Oh, that made me cry.

Ilana | December 14, 16:25 CET

Me too! *sniff*
What an awesome guy, and an awesome fan also.
God, I love Browncoats!

nixygirl | December 14, 16:55 CET

I think I read somewhere that the reason why Greg didn't get the job of composing for Serenity was because Universal specifically instructed Joss to get someone with film (rather than "just" TV) scoring experience as part of the deal. I often wonder what difference it would've made.

If the studio wanted a more "epic" sound for the movie, surely that's well within Greg's capabilities. If not, I'm sure he would either pull out all stops to achieve that or humbly step down. After all, no one outside of the original cast, crew and production staff truly understood the material (and loved it) quite like Greg did.

I just got the original Firefly soundtrack just 3 days ago. The more I listen to it loop after loop after loop, the more I wonder (with all due respect to David Newman) what kind of score we'd have got for Serenity if Greg did it. The benchmark for that kind of score is obvious.

StaffOSimon | December 14, 17:17 CET

That's really sweet. I love Edmonson's contribution to Firefly, and it's a shame, really, that, where there have been changes, those involved with the TV show have been overshadowed by those involved with the film -- particularly with the new audience generated by the Sci-Fi repeats, and with the recent Firefly soundtrack. It's great that Nathan not only had the interaction with Edmonson himself, but had the graciousness to make everyone else aware of Edmonson's presence.

palehorse | December 14, 17:21 CET

Lovely account.

I'm sure lots, maybe even most, Whedonesquers have already read Jennifer Goltz's superb essay "Listening to Firefly" from "finding Serenity." Really deepened my appreciation of the marvelous Edmondson music, but it is highly recommended to anyone who hasn't. Money quote:

Using and combining all these signatures, Greg Edmondson brought out aspects of Firefly's story and characters that were never explicitly revealed in the other elements of the series.

Chris inVirginia | December 14, 18:46 CET

Okay, I really dug the score on Firefly, and I think this nice man deserves a "Thank you" note from Browncoats, if he was moved by just one guy telling him how he felt he was also part of the BDC (Big Damn Crew), just imagine what could move him better than sending him some kind of postcard, each of us... That sure is not that much for each of us, and that would mean something to him :)

Anyways, I tried to dig goole a bit in order to find a way to contact the BDC (Big Damn Composer), but I couldn't find anything, not even on imdb.com

Would anyone know a way to get his e-mail, or even snail-mail address ?

pir2 | December 14, 18:56 CET

thats definitely an awesome idea. If someone could get his mailing address we could all send him a post card from where we're from....town, city, state, country. Let him know how far his worked has reached with Firefly.

ChosenOne5376 | December 14, 19:26 CET

That makes me want to cry. Greg added so much to the 'verse and in my opinion he is an essential ingredient. I'd love to send him a postcard to thank him.

electricspacegirl | December 14, 19:47 CET

Well he has posted on the prospero board, so you could email him through his profile or leave him a note in the thread
Thread is here ( you have to be registered for that I think.) Or we could link him here if thats okay for the mods.

Kessie | December 14, 19:56 CET

I can tell you the story from my part, the Flanvention was not expecting this surprise. I found out when someone came to get me to say someone was wanting to meet the guest. So I went out and got him, he and his wife had stopped by on the way to dinner. It seemed he had received a call from Nathan to stop by because Nathan had wanted to meet him in person. So he did, but he felt like the event was more about the movie than the show. I had to assure him that it was actually more about the show than the movie and how big a part he was to it. As I escorted him into the autograph session, my friend who was manning the exit doors saw who I was with and her eyes grew to the size of saucers and I said do you know who this is and she was like yeah it's Greg Edmonson, he ask her how she knew him and she said from the DVD's. She is big on the music used in the shows and this gave her as big of a trill as seeing any cast member. I took him up to the end of the autograph table, where Adam was and Adam was waiting for Nathan to send more people his way when I interupted and introduced Adam to Greg. Adam who had been sitting down immediately stood up and shook his hand and like Nathan went into telling Greg how much he loved his work and how it added to the show. Greg was indeed modest and even said, "I had nothing to do with it, I saw the episodes without the music and they worked, it was the acting and dialouge, what he did was nothing". Both Adam and myself, tried to explain that he had done the one thing the actors and dialouge couldn't do which was add that special essence to the show that made people feel for them. I then ask if he would not mind signing a few autos for people, he said if they wanted to but I don't think he thought anyone would want his autograph and I basically told him I know I had been ask by a few already. So I aquired one of Adam's markers, but first I went to intro him to the rest of the cast still there but Nathan spotted him before I could say anything. This was at the tailend of the line, probably 100 or so left in the autograph room.

He also stayed and was sitting next to the stage during the final Q&A.

I think all the people getting his auto made his day because he was constantly telling me he didn't want to intrude and I kept telling him he wasn't and he was as much apart of this gathering than anyone else who was there. I told his wife the night before the cast had done commentary to "Out of Gas" and they even talked about the music then.

