Music is an integral part of film, sometimes you don’t event notice the music, it is noted by the subconscious mind and helps create understanding or meaning. It can also affect emotions in the viewer or atmosphere within the film.
- Why is music used in the background to a film?
- Can it be used to predict change or foreshadow?
- How may it help aid a viewers understanding?
- Music speeds up or slows down to create a certain rhythm, why do you think this is?
STARTER
Look at the following film genres, describe the type of music you might hear in any four of these genres:
| Genre | Music Soundtrack |
| Action/Adventure | |
| Comedy | |
| Horror | |
| Sci-Fi | |
| Crime/Thriller | |
| Drama | |
| Epics | |
| War |
TASK
Watch the following clips, explain why the music is being used?
Keywords:
- tension, suspense, foreshadow, emotions, incite, emphasise, enact….
- climax, build excitement/emotion, melody, rhythm, languid/mellow/tense mood…
- refreshing, ominous, upbeat, melody….
- Violin, Vocals, Sound effects, Percussion, Organ, drums, Bass, flute, piano
Use the musical analysis sheet to help you pick out instruments and how they may affect the viewer:
The music used in the stampede scene in the Lion King:
- What type of music was used at the beginning? (Pace, instruments)
- How does this help us to predict what is about to happen? (What we know/feel)
- How does the music change when Scar arrives? (What does this tell us about him?)
- Why and when does the music stop?
- What type of music starts at the end of the scene and why?
- How does this make us feel? What is happens?
EXTENDED TASK:
- You are to present a voice thread:
- Record 3 classical music tracks: include the track and image that it connotates.
- Discuss what film genre it would be used in, and why? (Do this by talking through your voice thread)
- Listen to a selection of musical tracks. Once you hear the excerpt, you must write a short description of a scene that might accompany it. Be creative! Use descriptive language, and focus on the senses: Sight, Sound, Taste, Touch, Smell.
- Remember you are creating a scene that synchronises with the mood and atmosphere of the music.
