An Investigation into the Creation of Soundtrack for ... - WordPress.com

Jackson Fenton 1

An Investigation into the Creation of Soundtrack

for the Motion Picture

Jackson Fenton

11006034

Faculty of Arts and Creative Technologies

BSc Film Production and Music Technology

Thesis Advisor: Anne Ramsden

This project is submitted to Staffordshire University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science Film Production with Music Technology.

Jackson Fenton 2

Contents

i. Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………...3

ii. Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………..………..3

1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………....4

2. Aims and Objectives………………………………………………………………………...5 3. Research

3.1. The Process of Composition

3.1.1. Spotting…………………………………………………………………..…………..6

3.1.2. Syncing………………………………………………………………...……………...7

3.1.3. Writing……………………………………………………………….……….........10

3.1.4. Orchestration and Recording……………………………………………...11

3.1.5. Mixing and Mastering…………………………………………………………13

3.2. Successful Composers…………….………………………………………..……...15

3.3. Why Hire a Composer?.....................................................................................22

3.4. What Makes a Soundtrack Work?................................................................23

3.5. Emotion and Meaning in Film Music

3.5.1. The Key To Emotion……...…………………………………………………...24

3.5.2. Scales………………………………………………………………………………...25

3.5.3. Tempo and Pitch……………………………………………………………......26

4. Findings and Discussion

4.1. “The Knowledge of the Maestros” Survey………………………………………..26

4.2. Timbre Deviation Test…………………………………………………………………28

4.3. Genre Guessing Test……….……………………………………………………………29

5. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………..31

6. Recommendations…………………………………………………………………………33

Bibliography……….………………..……………………………………………………….34

References…………………………………………….………………………………………38

Picture References………………………………………………………………………...41

Definitions…………………………………………………………………………………….42

Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………43

Jackson Fenton 3

i. Abstract

This document was written for the writer and readers alike, to learn and

understand not only how to create a film soundtrack, but how to create a good

film soundtrack, and who better to learn from than the experts in their field;

living professional composers who have created the most iconic and memorable

soundtracks of the last five decades.

In addition to outlining the process of creation of a soundtrack, whether using

live musicians in a recording studio, or modern electronics and a computer, and

then reviewing the work of the best contemporary soundtrack composers, a

series of studies were also undertaken to elicit the views of the public.

As part of the study, the author programmed six film soundtracks using a set of

favoured Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) to gauge the response of the

listener to the different soundtracks. The primary DAW used was Pro Tools 11

on the Mac OS X platform. Other software included Logic Pro 9 and Adobe

Audition. Instruments were input using MIDI control through an M-‐Audio Axiom

25: a two-‐octave, trans-‐positioning keyboard, easy to use and easy to transport.

In the simplest terms, this report explores the magic of film music and examines

how sound coupled with visuals can be more than the sum of the two parts and

can trigger emotions and create memories that stay with the audience

indefinitely.

ii. Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to everybody who has assisted me during

this project and for sharing their honest and illuminating views. I am also

thankful for the guidance of my supervisor, Anne. Further thanks is owed to all

those who participated in the tests and questionnaires for this project.

JF.

Jackson Fenton 4

1. Introduction

Music is a beautiful thing. In many ways, it is the polar opposite of film. Sound as

opposed to vision. Film generally tells a story using characters, script and plot,

while music expresses itself using tone and rhythm; the two combined however

can make an unprecedented collaboration, and often more than the sum of the

two parts. Not every film uses music to enhance the story, but those that do,

including the very earliest silent movies, can create a whole new dimension of

emotional response to the visual experience. A soundtrack is normally

recognised by its leitmotif but blockbusters may use a collection of scores and

themes written by the composer, to enhance the relationship between the

audience and the action, and the audience and the film characters.

“The composer should be able to not only write the music, but also record and

deliver the finished score” – Fisher, J ‘Soundtrack Success’ pg. 266, 2012

It may sound strange, but few appreciate the variety of roles music can play in a

film. There is no single role. Music is a misunderstood art that some filmmakers

throw in simply because it’s conventional. But if music is needed to tell a story

and give perspective, does that insinuate that without it, the story will be lost in

translation?

This document will be discussing and debating many questions surrounding the

relationship of film and music, including:

• What can music do in film?

• Why use music in film?

• What distinguishes a good score from a bad one?

• What part of a soundtrack does tempo play?

• What emotions correlate with the mood of the music?

• What role does timbre play?

• What is the importance of cues?

Jackson Fenton 5

This paper is to answer these questions in enough depth that the reader can

understand how the soundtrack recording process works, why producers and

directors choose to use music in film, and why they engage professional

composers to create it.

2. Aims and Objectives

• Understand what makes a good soundtrack and its relationship to the

visuals.

• See what effect genre has on the type of soundtrack a composer creates.

• Investigate the different DAWs that are accessible to aspiring composers.

• Research and analyse the work of the most successful soundtrack

composers.

• Research the ‘Spotting’ and ‘Syncing’ processes that the composer must

undertake.

• Investigate and discuss the process of ‘film orchestration’, and how the

composer will choose to structure an orchestra.

• Research into the composition recording stage.

• Understand and analyse the composer’s response to changes in the story;

emotional and kinetic.

• Analyse different tempos, keys and pitches and discover what emotional

changes these differences make.

• Create a questionnaire in order to see how much people are affected by

Film Composition.

• Understand and analyse the impact of subtlety in music.

• Compose or cover six short soundtracks using Pro Tools 11 or Logic Pro

9.

Jackson Fenton 6

3. Research

3.1. The Process of Composition

3.1.1 Spotting

Film composing doesn’t usually take place until the movie is in the post-‐

production stage. The director and the composer will meet up in the studio

and watch the rough-‐cut film. During the viewing, they will make notes as to

where they believe music should be incorporated; where, from when and to

what point. When the movie has finished playing, they will exchange ideas

and themes that the composer can incorporate at the writing stage.

Fairly often, the rough-‐cut will have temp tracks, which were created by the

director or producer, to give the composer a better idea of which direction

they wish them to go. They will also discuss the positioning of cues, musical

absence and interval placements.

The composer is one of the first people to watch the movie’s rough-‐cut, along

with the director and editor, respectively. The reason for this is pretty self-‐

explanatory; so they can get a feel for the film. The composer needs to get an

idea of tone, of rhythm, of climax and emotion. A classic mistake from

filmmakers is thinking that a composer is just a translator for the director’s

vision. Well that may be part of the brief; it is the composer’s job to create

the substance that bonds the sound to the screen, and at the same time

conveys the director’s vision.

A director will have a certain amount of input into the music, but it’s the

composer’s job to develop his or her own feelings, which will tie-‐in to the

director’s. If the composer disagrees with the director, they can discuss why

the music should be done a certain way.

