The Power of Movie Music

• Movie music enhances storytelling, influences emotions, and creates an immersive experience.

Components of Movie Music

• Film Score
• Soundtrack

Film Score

• Original, instrumental music made for a movie.
• Supports the mood, action, and themes without lyrics.

Characteristics of a Film Score

• Usually written for an orchestra, or include electronic or solo instruments.
• Themes change with the story's progression.
• Composers use "leitmotifs"—musical themes for characters, places, or emotions.
• John Williams' Star Wars theme creates adventure and heroism.
• Hans Zimmer's Interstellar score uses a church organ to create vastness and time distortion.

Soundtrack

• All music used in a movie, including pre-existing songs in different genres.
• Not necessarily written for the film but chosen to enhance the storytelling.

Characteristics of a Soundtrack

• Can be composed of popular songs, jazz, folk music, or other styles.
• Often defines a film's cultural or historical setting.
• Sometimes released as an album for listening.
• Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) soundtrack features 1970s/1980s pop hits.
• Titanic (1997) – “My Heart Will Go On" is one of the most famous movie songs of all time.

Why is Music Used in Movies?

• Plays a crucial role in films

Establishing Emotion

• Helps create and intensify emotions, making scenes more impactful.
• Scenes would feel flat or lifeless without it.
• John Williams' violin theme in Schindler's List (1993) enhances the film's heartbreaking tone.
• Michael Giacchino's score in Up (2009) evokes deep emotions about love and loss.

Setting the Mood and Atmosphere

• Helps establish whether a scene is happy, sad, suspenseful, or romantic.
• Horror films such as Psycho (1960) use high-pitched violin screeches to create tension and fear.
• La La Land (2016) uses jazz music to create a dreamy, nostalgic atmosphere.

Enhancing Action and Suspense

• Fast-paced music makes action sequences more exciting and intense.
• The Mission Impossible (1996) theme uses a fast rhythm and strong beats to emphasize the high-stakes action.
• The Dark Knight (2008) uses intense, electronic strings to build tension.

Identifying Characters and Themes

• A musical leitmotif (a recurring melody) is often used to represent a character or idea.
• Darth Vader's Imperial March from Star Wars signals danger.
• Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter evokes magic and mystery.

Establishing Time and Place

• Music can transport audiences to different cultures, historical periods, or fantasy worlds.
• The Lion King (1994) uses African rhythms and choral singing to establish an African setting.
• The Great Gatsby (2013) mixes 1920s jazz with modern hip-hop to create an updated version of the Roaring Twenties.

How is Movie Music Created?

• Composition Process

Composition Process

• The composer meets with the director to understand the film's themes and emotions.
• Music is written based on the script and visuals.
• Themes and leitmotifs are developed for characters, places, and emotions.
• The score is recorded, often with a live orchestra or digital production.
• Hans Zimmer used deep, powerful drums for the Inception (2010) soundtrack to create a sense of urgency.

Types of Music Production

• Orchestral Scores: Performed by full orchestras (Lord of the Rings trilogy).
• Electronic Scores: Created using synthesizers (Tron: Legacy by Daft Punk).
• Hybrid Scores: Combine both elements (Mad Max: Fury Road).

What Makes Movie Music Different from Other Genres?

• Tied to Visuals: Film music follows the action on screen.
• Narrative Function: Enhances the story rather than just existing for enjoyment.
• Dynamic Changes: Movie scores shift in tone and intensity depending on the scene. Music adapts to changing emotions.