Mario Cordina on Writing: From Theory to Practice : Music For Film (Part 2)

(Part 2) Music For Film
An essay compiled by Mario Cordina

(Other Pages)

Introduction

Part 3 : The Role Of Music in Film 1-10

Part 4: The Role of Music in Film 11- 34

Part 5 : Final Reflections

From Theory to Practice

How Music can Change a Film

Although all studies must be based on theory, on fact and references the simplest way to understand and even decide for yourself about the importance of the role of music in films is to try it out in practice. As most music is made for the film at a post production phase the composer or music director build their musical choices around what they see on the screen. However, as in music videos, some film material builds itself, is inspired by or regulated by music that is born before film.

However we will concentrate on music being made for film in the post production phase. Below are some explicit ways demonstrating how music affects the moving images. This is what happens when different music is applied to a scene.

Let us look at the real music score lurking around a real film. In the following video, Richard Dreyfuss hosts John Williams to conduct a scene from Jaws 1. One can see what the scene looked like before the music was added and the end result.

How music plays with our brains.

Film directors make use of Film Scores, music that is specifically written for a film or a Soundtrack which is a compilation of music that the Film director chooses to use in a film.
Music is usually added at a post production stage, so it is good to see how the film looks before the music has been added to see how music enhances or even changes the scene.
The first films were 'silent' but musicians were employed to accompany the moving picture at movie theatres.
Soon these musicians were given music score sheets so that they could play what the director of the film thought was appropriate.
Psychology of Film Music at this point was pretty straight forward. Low diminished minor chords for eerie and unnerving scenes, uplifting anthems for heros, fast tempo for chase scenes and slow and somber music for sad scenes.
Films today can make use of whole orchestras or electronic music but in principle little has changed.
Sounds today have been scientifically proven to affect us biologically and emotionally.
Aaron Copland's 5 ways a score serves the screen.

Five ways in which music serves the screen (concept described by Aaron Copland) :
1. Creating a more convincing atmosphere of time and place.
2. Underlining psychological refinements
3. Serving as a kind of neutral background filler.
4. Building a sense of continuity.
5. Underpinning the theatrical build-up of a scene, and rounding it off with a sense of finality.

Video Games

Video Games use music and its role is similar to that employed by film or animation together with speech and sound effects. Jahmel Coleman, Jack Shillberg and Games Industry BIZ agree on 8 essential ways to use sound in video games.

1. Contextual/narrative sound

2 Focus Attention

3 Define Space

4. Create Atmosphere and Mood.

5. Emphasise / Intensify Action

6. Promote Immersion

7. Setting the Pace

8. Smooth Transitions

“The images tell the story, but the music tells you how to feel,” video game composer Grant Kirkhope

Characteristics of Music in Film

When watch a film, all sounds are heard including music. Some of them are onscreen, meaning that one can see what is producing the sound or music whilst others are offscreen. These sounds fall into the following categories:

DIAGETIC – We consciously hear what the characters hear.
NON DIAGETIC – We consciously hear what the characters cannot hear.
INTERNAL DIAGETIC – We consciously hear things that aren’t necessarily within the scene
I will add here UNCONSCIOUS INTERNAL DIAGETIC – We hear things that we do not consciously realize that we are experiencing. Our personal reaction based on personal experience, memory and emotion.

What is Actual and Captured Source?

Actual Source: When the music source is shown in the actual film, an orchestra, musician performing or a radio etc.
Captured Source: Where sound or music gives film objects a different sound from their actual sound and therefore gives a new and different life to animate and inanimate objects.
In ‘The Deep’ by PES lifeless inanimate objects come to life illustrating the use of captured sound juxtaposed against actual sound

Further interesting Videos :
Here are other interesting ways of looking at music in film before moving on to the more theoretical section. (The Roles of Music in Film : Music in Film Part 3)

Scene A