Jackson Fenton 7

“That shows you are not simply assuming an employee posture and that you

care as much as the director about creating the best score.” – Kompanek, S

‘From Score to Screen’ pg. 30, 2004.

Spotting is seen as the most important stage of composing, because it creates

the basis of where sound is needed. For a successful collaboration, both the

director and composer need to be observant, efficient, open-‐minded and

patient. It won’t be an instantaneous process, and may take several weeks,

sometimes months to produce the final soundtrack.

“He hires you to do what you’re best at, and you try to come up with it. It’s

something that requires a lot of trust.” – Brian Tyler on Sylvester Stallone,

2012.

If a composer is given a temp score, this completely limits their

interpretation of the movie, making the creative process “less creative”

respectively. Take Hans Zimmer’s “Gladiator” score for instance – Ridley

Scott gave Zimmer a temp track to influence the score for the movie: for

which he was later sued by the Holst Foundation for plagiarism. The problem

aspiring composers face is a question that cannot be solved by theory: How

can one utilize their creativity when the industry is so afraid of originality?

3.1.2 Syncing

Once the composer has discussed where music is being positioned in the

film, they need to synchronise exactly where the cues are coming in. They

need to identify at which frame in a given sequence the music is to begin,

where it should slow, stop or speed up, and where it should end. This is

heavily dependent on the tempo of the visual scene, as the music needs to

match the pace. Most composers will carefully plot the tempo of each cue, as

it rarely stays the same. One moment, the protagonist can be slowly walking

down Santa Monica Boulevard, and the next, he is sprinting from a heavy-‐

duty 4x4 trying to run him down. The music needs to elaborate and reflect

Jackson Fenton 8

the drama and emotion displayed in the picture and stay in time with the

scene.

The entire purpose of the film score is to build on the emotion of the story; to

help the audience understand the characters and their feelings, in order to

better relate to them. It can even be argued that good film music places the

viewer in the protagonist’s shoes and helps them see the world through the

storyteller’s eyes. Non-‐diegetic music is a great way to break the wall

between the spectator and character, because it humanises the picture, and

lets people inside the mind of the movie. When a dramatic sequence occurs,

it’s always necessary to wait a beat before the music begins. The reason for

this is so the audience can understand the full impact of the new information.

An Analysis of the Syncing Stage

For the purpose of analysis, take a look at

Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows -‐ the scene

where Holmes and Moriarty face off in the

third act. It is the climax to an engaging story,

whereby Holmes and his rival stand at the

iconic Reichenbach location.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buE_jLEZrf4

If one were to analyse what happens in this scene, it would appear fairly

obvious where the drama occurs but finding the right cues can actually be

rather difficult; it is very much a response signal that leads in to a sudden

striking event.

During an unsettling conversation, a bass-‐driven tone is used to represent

Holmes’ demoralised view of Professor Moriarty. The bass drum comes in

the moment the first punch is thrown. The ambience drowns out, as the

scene becomes slow motion, and as the punches become heavier, so does the

Composed by Hans Zimmer.

Jackson Fenton 9

score. There is a prominent violin part that reflects indisputable conflict,

whilst the horns play a similar part in a different octave. Layering parts like

this gives the music a depth and thickness to it, articulating the severity of

the protagonist’s situation.

The music hits a short interval whenever the characters are not fighting, such

as when it cuts from his imagination back to reality. It is very clever, and

builds an emotional set-‐up as the viewers watch their hero fail. The horns

become much more conspicuous as the fight nears its end, and the diegetic

waterfall washes the part away – leaving only the wind instrument

remaining, as Holmes falls from the balcony. The ensemble starts again for

one final time when Holmes makes the heroic decision to risk his life to kill

his foe, and they both drop into the Reichenbach Falls.

SMPTE Time Code

In most DAWs and video editing software, there is the ability to use the

SMPTE time code to synchronise sound to picture precisely. The Society of

Motion Picture and Television Engineers defined SMPTE in order to provide

filmmakers and composers a time-‐reference when editing. The layout

contains binary coding and is usually written like so -‐

hour:minute:second:frame. Using this convenient tool, a composer can

measure an accurate point for the music to deviate and match the picture

perfectly.

Here is the SMPTE time code in a couple of Digital Audio Workstations:

Logic Pro 9

Jackson Fenton 10

Pro Tools 11

3.1.3 Writing

After the spotting and synchronising is completed, the composer can get on with

writing or completing the score. The first thing they need to think about is where

the music should be prominent, where less so, and where practically or actually

unnoticeable. Often where the music starts like a whisper and creeps its way

closer, it is more effective as the audience never sees it coming until it is at its

most powerful.

Writing a score involves maintaining the interest in the story. However, the

composer should never go overboard with exciting cues. If there are too many

cues, there will be less of a climactic effect when the drama hits its peak. It will in

actuality, look and sound unnatural and even comical to the viewer. To get the

best theatrical effect, the composer must engage the music in the most thrilling

parts of the movie, and not a segment more.

Everybody’s heard the phrase “Less Is More”, and that saying is very relevant in

the world of cinema. People live in an age where they like to imagine things and

envisage their own interpretation of literature. They are becoming ever more

fond of individuality all together. Things aren’t as obvious as they used to be and

people like that – it gives them a challenge during their viewing. In terms of

music, it’s the same principle: people don’t need to hear everything that might

be going on. The music doesn’t need to pick up every micro-‐expression or

emotion in the scene, only the most important ones.

Jackson Fenton 11

A great score is all about economy -‐ grabbing the attention of the audience

without being too upfront, too aggressive or distracting. It really is the simple

ideas that stick in a person’s memory; something they can remember due to its

sheer simplicity – from a catchy rhythm to an unforgettable melody. A part

worth mentioning is the leitmotif of Jaws. Just two notes on the tuba played over

and over again had created one of the most memorable themes in cinema.

It is easier to overwrite a film score than to underwrite one, to have so many

ideas that trying to intertwine them loses their impact. Simplicity is often the

best hook to grab people; it allows them to predict where the film is going. This

is not necessarily a bad thing, despite the fact the story should not be

predictable, the score can be. Simplicity allows the viewer to understand what

comes next before it actually does. If the soundtrack is building up, the audience

will know a climax is coming – and they can anticipate what will happen, and

when the tempo changes, they will be pleasantly delighted by the route the

composer chose to go in the choral component of the score.

“Musical economy means getting the most impact with the least amount of sonic

material, and is one of the main keys to most good score writing.” – ‘The Reel

World’ pg. 7, 2000.

When it comes to literally writing down the score, some composers use pen and

paper but with all the equipment and software available today, the vast majority

use digital workstations, such as: Avid Pro Tools, Steinberg Cubase and

Propellerhead Reason.

