THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC
THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC IN FILM
Music is something that shapes film hugely & with interviews being completed, editing is next in line, meaning music comes in. To bring up the mood of the interviews I want to place some music in the background. Understanding the importance of music & understanding the correct music I should use will really help get the mood & style I want.
IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC IN FILM
''Music's purpose is to express and modulate emotions. We use it to soothe, psych up, woo, enrage, sadden and cheer each other, or ourselves. ... They may not understand the semantic content of language, but they understand the emotional content of music just fine''
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Without music films would just go back to silent films & although there's nothing wrong with that, I think everyone can agree that movies with sound, are way better. Music changes the way we feel towards a film, happy - sad it doesn't matter music builds the effect more onto us & we will feel that certain way,
We match visuals with music & that creates a film.
EXAMPLES
Some of great examples of the importance of music are shown below
A video called Time - uses some of Hans Zimmer's music, & it shows in great detail the way it makes us feel.
Another great artist is John Williams
ARTICLES
A article written by Helen Stewart BBC Arts & Culture, called ''How do film-makers manipulate our emotions with music?'' - Was posted on their site,
This small section of the article really brought me in to understanding more including a quote from writer Philip Ball. (Full article here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/0/24083243)
Science writer Philip Ball, author of The Music Instinct, says soundtracks can produce the same reaction in us whether the music is good or bad.
"Our response to certain kinds of noise is something so profound in us that we can't switch it off, film composers know that and use it to shortcut the logical part of our brain and get straight to the emotional centres."
Some filmmakers are now using infrasound to induce fear in audiences. These extreme bass waves or vibrations have a frequency below the range of the human ear.
MUSIC IN DOCUMENTARIES
However grand music in high end films can be how different is music presented in documentaries? I took upon music to re-search the understanding of just that question.
Music to be is such a big part of how documentaries are made, music of course is just as important in any film, but with documentaries, the music becomes all the more important because it is reflecting something real and not just a works of fiction.
And thats just the reason why many people seek out certain documentaries because they have a personal connection to the subject matter or an interest in gaining greater insight. The same relates to composers that sign on to create the sound of these films
I found this quote on a blog focusing on the idea's of documentaries
FILM SCHOOLREJECTS
''Composer Miriam Cutler reflected on her work on the film Ethel, which tells the story of Ethel Kennedy, saying, “I often found myself overwhelmed by my own feelings about the Kennedy family and their place in American history. Sometimes I was the only person in the room who was alive when Robert Kennedy was shot and for my generation, this had a huge impact.”
Composer Joel Goodman had a similar experience with an episode he scored of American Experience focusing on Walt Disney, explaining, “Prior to getting the call to score this film, I had read books and articles about Walt and was very familiar with his personal story. Sometimes we have personal connections in that way, reading about someone, and sometimes we may identify with the subject matter.”
Reading further down I found this section very interesting.
When it comes to historical events and people, it is easy to find a way to tap into the emotion, but even something as innocuous as a documentary about coffee can create a connection. Barista tells the story of those behind the counter making our complicated coffee orders and the film’s composer, C.A.Gabriel, admitted, “I am a huge coffee fiend and it really was inspiring creating music for a film about the very thing that fuels me to create music.”
However a personal connection to a documentary is not always necessary — sometimes it is simply the content of the story and the passion of those creating the documentary that become the draw. The film Bigger, Stronger, Faster is about the use of steroids and composer Dave Porter had little knowledge of the topic when he signed on to compose the film, but noted, “I was quickly fascinated by all of the moral and ethical questions the filmmakers were raising, and that fed me creatively while scoring it.”
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Whether working on a fictional film or a documentary, music should always add to the feeling and emotion, but not take it over. This is all more important when it comes to documentaries, because documentaries feature real people and not actors following a script, the emotion being conveyed is not always obvious and a composer has to work to make sure the music is not taking a stand the person being featured is not actually making.