Will they cash in on treasure...
or cash out on trash?
Easter signals spring, and I look forward to the season because it means that it’s time to decorate the house with the Easter items that we have collected over the years. In our home, the kids and I display everything from glitter chicks and bunnies to framed art. The girls love anything glitter, so we have a lot of that!
Daniel Stein has composed scores for movies, television shows, and commercials. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Daniel worked with the WGBH Boston production team to create the right music for MARKET WARRIORS. In this interview, he explains his process of composing for the series.
What was you inspiration for the music behind MARKET WARRIORS?
Producers John Kalish and Marsha Bemko had a not-so-uncommon request that we create a memorable theme. The task was made a little more challenging, as the theme for ANTIQUES ROADSHOW has become almost as iconic as the show itself. Since MARKET WARRIORS is a 'cousin' to ROADSHOW, I had a lot to live up to! I wanted to stay organic, modern, yet timeless. I also wanted to keep in mind that the show is a competition between the pickers, so energy and excitement also needed to be a part of the musical identity of the show. For the pickers, I relied on their personalities, styles, and attitudes to create music that would become recognizable themes for each individual.
Can you talk us through your process as it relates to the series?
My composing process always begins with a collaborative meeting with the producers and/or director. It is very important for me to hear the producer's vision for the production and how the music will function within the show. I like to have a consistent music palate and instrumentation to help give a show an identity. In the case of MARKET WARRIORS, the theme music came first, then the individual themes for the pickers. Again, it was very important to have good communication with the series producer to hone the direction that we wanted each theme to portray. Once a musical direction is decided, I get to work composing and producing libraries of theme music for each character. Sometimes I will compose to a visual or to an actual scene, and other times I will create music cues prior to seeing a visual for the editors to place into the scenes they are cutting.
Since we certainly enjoy shopping here at MARKET WARRIORS, we wanted to let our fans know that MASTERPIECE is taking viewers to the world of 1900s department stores with Mr. Selfridge. Jeremy Piven (Entourage) stars as Harry Gordon Selfridge, the man who taught 1900s Londoners how to shop. Tune in for its premiere on Sunday, March 31 at 9pm on PBS. Watch a behind-the-scenes video of Mr. Selfridge.
As a designer, I purchase antiques and vintage items for my clients, so I almost always have a person or space in mind when I’m shopping. That said, I also often buy things that appeal to me and find homes for them as projects come my way.
For me, flea markets offer up an endless supply of one-of-a-kind objects that can easily add character and charm to any room. While I do this professionally, anyone can go to a flea market and find items that make can make a house feel like a home. Rugs, vases, lamps and myriad of decorative objects can be found for a fraction of the price of their new counterparts.
Aside from perks like being quite inexpensive, and environmentally friendly (it doesn’t get more “green” than buying what already exists!), flea market treasures have lots of personality. Adding such personality to a space can help to prevent it from looking like a hotel room or a setting in a big box store.
A few well-chosen pieces can add depth and interest to any kind of space. In this room, I wanted to convey a warm, international feel, so I chose items hailing from all over the globe.
