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Instructions
for Film/Music Analysis
I. Preparing your film/music analysis:
1. Select a film, clear it via email with the instructor.
2. Watch the film once or twice. Take notes during at least one viewing. You
will
want to listen for:
- a) the instrumentation and "sound" that has been chosen for the
music track: eg., big orchestral symphonic sound emphasizing the
orchestral string section; big orchestra with frequent emphasis
on the brass (trumpets, French horns, trombones); a jazz, swing-era
type dance orchestra; a solo piano; acoustic or electric guitars;
rock instrumentals; synthesizer sounds (describe)
- b) the principle types of Foley/sound effects used to create
atmosphere: eg., urban sounds (traffic, cars honking, the roar
of engines, the noise of crowds); rural and nature sounds (wind,
rain, night insects, birds, rustle of branches); and don’t forget
the dramatic use of pure silence.
3. You will want to concentrate your efforts on the musical accompaniment
to three parts of the movie:
- a) the opening sequence. This may include the identification
of the production company (this is sometimes incorporated into
the film musically, and sometimes has its own separate identity
as a "pre-panel"); the opening titles; and the first scene of the
movie proper. The opening sequence typically lasts between 3 and
7 minutes.
- b) the dénouement or closing scene: The last scene just
prior to the words "The End" and/or the rolling of the final titles,
and the final titles (these are usually very short prior to the
1960s, and very drawn out since the 1970s and 1980s)
- c) the turning point or moment of crisis, usually located somewhere
toward the midpoint of the film.
3. Find what you can about the film and its music using sources
such as the Internet Movie Database (http://us.imdb.com): the year
of the film, the director, the country and production company, who
the composer is, something about the composer if you can, and any
details about the soundtrack (for example, a list of songs used).
4. When taking notes on a film and its music, take a blank or lined piece of
paper, and make three (3) columns. The first will be running time, in minutes
and seconds, beginning with 0:00 at the beginning of the film. You can round
off to the near 5 or 10 seconds. The middle column should be for the Narrative
Diegesis of the film: the development of the story, through visual and dialogue
elements. The third column should be for musical comments. PLEASE NOTE: You
may have to watch a 5-minute scene four or five times in order to write down
all your observations. Do not expect to watch once, and then be able to provide
a rich commentary. You will have to watch and listen carefully, write down
your observations, and then review the material again for confirmation.
An example of how a log might look:
Title: Danger Point
Year: 1938
Director: David McHugh
Composer: Boris Brodsky
Starring: Roger Martin and Wilma Starr
|
Time |
Visual/Storyline |
Music/Sounds |
|
0:00 |
Paramount logo |
Paramount theme music: Symphony orchestra; Noble, majestic |
|
0:10 |
Screen is black |
Silence |
|
0:15 |
A dark street in a big city; |
Sudden silence / Gun shots / A scream |
|
0:30 |
Title sequence: White letters over dark background; Camera
pans over deserted city streets |
Symphony orchestra: Theme stated loudly by low-register instruments
(cellos, basses, low brass); It seems to be in a minor key;
The tempo is slow to medium paced (80 bpm) but it has a strongly
accented beat. The music helps communicate a threatening mood |
II. Writing your paper.
1. Title your paper: A discussion of the soundtrack to [Name of
Film] [(Year of film)]
2. Identify yourself and the date
3. Introduce the film: The film _______ was . (identify director,
composer, actors, other relevant information from your research);
this film is noted for its (camerawork, acting, lighting, music try
to find something out) or this film is considered to be an average "B" movie
from its time period.
4. Give YOUR OWN synopsis of the story in no more than two short
to medium sized paragraphs (no more than one double-spaced typewritten
page).
5. The film features a musical score by ___________. He/She is.
6. Music occurs (throughout the film intermittently only at certain
dramatic moments) and occupies about (25%? A third? A half? 75%?;
100%?) of the total running time.
7. The score is characterized by (what kinds of instruments predominate?).
8. Distinct from the musical score provided by the composer, the
film also uses several popular songs which appear as "source" or "diegetic" insertions
in the film. For example
9. Let’s look at a few sections of the film and discuss how the
music operates.
10. First let’s look at the opening sequence.
11. Now let’s see how the closing sequence works.
12. (You can choose any other part of the film to discuss here).
13. In conclusion, we can see that the music in this film
14. This film score is (typical, or unusual of its period?)
15. In my opinion, what works best my overall estimation
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