Analyse 10 examples of music and sound to a moving image - being critical of strengths and weaknesses within the examples
1) Dallas buyers club trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8utPuIFVnU
In this trailer it starts with a crowd cheering this is to shows that the main character is heroic and important next you can hear guitar chords starting to play this is also another sign that the main character is cool because commonly rock music is associated with "cool" things and this is reflected in the trailer showing him with women and money. Then all of a sudden the screen goes black as the character is hit in the face and when the next scene comes up it shows him in a hospital and a piano is playing, this shows the scene is going to be gentle and thought provoking. Then you hear the doctor tell the character he has HIV which is a sensitive subject hence also why the piano playing. Then the character says a heroic thing which is that nothing can kill him and the suddenly the guitars come back in however they aren't chords but a riff instead this is to show that the character is on a mission. The guitars continue to play as the character finds out the he can start making money through selling drugs and but also helping people as he does it this is a sign that the character is a anti-hero hence why the electric guitars are playing because commonly they sound rebellious. The trailer continues and the man says "Welcome to the Dallas buyers club" to which the music stops playing this is because they want to highlight the fact the main character is saying the name of the film. After he says this line gospel music starts playing which is to make you feel like this film is big and powerful. The the trailer gets to a point when the man and woman are in a restaurant and slow piano music this is to show the film romance and is sensitive. The same music also reflects the next song which shows the main character talking about people are dying without his help which shows that the main character is a good guy. The music then gets to a crescendo and it shows all of the actors names in the film before the song finishes with just vocals and pianos and shows the woman leaning her head on the main characters shoulder this highlights the fact that the film is sensitive and inspiring.
2) Monsters inc:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvOQeozL4S0
The music starts with slow creepy piano to make you feel like the film is mysterious and spooky and it has a deep narrators voice talking over the top further show this emotion. The camera then goes to a door which makes you nervous because you don't know whats to going to come out of it then in the scene the light goes off and the door handle starts shaking as the piano playing builds to mini crescendo but then all of the music stops and the two monsters fall out and acoustic guitar starts playing to show you that actually its a friendly funny film. This music continues throughout until it gets to then when you hear a dog barking and you can tell the little monster is scared but because of the guitar in the background you know you're meant to laugh. Then it goes to logo of the film and it ends with a chord.
3) Lynx pulse advert:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEl2FGxOhcw
The advert starts with a guy sitting at a bar and you can tell its going to be a "cool" and funny trailer because you can hear disco funk music playing and the guy smiles before turning around. Then just as the beat drops in the music he breaks out into dance and starts playing air guitar so you immediately know its comedic however then it shows two women look at him and walk over to him. They then start dancing with him so even though you know its funny for guys it instantly lets them know that this product can have benefits. Then the woman start to copy his dancing so it lets you know this product will make you look appealing. Near the end of the trailer it gets to point in the song where it says "make love and listen to the music" and at this point the women are dancing right next to him so it lets you know that this will product will make you attractive to the opposite sex. The advert ends with him pulling the two woman in towards him and him raising his eyebrows at the camera and all of a sudden the narrator says "pulse, the new fragrance from lynx" this lets you know through the material in the advert that this product is what you need.
4) 2001: A Space Odyssey:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2UWOeBcsJI
The trailer begins with dialogue from the film but you immediately know its going to be a sci-fi film because the voice is robotic also to accompany this the music is very light and jumpy which makes you think of gravity. Also the wide shots of space let you know that film is supposed to be epic this is also reflected with the minimal sounds. Then all of a sudden you hear a man talking and the music turns into choir chants which sound creepy and suddenly makes you think that there's more to this film than meets the eye. The trailer continues with the man talking and the music continues to crescendo then they start to mention that they have found something and they are going to investigate what it is. Then all of sudden it shows them looking at a large black monolith and it gives off a high pitched noise before going black this sound effect lets you know that some strange things happen in this film. When the screen comes back up it shows a ship flying through space with violins playing, the violins are used to make you feel captivated by the film because violins often trigger the emotion of wonder. The music then stops and you hear another robot voice speaking in monotone which is very eerie and its playing over the top of some action sequences. This lets you know that the film is intense. After the silence the trailer then has large epic music playing which gradually builds up whilst the scene changes get quicker this is to show that there are parts in the film which are fast paced in comparison to the early on stages in the trailer. Just as the music ends with the large sound of violins the title of the film appears letting you know its meant to be an epic film.
5) The Lego Movie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ_JOBCLF-I
The trailer begins with the sound of a sweeping harp sound this is to let you know the tone of the film is happy and fun. Then the music changes and it turns into techno which lets you know the film is appealing to younger audiences as well as families. All of a sudden he falls into a hole and the music stops playing this is to let you know that something strange is about to happen. Then it shows him meeting a female character and pop music begins to play the song is very upbeat and sounds like country music which is often associated with adventure. The song then breaks downs and keeps the riff playing this is so you can hear important dialogue so it gives you an idea on what the story is about. The the music stops and when the female character says "I believe in you" a new track starts which has the same upbeat but its also a lot more dancey this is to let you know the film is very upbeat.