3.1.4 Orchestration and Recording

When the score has been written, the composer must designate which

instruments will play which parts. It is important not to think in big blocks of

instruments: woodwind section, brass section, percussion and strings. It is a

great tip to blend colours in the orchestration, and not stick to coordinating

those families as a whole. What this means in literal terms is to balance the

orchestra by playing different things; allow instruments to harmonise one

Jackson Fenton 12

another. Say there’s a 50-‐piece orchestra with 15 trumpets, allow the players to

play harmonies to give the sound a real sense of depth. The fuller the sound, the

more effective it will be.

Another note to take is to distribute the difficulty equally between each

instrument. If the flutes have very sophisticated parts to play and the violins

have a very light-‐hearted and generic part, there will be no consistency. The job

of the composer is to come up with a presence that matches the screen. If the

instrumental parts have nothing in common and don’t share tempo, energy or

colour, there will be no intertwining theme. That theme the composer is to work

with is what holds a score together. Always match pace with the instruments;

even if key variations are present, they still work if cued at the right point of the

movie.

Sometimes the composer will have a conductor by their side because they

cannot do everything themselves. This is usually because of time constraints

made by the film studio. The conductor will have little to no creative control

when organising the orchestra. Sometimes, the composer may ask the

conductor to put in fills, in order to sustain the intensity of the score. Other

times, they may be micro-‐managerial in their direction; practising for the

sound they envisioned, note by note.

When set-‐up in a live room, the conductor will stand in front of the orchestra,

with the composer watching closely as the rehearsals are taking place. It is at

this stage, the composer can hear what they have written and critique any

changes they have in mind.

They will be thinking about levels quite heavily, during this stage. What is the

primary voice of the score? What underlays the main strata? How do the parts

relate to one another? The composer must think of all of these aspects in order

to produce what they have playing in their head. The last part of the composition

process is recording the final piece. The ensemble will meet the composer in the

studio live room, ready to play in front of numerous microphones. When this

Jackson Fenton 13

stage has been successfully completed, it is time to mix the numerous recorded

tracks.

3.1.5 Mixing and Mastering

As soon as the recordings are in the Audio Workstation, the composer can

organise their tracks, clean up the project and most importantly, mix. DAWs like

Logic Pro and Pro Tools use software components called plugins to allow the

musician to edit fundamental parts of the signal within their tracks. In this

section, three favoured plugins on Logic Pro 9 will be examined by what they do,

what they are used for and why one might choose to use them.

The first being “Channel EQ”, this

plugin allows the user to modify

their signal by cutting or adjusting

certain frequencies. The Channel

EQ provides eight frequency bands

that include the high and low pass filters, as well as high and low shelves. This

plugin is useful for tracks that have undesired frequencies in the signal. The user

can boost or dip the acoustics at any point in the bandwidth; allowing easy

alteration to the track.

The second plugin that will be discussed is the Compressor. Derived from

“Dynamic Range Compression”, the plugin does as the stereo DRC machines do.

It reduces the amplitude of the

louder frequencies, to a level

that matches the volume of the

lower frequencies. In short, the

compressor balances the mix

of a track to make it sound

more natural. This tool is massively useful to the composer or engineer as it’s

rare that the microphones will pick up a performance exactly how it was

Jackson Fenton 14

envisioned. Through compression, a track can sound more uniformed and

punchier to the ears. For an orchestra, a musician may hit certain notes louder

than others, which will make the mix harder to perfect. The compressor is the

engine that will prevent such mistakes from becoming difficult to overcome.

According to Attack Magazine, the best

outboard compressor to this date is

the Teletonix LA-‐2A. It was introduced

in 1965; a whole eleven years before

the first DAW, never mind first DRC plugin. Unlike the outboard compressors,

the plugins are free with purchase of certain DAWs. Garageband is a free

workstation from Apple, given to customers that purchase a Mac computer.

Logic Pro, on the other hand, despite being owned by Apple too – costs on its

own, but the plugins affiliated with it, come with the package on purchase.

The last plugin that will be

discussed is the Space Designer.

This plugin is a reverb unit that

allows the user to use

convolution reverb to make

their track sound as if it was recorded in a certain type of room. This is very

useful when scoring a film that has a certain theme. For example, a movie that

touches the boundaries of religion may find a church reverb useful. When it

comes to reverberation, it’s not like a person can tell a room from only that.

What they can tell is the shape or size of the room by how the reverb reacts in

the air around the orchestration. This is where timbre becomes relevant. If the

organ and an ensemble of violins were to play the score of that movie, it would

further those themes off the screen, making it all that more personal to the

picture.

When it comes to mixing, there are endless things an engineer can do with a

digital recording. Whether it’s sticking to samples, using plugins or starting from

scratch, the possibilities are limitless. Most external plugins will work in all the

Jackson Fenton 15

big DAWs. AIR Xpand!2 is a fantastic multi-‐timbral plugin synthesizer that allows

the user to create innovative sounds from a simple progression in a MIDI format.

For somebody that doesn’t have access to an orchestra, this workstation is

perfect as it allows the composer to program each part in and choose the

instruments at their leisure, at any time.

There is no one-‐way to create a film score, or a song for that matter. There is no

recommendations guide or step-‐by-‐step instructions of how to go about a

composition. It is all about preference and each musician will have different

ideas they wish to present.

3.2 Successful Composers

While most composers don’t receive as much attention or publicity as film

directors or film stars, a select few are nevertheless world renown and

household names due to the success they have had with their work. Internet

searches and a survey (see 4.1 on page 26) identified the top five best known

and perhaps most successful living film composers. Film composition is very

much a hidden art; a good soundtrack will blend into the picture when it’s the

perfect alter ego.

This section has been written to direct some attention to the most famous film

composers of this era, and to look into certain techniques and ideas they have

applied to their work. The reason for this is so the reader can understand what

these composers have done, and maybe let it influence their own work.

Jackson Fenton 16

Current Hollywood Composers

1) John Williams

Net Worth: $100 million

Date of Birth: February 8, 1932

Years active: 1952-‐present

Discography includes: Jaws, Star Wars, E.T, Indiana Jones,

Home Alone, Hook, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan.

Academy Awards – 5 wins, 49 nominations.

BAFTA Awards – 7 wins, 14 nominations.

Emmy Awards – 3 wins, 6 nominations.

Golden Globes – 4 wins, 25 nominations.

Grammy Awards – 21 wins, 63 nominations.

With a career spanning over sixty years, John Williams has created many of the

most iconic film scores to date. A frequent collaborator of Steven Spielberg, the

two have worked together more often than not. These films include Jaws,

Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan.

