RESEARCH
Film music Primary Research ~ Glossary of Terms
Music:
Leitmotif: A character, idea or place-specific motif: a not-always-obvious re-occurring theme that appears when it is in the scene, whether visible on the screen or not.
Underscore: The overall/general music in the background- general mood creating music to fit the scene.
Mimicking (also known as 'Mikey Mouse-ing'): Music that is in-sync with the actions of characters on screen and is very cartoon-like. It is used to emphasize what's going on.
Soundscape: Atmosphere created by sounds but does not include usual musical themes.
Context:
Diegetic (source sound): Music that the characters in the scene can also hear. E.g. radio in a car or someone playing an instrument.
Non-diegetic: Music that the characters in the scene are unable to hear, usually general underscoring and where most techniques are heard.
Juxtaposition/Anempathetic: Music which greatly clashes with the context and emotion of the scene usually to hint at an underlying message or a technique for foreshadowing what's to come.
Empathetic (opposite): Underscoring music which compliments nicely with the theme of the scene.
Acousmatic: A sound or music theme which you can hear but cannot see the object which is creating the noise or the character which is associated with that particular leitmotif. E.g. Phone ringing/ Jaws theme.
Visualized (opposite): A sound or theme accompanied by its source or related character that you can see.
Fx
Foley: The sounds which are created, usually in a studio, and then added into the film scenes in post.
Characterized sound: sounds that have been amplified or replaced that do not reflect correctly what would be heard if it was real life. E.g. The classic 'POOMF' sound of a punch.
Natural sound (opposite): accurate reflections of realism, minimally tampered noises.
When doing some research into all the technical film music language, I discovered something interesting which is that a composer is often given a temporary score (or temp track) which is played alongside the movie clip to give a general idea of what atmosphere and sort of sound the director is looking for. I find this fascinating as there are times when the director has realized the temp track fitted just perfectly and would end up being used instead of the composer's original arrangement. The notorious American composer Danny Elfman refers to temp tracks as “The bane of my existence” for this very reason.
Because of Temp Tracks, composers end up having very similar music to the original score that was provided. a good example of this is Jonh Williams Vs Gustav Holst ( Starwars Vs The Planets)
Film terminology
Foreshadowing: A hint towards a future event.
Macguffin: Something that drives the story eg. The ring in LOTR.
Types Of Narratives:
Narration: the way a story is told, perspective and technique.
Restricted Narration: Knowing only what the main character knows
Omniscient Narration: We know more than the main characters do. This creates tension and suspense.
Linear Narrative: 'In a line' format. In time order, cause and effect.
Non-linear Narrative (opposite): Flashback/flashforward. Story line is presented out of order.
Multi-strand Narrative: multiple story lines being followed at the same time
Open Narrative: Unresolved at the end, no closure. Usually creates questions to answer in sequel to follow up.
Closed Narrative (opposite): Resolved ending, audience knows how each character ended up.
Common major plot points:
1. Equilibrium: Regular everyday life
2. Disruption: Conflict- something happens
3. Recognition: Main characters learn understand the disruption.
4. Repair: Heroes do hero type things.
5. Restoration: Normality returns (or perhaps not, in the case of an open narrative)
CLIP ANALYSIS
RAIDERS OF
THE LOST ARK
~Desert Scene~
The music in this clip has heavy use of foley, and leitmotifs in order to build tension and aurally reflect which side is 'winning'. Indiana Jones' heroic and uplifting theme mixes into the underscore when he is ahead in the scene and, when the nazis are drawing close, there is often a swell of strings and a dark, more classically evil-sounding theme takes over as the main melody. The is some use of mimicking, for example, a percussive crash/ crescendo can be heard at around the 5-minute mark when an enemy is taken out and falls onto the ground. This music is non-diegetic as the characters in the scene cannot hear it, only the audience/viewers.
FACE/OFF
~'Somewhere Over The Rainbow'~
This clip shows an excellent example of juxtaposition: the childhood innocence associated with the song "somewhere over the rainbow" clashes with the visual brutality and extreme violence on screen as many are shot mercilessly and the music is therefore anempathetic with the scene. The music is diegetic in this scene but only for the child, because they are listening to the song while simultaneously people are being murdered who cannot hear the track playing and so it is non-diegetic for the rest of the characters.
MULHOLLAND DR.
~Winkie's Diner Scene~
The underscoring music in this clip is non-diegetic. Low-frequency drones and minimal notes are used to create a dark and mysterious soundscape that builds and builds as the scene goes on. It starts almost inaudible and creates tension as it increases in volume and intensity. There is a jump-scare orchestral hit that mimics the ominous face coming into view suddenly.
ONCE UPON...