6) 12 Years A Slave:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrDg_6rxCzs
The trailer of the film starts with down tempo piano this is to show the subject matter of the film is thought provoking and important but it also has a lot of emotion behind it. It then moves into a scene which shows the main character playing his violin, then even though the scene changes the violin carries on playing this is to show you the violin is key to the character also the violin makes the film look very civilized. Then all of sudden the trailer goes dark and has no noise except a drum beat this is to show that the film has very serious elements to it. This beat continues till its to a scene where is shows the main character brought to a house. At this point an old song starts playing to signify the period of which the film is set but also to show that the film is very human and real. The music keeps playing until the main character says "I want to live" at this point the music changes into violins and as they build into a crescendo the scenes change quicker indicating the intensity of the film.
7) Motorola advert:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOkgLQdyQOs
Throughout the entire advert it uses a up beat dance track this is to show that the product of the advert is lively and modern. At points throughout the advert the music gets more layers added to it every time it shows the product on screen this is to show that the product is has multiple things it can do. At another point in the advert it shows adverts going off the song of the fireworks carries on after they have disappeared off screen this is to show the product is revolutionary and its trying to push its self to the limit by reaching for the sky.
8) Pepsi 2004 advert:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wYAP4Tul_k
The advert starts as if its a med-evil town and there are violins playing in the background very quickly this is to make you feel intense and the violins make the scene look powerful. Then all of sudden a ball rolls to the feet of someone and the music stops this is to draw your attention to the person who has the ball also the silence lets you know something important is about to happen. Then all of a sudden you see the man with the ball and his friends, it then shows the man on the horse pull a angry face so you know they don't like each other. They then charge at the man and his friends to which an orchestra starts playing this is to make you feel like the advert you are watching is epic because orchestras are used in action and adventure movies. It then shows the man and his friends playing with the ball heading it to each other as they do this you can hear the swish of the violins to show the fact they're heading to each other is important. The ball ends up with one of the friends and the music suddenly changes into modern Brazilian music as he performs tricks, the reason for this is to show you that the product is modern and if you consume the product then you too can perform these tricks. Once hes done performing his tricks the music changes back into the orchestral music. Then as a couple of the players kick the ball you can a sweeping sound the make the moves they are performing look magnificent. Then all of sudden the music ends with a final swish of violins as one of the players stops the ball with his foot this is to signify that something important is about to happen. Then a lone violin plays one note which then changes in pitch this is to signify a build of tension to make you feel not sure as to what will happen next. Then the player hits the lock and all of the product falls out, the crowd suddenly starts cheering because the man and his friends have saved the day this is also made obvious because the heroic orchestral music starts playing again.
9) Alien:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjLamj-b0I8
The trailer starts by showing you stars and there's no music so it looks haunting also it has shots of what looks like a planet so you know its set in space. gradually a eerie sound starts building and adding tension. IT starts to show lines that eventually make up the word alien this is to make you feel scared of whatever the alien is before you have even seen it. Then all of a sudden you see an egg crack and you hear a howl. then it starts showing you scenes from the film with the same eerie sound building. The howls also continue this is to make you feel sacred but at the same time curious because you want to know what the alien looks like but it never shows you. Then all of sudden the music reaches its climax and scenes change very quickly showing disturbing scenes from the film this is to make you feel terrified. Then all the noise stops and it has a image of space with a planet in the background and a sentence comes up saying "In space no one can hear you scream" the silence is meant to make you feel uncomfortable and the trailer ends with the word alien again. As the trailer never shows you what the alien is it makes you want to go and see it because from the trailer you don't actually know what its about which is what makes it very clever.
10) Spirited away:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6az9wGfeSgM
The trailer begins with the sound of a sparkle this is to let you know the film is magical. Then all of a sudden a string instrument starts playing which i believe is a koto which is a Japanese string instrument commonly used in anime films. They use this instrument to let you know the film is very cultural. Then it sounds like brass instruments come in this is to increase the intensity of the music and let the audience know the film is full of adventure. Then it shows you the little girl running through a street with mysterious beings walking past her and shes shouting "mummy." This is to show you that the girl runs into some problems in the film, This is also reflected in the music because it uses violins which can often be used to create suspense and mystery. This music then ends as the little go shouts "No" to is to show that something is about to happen. New music starts playing which consists of drums and flutes commonly used by native Americans. Native Americans are also very spiritual so its good music to represent the film which is all about spirits and magical beings. This music continues to play and the drums get louder this is to build tensions and show that the film has intense moments. Also when words come up on the screen for example 'Judgement' a louder drum beat plays to intensify the word and make you feel like this film also has a incredible story behind it. The music then changes again has the little girl says her name this is to show you that this little girl is important to the films story. The new music has violins and the same Japanese sound at the beginning of the trailer this further prove the point that the film is full of magic and mystery. The trailer ends with the music reaching a crescendo and large a sparkle as the trailer of the film appears. Whilst that the narrator says "Prepare to be spirited away" this is to make you like if you watch this film then you're going to be taken on a journey.