Williams’ style is very old-‐fashioned. His style seems similar to 19th century

composers, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Richard Wagner. He has incorporated

the classical style into film music, giving the soundtracks themes of romance and

fantasy for projects of the same elements, and at the same time making the films

timeless.

Jaws (1975) is a prime example of just how effective Williams can evince human

emotions from simple music notes: Instead of a sweeping melody (which

Spielberg expected), Williams played two low half-‐notes on the piano, back and

forth, "Da…Duh," slow at first but then a little faster, "Da…Duh," the tension

keeps building, "Da…Duh," and then when the tension is highest the crescendo

hits, "DaDuhDaDuhDaDuh," and the viewer knows something really bad is about

to happen to that poor woman swimming in the water.

Jackson Fenton 17

2) Hans Zimmer


Date of Birth: September 12, 1957


Discography includes: The Dark Knight, Pirates of the

Caribbean, Sherlock Holmes, Inception, Man of Steel,

The Amazing Spider-‐Man 2, Batman v Superman.

Academy Awards – 1 win, 8 nominations.


Emmy Awards – 0 wins, 1 nomination.



Hans Zimmer is a name many are familiar with. Some know the name, but not

the work, as his career has covered a lot of major movies. Zimmer has composed

more than one hundred scores in his career. He has a very different style to

Williams; he may even be seen as the polar opposite. Zimmer scores for a variety

of darker movies, not necessarily by narrative, but by direction. Interestingly, he

has frequently collaborated with director, Christopher Nolan, whose work is

visually very gritty, provocative and chaotic.

Zimmer is a composer that utilises the power of modern technology. He has

openly stated he is not a great musician, but with the ability to channel his ideas

into a computer system, he has been able to make some truly brilliant scores.

“I have no musical education. I had two weeks of piano lessons; that’s my formal

education. I’m off the generation where a new musical instrument was invented

called the computer. So if you ask me to play a piano, I don’t play it very well. But I

can play a computer really well.” – Hans Zimmer, 2010.

As a result of computer technology evolving so largely over the last fifty years,

creating music has become evermore straightforward to accomplish. It allows

Jackson Fenton 18

people like Zimmer to produce their music painlessly. A person no longer needs

to play an instrument in order to write music and because of this, the profession

itself is open to trial by anyone. The approaches of creating music have

expanded greatly because fewer requirements are needed to produce an

effective and satisfying score today.

It could be argued that a computer itself is a musical instrument because of the

capabilities a machine can now achieve. Zimmer may be one to agree with this

statement. He stated: “I'm a good programmer. I've always felt that the computer

was my instrument.” – 2010.

Like Williams, Zimmer has created short leitmotifs that have taken the themes to

a whole new level. If one were to listen to Hans Zimmer’s “Why So Serious” track

from the 2008 film “The Dark Knight”, they would notice the unsettling way it

starts. Martin Tillman plays the cello part that defined The Joker. Just two notes

that clashed together captured the essence of the character, and despite its

unnerving simplicity, it raised the tension so dramatically; like a wire that gets

tighter and tighter; eventually it’s going to snap.

3) Danny Elfman


Date of Birth: May 29, 1953


Discography includes: Batman, Mission: Impossible,

Men In Black, Spider-‐Man, Hulk, Charlie and the

Chocolate Factory, Wanted, Real Steel.

Academy Awards – 0 wins, 4 nominations.


Emmy Awards – 1 win, 2 nominations.


Grammy Awards – 1 win, 11 nominations.

Jackson Fenton 19

Danny Elfman is a man of a certain style. He knows the importance of originality

but has very clear notion of individualism. In terms of practicality, Elfman has a

very definitive set of instruments he chooses to use in most of his big-‐picture

scores. Elfman is very fond of the use of traditional strings, brass and woodwind

instruments. He has a very orchestral palette, including saxophones, piano,

chimes and bells. His trademark sound is – the women’s choir.

The instruments he uses are not exotic or unusual, however their constant use

is. If one were to listen to his most recent releases they would notice his loyalty

to these selected instruments, and he has become a master at orchestrating

them.

One of the most common mistakes made by novice orchestrators is to think that

a full sound is achieved by doubling everything. Every melody and harmony is

doubled, tripled or even quadrupled in unison and octaves. The way Elfman

works is by separating his colours in the orchestration, giving them their own

audial space.

According to Alain Mayrand of gettingthescore.com, Tobey McGuire said “Danny

Elfman’s Spider-‐Man theme is good because it’s ‘not noticed’”. What Mayland

believed McGuire meant was film music is great when it fits the film so perfectly

that it feels completely natural.

According to Levinson (2006, page 145) “non-‐diegetic film music being

‘inaudible’ i.e. is not, and not meant to be, consciously heard, attended to, or

noticed is false. He claims the “inaudibility theory” seems most true for what is

called ‘underscoring’.” “Music at a low volume that serves as a sort of “aural

cushion” for dialogue that remains the main order of business, or for melodically

and rhythmically unmarked music helping to effect transitions between scenes

of notably different character”.

Jackson Fenton 20

4) Ennio Morricone


Date of Birth: November 10, 1928

Years Active: 1946-‐present

Discography includes: La Cage aux Folles, The Thing, The

Good The Bad and The Ugly, Once Upon a Time in

America, The Mission, The Untouchables, Wolf, Bugsy.






Unlike the previous composers, Ennio Morricone is purely from the 20th century.

To call him one of the most creative composers of all time sounds rather generic

if said today, but this man; who is as prolific as daring, has made a bigger step in

the medium of Film Music than Elfman and Zimmer combined.

The beauty of Morricone’s work was that it was never predictable; it never held

a common style or universal thread. Despite being heavily associated with

Spaghetti Westerns, he has worked with many genres during his expansive

career.

“He reinvented movie music.” -‐ Martin Scorsese.

Without a doubt, the most recognisable of Morricone’s work is the main theme

to the 1966 film “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”. The track that

revolutionised the Spaghetti Western genre carried heavy motifs that related to

Western America. After a steady percussive beat, the track begins with a two-‐

note melody sounding something like the howl of a coyote. Additional sounds

follow, some of which symbolise characters and themes from the film.

Jackson Fenton 21

The timbre Morricone used were heavily affiliated with the genre (most notably,

the flute, harmonica, and whistling). Morricone’s desire to use such thematic

instruments only pushed the connotations further, expanding the depth of his

soundtracks and creating unique backgrounds to the action.

Since release, because of the score’s success, it has been included in many films

and adverts including the movie “Faster” and Camel Cigarettes commercials.

According to craveonline.co.uk [see reference 1] the track is one of the most

iconic film scores ever, and shows how a composer need not feel restricted to

the usual instrumentation.

