Film Music

COMPOSERS:

•John Williams: E.T; Star Wars; Harry Potter; Indiana Jones

•Hans Zimmer: Gladiator; Batman Begins; The Dark Knight; Inception

•James Horner: Titanic; Avatar

To understand how film music is created, you can watch the link below. Alternatively, have a look on the extra sections on any DVD's you own, as there are often short clips from behind the scenes, including how the music was composed and recorded for that film.


 

USE OF TECHNOLOGY:

Technology can be used in a variety of ways within a soundtrack, for example:

  • Most soundtracks are now created using a computer, involving sequencing and editing
  • Synthesisers
  • Synthesised sounds
  • Sound effects (however, sound effects like swords clashing or rain are not really relevant to this area of study, it is the music you should focus on)
  • Sampled sounds
  • Reverb


Remember that many soundtracks are completely acoustic.


THE CREATION OF A SOUNDTRACK:

The filming is done first and then the film is edited. The music is often the last part of the film to be completed.

  • The composer will discuss ideas with the director and/or producer
  • The composer might start composing ideas for specific characters and/or places
  • Characters or places will often have a specific theme of motif which will be played every time the audience sees them or has to think about them. This is called a leitmotif. This leitmotif might be changes or developed as the film progresses depending on the type of scene that the character is involved in.
  • Once exact lengths for the scenes are known, the composer can compose the music to the correct length and be able to emphasise important features onscreen.
  • The music will often be performed by a live orchestra
  • This would be alongside a "click track" so that the exact tempo can match the action.

TIPS FOR THE EXAM:

It is impossible to be specific as to what style of music or what musical features would be used by a composer to portray a scene.

However, in general terms, here are some musical features that you might expect to hear in the following scenes:

  • A battle scene would generally be loud and fast and it might predominantly use brass and percussion instruments.
  • A countryside scene with a gentle stream might be mainly strings with high woodwind. It might be quite soft and slow to moderate tempo.
  • A magical and mysterious scene might have a shimmering accompaniment from tremolo strings. The tempo might be free and the melody slow and delicate.

TIPS FOR THE EXAM:

Listen to as much film music as you can and practise writing about the different elements in the piece.

Sometimes you may be required to link the musical features you hear in the extract with what might be happening on the screen. On other occasions this will not be required. The questions will make the expectations very clear.

If it is an essay question, always make sure you do a MADTSHIRT plan on the blank page provided, starting with Instruments first, and then working your way through the other elements.

Your quality of written communication is taken in to account with an essay question. Make sure you write in full sentences, discussing one element at a time. Writing a shopping list for your essay answer means you can't access the top marks.

Find a piece of film music you like and create your own essay questions:

       •Choose an extract from a film soundtrack and decide on the overall mood (tense, exciting, sad or triumphant etc.).

       •Your sample question will then look like this:

    " Describe how your soundtrack conveys the story and characters on screen"

•You can construct an answer based on the MADTSHIRT plans you have been using before.