The Double Talk: John Debney and Michael Brandt Discuss Composing and Directing at Film Screening in Washington, D.C.

On September 21, ASCAP hosted a special advance screening of the political thriller, The Double, at the E Street Cinema in Washington, D.C. Invitees included Members of Congress and Congressional staffers, administration officials and members of the Washington-area artistic community. The event was highlighted by an interview with the film's composer, John Debney. As an added treat, the film's co-writer and director, Michael Brandt, joined the discussion and offered a behind-the-scenes account of filming the movie, as well as insights into the creative process behind writing the script.

Debney and Brandt were interviewed by ASCAP's Executive Vice President of Membership, Randy Grimmett, and the trio discussed various topics, including the challenges of writing for film, the relationship between the film composer and director, the changing dynamics of producing and composing for movies, and managing and acquiring new projects. Audience members were shown a segment of the film devoid of music followed by the exact segment repeated incorporating the film's score. The session was extremely informative and inspired numerous audience questions, providing a nice lead into the film, which kept viewers on the edge of their seats.

(l-r): ASCAP's Randy Grimmett, composer John Debney, ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams, ASCAP's Nancy Knutsen and director Michael Brandt.