Noticias Smallville

At July’s Comic-Con, Smallville star Tom Welling made his first appearance at the gargantuan sci-fi and pop-culture extravaganza, sending a packed room of 2,000-plus fans into a frenzy. (An action-packed sizzle reel that included shots of Clark in a new all-black uniform that includes the Superman shield also go the crowd buzzing.) During the audience Q&A portion, a soft-spoken young woman stepped up to the microphone and requested Welling’s answer be “kinda long, so you can keep looking at me.” Luckily for that fan, and the loyal base who still watch the series, there will be at least one more season of face time for Welling. Already TV’s most prolific Superman, the 32-year-old actor agreed last winter to sign on for this year’s ninth season (and a potential 10th) after addressing his main concern (one shared by many fans): How, after eight years, do you keep telling stories about Clark Kent before he dons the red-and-blue tights of the Man of Steel? “At a certain point, we all know where it’s going to go,” Welling told TV Guide Magazine, moments after the Comic-Con panel, in a makeshift green room at the San Diego Convention Center. “And even last year, the question about halfway through the year was, ‘What is stopping him from putting on the cape?’…Once that took its form, then the decision wasn’t so difficult.” Here Welling shares his feelings on coming back, his role as a producer this season, and putting on the Superman shield for the first time.

You’ve added producing duties this year. How does that change your role on the show?
When I started Smallville obviously I hadn’t done much acting. My goal was to learn everything I could. And along that road I just needed to learn everything about everything and then use that to make the show better.… There’s no bitterness or dark side when I say this, but I think I’ve been contributing as a producer for more than a few years. [Welling has directed several episodes of the series.] The title is the title, nothing changes for us in production. I don’t know if much has changed as what I bring to the table, but I do know that now I have [more] access… I’ve always tried to be open and collaborative and make the show better. I guess in the end one thing that has really changed is that there’s a lot more paperwork that comes to me! Now I literally have a stack of memos like this at the end of every day.

How did you come to the decision to sign on for Season 9, and potentially Season 10?
Well when they brought it up, the first thing I said was, ‘What’s the story gonna be?’ And no one was really sure [at that point], and that’s why it took a little while to figure out, because I really didn’t want to engage in anything until I knew what I was gonna get myself into. So that took a lot of discussion and meetings between myself and [Warner Bros. Television president] Peter Roth and [executive producers] Kelly [Souders] and Brian [Peterson] about what next season was going to be. Once that took its form then the decision wasn’t so difficult. We have a great group, and I love everybody that’s a part of it. Their ideas made sense to me. What I don’t want to do, and what nobody ever wants for the show they’re on, is for it to dwindle out and lose its credibility. And I think this season, if anything, we’ve re-energized it.

Talk about that. I gather Clark will be in a pretty dark place. What is his journey for Season 9?
Well, in the past Clark has always been the reluctant hero. Everyone is telling him what he has to do and he doesn’t want to do it. With the events of Jimmy’s death [in May’s season finale], along with the eight seasons building up, he realizes that his view on humanity has been wrong. And he goes to Jor-El and says, ‘I messed up, what do I do now?’ Jor-El takes him in, and Clark starts his training. His training ultimately is what will prepare him to be who we all know he’s going to be in the future. So it’s him spending time at the Fortress of Solitude downloading all this information. At the same time, information is given to him that the fate of the world depends on Lois Lane’s survival. So Clark has to struggle between his destiny and his humanity. Especially in the first few episodes it gets in the way of the training, because he just can’t help but deal with humans and help people, when all Jor-El wants him to do is shut everyone off, forget about them, rise above them and be the hero he needs to be.

So he’s lost faith in humanity?
He’s lost faith in his role with humanity. I think he’s lost faith in himself and what he thought he was supposed to do.

You mean he feels like there’s only so much he can do?
Right. Not only is there only so much he can do, but what he’s been doing was wrong, and he needs to go and change directions. There’s a lot of isolation. But then of course, there’s the struggle and the drama pulling him back into these relationships.

What’s his relationship going to be with Chloe as she takes on the role of Watchtower?
That’s an interesting one, because even on set, scene by scene, we’re not sure what it is. Allison [Mack] is a tremendous actor. On set, in a very collaborative and positive way, there’s this sense of distance between Chloe and Clark. They’re both changed people. They’re not the Chloe and Clark who used to run around the Torch [in the first few seasons of the show]. They’ve both grown up and they both have better ideas about what they want to do with their lives. And they’re trying to figure out what their relationship is. But right now it’s rough seas.

