Features / Series: Beyond Casual Observation

A wide-ranging guest column written by BJ from Ancient Shores, mainly covering film but extending into philosophy and aesthetics too. Check out BJ's work on the A389 podcast.

Browse all 15 features in this category

The creative process in the aural sphere

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • October 28, 2019

In this installment of Beyond Casual Observation the moving picture becomes a partner with technological advancements and forges an enduring storytelling medium. Filmmaking is a conversation. A conversation between the viewer and the filmmaker. A conversation between characters. Among the elements that a filmmaker uses to communicate information with the viewer might be detail in the physical set, control of the physical space, or sound within or outside of the frame. The convergence of many storytelling elements delivered via film or tv hopefully creates a deep singular experience. Beyond Casual Observation isolates sound, looks at work for its sound elements (scores, songs lists, sound design), and talks to professionals about their creative process in the aural sphere. Artists and innovators have been pushing the possibilities of image and sound since the very emergence of those mediums. Early efforts to stimulate the senses through the arts have been preserved and function as a referential and retrospective function for creativity and innovation. The communication between artists and audiences, and the concurrent need for tools to improve and expand that communication, has helped the arts move forward and endeared us to the past. Just this week I was listening to the Soundworks Podcast (a recommended podcast for both film lovers and creatives) and in an episode featuring Pete Horner the topic of Francis Coppola’s influences for Apocalypse Now is discussed. A clip from an interview with Coppola is played within the episode and mentions the musician Isao Tomita, whom he originally wanted to … Read more

John Morgan Askew on production, engineering and composing

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • January 27, 2019

In the previous installment of Beyond Casual Observation, we visited with three films to briefly illustrate the pleasant entanglement of music and storytelling in cinema. By looking at three different … Read more

Soundtrack in film

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • September 30, 2018

Thanks to insight from professionals in the field, and the freedom to explore the use of sound in film, Beyond Casual Observation has featured a broad look at the functions … Read more

Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum

Music / Beyond Casual Observation • November 6, 2017

Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum is a Grammy Award-winning and Juilliard-trained composer. She was born in New York City. She grew up listening to classical music “by the pound,” as well as enjoying … Read more

Jeffrey Roy on ADR mixing and Andrei Tarkovsky’s "Stalker"

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • August 6, 2017

Jeffrey Roy is busy. Check the link for his credits and you will see a vast list of projects. In this edition of “Beyond Casual Observation,” as with other entries, … Read more

Features / Series: Beyond Casual Observation: browse all

Browse all 15 features in this category

Our series

We post a variety of features in recurring series – click below to browse them.

  • Against Orthodoxy

    A regular series by Robert F.

  • Beyond Casual Observation

    A wide-ranging guest column written by BJ from Ancient Shores, mainly covering film but extending into philosophy and aesthetics too. Check out BJ's work on the A389 podcast.

  • Don't Quit Your Day Job

    How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music.

  • era vulgaris

    Guest column by T of Vegas

  • Feast with the Famine

    A cookery column by Nick, vocalist with metal band The Famine. Veggie/vegan friendly!

  • Fest 11

    A roundup of coverage of the annual punk rock festival held in Gainesville, Florida

  • Fest 12

    Our annual roundup from Gainesville, FL's famous Fest.

  • Fest 13

    SPB's coverage of the annual festival in Gainesville, Florida.

  • Fest 16

    Our coverage of the annual Fest extravaganza.

  • Fest 19

    Our coverage of the 19th edition of the Fest – an independent multi-day, multiple-venue music festival held annually in Gainesville, Florida.

  • Fest 20

    All our coverage from the long-running music festival

  • Fest 21

    Articles about the Fest 21

  • Fest 22

    Our coverage of the 22nd edition of the FEST.

  • History 101

    We dive into the back catalog of a record label and ask them to nominate their most memorable releases from their label's history–with a few suggestions of our own.

  • Jukebox Jury

    An interview format where we ask a band to rate and review a bunch of music

  • On The Air

    A radio DJ profile series created by Christopher D & Matt Hutchison.

  • Only Death Is Real

    There’s so much music released, whether physically or digitally, that keeping up with what’s going on becomes almost like a full time job. With Only Death Is Real, the aim is to bring you something new.

  • Remember that one time...?

    A life lived and lessons learned by Eddie Spaghetti of Supersuckers.

  • Running on Nothing

    Welcome to Running on Nothing, the latest addition to our stable of columns at Scene Point Blank. Running on Nothing offers a look at the world through the eyes of Kole, bassist of The Lippies, guitarist of The Bloody Lips, and gigposter artist.

  • Scatenato Ma Non Troppo

    We survey some of the other music releases out there.  Results may vary...may get weird, but hopefully something covered here piques your interest.

  • Scene Point Local

    A semi-regular column where we choose a specific area and give a local scene report.

  • Table Talk

    Discussing the state of the music business at the kitchen table

  • The Greatest Story Ever Told

    A brief but englightening chat with an artist who reveals an interesting or unexpected story from their career

  • The Set List

    A collection of items grouped by topic, eg. "Top 5 Worst Beatles Songs" or "Top 10 best '77 punk releases".

