Following the release of The Courier in Cinemas and Digital HD on 20th December, I got a chance to ask the multifaceted James Edward Barker a few questions about his role as a co-writer, composing the soundtrack and producing the film.
Q. What can we expect from the action thriller The Courier?
The Courier is an intense, high octane, thrill ride. Its about a fight for survival and making the right choices when in the face of danger. Its a gender switch of your typical action films of old where’d you have a male lead taking charge and protecting a damsel in distress; so here you have The Courier, played by Olga Kurylenko, shielding The Witness, played by Amit Shah. Its emotional, its comical at times, but really its about what would you do if you were caught up in a life-threatening situation. This isn’t Shakespeare, its not meant to be, this is meant to be fun and 95 minutes of escapism for the audience.
Q. This is your first film credit as a writer, which you co-wrote with director Zackary Adler, Andy Conway and Nicky Tate. How did you become involved in the writing of the script and what was the process for you all working together?
So Zack and I optioned the script from Nicky and Andy last summer (2018) as we thought it was really original and a contained piece of writing, and something we could pull off as our next movie. I think you’re always trying to do better than your last film, and we wanted to try to step it up, and be really ambitious with the money we had. This is by no means a John Wick (2014) level of budget, and we effectively had a shoestring to make a commercial action film. So we embraced the script and immersed ourselves in the characters.
We switched the male to a female lead straight off the bat, and then we decided to enrichen the character of Mannings, played by Gary Oldman. We based him on characters from our own lives, Zack was once caught up in a very different world from mine, where he was exposed to various Mafioso type figures, and someone very close to him was even arrested at a funeral by the FBI. So we incorporated a lot of that into Mannings’ character. One of these figures also sported an eye patch, something Gary was very enthusiastic to wear! And then Zack and I sat down and wrote Mannings’ lines… and I was very keen to have him as an unhinged character, so you never see him coming, he’s playing with everyone in his life, appearing subdued and unengaged, but then suddenly exploding with an internal rage. He was a fun character to write.
Q. What were some of your inspirations when writing the script?
We really wrote Mannings for Gary. There was no other choice. So for the action we researched Leon (1994), The Fifth Element (1997), Zack drew some inspiration from Uma Thurman’s character in Kill Bill (2003). Die Hard (1988) was a huge inspiration. But there’s actually a lot of underlying emotion in the story too. The Courier herself has had a rough ride to get to where she is, existing off grid, away from the world, and The Witness as well. He’s caught up in a whirlwind of chaos, completely out of his depth, and if the two characters met in a bar, they wouldn’t become friends, but in the face of adversity, they form a bond whereby ultimately they’re willing to sacrifice their lives to save each other… and become stronger as a team. They are dependent on each other to get out of their alive. I guess you could compare the dynamic to that or Murtaugh and Riggs from Lethal Weapon (1987).
Q. What were some of the influences for the overall look and style of the film
Quite a range of influences really and from a whole gamut of movies.. but mainly those with an edge and very distinctive styles. Films like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009), La Femme Nikita (1990), John Wick, The Raid (2012). We knew from very early on what Gary was going to look like, and our vision was very much aligned with Tina Kalivas, our fantastic Costume Designer; and she meticulously set about designing something very original for Olga’s character, The Courier. We knew she needed to be in some sort of protective gear… so, leather… but we wanted to set her apart from other ‘motorcycle chicks’ and we spent a lot of time working with her on how that character should look. In particular, the helmet, which early on, we thought we found ‘the one’… but then realised that it made Olga’s head look too ‘top heavy’, so we road tested a few helmets and eventually she found the one that we used in the film. When Olga tried that one on, we were all like ‘yes’!… thats the one!