LO2 - Music to picture
This is the brief we were given when composing our music:
- Drive and build from the beginning
- Momentum
- Special
- Delicate
- Gentle
- Our cue needs to be uplifting
- Sophisticated
- Epic
- Anthemic
Composing my music
For my music first of all i opened up Cubase and imported the video.
Once i had done this I started creating the music.
Firstly i put in a beat using redrum. I found some beats that sounded kind of like house music and i liked it because it suited the way the video goes into slow motion sometimes and using the simple beat made it sound mysterious and cool to watch.
Next I wanted to have a bigger beat come in to start building the tension in the song. The way i did this was by adding another drum beat through redrum however the drums were rock drums instead. The reason for this is because rock drums are louder and more aggressive however i added reverb to them to keep some similarity to the house drums.
Next i wanted to add a bass line to the song because bass adds an extra layer which can make the song sound large and powerful. I chose to use double bass it has the deep sound. Once i added it, it changed the tone of my song and made it sound quite dark so i needed to add a lighter melody line as i wanted my song to sound uplifting.
I chose to add violins because commonly they can be very uplifting especially when they harmonize with each other. Also they work well with the double bass because they are both part of the string family. I added the violins at the same time the bass started which in the video was at the point where the scenes started getting quicker so it helped the tension to start building even further.
After i had put in the violins i decided to edit its automation this was because i wanted to increase the tension and make the piece feel like its getting louder.
After the violins i then added a flute which followed the same bass line as they Double bass. I chose to do this because i wanted to have an instrument that contrasted the violins also flutes are great instruments to make pieces of music sound uplifting also they sound like nature and because the video is outside it fitted nicely.
Lastly i added a final drum beat to give the ending a final 'boom' I chose to do this because i had created a lot of tension with the violins and the bass and also the background drums so i need to end it and in a lot of trailers a common way is to end with a loud bang of a drum. To make the big band i used all the parts of a drum kit in one single beat and then added some reverb and compression to make it louder.
Here is the link to the video with the music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lFKOUOcF8U&feature=youtu.be
Here is the link to my music:
https://soundcloud.com/jordan-peedell/live-with-fire-my-auio-final-shut-up
LO3 - Sound design
Composing my sounds and voice over
For our ambient sounds we had to take a digital recorder and go out to find sounds to record that we felt were appropriate for our track. For my sounds i went out with Jasper and Dan and we went and recorded many sounds including splashing in puddles, walking on grass and running up stairs. Once we had got all the sounds we wanted we went back to the classroom and put them into a new cubase project with the Live With Fire video implemented in it.
Above is a screenshot of all my sounds put into cubase I did not use all of the sounds i recorded however with some of them layered them on top of each other to make the sound bigger.
As you can see from the image above this is a example of when i layered sounds on top of each other. As you can see all these sounds put together were titled mud splash this is because for one of the scenes in the video it shows a woman running in mud and originally when i recorded the puddle sounds they sounded bare, however when i put them together and added a running sound it made it sound like she was actually running through mud.
Some of the sounds i wanted i couldn't actually record because there wasn't enough time to go and find the sounds i needed however i found a website called freesound https://www.freesound.org/ which has millions of free sounds you can download and use.
Above is a screenshot from the website where i got the sounds. As you can see i got some outside ambient sounds because at college there are cars driving past so i couldn't get a clean sound with any other noises in it.
Here's another sound i got from the website and its women laughing i needed to get this one of the website because i couldn't find enough people who sounded old enough to record the sound myself.
Above is a image showing me editing the sound levels because i needed some sounds louder than others. For example as you can see i needed to gym ambiance to be louder because its a background noise.
With some of the sounds i also needed to edit their channel settings by adding EQ etc. As you can see in this screenshot ive added compression to explosion sound this is to make it sound bigger.
Here is a screen shot showing my voice over for the track I got my friend James to record his voice for me. Once i had added it into the track i edited things like pitch correct and EQ because i wanted his voice to sound a bit deeper and fuller because the recording didn't have much bass to it.
Here is a link to the voice over recording:
https://soundcloud.com/jordan-peedell/voice-over
Here is the link to the video with the sounds and voice over:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFTt4Hyk9UI&feature=youtu.be
Here is a link to my ambient sounds:
https://soundcloud.com/jordan-peedell/jordans-super-sounds
LO4 - Delivering your work to the client
Here is my final work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNTyj70EF-8
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