NPR: Behind the Scenes of the Film Industry

Behind the Scenes of the Film Industry

Yesterday we had on three black filmmakers who are making power moves in Hollywood: Rob Hardy, founder of Rainforest Films, a film production and distribution company based in Atlanta; D'Angela Proctor Steed, co-founder of Momentum Entertainment, a distributor that also owns Strange Fruit Films; and Jeff Clanagan, CEO of Code Black Entertainment.

Today we bring you two of the jazz greats ... both men who have reshaped the movie score. New Orleans' Terrence Blanchard has used everything from jazz horns to bagpipes to Arabic percussion in painting landscapes for a series of Spike Lee movies. And Stanley Clarke has worked with director John Singleton, among others.

Blanchard says that Spike Lee uses music as "another character" in his films. In other words, the sounds are not just window dressing; they are integral to the storytelling.

If you have a favorite score (music composed directly for the film) or soundtrack (songs included IN a film), holla!

Farai Chideya

Tags: film | music

3:47 PM ET | 02-14-2008 | permalink

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