The combination of how one plays
a scene and the anchors one uses to play that scene is known as a
scores modality. In Scoring assignment #2, Good Will Hunting, the
modality contained a mostly singular methodology for playing the
scene almost begged for an empathetic (anchor) POV (Playing
the Scene). For those who took this approach, the score
represented an empathetic POV. Scoring assignment #3 provided an
opportunity to shift the manner one played the scene and the anchor one
used. Hitchiker could have been approached from an empathetic POV
of the main character to an anempthetic overview that played the
comedy. No Country could have started with an anthropological
overview to harken a country feeling which then changed or developed
into a more empathetic parallel abstract overview of the underlying
horror narritive.
In films where the modality may shifts frequently, it often becomes
necessary to determine many precise timings in order to mark the shifts
in time. This is particularly true of animation where rapidly
shifting modalities may be an integral part of the artistic
statement. In such cases the composer must be a master of modal
interpretation and although not absolutely necessary, this will often
require a thorough knowledge of genre. As well,
particularly in animation and comedic films,
music may be used to punctuate very specific actions on screen.
In order for the timing of the music to match the action on screen,
precise musical timings must be employed.
Consider the following scene from Little Mermaid II.
Bar | Beat | Tick
Event Name
How to Play the Scene and Reason for Change
Anchor
Frame Time
Tempo
Number of Beats
Notes
1|1|000
Scene starts "Going Somewhere Boys
POV Tip & Dash
Empathy
0.00.07.15
123
NA
PreRoll
6|1|000
Cut to Dash
Audience POV-change of state
Empathy
0.00.18.12
134.5
17
(3+3+3+4+4)
Music In. Triumphant Hero Chase/Rodeo Music
Once the music
entrance has been established, the composer must determine the next
place in the film in which the music will punctuate the film. The SMPTE
location of this next place is known as the "Hit Point"
Sometimes the musical punctuation will accompany a characters physical
action (called "Mickey Mousing"). Other times the musical
puncuation will highlight a change in the way you play the scene.
Still other times you may lead the scene by creating a puncuation to
infer an unseen action. In all of these cases, and others, the
composer must determine the metrical framework in which he/she will
arrive at the punctuation.
To determine that metrical frame work we need to know the following:
The Starting SMPTE (or Real) Time
The ending SMPTE (or Real) Time at which the punctuation will occur
The approximate tempo
The number of Frames per second (FPS) (assume 30 for now)
Consider the above scene from Little Mermaid II:
We begin the music at the Cut to Dash and wish to have a "Hit Point" on
the cut to the Sunset 14 seconds later. The scene is akin to a
chase/action scene so a tempo of approximately 132 bpm feel
right.
The Starting SMPTE (or Real) Time = 00.00.18.12
The ending SMPTE (or Real) Time at which the punctuation will occur 00.00.32.25
The approximate tempo = 132
The number of FPS = 30
Bar | Beat | Tick
Event Name
How to Play the Scene and Reason for Change
Anchor
Frame Time
Tempo
Number of Beats to next Hit Point
Notes
6|1|000
Cut to Dash
Audience POV-change of state
Empathy
0.00.18.12
Between 120-152
?
Music In. Triumphant Hero Chase/Rodeo Music
?
Cut To Sunset
Overview- New Location
Empathy
0.00.32.25
All strings sunset music
In the days before computer assisted film scoring, there were large
books that would cross reference the above data and yield an
approximate number of beats that would take you from the Starting SMPTE
to the Ending SMPTE at the given tempo. Today, there are a number of
web resources that automate that process. The below resource is courtesy of Frans Absil
Using the Absil web resource, I enter the following
The Starting SMPTE (or Real) Time = 00.00.18.12 (1st Row of Events Markers Table
The ending SMPTE (or Real) Time at which the punctuation will occur 00.00.32.25 2nd Row of Events Markers Table
The approximate tempo = 132 = Tempo range of 120 -152 bpm
The step is the division of the BPM. For our purposes its OK to leave it at 1.
The number of FPS = 30
Meter - Time Signature = 4 I
usually am more interested in the number of beats rather than the
number of Measure. In this particular tool that option is
represented as BT. Note that BT represents the beat on which the
hit point occurs. The amount of music you will need to arrive at
the next hit point is BT-1
When the values have been inputted, click "Find Best Tempo Fit".