5) James Horner


Date of Birth: August 14, 1953

Years Active: 1979-‐present

Discography includes: Aliens, Honey, I Shrunk The Kids,

Braveheart, Apollo 13, Jumanji, Titanic, Deep Impact,

The Mask of Zorro, Bicentennial Man, Avatar.




Golden Globes – 1 win, 8 nominations.


James Horner has scored for many great pictures. Most notably, he wrote the

soundtrack for James Cameron’s Titanic in 1997, and for Cameron’s Avatar in

2009, two of the biggest grossing box office successes ever. He has also scored

for a variety of drama blockbusters during his career, and is very fond of using

elements of Celtic music. Scores like “The New World” and “A Beautiful Mind”,

which integrate piano pieces, are very similar in melody, so Horner has been

criticised by many people online [see reference 13] for plagiarising his own

Jackson Fenton 22

work. He has denied doing so intentionally however, and said there is no way

around his works sounding similar [see reference 6]. Recently, Horner has

scored for such pictures as ‘The Amazing Spider-‐Man’ (2012) and ‘Southpaw’

(2015)

When scoring for James Cameron’s ‘Titanic’, Horner was keen for Celine Dion to

sing over the soundtrack. Cameron disagreed with the idea and Horner went on

to record the track in secret. Upon completion, Horner presented the finished

song to Cameron. “My Heart Will Go On” became a worldwide smash hit shortly

after release, going to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and achieving an Academy

Award and a Golden Globe that year. Effectively the film sold the song, and the

song sold the film; a situation many have tried to emulate since. If James Horner

hadn’t gone with his gut instinct, Celine Dion would be short of her ‘signature

song’, and Titanic may not have been the success it was.

3.3. Why Hire A Composer?

At the simplest level, a composer’s job is to enhance the moviegoer’s experience

using the dimension of sound. This “dimension” is entirely theirs, and they can

run wild with their ideas, so choosing an expert who works only with music and

sound, and has many years of experience, is more likely to achieve a satisfactory

or successful result.

Music in film can do a whole variety of different things. It can be used to

establish a theme, a time zone, a place, even a personality. Remember Zimmer’s

cello piece on the Joker -‐ that simple leitmotif moulded his character, and

renewed the iconography. The economy of that demonstrated the “Less Is More”

idea, even in the most tense of scenes; especially the most tense of scenes. Music

is a great way to communicate emotion, without the use of narration, but use it

too much and the effect is diminished.

So why hire a composer – because they have experience of communicating even

the subtle emotions to an audience through the medium of music. Whether their

Jackson Fenton 23

techniques are ritualistic in every movie (like Elfman), or completely disparate

(like Morricone), every successful composer has them, and if well applied, those

techniques have the power to make the movie greater than the sum of its parts.

3.4. What Makes A Soundtrack Work?

Some argue that successful soundtracks are no different to successful pop songs.

Rona (2000, pg.4) states, “Successful pop songs have “hooks” that become their

main identifying point. A hook usually comes down to just a few short notes or a

phrase. That is the art of pop music, to quickly become memorable through a

simple, brief, catchy phrase. Successful film scores are no different, though they

often add a layer of complexity to the musical style in order to make it work in a

number of programmatic or dramatic situations.”

It is not the composer’s job just to write music. They must write music that

directly connects to the story and characters through connotations of their

psychological state, actions, narrative progression and dynamics of the film. A

composer could write the best music in the world, but if it doesn’t fit the movie,

they haven’t done their job.

Jackson Fenton 24

3.5. Emotion and Meaning In Film Music

3.5.1. The Key To Emotion

According to the German poet, Christian Schubart, musical keys had

affiliations with human emotion. Rita Steblin translated his work in her book

“History of Key Characteristics in the 18th and Early 19th Centuries”. University

of Rochester Press (1996). Below are the paraphrased cliff notes:

Whether or not one believes this analysis in its entirety, many musicians

believe there is some truth behind it.

C Major -‐ Purity, innocence, simplicity, naivety, children's talk. C Minor -‐ Unacquainted love, love-‐sickness, longing, heartache.

D♭ Major -‐ Unusual grief. C# Minor -‐ Intimacy, religion, friendship, love. D Major –Triumph, victory, rejoice, paradise. D Minor –Melancholy, depression, sadness.

E ♭Major -‐ Love, devotion, passion. D# Minor – Anxiety, distress, despair, fear.

E Major – Joy, pleasure, delight. E minor –Declaration of love, realization, recognition.

F Major – Gracious, calm. F Minor – Misery, death.

F# Major – Adversity, relief, conquer, courage. F# Minor – Resentment, discontent.

G Major – Passion, tenderness, gratitude, friendship, faith, peace. G Minor – Uneasiness, worry, failure, dislike. A♭ Major – Death, putrefaction, judgment. A♭ Minor – Suffocation, difficulty, struggle.

A Major – Innocence, satisfaction, hope, trust, desire. A Minor – Womanliness, tenderness, beauty. B♭ Major – Clarity, love, hope, aspiration.

B♭ Minor – Mockery, discontent, suicide, surly. B Major – Colour, passion, anger, rage, fury, jealousy, strength, despair.

B Minor – Patience, tranquility, composure, dignity.

Jackson Fenton 25

3.5.2. Scales

If one were to take a look at the box on the previous page, they would notice

all the major keys are representing happy emotions, whilst all the minor keys

are representing sad ones. But what is the difference between major and

minor?

Put simply the difference appears to be one note. “The third” is what gives

major scales their brighter sound, and the minor their darker sound. This is

why major and minor scales are associated with the two opposing themes.

“If you’ve spent any time studying a few scales you should know many scales

contain seven different notes. For example, the major scale contains a Root,

2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th. Similarly, most chords and arpeggios usually

contain 3 or 4 different notes like a Root, 3rd, and 5th (triads), or a Root, 3rd,

5th, and 7th (seventh chords). All of these scales and chords contain that

important note the 3rd in them. Compared to major scales and chords, minor

scales and chords have different 3rds.” – Pouska (n.d)

Jackson Fenton 26

3.5.3. Tempo and Pitch

It is also worth noting the part tempo plays in music. Its contribution is

unfathomable, its language unmistakable. A fast pace resembles energy,

quick kinetics and motion. A fast pace is also associated with happiness,

courage and tenacity. If one were to look at any film in the last one hundred

years, they would find this theory to be true.

By same token, slower music is associated with sadness, loneliness and

despair. The reason behind this convention is as simple as motion creating

speed. The emotions represented by the slower tempo lack any physical

movement, whilst the happier emotions are quicker and more impulsive.