[ edited by RavenU on 2005-12-14 18:08 ]

RavenU | December 14, 20:06 CET

Wow, thanx for that RavenU! Made me feel like I was almost there...almost.

nixygirl | December 14, 20:22 CET

Simon, thank you for the link (I missed it at fff) and RavenU thank you so much for the additional information. I loved Edmonson's music in 'Firefly', it was beyond beautiful. I could understand Universal wanting the big full orchestra thing, with a more famous composer (probably hoping the music might get noticed in an Oscar bid, as I hope the special effects, make-up, and costumes will be). But it is great to know that Mr. Edmonson was recognized and greeted with such respect and consideration. His contribution will always be remembered as important to anyone who loves the show.

embers | December 14, 21:25 CET

I'll add to the story also, with a few more details. I contacted Greg a few weeks ago to see if he would be willing to donate or sign something for our SoCal Food Drive at the Flan. He readily agreed and graciously offered to donate 5 signed CD soundtracks.

On the Friday of the Flan, he called and asked if I would come over to get them since he was working and wouldn't have time to stop by. While I was there he talked about how much the show meant to him, what he think happened at Fox, and was generally the nicest guy you would want to meet. One thing he emphasized was how much in awe he was of the fans, and how we didn't let the show die like so many other shows. He did mention that he only heard about the Flan recently and didn't feel like he should go. He felt it was about Serenity, not Firefly. I corrected him saying how much his music means to everyone, and how it is one of the defining aspects of the show.

He asked me to call him sometime during the con and would make up his mind if he was going to show. He had never met the cast and really wanted to thank them for doing such a good job.

I was lucky enough to sit next to Nathan at the banquet, and mentioned to him Greg's reluctance to come to the show. I'm pretty sure the exact quote from Nathan was "Bullsh!t! You tell him to get his a$$ down here!" So the next morning I passed the message along to Greg with a little less cussing :)

I'm so glad he showed up. It opened his eyes to how much the fans really love him for his contribution to the show.

danregal | December 14, 21:45 CET

Isn't it amazing how easy it is to feel like an outsider even when others see you as an essential part of the whole?

newcj | December 14, 22:02 CET

Which says something about how easy it is to feel like an outsider, period. That's why it's such a moving story, I think.

Ilana | December 14, 22:09 CET

This is fantastic stuff - I'm pleased Greg got to see the response from both us fans and the cast alike.

gossi | December 14, 22:17 CET

I have to say that the tale I linked to, is one of the best things I have read in ages.

Simon | December 14, 23:28 CET

Booster has a thread with some of the best lines and moments during the event.

I just want to throw in another of my faves was the conversation with the girls about Racheal Raye from the Food Network.

RavenU | December 15, 00:00 CET

newcj, it is amazing how G.E. could feel less than essential to Firefly. A very moving story, but it also brings back the anger I've felt since I first heard Edmonson wasn't going to score Serenity. And repeated BDM viewings have intensified the feeling. Serenity's score is OK, but OK compared to how sublime I know Edmonson's treatment would have been... what a shame. The biggest flaw in the film, IMO.

Anyway, G.E. has always seemed like a very open, down to earth guy.

RBB | December 15, 02:50 CET

I think the music for Serenity was merely "meh" (serviceable, but it never really soared, with the exception of "Going for a Ride"), while the music from Firefly was superb. I find it rather sad the Greg doesn't understand his part in Firefly. It might have been a show with great writing, acting, and direction, but without Greg's music to punctuate it, it would've been the lesser. His music help set the mood, and the fusion of Western and Eastern, the emotions he put into his music, and the lightness of touch he had, gave Firefly a flavor that I felt lacked in the movie. I wish he had been able to score the movie, and I hope he comes to understand his place amongst the BDHs.

Dizzy | December 15, 03:44 CET

Personally, I prefered David Newman's scoring of Serenity to that of the Firefly score. The Firefly score is great, but I don't think it was suited to the big screen.

That said, it's difficult to understand how Greg wouldn't feel welcome at an event like that.

gossi | December 15, 03:51 CET

I want to chime in and say how incredibly much Greg's amazing contributions to the show mean to me. As a fan of the show and as someone who has from time to time written and played music, I am in awe of the emotion that comes out so clearly in his amazing work. I almost feel funny calling it work as it is so obviously a labour of pure love and devotion. It shines through in every strain of every note and he needs to realize that he is absolutely a Big Damn Hero to us fans out here in the black. Mr. Edmonson, sir, we salute you and your brilliant gifts, and we celebrate them every time we watch the episodes and every time we spin up the CD of the soundtrack (which is often). Which is pretty much the email I just sent him :) with pronouns changed.

zeitgeist | December 15, 04:01 CET

Is it me or is it just weird to click a link read the post and find a link back to the site you clicked from, to the thread about the link on the other site that your now reading.

RavenU | December 15, 04:16 CET

Infinite interwebs.

gossi | December 15, 04:17 CET

Recursion for the win! "If we had an index file we could look it up in the index file under index file..."

zeitgeist | December 15, 04:20 CET

danregal, I'm very glad to hear you also helped twist his arm to get him to the con. I interviewed him two weeks ago and also tried to impart to him very strongly that he should go (he didn't know about it at that point). I told him how much his music meant to us, and how badly people would want to meet him. You can hear my interview with him in the next two upcoming Firefly Talk podcasts, there'll be about 60 minutes of interview over the next two shows.

erico | December 15, 09:41 CET

Greg has emailed me back to let me know that anyone who wants to drop him a line can do so at: gregedmonson@earthlink.net. He also said that he was very deeply moved by his experience at the convention and that the Flans are a constant source of support and inspiration. Very cool :)

zeitgeist | December 15, 21:17 CET

erico, I think it took hearing the same thing from multiple people in a short time for him to start believing what we were saying. Can't wait to hear the interview.

danregal | December 15, 22:16 CET