IN THE WEST
~Opening Scene~
Part 1
Part 2
Part 1:
A purely foley-based diegetic soundscape where characterized sounds are used to exaggerate each noise in the scene and are amplified to reflect the irritation and boredom felt by the characters. There is no dialogue in this clip, nor spoken or musical.
Part 2:
A haunting harmonica is heard which starts off as non-diegetic and acousmatic but soon switches to diegetic and visualized as it is slowly revealed a third character is playing it. There is a string cluster (use of notes next to each other) in the background which creates dissonance and tension, suggesting something is about to happen. At the end, the underscore returns to the foley soundscape present in part 1.
ENDGAME
~Natasha's Sacrifice~
A subtle and short soundscape is created in the beginning by deep rumbles and a few drum hits that mimick the two heroes fighting. The foley here is mostly characterized sound of hits and emphasized movements. At around 1:15 strings soon come in to foreshadow an upcoming tragedy. Everything culminates at 1:30, the music tenses up as Hawkeye jumps and the utilization of brass reflects a brave intention. The 'Sacrifice' Theme, a leitmotif associated with this particular cliff setting, plays at 2:25 as Black Widow falls to her death and the instruments all work in unison to empathize; successfully conveying the sadness of the scene and the loss at the end. All of the music in this scene is there to add depth and help relate the audience further to the action and is therefore non-diegetic.
How sound works together with the moving image~Notes
SÁTÁNTÁNGÓ
~Béla tarr~
Meaning/ Message
Cows mindlessly follow each other. They have no purpose and are free and don't know what to do with themselves. They need a leader. This is meant to represent communism.
Minimal music-created soundscape with sound effects. Amplified Foley cow footsteps, wind noises and moos. Lonely- sparseness
Sound/ Music
BLUE VELVET
~Opening Scene~
Meaning/ Message
Red roses foreshadow later death. The slowed down scenes are unsettling. Shows imagery of living the American dream- white picket fence and perfect neighbourhood but the reality is dark and disturbing.
Sound/ Music
Blue Velvet song enhances that idea of the all-too-perfect American dream yet it has a minor key and dark lyrics. Loud rumbling noise increases in volume and creates tension. Soundscape comprised of low drones as music fades out. Disturbing image to end scene of amplified bug wresting noises.
DIMENSIONS OF DIALOGUE
Meaning/ Message
Represents the breaking down of communication when people just agree all the time (the two of the same objects clashing). Complimenting in conversation means getting on.
Sound/ Music
Lots of mimicking with characterised sound. Each object has an instrumental leitmotif that represents it but they are not accurate reflections of what sounds those objects would actually make.
TWIN PEAKS
~The Atomic Bomb~
Meaning/ Message
This clip shows the horror or bombs and their affect on life, showing the destruction that they create.
Made for the victims of Hiroshima
Sound/ Music
Malicious string clusters, low rumbling drones and descending/ascending notes all at once sound like bees- represents the panic and frantic movements of those beig targeted. Dissonance and clashing.
Atmospheric Creation & Composition Tools
What are semiotics?
Earcon: sounds associated with a character or short musical idea that is instantly recognisable and tied to a particular thing. "like an icon but for your ears"
Rhythmic tools:
Displaced Accents: putting accents in random places in a bar to create a drama/ action accompaniment.
Hanz Zimmer was the first to use computers to make orchestral music and the only authentic seeming noises made that way were short stabbing percussion, brass and string sounds and so they were used heavily in his music and still are everywhere else for this type of atmosphere.
Additive Rhythm: doing the same as above but changing and adding to the note values. This idea was taken from Igor Stravinsky's 1913 'The rite of spring' as it creates a pattern that is unpredictable and creates a false sense of time signature. Stravinsky also used poly-chords, mainly using E major and Eb Major at the same time.
Harmonic Tools
Chords with a Static Bass Note: Chord progression with drone note- creates dissonance
Using Semitones: Utilizing the natural suspense that semitones create to produce a dramatic/ fearful atmosphere.
James Horner's infamous four note motif to signify 'danger'- a succession of two semitone upward steps, followed by a semitone step downwards.
Example used: The Iron Giant- Michael Kamen
Creation of the Heroic Theme using:
* Ostinato: A repeating pattern/ primary musical idea which is quite often constantly rhythmic. Can be foreground or as an extra layer of accompaniment. Eg. Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield -used in the exorcist (widely influential)
* Modes
Variation techniques- most film music is comprised of not much original material but rather variations and manipulated versions of the same musical idea to double, tripple or even quadruple the amount.
* MODULATION.
- Change Key
- Change Mode (eg. aeolian (minor) to Phrygian (3rd) or Locrian (7th)
-Change Both
* INSTRUMENTATION- increase intensity into a brass main theme or make softer by suppressing a strong theme to the background/ quieter instrument
CHORD INVERSIONS: Swap the inversions of chords to develop and changes the feel, making a regular diatonic progression more interesting.
