Product Description
Tune: RESIGNATION
Use: Prelude, Offertory, Postlude
A couple of years ago I read an interview with director Ridley Scott about his first commercially successful film, Alien. Its a terrific science fiction/horror movie set on a large spaceship, with a predatory creature who is hunting down the human crew one by one. In the interview, Scott talked about the fact that there were scenes he wanted to film and effects he wanted to use, but his small budget prevented him from doing so. Instead, he was forced to make do with limited time and materials. Alien became a hit, and Scott went on to direct blockbusters like Gladiator and Hannibal.
What stuck with me was what Scott said about creativity. It is his opinion that the budgetary constraints under which he operated when making Alien forced him to explore ideas and methods he wouldnt have otherwise considered. Even though he would later make movies with ten times the budget, hes extremely proud of what he and his team did with far more limited resources.
When I started writing My Shepherd Will Supply My Need, I decided to give myself a big constraint: I would only be allowed to use the white keys of the piano. This is very different for me; I usually throw in some juicy harmonies. It was an interesting process, and I have to say that I agree with Ridley Scott: limits spark creativity. Im going to look for other ways to apply this principle.
I did go over budget slightly, and used one black key. Every flock has its black sheep, right?
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