chapter 21 music business handbook and career guide, 10th ed. © 2013 sherwood publishing partners

Chapter 21

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Dramatic Scoring for Movies, TV, and Games

Chapter Twenty-One

Start Thinking . . .

1. It has been said that “the musical score is the glue that holds much of a movie together.” In what way is this true? How does music enhance a movie, TV show, or video game?


Chapter Goals

• Become knowledgeable about motion picture music history and changing musical styles.

• Learn how music for film, TV, and games is created, recorded, and synchronized to events on the screen.

• Gain awareness of how musicians and technicians are used in the motion picture music field.


Background

• Silent films accompanied by small orchestra or organist

• First music on a movie sound track the Jazz Singer in 1927 initially music borrowed from other sources then classical composers scored original music

• Major studios in the Golden Age salaried, full-time composers staff orchestra


BackgroundChanging Styles

• After World War II tastes changed musical clichés abandoned experimentation with contemporary American sounds

• Composers influenced by cartoon techniques

• In early comedies, the entire movie was underscored with the same song

• Beginning in the 1930s, professional composers were hired to write musicals



• Value of popular songs discovered in 1949’s The Third Man

• Composers developed into three groupsa. those able to underscore drama on film (1950s)

b. the pop songwriters (1950s)

c. artists able to underscore film drama appropriately and also invent attractive pop melodies (1960s)



• Jazz found its place in film scoring given impetus by TV shows such as Peter Gunn

• Instruments some experimentation with synthesizers return to late-19th-century neo-romantic music with full

orchestra native instruments for films with strong ethnic element


BackgroundThe Emergence of Sound Tracks

• Song scores now prominent in movie sound tracks

• Songs and sound track albums have potential for tremendous profits for films’ producers and composers


BackgroundThe Emergence of Sound Tracks


The CraftThe Process

• Film shot completely and edited at least once

• Temp score put together by music editor

• Sometimes the temp score is preferred 2001: A Space Odyssey The Exorcist


The CraftSpotting the Film

• Composer, producer, director, film editor, music editor watch the film together

• Director and composer spot the film

• Music editor makes spotting notes

• Composer receives first part of fee


The CraftSpotting the Film

• Scene breakdowns SMPTE technology click tracks tempo video tape “striped” with SMPTE code, or DVD is slaved in

Quicktime


The CraftComposition

• Once familiar with film, composer composes score

• Composer receives another payment

• Tight deadlines expected

• Composer composes orchestral sketches instrumentation indicated orchestrator renders full score


The CraftRecording to Film

• Music is recorded

• Some composers prefer conducting using streamers and punches

• Feature films recorded “live” all at once recorded on movie scoring stages

• Producers and directors may throw out score or demand changes


The CraftThe Final Mix

• Dubbing sessions music combined with dialogue and sound effects composer, music cutter, sound effects person, engineers,

and film directors attend

• Rerecording sets relative sound levels


Music Scoring for TV

• Same stylistic approach as for feature films faster pace producer makes music decisions

• TV dramas use original and library music music use varies from show to show

• New shows composer composes two to three weeks of music to create feel music editors cut required bits for later shows


Music Scoring for TV

• Styles same wide range as feature films music cutter lays in various musical sources as appropriate

for new timing and dramatic situations

• TV series composer may be a one-man band usually has assistants and music engineer

• Original theme music typically commands the highest pay


Music Scoring for Video Games

• Process very similar to film and TV

• Composer’s objective = catch a game’s personality and emotional heart in music

• Audio content is mostly original to “brand” the game

• Composers are hired on a freelance basis

• Popular music is also licensed fixed-sum buyout that caps developers’ music rights expense music-based games act as aggregators of music

• Game music added as a category to industry awards


Production Music Libraries

• Library music tracks used for educational films, documentaries, and films for

business and industry low cost includes all clearances and licenses

• Library services classify cues in predictable ways music often prepared by composers with MIDI studios


Hiring PracticesAFM Contracts

• AFM does not set scales for composition

• AFM does set scales for other personnel

• Musicians working in film additional income once a year AFM Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund


Hiring PracticesPackage Deals

• All musicians and support personnel hired on freelance basis

• Producers negotiate package deals with independent contractors

• Producers like package deals transfers all financial risk to independent contractor

• AFM has a multi-tier scale for motion picture work


Hiring PracticesComposers

• Many employment opportunities in scoring

• Few agents composer should be aggressive to secure employment must achieve several scoring credits to secure an agent

• Additional opportunities for breaking in: top composers need assistants orchestrators work as ghost-writers be an advanced student of a busy composer


Hiring PracticesMusic Supervisors

• Responsibilities of a music supervisor: find songs and music to support and enhance the film act like an A&R executive could be in charge of everything from the song to hiring the

composer


Hiring PracticesMusic Supervisors

• Potential duties of a music supervisor1. draw up budget and make deals2. place existing songs in appropriate spots of the movie3. oversee a musical movie 4. be in the studio when a performer is recording a song 5. prepare people for the set, including lip-synching6. assist the director and choreographer in designing shots

that will work with the music 7. explain “score design” to investors


Hiring PracticesCopyists

• Engaged by the composer or orchestrator

• Copyists work under intolerable time pressures head copyist may engage a music preparation service

• Most copyists now use computer music programs such as Finale allows for instant changes of key and time signature

• Supervising copyist attends film and TV recording sessions


Hiring PracticesOrchestra Musicians

• Instrumentalists most often members of AFM non-union musicians increased MIDI studios and computer one-person bands

• High-paying work for small pool of musicians only auditions rare prove abilities to inside pool of players teachers are often orchestra musicians


Hiring PracticesOrchestra Musicians

• String players

• Brass players

• Woodwind players

• Studio percussionists

• Keyboard players

• Guitarists


Hiring PracticesMusic Editors

• Music editing can make or break a film’s score

• Copies and cuts cues

• Job of a music editor: ensure music is cued to the right spots in the action understanding of SMPTE code, click tracks, and Pro Tools essential

• Music editors usually acquire skills on the job


Hiring PracticesOrganizations

• Society of Composers and Lyricists members work exclusively in TV and films

• SMPTE serves as an information exchange Attempts to standardize recording and synchronization

techniques


For Further Thought . . .

1. What are some of the subtle differences between scoring for a feature film, a television show, and a video game?

2. Prenegotiated fees in packaged deals provide what comfort to producers and what pressure on composers?


chapter 21 music business handbook and career guide, 10th ed. © 2013 sherwood publishing partners

Documents

film music editor

career guide chapter

motion picture music

motion picture music

original music major

century neoromantic

film editor

film drama