Example-
C major chord - C E G
Root position (C in bass) is most solid.
1st Inversion would be E
2nd Inversion would be G
The use of Characterised Themes
DETROIT BECOME HUMAN: QUANTIC DREAM
In the game Detroit Become Human, three separate androids, of different models, are controlled by the player as he/she chooses one from many of the paths to go down. The playable characters are:
Connor, a police investigator android tasked with hunting down androids that have deviated from their programmed behaviours.
Kara, a housekeeper android who develops artificial consciousness and becomes responsible for a young girl's safety.
Markus, a caretaker android who, after gaining consciousness, takes it upon himself to free others like him from bondage.
As the story unfolds, the player learns about the characters, their background and their function in society through playing the game and making decisions and many multiple endings and outcomes to chapters.
To emphasise the differing stories and personalities, each character was assigned to a composer, tasked with creating distinct musical identities which represent them which, in my opinion, is an interesting and brilliant decision..
Connor- what it means to do the right thing
A primarily electronic soundtrack is used to stress Connor’s robotic and mathematical behaviour. Connor, throughout his journey, is isolated and an outsider, unable to understand human emotion. The creation of his music was through thinking of how he would convey his emotions musically, expressing differently to how humans do as well as the circumstances that would make Connor deviate from his only goal: completing the objective. An interesting approach...Nima Fakhara built many custom instruments fr this project, including a 20-foot guitar to create the sound of the inner workings of an android to add into his music.
Nima Fakhara
Kara- what it means to be alive
To underline her quest for identity, love and empathy, Kara’s music is emotional and moving. Players empathise with Kara because of her powerful theme: Its fierce yet graceful but shows her desperate fight and struggle. Woeful and solemn strings are used throughout kara’s representative tracks as well as haunting piano themes that reflect the confusion and that the very real emotions she feels are dismissed as just ‘errors in her software’. The little girl that Kara protects turns her into more of a mother figure which can be deciphered in the mix of string and piano themes, the connection and worry for this child.
There is a mimic heartbeat from 3:19 onwards to solidify this idea of being alive.
Phillip Sheppard
Markus- what it means to be free
Androids are seen to be segregated, abused, ordered around and often referred to as an ‘it’ and spoken to like a machine. But there are a few characters that show compassion towards these androids depending on the player choosing to pick options which increases the bond with these characters. One major example of this is with Markus and the elderly painter he looks after. This old man treats Markus like a son, he is kind to him and speaks to him how you would do to another human. This connection right from the start of the game follows through as Markus uses this to understand how some humans are kind and therefore, he could make them all change to be so. Markus’ soundtrack represents this journey, a grand aspect of his rise in leadership and accomplishing his goal to change the way androids are treated. His theme makes the player feel powerful yet tense from the possibility of failure as well as hopeful that he succeeds. Markus’ theme is comprised of mainly brass and choir in order to be intense to reflect his epic fight for his people’s freedom. Markus becomes like a masiah and so his theme sounds like a church chant/ hymn
John Paesano
Examples in Context
Run with me- The mix of Kara’s and Connor’s theme but switches dominant depending which character the player is controlling. Phillip Sheppard’s use of Nima Fakara’s theme with his own at 1:16- integrating Kara’s cello into this industrial and metallic sounding countermelody. Uses mostly Ostinatos and a drone. The ostinato being from Connor’s theme as it is repetitive and hints to the constant ticking of working machinery .
We are people is a dark underscore with a deep low brass sound drone in the beginning. When the string comes in, it hints that somethings going to happen. There are Harmonies which create heightened anticipation. Then comes in a Slow ostinato in a low pitch which creates imagery of power and strength yet a somewhat dark impending battle. Innocent choir- Female or child. No specifically sung lyrics which feels angelic and heavenly. There is dissonance at end of build which creates that tension. Real instruments associated with people and humanity. Romantic style.
Interesting note: both Kara and Markus have a track named “i am____” but Connor doesn’t because, his original story would lead him to not experience the feelings of being ‘alive’ unless chosen to by the player.
Something you’ve never seen before is, in the beginning, hopeful and major. In the begining there is choir sounds of young/female singers which gives it an innocent and angelic feel.When the piano comes in, the strings behind swell along to amplify the idea of something remarkable. The pulse then stops at 1:10 which creates the feeling of time standing still. An inverted pedal is used while eerie reverbed semitones are on top. the mood shifts to dark and sinister when Leo would come into the scene and pushes markus at around 1:57- the music mimics this and rises in intensity before going suddenly quiet. music starts at 4:40 in the video scene