tanya lapointe and denis villeneuve meet jason pelsey
I had just come back from Fort Worth, Texas. We were on a commercial job, and we stayed in the hotel where John F. Kennedy had stayed on the night before his assassination. That was quite the experience, staying in the room next to the Presidential Suite. His framed photos lined the hallway, and there was a heaviness every time I walked past the room.
Before the flight back to Los Angeles, Wolfgang and I grabbed some coffees from a nearby store, and they happened to have a small bookshelf full of quality books which I was perusing while Wolfgang’s flat white was being poured. The barista said, “Take one for your trip if you’d like,” so I did.
When I landed back in Los Angeles, I was tired from my travels, but I knew I could rally. By seven, I was posted up by the piano with my book that was gifted to me. Jason Pelsey settled in and began to play, and I could feel the tension dissipate. Friends began to trickle in and take their seats around the piano. They would share how their week had gone, and Jason would nod and commiserate while never skipping a beat. He’s one of those incredible talents who can perform while holding a full-blown conversation.
Filmmaker Nino Gordeli took a seat next to me and we discussed what feels like a cinema revival developing in the Westwood area. There is an excitement there, an indie resurgence in the making. Los Angeles needs it desperately. All of my film work has been in other states for the last year and a half. I was caught up in one of the songs that Jason was playing, and Nino tapped me on the arm. “Look who just walked in,” she said. I looked over to where she was indicating and Tanya and Denis Villeneuve had just joined a waiting party no more than twenty feet away.
For the record, I do not get star struck, but there are certain people for whom I have immense respect. Certainly, Denis and Tanya Villeneuve are on that list. Many of their films are modern day classics. Prisoners, Sicario, and Polytechnique were all massively influential films for me. I suspect they were in town to attend the grand opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.
After a few hours had passed, and the night was winding down, I could see them saying their goodbyes to their party. I looked down at the book I was holding in my hand. It was Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov. This book had appeared multiple times in Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049. It is quoted in the “baseline” scene. What are the chances that I would pick this book on that day?
I turned to Tanya as she was walking out. “Would it be okay to introduce you to the piano player?” I asked. Jason, after all, is a remarkable film composer. She was very enthusiastic and I walked her over and introduced them. I mentioned to Denis, “I attended your Q&A with Joe Walker, and I loved your gallows humor.” Immediately, I saw his demeanor relax, as if a pleasant memory flashed in his mind. “Yes, we are the best of friends who torture each other,” he said with a big grin on his face. “I wanted to introduce her to Jason, because he is a once in a lifetime talent.” Without any hesitation, Denis replied, “When we walked in, we could immediately tell that the music was of exceptionally high quality.” That response was more valuable than any Oscar or Grammy. To be acknowledged by one of the true greats was a massive victory. We wished them safe travels and they disappeared into the night. I returned to my seat at the piano, and to my book that I had brought from Fort Worth.