Pitch has a similar effect; the lower the pitch, the darker and more ominous

the sound, and the higher the pitch, the more light-‐hearted and playful. The

relationships of the scale, tempo and pitch are the only elements of music

that are transparent, and can be seen as truly universal. It’s very much like

binary code; it’s a 0 (minor) or a 1 (major).

4. Findings and Discussion

As part of the discussion of the report, three tests were conducted. The first

test was to ascertain whether the public had any knowledge of a number of

renowned film music composers and their works:

4.1.“The Knowledge of The Maestros Survey”

This questionnaire was printed on paper and given to members of both

Stafford and Leeds communities. The target was to get a wide variety of

respondents by age as was possible, in order to get a well-‐rounded and fair

response. On the overleaf, are the results, and in the appendices is the

question sheet.

Jackson Fenton 27

• 45% could name three Hans Zimmer projects.

• 12% could name three Brian Tyler projects.

• 60% could name five Christopher Nolan projects.

• 9% could name three Ennio Morricone projects.

This results show that composers get nowhere near the recognition that the

directors or the stars of those films do. Notably, Morricone is a composer of the

20th century but it is surprising that he got such a low score from the older

generations.

People asked in total: 55 Ages: 15-‐20 = 16 21-‐30 = 12 31-‐45= 14 46-‐60= 9 61+= 4

Christopher Nolan Know him?

YES NO

Hans Zimmer Know him?

YES

NO

Brian Tyler Know him? YES

NO

Results 83% knew Nolan 61% knew Zimmer 20% knew Tyler 32% knew Morricone

Ennio Morricone Know him?

YES

NO

Jackson Fenton 28

4.2. Timbre Deviation Test

For the second test, ten people listened to two different versions of two film

scores (recorded using firstly, orchestral instruments and secondly, rock

instruments). All versions were covers made using Pro Tools 11 and AIR Music

Technology plugins.

The audio to these tests can be found on the CD that is with this document. This

test was conducted to understand the importance of timbre and choice of

instruments in a film score. Below is further information on the tested tracks.

Hans Zimmer – Discombobulate Orchestral Instruments – Banjo, violin, saxophone, bass.

Rock Instruments – Guitars, Synth, Bass, Violin.

John Williams – Jurassic Park Orchestral Instruments – Piano, Bells, Strings, Cello. Rock Instruments – Guitars, Bells, Cello, Trumpet.

"Jurassic Park" Preference

Orchestral

Rock

"Discombobulate" Preference

Orchestral

Rock

Out of the ten participants: • 9 preferred the orchestral version of “Discombobulate”. • 7 preferred the orchestral version of “Jurassic Park”.

Jackson Fenton 29

When the participants listened to the four tracks, the majority stated that the

rock version gave a whole different feel from the orchestral. It was said that the

rock versions sounded nothing like film music. Although the rock versions had

received some good feedback, it was obvious that they didn’t have the same

cinematic effect as the orchestral versions.

This test shows the importance of timbre and genre, and how fundamental the

choice of instrumentation is to the success of the score. The instruments play a

huge part in the song’s personality, and should be chosen with great care.

4.3. Genre Guessing Test

For the last test, ten more individuals listened to snippets of two existing scores,

without picture reference. The aim was to discover whether the participants

could deduce the genre of the film from which they were taken, from only

hearing the music.

These scores are:

• Steve Jablonsky’s “Gangster Squad” (2013)

• Brian Tyler’s “The Expendables" (2010)

The video the participants had viewed, is linked directly below –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ2LZoipA_g

This test was interesting as every party had either hit the answer right on the

head or got very close. Here are the questions –

1) When listening to the first track, what genre came to mind? Did it

establish a time zone? Describe what you saw.

2) Listen to the second track. Paint another picture. What genre was it scoring?

Jackson Fenton 30

And here are some of the answers –

For those that don’t know, ‘Gangster Squad’ is a crime-‐thriller set in the 1940’s,

depicting the demise of the ruthless Mickey Cohen. The deductions that were

made were astonishing, very close indeed.

‘The Expendables’ is an action film about a group of elite mercenaries that are

given a mission to take out a Latin American dictator.

Again, the deductions were near perfect. From this, it can be assessed that these

scores were very successful from their heavy use of musical themes that connect

to the picture, and their punchy melodies that frankly, are extremely catchy.

Gangster Squad

-‐ Police Drama -‐ Neo-‐noir -‐ Crime -‐ Gangster film -‐ WWII

The Expendables

-‐ Sci-‐Fi -‐ Period Drama -‐ Action Blockbuster -‐ Army Epic -‐ Current Day

Jackson Fenton 31

5. Conclusion

There’s not a magic formula for making a great score or making a great movie. It

requires creativity, hard work, patience, synergy and a little inspiration to create

a good soundtrack. So while the greatest composers may have techniques that

they use to achieve the results we admire, and they may apply them scientifically

to the work in hand, composing a soundtrack is by no means a purely a scientific

process. The creation of music is also an artistic process, so the composer must

also be an artist, and use the pallet of sound colours open to them.

So while the techniques of the greatest composers can be studied, analysed and

scientifically applied to make both the writer and the reader better understand,

and achieve better results in, the process of soundtrack creation, without some

artistic ability the results may still never achieve the success of the master film

score composers.

And in a world where new technology is around every corner, it is becoming

increasingly easier to afford the equipment needed to compose, synchronise and

record film music. But this comes with its own set of challenges. If DAW software

is so easy to access nowadays, that means the industry has become a whole lot

more competitive. Bands can make their own videos, scriptwriters their own

film.

But it doesn’t harm the student to know the essentials of creating a good score,

and understanding the relevance of every factor when writing for the movies.

The great composers listed (in chapter 3.2) show that themes and motifs can

bring the audience closer to the action and the characters; that a climax in the

plot can send shivers down the spine if the music climaxes as well; that in the

right place silence can be as effective as sound; that musical hooks can be as

effective in film as in pop songs; that the simplest two note motif can trigger the

same picture or thought in the minds of millions of people; the sounds that start

inaudibly can rise to a crescendo almost unnoticed, taking the audience’s

Jackson Fenton 32

emotions to a peak with it; and that sound and music can increase the audience’s

experience of what they are watching and pull them even further into the film.

Perhaps the greatest thing about creating music in the current era is the

composer doesn’t need prior musical training or competence on an instrument

to write music for film. Although experience always helps, the invention of MIDI

and easy access to powerful software and plugins has allowed anybody to write

a piece of music without the need for live performance or musical ability on an

instrument. Granted, MIDI and live performance have their differences but with

the right knowledge and experience, one can make even the harshest of MIDI

sequencing sound like a live performance to most people. Elaborate plugins and

effects can manipulate the raw signal into something beautiful.

