Music 246 Lecture Notes - Week 3, Fall 2024 PDF

Music 246 - Lecture 3 Technical Details, How It’s Done: Basic Timetable of Film Production Preproduction: - Preparation: script / financing / casting / costume and set design / location scouting Production:...

Music 246 - Lecture 3 Technical Details, How It’s Done: Basic Timetable of Film Production Preproduction: - Preparation: script / financing / casting / costume and set design / location scouting Production: - finalization of script and production design - principle photography Postproduction: - editing film / audio and visual effects - composition and addition of music - release date - one of the final elements to be created and added to the film. - 5 to 8 weeks on average. Composer’s involvement varies based on working style and specifics of a given project. Scripts: - can give composers a “head-start” - research - source music - scripts can change significantly - only words, no clear timing or pace for the composer to work with. Screenings: - several different opportunities to see the film - rushes - assembly cut - rough cut - fine or locked cut: most if not all editing completed - most composers begin serious work at the fine cut phase – why? Spotting Session and Cue Sheets: - director, composer, music editor/music supervisor - discussion on placement of “cues” - timings, approach, etc… - “Spotting notes” or cue sheet  Temp Music: - “temporary” music added to film while still in production or early editing. - often taken from other film scores, or “classical” music. - gives more “finished” feeling to work in progress. Composers are deeply divided on their view of temp music – why? Composing: - 5 to 8 weeks until “delivery” of finished score - short timeline due to fixed release date - frequently exacerbated by production phase running overtime Orchestrators – skilled in composition, music theory, and knowledge of the orchestra.  - synth demonstrations - copyist produce final parts for musicians - music librarians organize parts for recording sessions - conductors and studio musicians (good sight readers) - recording sessions - mixing Thomas Newman – Wall-E: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg7dzJgljqY&list=RD0YGbcfXF1Gs John Williams – The Phantom Menace https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46p-v2eFiaQ Baroque Period (1600-1750) Key Composers: Vivaldi, Handel, Bach. Development of “Common Practice” – major/minor system of music theory. Musical structures most important. Even tempos, consistent textures, terraced dynamics. Example: J.S. Bach, “Brandenburg Concerto No. 6” 3 rd Movement (1721) Classical Period (1730-1820) Key Composers: Mozart, Hayden, Beethoven. Greater focus on melody and emotion. Expanding variety of tempo, texture and dynamics. Example: W.A. Mozart, “Symphony No. 40” 1st Movement. (1788) Romantic Period (1800-1910) Key Composers: Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Strauss. Expression of emotion was most important. Even greater range of tempo, texture and dynamics in service of emotion and narrative. Example: R. Wagner, “The Magic Fire Music” from Die Walkure (1870) THE SILENT ERA: (1895-1927) Melodramas The Persistence of Vision - The Zoopraxiscope (1879) - project several images to present the illusion of movement - Thomas Edison: - The Kinetoscope (1891) Peephole viewer with a continuous loop of film - The Kinetophone (1895) A kinetoscope with a phonograph installed in the box. - Problem with synchronization: First Projected Films: - The Lumiere Brothers, Paris December 28th, 1895. “The Arrival of a Train” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6i3uccnZhQ Reasons for musical accompaniment: 1/ Pragmatic: mechanical noise / mechanical problems 2/ Psychoanalytic: Audience disturbed by ghost like images 3/ Continuity of Tradition: Long history of musical accompaniment for visual presentation. During the Silent Era: Three general approaches to music: adaptations/compilations of classical music, adaptations/compilations of popular songs, or originally composed scores or improvised scores. - In general, films could be shown anywhere, but gradually certain venues come to dominate film showings. Venues: - Vaudeville Theatres - Live variety show - First began to include films in 1896. - Musical accompaniment provided by vaudeville orchestra - By the 1920s the popularity of film led to the decline of Vaudeville. 1905 “Nickelodeons” - 1907 – 3,000; 1910 – Over 10,000 - music provided by piano, player piano, small ensemble or gramophone. The Shift To Narrative: George Melies: - early experimenter with camera effects - A Trip to the Moon (1902) - Not the first narrative, but over ten minutes in length, multiple scenes, sets, costumes etc – early model for narrative film to come. EXAMPLE: “A Trip To The Moon (1902) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YraZeMi51Bw 1905-1910 - Narrative films become most important element - films become longer - plots become more complex. - Change in musical aesthetic from entertaining the audience to “playing the picture.” Supporting the drama and helping the audience to follow the plot. “Fitting” or “Synchronizing” 1910 – 1920s - film industry matures. - The rise of Hollywood - Films become longer, more sophisticated. - First of the “Movie Palaces” built, 1912. Larger Orchestras and Theatre Organs. ACCOMPANYMENT: Some early attempts at creating original scores, but standard practice is either compilation of classical or popular music, or improvisation 1909: Edison Film Company - “musical suggestions” - general scene-by-scene suggestions for musical accompaniment 1912 Max Winkler (Carl Fischer Music) specific pieces of music with timings. - films shipped with the cue sheets, might also include sheet music Resource books: - books purchased by musicians filled with short pieces of music arranged by mood or action - Sam Fox Moving Picture Music (Vol 1, 1913) J.S.Zamenik  Music for Duels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pupCeh1zqbo Music for Storms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5s--9Zh58Q Trade papers: Motion Picture World, Moving Picture World - Included articles and columns on musical accompaniment - continuous - source music - use of themes - “good music” (classical music) to the masses But in reality, by the 1920s musical accompaniment would still vary greatly from place to place. - vast range of performing forces and skills - missing cue sheets and scores - issues of “control” Fun Stuff: The art of Foley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO3N_PRIgX0&t=387s (For those interested in learning a bit more about the problems with Temp tracks, I recommend this short video: The Marvel Symphonic Universe. It shows several examples of scenes including the temp track followed by the final cue written for the scene – the similarities are quite striking and show how temp tracks can limit the range of things a composer might try – the discussion of Temp tracks begins at around the 6:00 mark. (though the first part is also quite interesting). https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/12/12893622/hollywood-temp-scores-every-frame-a-painting-film)