Modern Robot

Edinburgh Fringe Interview 2015

Hey Ben how's it going, you all set for the festival?

I wish! It's been a busy month and I'm a natural procrastinator. But it's coming together.

Any nerves settling in?

It gets better as I get the practical things in place. Like renting gear and finding a place to stay.

Has anyone given you any valuable advice before the festival?

No, do you have any?

How did Modern Robot come about?

Modern Robot started as an instrumental duo; a drummer and me (on keyboards). We worked at the same company. And when we performed our music, we used movies as a backdrop of sorts. But very soon, I started watching the movies and I became interested in making the movie a central player in the show. Over the course of a few years, Modern Robot went from playing improvisational music to playing composed soundtracks, and making the instrumentation of each show match what was being presented on screen.

When did you start putting the new show together?

I started working on Faust in the spring of 2014.

What was it about Faust that made you want to write a score for it?

It had interesting and dramatic cinematography. It also had people dressed in funny costumes. I look for those two things in a silent film, because even if the plot isn’t strong, those things will still keep an audience entertained. The particular scene that won me over was Mephisto and Faust flying over some exquisitely made models.

When did you first see the film?

I hadn’t seen the film before working on it as a Modern Robot show. After checking it out last year, I decided to go ahead and make a show out of it.

Tell me a little bit about At The Crossroads, what can we expect?

You can expect a wide variety of music and sound: quiet parts and loud parts, tender melodies and brooding textures. Like a film score, I’ve written themes that weave around the characters and give the music a sense of continuity.

This digital transfer of Faust is fantastic, so you’ll see a clarity and level of detail we don’t normally associate with silent film now.

Most of all, you can expect to watch a movie. I am trying to make music that truly accompanies the film, and I am thrilled when people come up afterward, apologizing that they didn’t pay more attention to the music, having gotten wrapped up in the film.

What has been the biggest challenges you've faced with this show?

The challenge is really in getting the word out. Booking, publicity, and promotion is exhausting stuff!

5 words to describe your new show?

Fantasy Anachronism Urgency Spontaneity Terror

Who has been your biggest inspiration?

I love writing and performing music, but the big payoff is having an audience there for the ride. That’s really my inspiration for the next show.

On a more musical level, I was watching the Godfather movies while working on this show and I think you can hear the influence of Nino Rota’s score.

And finally, what do you hope people will take away from your show?

This version of Faust ends up with charged emotions but also some ambiguous messages, so the takeaway can be quite a personal thing. I am hoping that people enjoy the experience, and above that, I’m just curious to hear back from people, especially the Fringe audience.