Dept. of Music and Performing Arts Professions

Program in Scoring for Film and Multimedia

COMPOSING for FILM & MULTIMEDIA

Prof. Sergi Casanelles:

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Addressing the matrix of directorial vision and the visual, narrative, and dramatic world of a film, this course will examine a broad range of musical approaches and those requirements necessary for composing music for film and multimedia. Cultural, cinematic, and musical codes will be discussed and critiqued through critical analyses of seminal scores, scoring assignments, and discussions. As Film Music is nowadays highly dependent on technology, the course will provide an introduction to the use of Computer software and tools to produce music.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Students should be able to compose stylistically appropriate music for diversity audiovisual scenes. Utilizing a library of existing clips composers will create through a matrix of film-specific musical and technical skills. Via lectures that concentrate on the music for contemporary films, students will assimilate significant aesthetic approaches in their scores that are concurrent with contemporary aesthetics. By the end of the semester, students are expected to compose and create electronic mock-ups around fifteen scenes.

During the course, students will concentrate primarily on three areas:

1)Critical Analyses of existing Film Scores

a)Genres, Codes, Moods & Stylistic Expression

i)Definition/Specifics of Musical Syntax: harmonic/melodic usage, instrumentation, orchestration, use of synthesizers/sampling, etc.

b)Underlying Technical Demands and Processes:

i)Spotting Sessions – Timings – Post-Production Flow

c)Filmic world: narrative, visual, aural, FX, genre, historical/period.

2)Scoring Assignments – preparation for -- and critiques of:

a) Scores for Film Clips

3)Technology and Music Software

a) Understand the aesthetic implications of using software tools

b) Learn to use the software to work effectively

REQUIREMENTS

In the course of fulfilling assignments, composers are expected to write between 2-4 minutes of music per week. Submit your work before class, via loading your cues on the MTechMedia Server to the Film Class Clips Folder into the Student Assignment Folder and then (into the appropriate assignment folder). This will allow quick access for playback on the computer.

ATTENDANCE

You are allowed 2 unjustified absences. You should e-mail the instructor before the class.

ASSESSMENT

Class Participation/ Comments / Small assignments and questions – 20%

Weekly Projects and Class discussion – 80%

Each assignment will have a set of requirements (including the deadline). You will be graded mainly on your success of being able to follow the requirements. You will have a significant degree of aesthetic freedom (more than you would have in a real work environment), so you are welcome to do some degree of experimentation.

In addition you should be prepared to present your music to the class, explaining and justifying your process and creative choices.

The weekly assignments are due before the beginning of Tuesday’s class. Late submission will have the grade lowered.

Software/Hardware

The Music Industry is Mac-based. The primary sequencer is Logic Pro; Notation Software: Sibelius or Finale; Music Editing/Audio recording: Pro Tools; Viable orchestral sample libraries include the VSL, EWQL Symphonic Orchestra and Libraries that use the Kontakt platform.

In class, we will work using LogicPro X.

Recommended Bibliography

Dvorin, David & Brock, Robert. Apple Pro Training Series: Logic Pro 9 and Logic Express 9. Berkeley: Peachpit Press, 2009.

Gilreath, P. (2010). The Guide to MIDI Orchestration 4e. New York: Focal Press.

Gorbman, Claudia. Unheard Melodies: Narrative Film Music (Chapter IV). Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1987

Karlin, Fred Wright, Rayburn.On the Track: A Guide to Contemporary Film Scoring. Revised 2nd Edition, NY, Routledge, 2004.

Kompanek, Sonny. From Score To Screen: Sequencers, Scores, and Second Thoughts – The New Film Scoring Process. NY: Schirmer Books, 2004.

Nahmani, David. Apple Pro Training Series: Logic Pro 9 and Logic Express 9. Berkeley: Peachpit Press, 2009.

Prendergast, Roy M. Film Music: A Neglected Art, 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1992.

Sadoff, R. H. (2006). The role of the music editor and the ‘ temp track’ as blueprint for the score, source music, and scource1music of ﬁlms. Popular Music, 25 (2), 165-183.

WEEKLY SYLLABUS

14 weeks @ 2 x 1’15” classes per week

WEEK 1 Jan 29/31Introduction, Codes and General Terminology

Jan 29

Syllabus and Workflow
Musical, Cultural, and Cinematic Codes

Jan 31

The Post-Production Landscape: Personnel function and process / Industry Terminology
How it works today? A look at "Remote Control"

MOVIES: The Natural (1984), Saving Private Ryan(1998), Iron Man(2009), Sherlock Holmes (2010), Life of Pi (2012)

Assignment 1:

a) Write music for a photograph. Select an appropriate set of musical codes that will help to complement the visual information given by the picture. The picture is ambiguous, so depending on your musical choices it will be perceived differently.

b) Compose two themes or musical ideas, which can be clearly associated with musical codes.

WEEK 2 Feb 4/6 Working with Logic (I): Introduction

Feb 4

Basic Computer Knowledge
MIDI Mockups: Sequencing, Samples, and Synthesis. Sample Rate
Working with movies
The Logic Interface

Feb 6

Creating a Logic Sessionfor film scoring
Writing with Apple Loops and the Drummer

Assignment 2: Create a logic session using the appropriate Sample Rate (48kHz) and frame rate and score a clip using diverse Apple Loops.

