On October 14th, our board members got to join Isabella “The Machine” Summers to talk about the new film HITPIG!, which is out November 1st. Summers is best known for her work in Florence and The Machine, of which she is a founding member, as well as her impressive catalog of produced hits for artists like Beyonce and Judith Hill. WGTB General Manager, Mai Wheeler, and Events Director, Clare Didden, were lucky enough to ask Summers about her experience scoring HITPIG! and building an incredible career in the entertainment industry.
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MW: By now, you’re no stranger to scoring. You’ve scored for some absolutely incredible stuff, some of my favorite stuff personally, but this is the first children’s film that you’ve worked on … I just was wondering how your experience differed from past projects. And, if you found yourself feeling more free by working on something that was aimed towards youth, or if you felt like you were tempering yourself.
IS: That’s so interesting, I haven’t, I never thought that that was my first kids project, but I guess it is. I did this cartoon called Strange Planet that was like, I guess kind of adult animation and that technically did come after this, but this is now coming out later. So, like, it is a little bit of a jumble, what is what. But, I mean yeah, it just was such a joy to work on HITPIG!, like making orchestral music in my pajamas to like pigs in space was just so fun. Yeah. And what’s the second part of the question, how did it compare?
MW: Yeah, just like was it a freeing experience? Was it a limiting experience? How did it feel?
IS: The fun thing about being a composer is that you are kind of set with a task, and then you’re given a kind of, you’re given the confines of a deadline. So like, you know, from being hired or, like, having the initial conversation to it coming out happens like [that]. Especially with this project, it came in quick and then, like, had to get done, and there were so many turnarounds. You’re looking at a sketch that moves, which I’d never seen before, and, like, that turning into like actual animated creatures by the end of it, you know. And, your music is getting better and better and then being rewarded. It’s so fun.
MW: That sounds like an amazing experience!
IS: Best ever. It was quite fun.
MW: I know from stalking your Instagram, and just like reading a lot of your interviews, that visual art is something that is really important to you.
IS: Yeah!
MW: Like, you’ve been able to integrate it into your performance in really cool ways, especially with your performance at Gagosian.
IS: Aye!
MW: Yeah! So I was wondering what the process is like for you to take visual inspiration and turn it into an auditory experience.
IS: Well, as you can see, I’m an avid collector of stuff! Haha, and I have been my entire life. I find it interesting, or I find intriguing everything. Like, it can be like a pebble on the beach or some words that someone has written in a book or like a painting or a film. And, like, to me all things combined make up the story for… the thing that comes out of you. I don’t know how to explain it. Yeah. I think I’m interested in, like, hoovering up everything. I love it when people explain art to me. I find it really helpful when I’m listening to music and looking at a picture, and looking at paintings, to think about how paintings would sound– it all feeds into the same thing.
MW: Yeah, that’s incredible! Inspiration is everywhere for those with eyes to see it.
IS: Exactly! That was much better said!
MW: Haha, my last question for you, though I think we may have some more, is just– do you have any advice for somebody who is in our position, fresh out of college, looking to get into any creative field, but especially when it comes to music and film?
IS: I think you just got to like, yeah, do it every day. That’s the best thing I can think of. Like, the only way that you can truly be an artist is if you dedicate your life to it. So doing something every day towards that goal, I think, whatever it may be.
CD: My question kind of piggybacks off of Mai’s. As we know, the film and tv scoring, and even music production, industry is very male dominated.
IS: Yes.
CD: And, as someone who wants to go into the music industry, I was wondering if you have any advice for women on how to get your voice out there.
IS: Yeah, that’s a good question. I think, like, the same kind of answer applies. Like I never really– I think like deep, deep down wanted to be like the girl producer. And, I followed people that I thought were cool, and they happened to be all men. But, then I really wanted to learn from the ground up, so I had piano lessons. But, then I was really interested in pop music and hip hop. So, I bought this thing called an MPC, and I came very much from a dance music hip hop background, as well as loving orchestral scores and whatever. And, I think, like, figuring out whatever it is that the people do– I guess like, finding someone who you can want to follow the creative path of and study how they did it. And, if you can figure out how you can do it, it’ll be different coming from you, anyway. If that makes sense.
CD: Yeah, thank you! I think you could be a person for us to follow, that’s great.
IS: Yay, awesome!
CD: My final question is what artists are you listening to right now? Is there anyone who is really firing you up currently?
IS: Oh my god, I literally just listened to Sabrina Carpenter’s entire record this morning! She’s so good! We love Chappell Roan. I mean, I’m a huge early Madonna fan, so if I need her then she’ll be there for me. Like, she is my go to, the go back to on Monday morning. Strong females, basically.
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HITPIG! is coming to theaters on November 1st, 2024. AMC Georgetown hasn’t announced their showings yet, but tickets are already on sale for AMC Hoffman and Rivertowne here. Look out for the HITPIG! soundtrack on streaming and tune in at 3pm next Friday, November 1st, to hear us celebrate the release.
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