INDEX
Rediscovering Filmmaking: A Sense of Achievement for Ishibashi
-Hamaguchi’s reversal of the process was quite striking. Ishibashi, did you feel a significant sense of achievement when you composed the score for ‘Evil Does Not Exist’?
Ishibashi: Yes, I felt that this project had settled down once and for all [laughs]. In the process of making the silent ‘GIFT,’ Director Hamaguchi told me that he wanted to make a sound version of ‘Evil Does Not Exist,’ and I was very happy when I found out that we were actually able to make it. It was really unexpected, and I was surprised that such a thing could happen, and that it was a miracle of production.
-It is something that rarely happens, isn’t it?
Ishibashi: It would not have been possible without the trust of all the performers and staff. It would never happen in a big project that requires the approval of people in various positions to start a project with little idea of what is to be made in the first place, and then to end up making not only a silent version but also a sound version. So I was happy and said, “It’s like a miracle, it’s kind of a reward,” and I worked on the music for ‘Evil Does Not Exist.’ I was so satisfied with that, I immersed myself in that work to the point that the live performance of ‘GIFT’ once became unimportant [laughs].
-On top of that, the still exciting ‘GIFT’ is also underway in Japan and abroad.
Ishibashi: The music used in ‘Evil Does Not Exist’ will be combined with newly recorded and improvised performances, changing each time. The material we prepare in advance is also changed in various ways, including new recordings for each performance.
The video footage of ‘GIFT’ is strangely connected in chronological order, and I think it is mainly due to the work of Azusa Yamazaki, who edited the video, but no matter how many times I watch it, I cannot remember what cut comes after what cut [laughs]. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, the way you see the live performance changes dramatically depending on the venue, so perhaps I myself enjoy the live performance the most.
-Do you think there is a big difference between your usual musical activities and this series of experiences?
Ishibashi: Discovering that the improvisational sessions we’ve had as a band could translate to the visual team was truly exhilarating. It felt akin to navigating through darkness together, unsure of what we were crafting, but pushing forward with a sense of uncertainty, coupled with reassurances like “Are we okay?” and “It’ll work out, won’t it?” [laughs]. It brought back memories of my past aspirations to make films as a student, yet ultimately abandoning them.
–What do you mean by that?
Ishibashi: I gave it up because it costs a lot of money and you have to deal with a lot of people to make a film [laughs]. I was happy to find that I could co-create with people in the field of “film,” which is basically characterized by its large scale, in a small-scale relationship like that of a band.
Of course, it was not possible with just anyone, but with Mr. Hamaguchi, who works harder than anyone else behind the scenes and is able to create an enjoyable environment with a charming personality that attracts people. It is also a long-awaited project, as if more than two years have passed since the first email. It is a miracle to be able to share such a production process with so many people, which is moving forward with no answers.
‘Evil Does Not Exist’
April 26 (Fri.) at Bunkamura Le Cinema, Shibuya Miyashita, K2, and other theaters nationwide
Director/Screenplay: Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Music: Eiko Ishibashi
Production: NEOPA / fictive
Producer: Satoshi Takata
Planning: Eiko Ishibashi, Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Executive Producer: Masaru Harada, Katsumi Tokuyama
Cast:
Hitoshi Omika
Ryo Nishikawa
Ryuji Kosaka
Ayaka Shibutani
Hazuki Kikuchi
Hiroyuki Miura
Yuto Torii
Takako Yamamura
Takuma Nagao
Yoshinori Miyata
Taijiro Tamura
Distributor: Incline
Distribution cooperation: Copiapoa Film
Publicity: uhuru films
2023 / 106 min / Japan / Color / 1.66:1 / 5.1ch
© 2023 NEOPA / Fictive