Clark’s big enemy this season will be Zod, but he's not the Zod we met a few years ago. Who is he when we first see him this season?
He’s trying to figure out why he’s here and who these people are with him. He’s not the only Kryptonian on Earth. There’s a whole gamut of them who will be making appearances throughout the season. It could be that he’ll find himself fighting some of them. I think this season will be about Zod searching for his destiny and why he’s here. I don’t think he’s necessarily evil off the top, I just think he’s got his own agenda, which he’s trying to figure out. And I don’t think he likes being on Earth too much.

I understand there’s going to be a love triangle between Clark, Lois an the Red Blue Blur.
There was a [production] meeting last year that I walked in on and the conversation was about how much Clark was in love with Lois. I sat there and I said, ‘Wait a minute, Clark’s in love with Lois? When did this happen?’ I said Clark doesn’t know he has feelings for her. If he does and people see it, that’s one thing, but he doesn’t know.’ … So last year Clark wasn’t necessarily aware of these feelings. There was something, there was a reason why he found himself next to Lois. And this year, that’s what’s beginning to change, he’s starting to realize he has feelings for her. But at the same time, to protect her life he feels as though he has hide the fact that he’s the Blur, and that it’s safer for her not to know that he’s the Blur.

Sounds like he’s going to be torturing himself.
Again, another year of torture for Clark.

In the clip reel we just saw Clark is wearing a dark outfit with the Superman symbol on his chest. What’s that all about?
That is the symbol of the House of El. I’ve gotten away for many years with the blue t-shirt and the red jacket. Very easy wardrobe for me, very simple, straightforward, very comfortable. This new wardrobe, the leather jacket is a little warmer, you have to learn how to not step on your jacket when you’re in a fight sequence. You learn that pretty quick—it doesn’t take many times before you figure that out! Anyway, he’s trying to establish a call sign for himself. Even though Clark isn’t putting his own face out there it’s his way of taking accountability for what he’s doing.

Will that symbol become known as the symbol of the Red Blue Blur?
Yeah. This year’s he’ll be known as the Blur. And there’s a circumstance in the second episode where he’s almost caught by Lois. And through some very interesting lighting we see the symbol, but we don’t see Clark’s face. And it’s a perfect moment for him to step forward and say, “Lois, it’s me,” but he doesn’t. Poor Lois. Because that’s all she really wants to know.

What was it like putting that costume on and having that S on your chest?

The thing is, it’s a show going into Season 9. We’ve covered a lot of ground. When we first started talking about [this season] my first thought was apprehension. At the beginning the show was ‘Before Superman,’ Clark Kent’s origins, and how he got to that point [of becoming Superman]. Now you can definitely see that it’s a new era for the show. People say, ‘Season 9? It’s been so long.’ It has, but at the same time every year is the only year, every year is a new show. Especially this year. We look at posters up in the office of Season 1, 2 and 3 and we were kids, literally. Looking back it’s like a whole other world. But that’s the way it’s always been on our show. And standing on set wearing a black shirt, with silver S, black leather coat, black jeans, black boots, and thinking about last year, it’s night and day.

[size=150]Louis Febre Exclusive Interview[/size]
By Dan Pulliam • September 9, 2009

Louis FebreLouis Febre is one of the truly unsung heroes of Smallville, ironically one of my favorite shows about heroes. Whether you know his name or not, chances are that you’re familiar with Louis’s work if you’re reading this column. Since the beginning of Season 6, Febre has been the sole score composer on Smallville, infusing the show with his own unique melodic flavor. Bringing a unique understanding and orchestral interpretation to the onscreen characters that goes back, surprisingly, to the very inception of the series, Febre continues to make the series something we find dramatic, awe-inspiring, and even funny on a weekly basis. I recently spoke with Louis in an exclusive interview about his involvement with the series.

Hey, Louis. Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with me today.
Happy to do it. It’s a pleasure.

Going back to the beginning of the beginning if you will, how did you first find out that you would be doing score work on Smallville?
I received a phone call from Mark Snow, inviting me to work with him on the pilot for a new show called “Smallville.” Soon thereafter I got an opportunity to actually see a cut, and thought “this really is an exciting show.” It really clicked with me. To say that I was delighted to accept the invitation is a huge understatement.

Now, were you actually a Superman fan before getting into this project, or is the “Smallville-verse” your only real experience with the Superman mythology?
Only in the sense that I read a bunch of the comic books as a kid. And then there was the movie. I still remember listening to that landmark Williams score and marveling at how perfectly it complemented the character. That was before I actually became interested in writing music for picture, if you will, but even so, the score had a great impact on my view of film music in general, as did “Star Wars” and “E.T.” and on and on! But the movie itself got me excited again about Superman.

