Functions of Film Music Source Music Score upon which an entire film is based Main title and...
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Transcript of Functions of Film Music Source Music Score upon which an entire film is based Main title and...
Functions of Film Music Source Music Score upon which an entire film is based Main title and character music To provide a touch of realism Underscore “Mickey-mousing” Commentary To involve the viewer on a deeper level Commercial functions
Source Music--diegetic Music whose source is logically
located within the story space. Source music is generally inserted into a scene, making the characters and the scene aware of it.
Example from Sense and Sensibility; score by Patrick Doyle
Score As the Basis for a Film
Most complex and rare use of film music in which the narrative is completed through the use of music
Example: Close Encounters of the
Third Kind—John Williams The five-note motif is an
essential narrative feature without which the film cannot stand.
Main Title & Character Music
Music during the opening credits that represents the essence of a film and its characters.
Example: Vertigo—Bernard Herrmann.
To Provide a Touch of Realism Music can be used to identify
ethnicity, location, and period Examples
Braveheart—James Horner The Age of Innocence—Elmer Bernstein
Non-diegetic Underscore Parallels the action of the film as a
frame-by-frame musical match with the visuals;
Gives the viewer only what is already known by the visuals;
Some film scores are entirely underscore, like The Rock.
“Mickey-mouse” style The meticulous, cue-by-cue scoring
of a film, ala cartoons Some feature film scores are
approached in this manner as well, such as Jerry Goldsmith’s score to Planet of the Apes.
These scores require quick and fluctuating music gestures.
Leitmotif The association of a character with a
specific melody or motif. Variations of the melody can be
used to show different facets of the character’s development
Example: Star Wars—John Williams
The score as commentary Overture
Acts as both an introduction to and summary of the film
Example: Much Ado About Nothing—Patrick Doyle To describe a location
Enables a place/location to become subjectivized Example: Legends of the Fall—James Horner
To show character development Luke Skywalker’s development
To Add Emotional Depth Music can intensify and relax the
pace of a film; Music can add emotional depth to
characters, places, and ideas; The cultural codes that musics carry
can add layers of subtextual meaning
Extra-musical Functions Commercial functions
Concert suites Soundtracks Songs that enhance a film’s visibility
• “The impact of the success of [Dimitri] Tiomkin’s song to High Noon on a financially strapped film industry was immediate. Producers saw in the success of Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling, a means of making additional money from their films.” (Roy Prendergast)
Summary—Film music functions To intensify or relax pace To reflect emotion To create “unspoken” thoughts To parallel or underscore the action To create atmosphere of time and
place To create comedy
To provide unity or coherence Source music To play against the action To speed up or slow down scenes To provide a neutral background
Operational aspects of the Film Music Industry Producer Director Film editor
Assembly cut Rough cut Outs and trims Fine or locked cut Answer print
The music Temp track Spotting the film People
Composer Orchestrator Copyist Librarian Contractor Studio Musicians Music supervisor Agents Publicists
Developing the Concept for the score Consider the film’s historical period Location and ethnic background of
the movie Major characters of the film Overall dramatic theme
Synchronization methods
Punch and streamer Newman system Stopwatch method Click track method SMPTE Wild recording Tracking