Jackson Fenton 33

6. Recommendations

Since it is highly unlikely any film production student is ever going to find

themselves working alongside any master composer in the foreseeable future, a

good knowledge of their techniques acquired through listening to and analysing

their work is worthwhile. Writing a good soundtrack is not something that can

easily be taught, but tips and lessons can come from watching how the masters

do it.

If a fresh-‐faced student is glancing across this, looking for a suggestion as to

where to start a career in creating film scores, then it is equally unlikely that

student would be offered a big budget deal to write and record a score using an

orchestra in a live studio at any time in the foreseeable future either. So, buy a

DAW: Avid Pro Tools or Apple Logic Pro are recommended – they’re easily

understandable and frankly, essential pieces of software for the budding

soundtrack creator, and would enable them to start recording short films and

band videos straightaway.

Jackson Fenton 34

Bibliography

Bibbiani, W. 2011. Craveonline.co.uk. ‘The 30 Most Unforgettable Film Scores

Ever’ [online] Available at:

http://www.craveonline.co.uk/film/articles/129694-‐the-‐30-‐most-‐

unforgettable-‐film-‐scores-‐ever

Brand, N. 2013. Theguardian.com. ‘The Secret Art of the Film Soundtrack’,

[online] Available at:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2013/sep/12/film-‐

soundtracks-‐neil-‐brand

Buhler, J. Neumeyer, D. Deemer, R. ‘Hearing The Movies’, New York, US: Oxford

University Press, 2010.

Burt, G. ‘The Art of Film Music’, Pennsylvania, US: Maple Press, 1994

Cellania, M. 2013. neatorama.com ‘John Williams: Scoring The Force’, [online]

Available at: http://www.neatorama.com/2013/03/25/John-‐Williams-‐Scoring-‐

the-‐Force/

Chion, M. ‘Audio – Vision: Sound On Screen’, New York, US: Columbia University

Press, 1994.

Cook, F. ‘Pro Tools 101’, Boston, US: Cengage Learning PTR, 2009.

Crisafulli, C. 2007. Hollywoodreporter.com ‘Settling The Score’, [online] Available

at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/settling-‐score-‐130746

Fisher, J, P. ‘Soundtrack Success: A Digital Storyteller’s Guide to Audio Post-‐

Production’, Boston: Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning, 2012.

Jackson Fenton 35

Furness, H. 2014. Telegraph.co.uk. ‘Film score composers should be treated as

'seriously' as Mozart and Tchaikovsky, Royal Albert Hall director says,’ [online]

Available at:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/classicalmusic/10943665/Film-‐

score-‐composers-‐should-‐be-‐treated-‐as-‐seriously-‐as-‐Mozart-‐and-‐Tchaikovsky-‐

Royal-‐Albert-‐Hall-‐director-‐says.html

Heldt, G. ‘Music and Levels of Narration in Film’, Chicago: The University of

Chicago, 2013.

Kalinak, K. ‘Film Music: A Very Short Introduction’, New York: Oxford University,

2010.

Kendall, L. Bond, J. (n.d) filmscoremonthly.com ‘Letters About Horner’s Titanic’

[online] Available at: http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/features/titanic.asp

Knowles Marshall, J. (n.d) FilmSound.org. ‘An Introduction to Film Sound’,

[online] Available at: http://filmsound.org/marshall/

Kompanek, S. ‘From Score to Screen’, New York: Schirmer Trade Books, 2004.

Leach, R. (n.d) composerfocus.com ‘Orchestration in the Style of Danny Elfman’

[online] Available at: http://composerfocus.com/orchestration-‐in-‐the-‐style-‐of-‐

danny-‐elfman/

Leinberger, C. ‘Ennio Morricone’s “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”: A Film

Score Guide’, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, Inc. 2004.

Leon, S. 2010. Collider.com ‘Hans Zimmer talks Inception’ [online] Available at:

http://collider.com/hans-‐zimmer-‐interview-‐inception-‐batman/

Levine, M. 2013. Soundtracksandtrailermusic.com. ‘Why Hans Zimmer Got The

Job You Wanted (And You Didn’t)’ [online] Available at:

http://soundtracksandtrailermusic.com/2013/07/hans-‐zimmer/

Jackson Fenton 36

Levinson, J. ‘Contemplating Art: Essays in Aesthetics’, Oxford: Oxford University

Press. 2006.

MacDonald, L, E. ‘The Invisible Art of Film Music’, (2nd Edition) Maryland:

Scarecrow Press, Inc. 2013.

Martin, N. 2004. Hometheaterforum.com. ‘In Defence Of James Horner’ [online]

Available at: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/174718-‐in-‐defense-‐of-‐

james-‐horner/

Mera, M. Burnard, D. ‘European Film Music’, Hampshire, UK: Ashgate Publishing

Limited, 2006.

Meyer, L. ‘Emotion and Meaning in Music’, Chicago, US: The University of Chicago

Press, 1956.

Nahmani, D. ‘Logic Pro 9 and Logic Express 9’, California, US: Peachpit Press,

2010.

Pouska, A. (n.d) studybass.com. ‘The Difference Betweeen Major and Minor’

[online] Available at: http://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-‐scales/the-‐

difference-‐between-‐major-‐and-‐minor/

Reay, P. ‘Music in Film: Soundtracks and Synergy’, London: Wallflower Press,

2004.

Rona, J. ‘The Reel World: Scoring For Pictures’ San Francisco: Miller Freeman

Books, 2000.

Ross, A. 1998. Therestisnoise.com ‘Oscar Scores’ [online] Available at:

http://www.therestisnoise.com/2004/05/oscar_scores.html

Jackson Fenton 37

Schuerer, T, E. ‘Music and Mythmaking in Film’, Washington DC: Heldref

Publications, 2005.

Sonnenschein, D. ‘Sound Design’, California, US: Michael Weise Productions,

2001.

Steblin, R. ‘A History of Key Characteristics in the Eighteenth and Early

Nineteenth Centuries’, New York: University of Rochester Press, 1996.

Stewart, H. BBC. 2013. ‘How do film-‐makers manipulate our emotions with

music?’ [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/0/24083243

Thomas, T. ‘Music for the Movies’ (2nd Edition) Beverly Hills: Silman-‐James

Press, 1997.

