Workshop over multiple days
Music plays an essential role in transmitting emotions in movies. The same visuals can be perceived very differently with suspenseful music versus a funny or happy tune.
The six-day workshop offers an opportunity to create an original composition and soundtrack for a short movie excerpt, wherein the existing music and dialogue are muted.
After thoroughly examining the storyline, characters, and environmental elements, students utilize virtual instruments and real-world sounds to construct musical themes and immersive soundscapes. Additionally, the curriculum encompasses the application of audio effects, the art of mixing, and mastering techniques.
Students will learn about artistic options when composing music and soundtracks to moving images. By the end of the course, students will have created their own musical interpretation to enhance a given movie excerpt. Critical listening and feedback throughout the week encourage risk-taking and develop confidence in the student’s artistic and technical abilities.
The last day offers the opportunity to showcase each student’s work with group feedback. Participants should outline their creative process and reflect on elements that were easy to integrate and the direction they wish to take in the future.
Session 1
The relationship of music and moving images. Presentation of three possible movie excerpts. Introduction to scene analysis.
Choose one of the three movie scenes and perform a very detailed scene analysis.
Session 2
Discussion of the scene analysis and merging of all observations. Introduction to Ableton Live.
Develop a first melody for the main character with your virtual instrument of choice.
Session 3
Discussion and feedback on some of the melodies.
Develop a melody for a secondary character. Add harmony to both melodies.
Session 4
Working with real-world sounds for atmospheres and foley. Importing these sounds into tracks in Ableton Live.
Use portable recording gear and capture sounds which might be useful for your scene.
Session 5
Organization and transformations of real-world sounds.
Experiment with sound transformations.
Session 6
Temporal organization of the movie scene, based on the scene analysis.
Sketch the musical elements and their succession.
Session 7
Orchestration of virtual instruments.
Apply the orchestration guidelines to your music.
Session 8
Punctuating time: highlight important scene moments with special sounds and effects.
Apply effects and reverb to particular moments of your music.
Session 9
Mixing the different layers.
Apply mixing technics to your music.
Session 10
Mastering the music track and synchronizing it to the original visuals. Export a finished version.
Finalize your project into an independent video file with your composed music.
Session 11
Presentations, critique, and final discussion.
Students need a basic understanding of music theory. Knowledge of a Digital Audio Workstation like Reaper, Logic, Ableton Live, or Cubase is beneficial.
There are typically two lectures daily, followed by individual, practical work.