What was your relationship with Mark Snow when Smallville began? Did you two collaborate or were you two independent musical voices?
Mark and I had been friends for a while by the time Smallville came around, so our working relationship was a bit more tightly integrated than it might otherwise have been. And yet we each brought different things to the table. In general, I would concentrate on the larger, more “action” oriented cues. Having said that, our music worked together very well, which probably speaks more of our similar compositional styles than of an effort on our part to sound alike. And nothing beats working with a friend. The two of us worked together through the end of season 6, at which time I took over the show. I did a considerable amount of writing during that last season together, so by the time Season 7 arrived, I was quite comfortable taking over.

What would you say has been the biggest change for you in how you write the score for Smallville now in Season 9 compared to how you wrote it when you first started the project?
There has not been a large shift in style or substance, musically speaking. But as one might expect, there’s been growth paralleling the show’s own. As the show and characters became more rich and unique, so did the score. I think that as we progressed into the series, and I mean over the years, we found a certain need to focus on thematic development a bit more than we did early on. As Clark grew emotionally and intellectually more complex, I found a need to comment musically on his growth, and as he drew closer to his Superman persona, it became obvious that a “Superman” theme would be required.

I sometimes feel in watching the show that the score is coaxing a specific response from me as a viewer. For example, one aspect of last season that many fans didn’t enjoy was the Lana story arc. But I got the impression – from the music – that you really wanted (or at least wanted me to want) those two characters together. You made it almost gorgeously tragic. Do you ever overtly indicate your own feelings toward certain characters with the score?
Ah! That is a very interesting question. My job really is to enhance, to amplify. I react, like anyone else might, to the drama in front of me. But the curious implication that I may have specific feelings about a character, and somehow interject my own view into the mix is both fascinating and terrifying! I would not purposely do such a thing, but in the particular instance you ask about, Clark and Lana’s final struggle, I’m not sure. I openly admit it; I found their relationship beautiful and simultaneously, deeply tragic. It touched me in a very direct way. I suppose it is possible for me to have painted my emotions musically, somehow adding, instead of enhancing.

One thing I’ve been surprised to discover is just how little time there is from when you first see an episode and when the finished show hits the airwaves, and the score is really the final piece of the puzzle. Can you tell us about a typical week for Louis Febre working on the score, trying to beat the clock and how stressful that can be?
A typical week finds me at the Smallville production offices on a Monday morning, surrounded by the finest production team imaginable. It really is a privilege for me to be sitting next to my friend and long time music editor, Chris McGeary, the insanely talented Tim Scanlan, Emmy winning sound designer Michael Lawshe, the great Tom Flores, and the list goes on. We spend some time going over the week’s show, and discussing the music. I then race home to finish last week’s show! Tuesday through Sunday I spend writing, performing and recording. In general, there will be between 35 and 40 minutes of score each week, and it’s a good thing I’m used to it, because the task always seems a bit daunting towards the start of the week. By Wednesday I’m humming right along. As much work as it is, I consider myself the luckiest guy in the world. Writing the music for Smallville is really an incredible pleasure for me.

Is there ever a time that you submit a finished episode and you’re asked to change things you’ve written?
It speaks volumes of the tight integration and trust that we, as a team, have developed over the years, that there are rarely any changes to be made. When they are, they’re always well thought out requests, which is one of the advantages of working with such capable people. The changes always make sense. I’m only human, and having to turn around so much music each week means that on occasion, I’ll miss something that is important to someone on the production team. When that happens, I happily comply.

Louis Febre, what would you say have been a few of the most personally satisfying musical moments for you on the series?
This is always a difficult question for me to answer, but in general, I loved the Lexmas episode. I can’t put my finger on it, not exactly anyway, but I enjoyed writing that score a great deal. Sometimes the more delicate moments bring me great pleasure as well. For example, Lionel’s funeral at the end of “Descent” was particularly satisfying to compose, although, truth be told, it was done at something like three in the morning! I suppose those middle of the night sessions have yielded some of my personal favorites. I also enjoyed a moment in “Siren” during which we’re introduced to Dina, a.k.a. Black Canary. I wrote a theme for her that I thought worked pretty well.

On the flipside, are there any moments that, looking back, you’re particularly unhappy with or feel you could have done better somehow?
No, not really. Scoring for television is, will be, and has always been a very demanding job, due to the time restraints. I suppose there have been times when the schedule has become quite a challenge, but in the end, all the music gets written in time. Every time. All in all, the time crunch is a reality that all television composers live with.

We all know how important of an element music can be to a production. I know you’re modest to a fault, but have you ever been given an episode that you just thought was average and managed to change your own opinion by composing a particularly effective score?
Well, no. But I have enjoyed watching the transformation of an episode with a score slightly different from what I might have normally written. I suppose that long ago I learned this simple lesson; if a show, or movie, or whatever isn’t up to a certain standard of quality, no amount of fancy composing will save it. It’s like putting a ton of perfume on Bigfoot and sending him out on a date dressed as a woman. No one is going to be swayed be the lovely scent. Fortunately, Smallville is a consistently excellent show, and my job is always a joy because of it. It needs no perfume.