Tyler, B. 2012. YouTube. ‘Composing The Expendables’ [online] Available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfuuSwF4Mco

Jackson Fenton 38

References

1. Bibbiani, W. 2011. Craveonline.co.uk. ‘The 30 Most Unforgettable Film Scores

Ever’ [online] Available at:

http://www.craveonline.co.uk/film/articles/129694-‐the-‐30-‐most-‐

unforgettable-‐film-‐scores-‐ever

2. Brand, N. 2013. Theguardian.com. ‘The Secret Art of the Film Soundtrack’,

[online] Available at:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2013/sep/12/film-‐

soundtracks-‐neil-‐brand

3. Cellania, M. 2013. neatorama.com ‘John Williams: Scoring The Force’, [online]

Available at: http://www.neatorama.com/2013/03/25/John-‐Williams-‐Scoring-‐

the-‐Force/

4. Crisafulli, C. 2007. Hollywoodreporter.com ‘Settling The Score’, [online]

Available at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/settling-‐score-‐130746

5. Fisher, J, P. ‘Soundtrack Success: A Digital Storyteller’s Guide to Audio Post-‐

Production’, Boston: Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning, 2012.

6. Kalinak, K. ‘Film Music: A Very Short Introduction’, New York: Oxford

University, 2010.

7. Kendall, L. Bond, J. (n.d) filmscoremonthly.com ‘Letters About Horner’s Titanic’

[online] Available at: http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/features/titanic.asp

8. Knowles Marshall, J. (n.d) FilmSound.org. ‘An Introduction to Film Sound’,

[online] Available at: http://filmsound.org/marshall/

9. Kompanek, S. ‘From Score to Screen’, New York: Schirmer Trade Books, 2004.

Jackson Fenton 39

10. Leach, R. (n.d) composerfocus.com ‘Orchestration in the Style of Danny

Elfman’ [online] Available at: http://composerfocus.com/orchestration-‐in-‐the-‐

style-‐of-‐danny-‐elfman/

11. Leinberger, C. ‘Ennio Morricone’s “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”: A Film

Score Guide’, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, Inc. 2004.

12. Leon, S. 2010. Collider.com ‘Hans Zimmer talks Inception’ [online] Available

at: http://collider.com/hans-‐zimmer-‐interview-‐inception-‐batman/

13. Levine, M. 2013. Soundtracksandtrailermusic.com. ‘Why Hans Zimmer Got

The Job You Wanted (And You Didn’t)’ [online] Available at:

http://soundtracksandtrailermusic.com/2013/07/hans-‐zimmer/

14. Levinson, J. ‘Contemplating Art: Essays in Aesthetics’, Oxford: Oxford

University Press. 2006.

15. Martin, N. 2004. Hometheaterforum.com. ‘In Defence Of James Horner’

[online] Available at: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/174718-‐in-‐

defense-‐of-‐james-‐horner/

16. Meyer, L. ‘Emotion and Meaning in Music’, Chicago, US: The University of

Chicago Press, 1956.

17. Pouska, A. (n.d) studybass.com. ‘The Difference Betweeen Major and Minor’

[online] Available at: http://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-‐scales/the-‐

difference-‐between-‐major-‐and-‐minor/

18. Rona, J. ‘The Reel World: Scoring For Pictures’ San Francisco: Miller Freeman

Books, 2000.

19. Steblin, R. ‘A History of Key Characteristics in the Eighteenth and Early

Nineteenth Centuries’, New York: University of Rochester Press, 1996.

Jackson Fenton 40

20. Stewart, H. BBC. 2013. ‘How do film-‐makers manipulate our emotions with

music?’ [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/0/24083243

21. Tyler, B. 2012. YouTube. ‘Composing The Expendables’ [online] Available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfuuSwF4Mco

Jackson Fenton 41

Picture References

Front – Movie collage.

Fig. 1 – Sherlock Holmes 2. Available at:

http://www.framestore.com/sites/default/files/styles/hero_720x406px/public

/work/sh4.jpg?itok=vQsNH3d4

Fig. 2 – Logic SMPTE code.

Fig. 3 – Pro Tools SMPTE code.

Fig. 4 – Channel EQ.

Fig. 5 – Dynamic Range Compressor.

Fig. 6 – Teletronix LA-‐2A. Available at:

http://www.uaudio.com/media/assetlibrary/l/a/la2a_front_hq.jpg

Fig. 7 – Space Designer.

Figure 8 – Google Print-‐screen.

Fig. 9 – John Williams. Available at:

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120402051037/starwars/images/4/42/

John_Williams.jpg

Fig. 10 – Hans Zimmer. Available at:

https://www.spectrasonics.net/data/Artist_Images/hans_zimmer.jpg

Fig. 11 – Danny Elfman. Available at:

http://s15.photobucket.com/user/trickzakky/media/2013%20Films/danny_elf

man-‐229_zpscfa61fa5.jpg.html

Jackson Fenton 42

Fig. 12 – Ennio Morricone. Available at:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Ennio_Morricone_Can

nes_2012.jpg

Fig. 13 – James Horner. Available at:

http://www.moviepilot.de/files/images/0486/6852/James_Horner.jpg

Definitions

DAW – Digital Audio Workstation.

Definition: An electric or electronic device, or computer software application for

recording, editing and producing audio files.

MIDI – Musical Instrument Digital Interface.

Definition: A technical standard that describes a protocol, digital interface and

connectors and allows a variety of electronic musical instruments, computers

and other related devices to connect and communicate with one another.

EQ -‐ Equalisation.

Definition: The process commonly used to alter the frequency response of an

audio system using linear filters.

Jackson Fenton 43

Appendices

The Knowledge of The Maestros – Survey Sheet

1) Name five movies Christopher Nolan has directed?

2) Name three movies Tom Hardy has starred in?

3) Name three soundtracks Hans Zimmer has composed?

4) Name three films Brian Tyler has scored?

5) Who created the Star Wars soundtrack?

a) Danny Elfman

b) Jerry Goldsmith

c) John Williams

d) Hans Zimmer

6) Which superhero film did Marius De Vries score with John Williams?

a) Iron Man

b) Kick-‐Ass

c) The Amazing Spider-‐Man

d) Man of Steel

7) Who starred as the latest Superman incarnation?

a) Brandon Routh

b) Robert Downey Jr.

c) Henry Cavill

d) Ben Affleck

8) Who scored Jaws?

a) John Williams

b) John Murphy

c) Henry Jackman

d) David Duchovny

9) Who directed E.T?

Jackson Fenton 44

10) Who scored E.T?

11) Which film has the best soundtrack?

12) Who wrote the OST?

13) Who scored “Now You See Me”, “Fast Five” and “Thor: The Dark World”?

a) Alan Silvestri

b) Brian Tyler

c) Danny Elfman

d) James Horner

14) Who composed “Titanic”?

15) Name three Ennio Morricone film scores?

Along with this document, a CD has been submitted. This CD has a copy of

every export and MIDI project that has been produced with this

investigation. The data consists of:

• Eight MIDI files, each with AIF and WAV bounces.

• Two testing videos.

• A digital copy of this dissertation.

An Investigation into the Creation of Soundtrack for ... - WordPress.com

Documents