The Use of Music as Emotion in Film

The Use of Music as Emotion in Film

Cheryl Bates, D.M.A. Lone Star College-Tomball,

Professor of Music Music Program Director

The Use of Music as Emotion in Film How music contributes to

emotional effect How general mood is supported by

music How music affects emotional

experience

“Music best enhances a film when it evokes and modulates a specific emotional response in the audience.” - Roger Corman “When Your Ear Sets the Stage: Musical

Context Effects in Film Perception” by Oliver Vitouch in Psychology of Music, vol. 29, no. 1, 2001 pg. 71-81.

Brief Historical Facts

“Hearing is the sense that most deeply stirs our emotions.” - Aristotle

Earliest known writing about emotional influences of film music by Hugo Munsterberg circa 1915.

Original use of music in film was to mask sound of the projector and keep the audience from talking but also found purpose in illustration of action.

Important Early Films

“Le Voyage dans la Lune” (A Trip to the Moon) 1902

“Entr’acte” by Rene Clair with film score by Erik Satie 1924

“The Jazz Singer” 1927

Eight Functions of Music in Film

Masks extraneous noises of projector and audience - original purpose

Provides continuity between shots in a film

Eight Functions of Music in Film

Directs attention to important features of the screen through structural or associationist congruence (realism).

Eight Functions of Music in Film

Induces mood and emotional response

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldLPFF6tuVM

Eight Functions of Music in Film

Communicates meaning and furthers the narrative

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgCejsyS0t8

Music becomes integrated with film. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8

Eight Functions of Music in Film

Eight Functions of Music in Film

Music can heighten the sense of reality in film and direct attention and concern.

Eight Functions of Music in Film

Music adds to the aesthetic effect of film.

Concepts of Music as Emotion in Film Fast, loud music arouses while

slow, soft music calms.

Concepts of Music as Emotion in Film Music establishes expectations and

implications of which some are realized and some are violated.

Concepts of Music as Emotion in Film Music

responds to changes in the action.

Music as Emotion in Film

Musical emotion can aid in delineation of visual meaning.

Music can control emotional response. Emotional meaning of music can transfer to

visuals. Music aids sense of reality in the narrative. Emotion of music can change as quickly as

visuals.

fin