Why John Williams Prefers Not To Read Scripts

There's a great interview with John Williams from all the way back in 1978. He was already insanely successful, having done Fiddler on the Roof, Jaws, and Star Wars, but who knew how many more decades of amazing music he would continue to compose!The whole interview is long but worth reading, but what stood out to me was his comments about reading scripts before seeing a film.

Will you work from a script initially, or do you prefer some kind of visual stimulus?My own preference is not to read scripts. It's like when you read a novel; you envisage the locales, you cast the players in your mind. That's the reason, I think, why people are so often disappointed by film versions of novels they have read -- they don't conform to their preconceptions. So I'd rather not read a script, and I tell producer that. I'd rather go into a projection room and react to the people and places and events -- and particularly the rhythm -- of the film itself.

I have often struggled with this issue because although it is fun to get involved in a film early, there is very little a script can tell you about the music. So much of the music is based on how the film feels, not just what the story is about. The timing of the performances and editing, the hues of the color scheme, and so many other visual factors have such a demanding effect on scoring that reading the script for me is merely a way to become a part of the conversation when a cut of the film may not yet be available.And now with the authority of JW I feel like I am justified in not always being so eager to read scripts!