  • What's That Noise?

    One-question interviews with artists where we find out about the gear and equipment they use to achieve their sound.

  • Year End 2012

    A collection of coverage rounding up the year 2012, covering our favorite albums, shows, bands, and more, as well as asking record labels and bands about their past twelve months in music

  • Year End 2013

    It's the end of 2013, so here's our best-of roundup for the last twelve months.

  • Year End 2014

    Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2014.

  • Year End 2015

    Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2015.

  • Year End 2016

    Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2016.

  • Year End 2017

    Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2017.  

  • Year End 2018

    Our summary of the best music (and more) of 2018.

  • Year End 2019

    Our wrap-up of the best music and more from 2019

  • Year End 2020

    Our wrap-up of the best music and more for the year we'll all want to otherwise forget, 2020.

  • Year End 2021

    Our roundup of the best music from the worst year (since the previous one, anyway).

  • Year End 2022

    Our favorite music and more from the year 2022

  • Year End 2023

    Our roundup of the best music of the year 2023

  • Year End 2024

    Our roundup of the best music—and more—of 2024.

More recent features — Series: Beyond Casual Observation

Ashley Lynch on film editing

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • July 11, 2016

For this edition of Beyond Casual Observation, Ashley Lynch, owner of Burnaby, BC-based Gingerbreadgirl Post—a versatile post-production studio that specializes in genre film-editing, colour grading and theatrical trailer campaigns—stepped away from a busy schedule to answer a few questions for us. As I've focused on film music, sound effects, foley, and everything else audible in film (this is a music … Read more

BJ (Ancient Shores) on Claudio Marino

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • February 21, 2016

For this installment of "Beyond Casual Observation" Claudio Marino of Artax Film and Swedish band Tid took some time to speak about the processes of picking crew, the goals for a score and his own creative discovery. In his answers he references each piece of his Blood and Spirit trilogy which separately explore the paths of a tattoo artist, an … Read more

BJ (Ancient Shores) on audio production / Shallow Grave (1994)

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • September 6, 2015

Jason Alberts is an audio engineer with an extensive career in post-production, along with location sound. His recent work includes mixing on Paralytic, Dead Body, and Soaked in Bleach (film review here). Jason is an engineer at Sumosound in Seattle, WA and was generous in answering a few questions for us before he embarks on his next production. BJ Rochinich: … Read more

BJ (Ancient Shores) on sound

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • July 5, 2015

As young as 14, Jeff King was drumming in bands and in years after would continue writing music and touring. He was the final drummer in Arkansas’ Handshake Murders before taking on a path to sound design and mixing films. Where he was once arranging music as a part of the song-writing process, he is now arranging sounds to create … Read more

BJ (Ancient Shores) on Nightbreed

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • April 17, 2015

The story of Nightbreed’s production goes back to the pre-internet days reading fangoria magazine and conversations among those who were into horror movies and fiction. Clive Barker’s journey with this film started in the late ‘80s and continued into the early 2000s. The story of this film is as relevant as the film itself. We have Clive Barker fresh off … Read more

BJ (Ancient Shores) on Heat

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • June 25, 2014

Considering the phrase “making movie history,” one could allude to films with big budgets, big actors, new innovations, or otherwise. For the 1995 film, Heat, Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino went head-to-head in a big way. The significance in casting DeNiro and Pacino opposite each other is seen on-screen in rich, powerhouse performances. DeNiro plays Neil McCauley, a career criminal; … Read more

BJ (Ancient Shores) on The Long Good Friday

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • February 17, 2014

For those who have seen The Take (a four-part British mini-series starring Tom Hardy) or for those who appreciate the differences between British and American gangster films, you may want to take a look at The Long Good Friday. Finished in 1979 and released in 1980, The Long Good Friday is a bleak crime drama starring Bob Hoskins. Set around … Read more

BJ (Ancient Shores) on The Conversation

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • February 17, 2013

The Conversation is a film that uses sound to drive the story. Walter Murch handled mixing duties and Art Rochester worked as the sound engineer. Each were early in their careers, having about 10 years of film experience between them. Their work complemented the score composed by David Shire and helps the audience connect with the characters. The audio works … Read more

BJ (Ancient Shores) on Narc

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • June 22, 2012

"There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” - Aldous Huxley The definition of a sequel or prequel is basically concrete. At times, sequels or prequels would be better off as an individual, unique piece free of association to another property. Films sometimes struggle when writers have to force elements of … Read more

BJ (Ancient Shores) on Down by Law

Regular Columns / Beyond Casual Observation • April 10, 2012

BJ Rochinich plays guitar for the Morgantown, WV band Ancient Shores, who released the Step to the Edge 7" last year on A389 Recordings. Rochinich (pictured below right) lends his voice to Scene Point Blank for a new column that explores perceptions of film and art. His turn-ons include Kafka, Calvin and Hobbes, NPR, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Frisky Dingo, and … Read more