Up until recently, you hadn’t been terribly well-known in the Smallville fan community. That changed during Season 8. What prompted the sudden interest in twitter and reaching out to your fans? And has the overwhelmingly positive response to your work surprised you?
My discovery, yes better late than never, of Twitter is what prompted that interest. Sometimes it feels like I live in a cave, but one day I just said to myself “let’s look into this Twitter thing and see what’s what.” Lo and behold, a new universe revealed itself to me! And the positive response fills me with delight. I’m not kidding, it truly does.

For someone so integral to the artistic success of the show, though, your influence hasn’t garnered as much attention over the last several years as, say, the producers and directors. Has that allowed you a certain creative freedom – being able to compose to please yourself as opposed to doing it solely to please the fans?
Score, in general, doesn’t draw much attention to itself, unless of course, the viewer is particularly sensitive to music, or happens to be a musician. But yes, I have always felt the freedom to explore when I need or want to. The only real obstacle is my own ability! I do strive to do the very best job I’m capable of for every single episode. I sleep well at night.

I know this is something many fans have been curious about…any chance that we’ll see a CD of these themes in fully-realized, suite form? Or possibly even a compilation of score highlights from the series?
Unfortunately, I’m not yet in a position to say, with any degree of certainty, whether or not a score CD is forthcoming. Nothing would please me more than to see such a CD become available, naturally. I will say this; please rest assured that I will do all that is within my reach to make that happen.

Moving forward, what themes or motifs do you hope to be able to expand upon in the coming season? Obviously, much depends on where the writers take the characters, but are there things you personally want to see (i.e., that you want to score)?
I have a feeling that Season 9 will bring the expansion of the “Superman” theme. I’ve taken some time to develop it, and it really is exciting for me to know that I’ll have a chance to continue to expand and refine it. And the relationship between Lois and Clark may allow me the luxury of refining their theme as well. Who knows what the creative minds behind the Smallville story lines have in store for all of us for Season 9! I’m looking forward to the challenges, and to the possibility of writing a few interesting themes.

Three scenes that really stick out for me musically from last season are the scene in “Hex” when Clark forgets his superpowers on the roof of the Daily Planet, the end of that same episode when Chloe announced that “Watchtower” was online (which many people didn’t even know was your work), and that heart-wrenching ending to “Requiem”. Do you prefer scoring comedy, action, or drama, and are they very different processes?
My natural tendency is to write dramatic music, but the job of a composer is to write whatever a show requires. The range is indeed quite broad, as you know, and in truth, each and every style has a unique set of challenges and rewards. It is not unusual for me to go from a very dark and dramatic scene to a lighthearted one. And my one comment would be that the difficulty lies in shifting gears! But shift we must, and we composers do it every day.

Speaking of “Requiem”, that final piece seemed like it was almost composed as an extension of The Killers song “Goodnight, Travel Well”. Do you ever take the commercial songs (which are already mixed in when you receive an episode) into account when scoring a scene, or was that just a coincidence?
Always. I make every effort to transition into or out of any songs in a seamless manner, always matching the key and tempo, and whenever possible, the texture and feel of the song as well. If I’m coming out of a big, action cue, then the transition may not be as imperceptible as I’d like, but whenever the opportunity arises, I do my best to match all possible elements.

I know you’re not just the series composer, but also a fan of Smallville in your own right. Do you think being a fan makes scoring the show easier or harder for you?
Easier. No question about it. I do feel an extraordinary level of commitment to doing my job well, but loving Smallville makes my work so much more pleasurable. I get up in the morning actually excited about scoring one scene or another! And, like everyone else, I can hardly wait to see the following episode! Like I said before, I’m the luckiest guy in the world.

So do you watch the show when it airs?
Of course. In HD! It looks so great!

There’s been talk of a possible tenth season should Smallville survive its new Friday timeslot this year. Would you want to see that happen?
I would be ecstatic.

Someone like John Williams is a tough act to follow in the Superman music canon, but you’ve managed to give Smallville its own unique flavor and identity. I know I speak for everyone when I say that your work on our favorite show has been just phenomenal. Thank you so much for letting us in on a bit of your artistic process, it’s been really fascinating.
Thank you again for extending me the privilege of this interview. The questions are wonderful, and I’ve had a terrific time answering them. And as I sit here now, the realization that in a few days I will be spotting “Savior” is beginning to finally hit. I can hardly wait to roll up my sleeves and once again begin to work on our beloved Smallville.