Here is Marc Shaiman's now gone blog that used to be at: teamamericamovie.com/blog.htm:
"I am sitting here at a mixing session for the score to TEAM AMERICA. We have only completed 2 days of orchestral recording. I still have 4 more days of recording left, and yet I still have not finished composing the score.
And the movie opens a MONTH FROM TODAY!
Anyway...
Usually, the music that is placed on the stands is only titled "1m1" for Reel 1- Music-Cue 1, but I can never remember these titles, and when a percussionist comes up and asks "Will we be starting with 4m2?" I stare at him. Well, there is one really cute percussionist, and I stare at him regardless of the question.
But on TEAM AMERICA, I finally got them to write MY titles on the music, so, taking important lines of dialogue from the movie, I had the joy of watching these virtuosic musicians see they were playing a piece of music entitled "SURPRISE, COCK FAGS!" or "HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A MAN EAT HIS OWN HEAD?"
some bowed their heads in shame, while others played with a brand new intensity!!
On this score, I have gotten to write a much more muscular score than I am usually given the opportunity to do. And none of the usual kooky comedy flourishes. There has not been one measure of pixilated pizzicato strings or wacky woodwind passages. Oh no, it's all low brass and blaring horns here today. And banging ethnic and techno drums. And even better, NO PRODUCER or DIRECTOR!! They're too busy elsewhere!! Whheeeeeee!!!! That is why I have actually gotten as much music recorded as I have. None of those pesky opinions and new concepts. NO schmoozing and unexpected friends of friends. What a pleasure!! Just me, my team and 90 brilliant musicians. Maybe this will start a new trend (I doubt it).
So anyway, I am blabbering, but let me finish this entry to say that TEAM AMERICA is the greatest fucking movie I ever got to score. And since my job requires watching scenes a billion times over and over, I can attest to the fact that it only gets funnier upon repeated viewing. My staff and I have had the BEST month slaving away night and day on this movie! We are obsessed with it and have taken to only speaking to each other with dialogue from the film. Here's hoping for a sequel!!!!!
Talk to ya again in a few days,
Marc"