We had a great Production Design team led by Anna Mould… I think one of the trickiest part for the whole film was finding a distinctive design for the car park levels, something that could set each floor apart. I mean, this is where the film takes place, and it is OK to say on paper, ‘she drives to level 1’, or 2, or 3, but on camera, its a different thing entirely… and you need to make each floor identifiable to the audience so they know where they are; Anna and her team spent the time designing and colour coding the ceiling of the three floors, and she added such a sophisticated dynamism… which beforehand had looked so dull and grey. I still think one of my favourite moments on the film is when our colourist Andy (Lee) first graded those shots of the car park.. and at that point I was like ‘wow’… she knocked it out of the park.
Q. The film brings together an impressive cast in the film including Olga Kurylenko and Gary Oldman. When writing the film did you have any specific actors or actresses in mind who you wanted play the characters?
Well, as I mentioned we always wanted Gary to play Mannings, but Olga was the very first choice we went to for The Courier. I’d worked with Olga before on a film I Produced called Mara (2018), and we became good friends after that, so when Zack and I first sat down to discuss The Courier, she was the first person I suggested.
With regards to Nick, Zack and I had both worked on a film called Final Score (2018), and we loved Amit’s performance in that. I think Amit has this great and endearing skill of mixing touches of slight comic relief in dangerous situations – and that’s not to say he is intentionally comedic, but it’s his natural way of assessing situations and reacting to them. It comes across very real, and with this role, which I think is a lot more emotionally charged than that of say his role in Final Score, it’s as if it’s his defence mechanism, a way of coping with a situation that he can’t handle, and I think it plays that he is completely out-of-his-depth. With William (Moseley) , we were very lucky to have him play Bryant. We needed a younger Mannings, an apprentice fighting for recognition, but a completely unhinged, unbalanced being, which is in turn, is his own Achilles’ Heel. It’s a complete departure for Will, it’s a world away from his most famous role in Narnia, and we enjoyed seeing him really take the role by the horns and he pushed it to the limits.
Alicia (Agneson) and Craig (Conway) were also our first choices for their roles and then Dermot (Mulroney) came about through a connection of Zacks. Again, he was the first person we went to for the role, but we really didn’t believe he was going to say yes… but when he did, that was the icing on the cake.
Q. Where there any changes made from the original script during filming?
The script was constantly changing, and that was really because of either budgetary restraints or from daily problems that you encounter on any film set. There are certain things you just can’t control, whether that’s the weather, or last minute location availability etc. When you’re working to the pace that we were working to, there were a number of daily problems, and we had to roll with the punches and come up with viable and interesting solutions. So yes, there were a number of changes, but the integral core of the story and the arc of the story stayed the same.
Q. In addition to writing the script you also composed the score for the film with Tim Despic, who you have worked with previously on several projects including Final Score and Rise of the Footsoldier 3: The Pat Tate Story (2017). What is the process of you working together and do you each bring something different to process?
I’ve known Tim for 30 years now, and funnily enough the process does change from film to film… but I guess our initial process is, we write separately to begin with, and then we both throw loads of ideas at each other, and then we have to compromise and work with whatever idea (for a particular scene or cue) that we both agree is stronger. There’s a lack of ego in the room, we can both take constructive criticism and edit each other’s work. Tim has an incredible stamina and an endless pit of ideas, I always seem to have to go to hell and back before my best work evolves… After so many years, I still go through this process where I panic about being able to do it and the hardest part is just sitting down and starting to write. It’s funny though, I don’t seem to get that with script writing.
Q. Did your involvement in writing the script change your approach to how you composed the score for the film?
My involvement with the script and the edit did yes. Usually, as a Composer, you might have seen a rough cut, but you would have had no involvement up until that point. With this film, I’d lived and breathed and created it from the ground up. I knew it inside out, every scene, emotional arc, story beat we needed to hit etc etc, so it was almost like a huge weight had been lifted because I knew what was needed. I’d sat in the same room and by Zack’s side for 9 months before I started the score, so Zack and I embodied the same views and if I ever found myself in a state of conflict (which was probably 2 or three times), he was on speed dial! The fact I knew him, and the film, so well, was easily the best part of scoring this film, because it made every decision so natural.
