The New Pornographers.
Since its launch in 2010, the Festival Music House concert series has become a key part of the TIFF party circuit. Its goal is to bring together the festival's international guest list for an intimate showcase of top Canadian musicians. This year's event (Sept. 7-8) includes jazz trio BadBadNotGood, native rappers A Tribe Called Red and indie-rockers the New Pornographers. What makes this a must-RSVP event? The Globe talked to two people who will be attending in very different capacities.
THE AUDIENCE
Niv Fichman, co-founder of Rhombus Media
Niv Fichman might very well run one of the world's most musical film production companies. Toronto-based Rhombus Media is responsible for features such as Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, The Red Violin, which won a 2000 Oscar for best original score, and the Broken Social Scene-centric This Movie Is Broken. He's a regular attendee at Festival Music House, and even had a small role in helping event producer Jeffrey Remedios of Arts & Crafts spark its early popularity.
Why do you think the event is so popular with industry festival-goers?
From my perspective, the film industry and the music industry in Canada are quite parallel, but [the music industry is] way more successful than we are. So we always look up to them: They've dominated the world and we haven't yet. They're the ones that pop culture knows. Celine Dion and Justin Bieber, you know? And not necessarily Atom Egoyan. It's just not the same kind of recognition. All our international film guests, they all know Toronto is a film festival and they know Canadian music, so it's a way to introduce them to newer bands and to entertain them.
So it's like a welcome party for out of towners?
For instance, a French sales agent from Paris that I work with who comes to TIFF, he's become fanatical about Festival Music House. He loves going to hear the music, even if he doesn't know who is playing.
What initially drew you to it?
Jeff called me about it because he wanted us to help him in the first years, when it still wasn't an official event, to basically send invites to all our guests who come to TIFF. It was 200 people, and a lot came. He described it to me, all these elements: the music, the food, the drinks, the free admission, none of the lines … What was the catch? I just couldn't understand. It was too good to be true, but he did it.
In the past, you've focused on films about or featuring classical music. How did you end up working more recently with bands like Blue Rodeo on Gunless and Broken Social Scene?
I'm by no means a classical guy when it comes to scores. Some films you still need a more orchestral feel, but if anything we tend to err on the non-classical side. There's a stigma attached to it sometimes, actually. These days, we're more interested in working with bands. It really can make or break a film, there's no question about that. Music sets all the mood, all the tone. It guides people's emotions – music is actually crucial to cinema.
Who are you looking forward to hearing this year?
To be honest, I haven't looked at the list yet! When you're in my position, before TIFF, I honestly don't think about what film or music is going to come. Festival Music House lets me relax. For me it's like a zen, quiet place. It's not one of those insane TIFF parties that are crowded and you can't get in. It's really a crowd-pleasing event.
THE ARTIST
Carl Newman, of the New Pornographers
Carl Newman is no stranger to the worlds of film and television. As bandleader of The New Pornographers and as a solo artist, his music has appeared in shows like The Good Wife and How I Met Your Mother. More recently, Newman composed the soundtrack for Michael Dowse's rom-com The F Word, covered Bill Fay for AMC's The Walking Dead and just released a new album, Brill Bruisers. Fun fact: The New Pornographers are named after a 1966 film by Japanese director Shohei Imamura. Newman spoke to The Globe from New York.
How does this type of industry event feel compared with other things you're doing to promote your new album?
Hopefully it's a good audience, in which case it'll be a good show. But playing those things are good. If I meet someone who's a music supervisor and they want to work with me, that's cool – I love doing sound tracks; it's just like doing another gig.
Do you know how the New Pornographers got invited to play?
No! It just happens. For years I was the one who fielded those calls, but you know how it is when you have a manager now.
How did you end up collaborating with Mike Dowse on The F Word soundtrack?
We used to be roommates and friends from way back when. His first movie FUBAR was essentially edited at our apartment. Then years later he called me up and asked me to do this, which I thought was amazing. Then I thought, I guess this is how it works isn't it: Sometimes you'll get calls out of the blue from strangers, but usually it helps to know somebody.
How was your experience working on the film?
It was great to work with a movie as you see it take shape. It was a great thing to also do while we were making the New Pornos record, because it forces you to be creative. It's like someone puts a theme in front of you and says, "I want a piece of music that fits underneath this theme for a minute and 10 seconds," and it changes the way you think about music.
How often do you think about the business side of things like licensing?
Well it works out very well when people license your music. They pay you money and you don't have to do anything. But it's really not for me to say. I never know what people are going to glom on to. It's a weird business, you can't really chase it.
Have you ever said no to anyone who wanted to use one of your songs?
Actually, the most interesting one [was one that] went away, which I'm glad happened. Remember when Mel Gibson was at his most unpopular? I got a phone call that they wanted to use one of our songs, Crash Year, in the trailer for The Beaver. That was the first time I thought: I don't think we can do this.
But I don't know what I would do if someone said, "Hey, here's $100,000, just let Walmart use your song in a 30-second commercial." I would be torn because that's a life-changing amount of money, but I also hate Walmart.
How did you end up covering Bill Fay's Be Not So Fearful for an episode of The Walking Dead?
They just approached me. I think I had a few dealings with the music supervisor before, because when you've been licensed a few times, you start seeing some common names. I think it helps to have done a few of those things to have your foot in the door.
Did you choose the song?
It's such a beautiful song, all I had to do was sit there and play this song because it's such a beautiful song.
The producers knew exactly what they wanted and they wanted someone to sing it, so I'm honoured they asked me. I always think of myself as a songwriter/arranger, and so I was taken aback that they aback that they wanted me for nothing else but my voice. I understand why they would get Cat Power or Neko Case to do that, they would transform the song. But I guess there was something in my broken little voice that made sense in the post-apocalyptic zombie world.
What advice would you give a younger band out there about the business side of making music?
Read the contract. So much of the creative side of it, you just fall ass-backward into it. The only thing you can be really careful about is the business. Make sure someone reads the contract and you're not getting screwed. Try to own your music as much as possible. Maybe try to take less money up front but retain the rights to your music. I can't tell people how to run their lives, I can only tell people what I want to do.
Do you consider yourself a film buff?
I'm not a film historian by any means. I have a bunch of Criterion film box sets; some of them I haven't watched yet. Actually that reminds me, is it called The Battle of Algiers? You know the one I'm talking about? I'm not a film buff – I'm trying to tell you about one of my favourite films and I can barely tell you what it's called.
The New Pornographers play Festival Music House at Adelaide Hall on Sept. 8 at 11 p.m. See festivalmusichouse.com for more information.These interviews have been edited and condensed.