’s film and TV scores discussed in the interview:
- Dexter theme (television series)
- Sideways (film)
- Up in the Air (film)
- The Hunting Party (film)
- Mexico City (film)
- Reign Over Me (film)
- Mean Girls (film)
- Wedding Crashers (film)
- Legally Blonde (film)
Notable film music discussed:
- James Bond theme (by Monty Norman)
- Star Wars theme (by John Williams)
- Mission Impossible theme (by Lalo Schifrin)
- Blade Runner theme (by Vangelis)
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly main theme (by Ennio Morricone)
- Lawrence of Arabia main theme (by Maurice Jarre)
- Paris, Texas theme (by Ry Cooder)
- Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ remix (which uses music from The Social Network)
Notable people mentioned:
- Alexander Payne (director)
- Richard Shepard (director)
- Jason Reitman (director)
- Brian Eno (music producer)
- Mike Binder (director)
- Thomas Newman (composer)
- Rick Rubin (music producer)
- The tune “Hippie Christmas” from Rolfe’s song-shop, as heard in the episode, was written by Craig Richey
Show Notes:
- Purpose of a movie score (11:45)
- Career path and early influences (23:22)
- Rolfe’s muscial style (27:18)
- Collaborating with filmmakers (37:30)
- Letting go of completed work (43:40)
- Accidental versus intentional creativity (47:50)
- On different instruments offering different opportunities to convey a message (50:32)
- On inspiration (52:30)
- Organization and focus techniques (54:20)
- Creative process (59:25)
- Mid-career creativity and “success management” (1:12:10)
- Restrictions as a catalyst for creativity (122:19)
- Immersive music theater (1:24:30)
- Scoring one’s own life (129:40)
- Musical structure and its function in everyday life (1:30:55)
Free download from Rolfe’s Kent’s Zen Effect.
This episode was sponsored by the Paris Writing Workshop, an intensive one-month course in the artistic heart of Europe.
The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.
Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.