Highlighted in Blue are the 3 best tempo values (Et) and the
corresponding table completes with the relevant Measures and beats that
will pass at the given tempo between your SMPTE Hit Points. In
this case the closest to 133 is the second option. At 133 bpm,
The next hit point will arrive on the 33rd Beat (BT) and 32 beats will
pass until we reach the next hit point (BT-1) IF we are in 4/4
for the entirety of these 32 beats, exactly 8 bars will pass and the
next hit point at the Cut to the Sunset will arrive exactly at 15|1|000
Bar | Beat | Tick
Event Name
How to Play the Scene and Reason for Change
Anchor
Frame Time
Tempo
Number of Beats to next Hit Point
Notes
6|1|000
Cut to Dash
Audience POV-change of state
Empathy
0.00.18.12
133
32
Music In. Triumphant Hero Chase/Rodeo Music
15|1|000
Cut To Sunset
Overview- New Location
Empathy
0.00.32.25
All strings sunset music
In Class Assignment.
Determine the number of beats in the first hit point of Swing
In Swing, we will assume sound effects for the opening titles and that the music enters around the cut from the titles to the movie between 7-9 seconds in. Our First hit point will be around
the first cut to the park between 20-25 seconds in. In this excercize,
you will need to determine the exact SMPTE Start and End times for your
hit points. Will your music start at the cut to the street or will
lead into it early or follow it a beat or two later to de-emphasise the
cut? Do you want to punctuate a physical gesture (the boy swooping
his head around the corner) or a change of location (the cut to the
park)
Load your movie into your DAW so that the movie begins at SMPTE 00.00.00.00
Determine the starting SMPTE time and Enter The Starting SMPTE (or Real) Time in the Absil tool
Determine the ending SMPTE time and Enter The ending SMPTE (or Real) Time at which the punctuation will occur
Enter The approximate tempo
The number of FPS = 30
Meter - Time Signature = 4
The Absil
tool is a great resource for the most basic hit points in a film and
well demonstrates the applicable principals of tempo and beat
determination. However, more often than not, media that is
closely scored or "mickey moused" will require multiple or compound
time signatures, ritardandi, accelerandi, fermatas and a host of other
complex tempo variables. These variables make the relevant tempo
and meter calculations quite complex rendering Absil and similar tools
rather incomplete.
Today, the best scoring DAWs have very sophisticated tempo tools
designed for just such complex calculations. The examples below
show Digital Performer which, in the media scoring community is
considered among the best and most commonly used DAWs. When
choosing a DAW, check to see how well it handles the aforementioned
complexities.
Returning to our
example of Little Mermaid II, a deeper look at the opening hit points
begin to reveal the aforementioned complexities immediately. The
opening of this cue can be separated into two sub sections. The
Cut to Dash is certainly the beginning of the Triumphant Hero Music but
we have a critical joke that Tip will deliver that needs to stand in
relief of the music and its not really until the Shark dives into
the water that the chase/rodeo music should begin. The Shark Dive
occurs at SMPTE 0.00.25.22 At the given tempo we now have to
account for a somewhat unaccomodating 17 beats of music before we start
the chase/rodeo on beat 18. Since the 18th beat will be the
beginning of the rodeo section, I would like it to occur on the
downbeat of the phrase. Unfortunately, it is impossible to arrive
at the 18th beat as a downbeat in any time signature since the 17 beats
of music I must write to get to that 18th beat is a prime number.
As such I MUST use multiple or compound time signatures or variable
tempi. For this example I used multiple time signatures: 3/4,
3/4, 3/4, 4/4, 4/4 and thus arrive at the rodeo at the downbeat of
11|1|000
Once the shark nose enters the water its a simple mater of 16 beats (a
perfect 4 bar phrase in 4/4 at the given tempo) to arrive at our
initial sunset hit point at 0.00.32.25
Bar | Beat | Tick
Event Name
How to Play the Scene and Reason for Change
Anchor
Frame Time
Tempo
Number of Beats
Notes
6|1|000
Cut to Dash
Audience POV-change of state
Empathy
0.00.18.12
134.5
17
(3+3+3+4+4)
Music In. Triumphant Hero Chase/Rodeo Music
11|1|000
Shark nose in water
NC
NC
0.00.25.22
134.5
16
4 bar Theme brings us to next cue
15|1|000
Cut To Sunset
Overview- New Location
Empathy
0.00.32.25
134.5
12
All strings sunset music
Having
arrived at the Cut to the Sunset, I determine that the next hit point
will be when Melody's tail dissolves. This hit point will play an
abstract view of the underlying subversive magical powers and mark the
change of Melody's state from mermaid to human. Like the previous
hit point, I would like to mark an interim hit point when we cut to
Melody in the Ice Jail. At the given tempo, this would
conveniently yield a12 beats of music to get to the ice jail or 3 bars
of 4/4.