WEEK 3 Feb 11/13Working with Logic (II): Audio. Temp Tracks

Feb 11

Temp Tracks and the Importance of knowing film music
Logic Audio Tracks and audio editing

Feb 13

Destructive and non-destructive processing
The Mixer and Mixing automation
Getting sounds from free sound libraries
Audio Reverse

MOVIES: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Atonement (2007), Inglorious Basterds (2009)

Assignment 3: Create a Temp Track Score for a clip. You should use several audio tracks but maintaining a coherent soundscape.

WEEK 4 Feb 18/20Working with Logic (III): Sample Instruments

Feb 18

Sample libraries in Logic. Other Sample Libraries.
Create Software Instruments, using preset channel strips.
Work with the piano roll and the score window

Feb 20

Quantize, copy, humanization
Screensets, Track Stacks, Coloring and Regions

Assignment 4: Score a Clip using different Sample Instruments.

WEEK 5 Feb 25/27Working with Logic (IV): Synthesizers and effects

Feb 25

Logic Synthesizers. Other Popular Synthesizers
Usage of Synthesizers in Contemporary Movies: different approaches.
The case of Trent Reznor in The Social Network

Feb 27

MIDI FX (arpeggiator)
Audio FX (delay, filter/EQ, compression)

MOVIES: A Clockwork Orange (1977) The Social Network (2010), Drive (2011), Hanna (2011), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Tron (2010), Oblivion (2013)

Assignment 5: Create an arrangement for a scene from A Clockwork Orange, from a classical music theme using electronic instruments and effects. You can get inspired by Wendy Carlos' versions but you can create your own singular electronic aesthetic.

WEEK 6 March 4/6 Contemporary Hollywood Harmony

March 4

Origins: Wagner, Holst, Ravel
Harmonic Gestures from the 80s
The concept of Harmony of color, post modal harmony
Non-functional harmony

March 6

Chord progression by common notes and the distance by cycle of 5ths
Leading tones, Substitutions, Harmonic Motion, Suspended chords

Musical / Harmonic examples from :Gladiator (2000), Inception (2010), The Man of Steel (2013), LOTR, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)

Assignment 6: Write a track to provide a mood for a description using the harmonic approach described in class. The track should be following the idea of the musical suite that Hans Zimmer creates at the beginning of their process.

WEEK 7March 11/13Synchronization

March 11

Narration vs. Narrative
Synchronization Aesthetics: From Mickey-moussing to music without hit points
The concept of a hit point
Markers, tempo change, time signature change, Using Beat Mapping

March 13

Visual analysis of a cue
Musical strategies to maintain the musical discourse

MOVIES: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989),Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001), How to train your dragon (2010)

Assignment 7: Write music for a comedy clip from the movie Bruce Almighty. Find several synch points and sync it with the music using tempo and measure changes. Try to use the Beat Mapping in order to help you with the tempo modifications.

SPRING BREAK March 18/20

WEEK 8 March 25/27Music as a Narrative

March 25

Narrative Scoring: Music themes and motifs
Musical Structure of a movie: different strategies
Shaping a scene narratively
Working with the ambiguities
Defining characters
Adding meaning

March 27

Continuity
Contrapuntal use of music

MOVIES: Star Wars (1977- ), The Avengers (2012), Anna Karenina (2012),

Assignment 8: Write music for a clip and concentrate on the narrative. Use the music to help to better tell the story, the characters or the situation.

WEEK 9 April 1/3 Genre: Horror and Fantasy/Sci-Fi

April 1

Writing music with Generic Codes
Genre in the contemporary films
Generic musical elements of the horror

April 3

Generic musical elements of the Fantasy and Science Fiction

MOVIES: Aliens(1979),Black Swan (2010), HarryPotter ... (2001-2011)

Assignment 9: Score a clip of a Horror Scene and for a Science Fiction scene. Use an appropriate set of generic specific musical codes that help to identify the scene within the genre.

WEEK 10 April 8/10Action Scenes. Contemporary Percussion / Drum Writing

April 8

The Action scenes: aesthetic considerations of the hit points
Enhancing a part of the action

April 10

Writing for drums and percussion as a bed for an action scene
Analysis of relevant examples: complexity / layers / style

MOVIES: Bourne trilogy (2002-), The Dark Knight(2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2011)

Assignment 10: Write music for a Chase Scene using a complex drum structure. In addition, use mainly string and brass gestures.

WEEK 11 April 15/17 Geographical Location. Using World Instruments

April 15

Instruments as signifiers of location

April 17

Overview of the most used World Instruments

MOVIES: Life of Pi(2012),Memoirs of a Geisha(2005), Lord of the Rings (2001-2003), Avatar(2009)

Assignment 11: Write music using "world" instruments to signify the geographical location.

WEEK 12 April 22/24Writing for animation

Animation and scoring the animated narrative:
Designing musical structure: thematic material, phrasing, hit points

MOVIES:How to train your dragon (2010), Up! (2009), Ratatouille(2007), Despicable Me (2010)

Assignment 12: Write music for a scene from the movie How to Train your Dragon. Decide how the music should complement the animation and the degree of mickey-moussing necessary.

WEEK 13 April 29 / May 1Hybrid Scores, Orchestrating, Music Prep and Recording (I)

The Hybrid Score
The Hyper Orchestra
Writing the score

Assignment 13: Write music for a scene from the movie How to Train your Dragon. Decide how the music should complement the animation and the degree of mickey-moussing necessary.

WEEK 14 May 6/8Hybrid Scores, Orchestrating, Music Prep and Recording (II)

Organizing the work and the process
The music studio and the recording session