August Rush
by Rebecca Hay
 Whenever guitar is featured in a movie, there are talented guitarists on the set making it all run smoothly. For the upcoming family film, August Rush, TrueFire and Premier Clinic instructor Jeff McErlain worked behind and in front of the cameras to ensure six-stringed brilliance. The movie revolves around a guitar-prodigy orphan’s (Freddie Highmore, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) search for his birth parents with the help of a “mysterious stranger” named Wizard (Robin Williams). We got together with Jeff to chat about his roles as Freddie’s guitar teacher, Robin’s body and hand double, and musical consultant.
This is a pretty cool gig – how did you find out about it?
I was referred by my friend Matt Smith, who got the call initially but sent them my way, as he had a conflicting tour scheduled. In a way, it took me years to get the gig, if you know what I mean. I’ve built a strong resume over the years teaching and performing in New York City, but part of being a working musician is selling yourself. I was confident I could do the gig and put them at ease that I was the right choice – plus, the production manager and I hit it off right away.
What is it like as a musician on a movie set?
I have to say I really enjoyed the experience. There is an energy on the set that was very cool – everybody sharing a common goal. I was treated very well; I had my own (part of a) trailer and handlers escorted me to the set. I can see how stars can become removed from reality.
The teaching part of the gig was easy. Consulting and doubling was completely different –12 to 14 hour days mostly spent waiting to do my job. I’m definitely not complaining, but it was pretty exhausting. It’s fascinating to see what goes into one scene. It would literally take a whole day for a ten minute scene. The most difficult day for me was a night shoot, which I didn’t realize means sundown to sunrise. I was being filmed as Robin Williams’ character in a distance shot, standing in Washington Square Park from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. wearing a light jacket and playing guitar with numb fingers, while the crew wore parkas and gloves. It was brutal! I couldn’t feel my fingers, but at least I wasn’t really playing the guitar track – they would overdub that later.
What were your responsibilities as music consultant?
When I first met with the director, Kirsten Sheridan, she stressed how much she wanted it to look like Freddie was really playing the guitar in all the scenes. I was on set to make sure that all things guitar went well, and that things looked real and relaxed.
On occasion, Kristen would ask my advice or have me work with Freddie. One moment I was particularly proud of was a long shoot where everybody wanted to go home. Freddie was getting very frustrated because it wasn’t coming together guitar-wise, so I sat down with him and told him to relax and he would nail the part – we had worked on it for months. They took one more pass and it was the one. Afterwards, Robin Williams pulled me aside to tell me how impressed he was. It was very humbling and I’ll never forget it.
What kinds of things did you end up teaching Freddie?
There were no basics, chord names or note names. The music Freddie had to learn was in the style of Michael Hedges and everything was in an open tuning – very difficult by any standards. I learned the material, tabbed it out for Freddie and showed him how to play it. Though he didn’t play the actual parts for the movie, he could play some of them for real.
What exactly does being a hand double for Robin Williams entail – just how much fake hair did they have to apply to your hands?
It’s funny you ask that! I made the same joke to him. Fortunately he has a good sense of humor.
See Jeff’s hands at work in August Rush opening November 21. For more information visit augustrushmovie.com.
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Comments, Rants and Raves
colin on 11/25/2007 4:50:00 PM
does anyone know which open tuning the songs were played in?
CJ on 2/2/2008 2:23:00 PM
Ya, I'd really like to know too colin.
Jake on 3/1/2008 7:27:00 AM
any1 know what type of guitar roxanne was?? lol please tell :P thanks.
SMT on 3/13/2008 1:07:00 PM
Gibson J200 (like $4000 dollars), One of the main songs is by Michael Hedges called Ritual Dance. You can find all his tunings on stropes.com
Zaahir on 3/22/2008 11:16:00 PM
i would assume its DADGAD?
jazzbird on 4/5/2008 4:10:00 PM
I think it was DADF#AD, DMajor
dskyleonbass on 4/13/2008 12:10:00 AM
only some of us were listening,i'd guess!
dskyleonbass on 4/13/2008 12:16:00 AM
it only takes a minute, if you really feel it. i detuned&my 12 yo played it instantly.
Folken on 4/13/2008 8:44:00 PM
DADEAF works most perfectly :D
redking13_ca@yahoo.com on 4/13/2008 9:06:00 PM
I heard it was some LGBTC chick named Kaki King...
In which i was horrified and sad i watched the movie...
But i'm glad to hear it was this guy, not that crazy "gay rights" chick
Folken on 4/13/2008 9:10:00 PM
There's nothing wrong with gay rights... after all, gays are people too...
as far as my previous tuning... that only works for the song called Barli Improv (The one where it's August's first time playing Roxanne.) The other song, Ritual dance by Hedges Michael, is tuned as DADGCC.
sam on 4/13/2008 9:11:00 PM
we all gotta try to make some guitar tabs for the soundtrack lol
good luck! :D
Folken on 4/13/2008 10:13:00 PM
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dch9z4j5_14hcsxt8cv
redking13_ca@yahoo.com on 4/14/2008 3:29:00 PM
I agree that gay people should have more rights than straight people...
lol
"legalize gay marriage"
When was it ever illegal? It's religious, we shouldn't have to get marriage licenses anyways, it's all just a distraction, gay rights activists are just being distracted, veered away from the real problem.
Folken on 4/14/2008 11:18:00 PM
The real problem is people bringing things other than the topic of conversation to the discussion. Especially things that have no place here.
With that, does anyone have any comments on the tabs for Barli Improv that I made?
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