At the given tempo, the time from the ice Jail and the tail dissolve
yields a very awkward 13.5 beats. A change of tempo at the cut to
the ice jail would break the continuity of the scene yet, I want to hit
the tail dissolve on a down beat and would like the ice jail music to
be musically phrased.
To do this I realized that the Significance of the Tail Dissolve would
be enhanced by having a ritard from the 8th beat so the music consumes
a bit more time and the cadence into the Tail dissolve is
heightened. By employing the linear tempo change function in my
DAW I am able to have the daw calculate exactly the right ritard,
starting on the 8th beat which allows me to arrive at the tail dissolve
after exactly 12 beats
Bar | Beat | Tick
Event Name
How to Play the Scene and Reason for Change
Anchor
Frame Time
Tempo
Number of Beats
Notes
15|1|000
Cut To Sunset
Overview- New Location
Empathy
0.00.32.25
134.5
12
All strings sunset music
18|1|000
Melody in Ice Jail
Overview- New Location
Anticipatory Empathy
38.04
134.5
with Ritard on bar 20
12
Anticipatory of dissolving tail spell
21|1|000
Melody Tail Dissolves
Abstract View- Change of State = Panic
Anthro
43.25
134.5
16
Evil Sorcerers Spell music
Although less common, a similar procedure could be followed for accererandi.
Other tools within a DAW that are very helpul for media scoring include
Streamers, Markers and other complex tempo and meter tools that are
beyond the scope of this discussion.
Bar | Beat | Tick
Event Name
How to Play the Scene and Reason for Change
Anchor
Frame Time
Tempo
Number of Beats
Notes
1|1|000
Scene starts "Going Somewhere Boys
POV Tip & Dash
Empathy
0.00.07.15
123
NA
PreRoll
6|1|000
Cut to Dash
Audience POV-change of state
Empathy
0.00.18.12
134.5
17
(3+3+3+4+4)
Music In. Triumphant Hero Chase/Rodeo Music
11|1|000
Shark nose in water
NC
NC
0.00.25.22
134.5
16
4 bar Theme brings us to next cue
15|1|000
Cut To Sunset
Overview- New Location
Empathy
0.00.32.25
134.5
12
All strings sunset music
18|1|000
Melody in Ice Jail
Overview- New Location
Anticipatory Empathy
38.04
134.5
with Ritard on bar 20
12
Anticipatory of dissolving tail spell
21|1|000
Melody Tail Dissolves
Abstract View- Change of State+Panic
Anthro
43.25
134.5
16
Evil Sorcerers Spell music
25|1|000
Melody Chokes
Overview-
New Location
Anticipatory Empathy
51.17
138.0
4
This bar is used to prepare new tempo in anticipation of continued chase
26|1|000
Cut To Tip and Dash chase
Overview-
New Location
Empathy
53.09
138.0
More chase than Rodeo back to motif
HOMEWORK
This
short film entitled Swing will test your ability to implement
multiple methodologies for "playing the scene" within a single 2:00
short film. This film offers you the opportunity to shift your
modality from POV, Overview, Abstract View to a literal Playing
of the Scene using the anchors we have discussed throughout the
semester. Additionally, there are plenty of opportunities to
capitalize on the timing and tempo techniques discussed in these
notes. You should create and submit within two weeks of this
class:
1. a matrix similar to the examples above that details
Bar | Beat | Tick
Event Name
How to Play the Scene and Reason for Change
Anchor
Frame Time
Tempo
Number of Beats
Notes
2. The Final Score rendered as an mp3 and
3. A pdf of the score
4. The completed film with your score married to the picture in mp4 format.
Rick Beato
has a great youtube channel that includes a very bare-to-bones approach
to music theory applications in modern film. In this video he
discusses Atonal, polychordal and Cluster Theory.