Q. The score incorporates a unique mixture of a classical, electronic and industrial sound. What were some of your influences when creating the films score and how do you decide what style of music you want to incorporate in each scene?
So editor Nick (McCahearty) and I had worked together on a film years ago on a horror film called PSYCH:9 (2010) and he amazed me because he was the first and only editor I have ever met who doesn’t have the need to edit to any score whatsoever. He has an innate rhythm built in, its quite something… and so I had the freedom to sit there during the edit with a whole load of music I’d put together. I’d either play them out loud to the room during breaks, or if I wasn’t ready to put something forward, I’d sit there with my headphones on and just play snippets of tracks while I watched Nick cut scenes… until I found the direction I thought everyone was going to like. It was a team effort. I think Zack really enjoyed that part of it too… which is why he seemed to have so much confidence in me when it came to the actual composing.
We built up a playlist which had everything from The Newton Brothers Haunting of Hill House (2018) to Daredevil (2015-2018) by John Paesano, or American Gods (2017- ) by Brian Reitzell, Glass (2019) by West Dylan Thordson, Assassination Nation (2018) by Ian Hultquist, Dunkirk (2017) by Hans Zimmer, Tron: Legacy (2010) by Daft Punk, Sigur Ros’ ROUTE ONE (2016) album, Cliff Martinez’ score for Den of Thieves (2018), The 2nd Law by Muse, Ruelle, Pedro Bromfman Narcos (2015-2017), Nathan Johnson, and for the darker moodier elements, Wolf Creek (2005) by Francois Tetaz.
Q. As lead producer you have remained involved throughout the making of The Courier. Did you experience many issues which you had to overcome?
Yes! Mainly budgetary and timing. I think every department was under staffed and under paid, but it was like look, this is what we have, can we make it work, and I have to say every department pulled together to find creative solutions. The funniest part for me after I had tried so hard to instil this sense of pride in everyone and “do it for the greater good of the movie”, (which everyone absorbed and came back stronger), but then when it came to the music, and we had a measly music budget… I was like ‘Fuck… I can’t do it for this’.. and then I remembered the message I had been pushing the whole time, so Tim and I dug deep, and within a ridiculous timescale and budget, I know pulled off something I am exceptionally proud of.
Q. What have been some of your favourite moments during the production of The Courier
Pre Production I cant even remember, its such a blur!… and the shoot was just insane… but I was in awe of Zack. Amongst all the chaos I tried to shield him from, he knew when things were battering me down… and he’d take me to one side and say “how can I help?”… and I remember thinking, “hang on, this should be the complete role reversal to this!”. He’s like a swan. But my favourite time was probably the edit… the three months were like “OK, this is what we have, what can we do”. In the beginning of my music career, I started out in bands… and so that time in the edit felt like a 5 piece band. But with no egos… just hard work, compromise… and trying to make the best film possible.
Q. Without hopefully giving away any spoilers, what is your favourite scene?
I’m very biased. I think the chair sequence at the end. I just love what we did with the score. The makeup is incredible, Niamh (Morrison) (Hair & Makeup) and her team were amazing. And Olga brought it. William brought it. You think its the end and then its not. I just love the simplicity of it all, and with Michels (Abramowicz) cinematography and Zack’s direction… I just wouldn’t change a thing about it.
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?
Yes. Zack and I are working on another script, which we hope to shoot April / May 2020. Another female driven action film.. but that’s all I can say right now.
Q. If someone was looking to get into film as a composer what advice would you give them?
Get out there. Don’t sit in your bedroom all the time writing demos. You need to be in front of people, forging relationships… and if you’re good enough on the music side, your practise will be in the making. In terms of your time, split it 60% composing vs 40% networking. Its hard, its not what you want to be doing… but the relationships you form will be the entire basis of your career.
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
