What is your goto music to listen to to wake up your muse?
I was thinking about this the other day. In college I would put on the Shawshank Redemption soundtrack. The majority of it doesn’t have any words so I could listen and think at the same time. And there’s just something about those deep tones from the…I’m assuming it’s a cello or something, that would just start things a-stirring inside. After several years of having not listened to it, I found the CD a week or two ago and have been listening to it again. I love it.
I create a playlist when I start developing the idea, that basically creates the identity of the film in my head. When I hear those songs, it puts me in that frame of mind. I write to that music, too, so it all just gels.
Examples:
Project 1 (an indie road-trip comedy): lots of indie guitar/folk music; some indie movie scores (Little Miss Sunshine, etc.)
Project 2 (a comedy of manners): mostly classical scores, but with some hint of lightness (The Shape of Water is a good example)
Project 3 (a political thriller): Trent Reznor’s music, mostly. Dark, grimy and gritty songs.