Dept. of Music and Performing Arts Professions
Program in Scoring for Film and Multimedia
Film Music: Aesthetic and historical perspectives
MPATC-UE 1500 – FALL 2014
Prof. Sergi Casanelles: sc2839@nyu.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course explores the aesthetics and the history of music in film. In the first
weeks, we will discuss the different concepts and approaches used to analyze
film music. Then, the course will concentrate on the various historical, artistic
and production perspectives.
We will watch clips from silent films to the most current and discuss how
music functions within films throughout history.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the end of the semester, students should be able to:
1) Understand how music works and interacts with the rest of the film
2) Be familiar with the main concepts and terminology
a. Types of shots and Point of View
b. Diegesis
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c. Narration, Narrative, Plot and Story
d. Codes and Genre
e. Viewer’s perception of music in film
3) Have a broad knowledge of the most relevant film music, composers,
production practices over the time and genres in the history
4) Be able to critically analyze the music of a film scene using all the
previous concepts.
Although not required, students are encouraged to transcribe fragments of
the music in order to complement their understanding of the cue and analyze
the scene more precisely (specially recommended for composers).
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
You are required to read the materials that appear in the weekly syllabus for
the beginning of the class.
Each week we will watch scenes from a few movies as they appear in the
weekly syllabus. Students should critically watch at least one of these movies
per week, trying to listen carefully to how the music works in that film.
In the class, we will always discuss various clips form each film.. You are
expected to participate and give an articulated opinion of the clips we watch.
ASSIGNMENTS
The class has seven short assignments (usually around half a page) and a
longer final assignment. The short assignments are designed to guide you to
the process of analyzing a scene from different perspectives.
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In the short assignments, you have to pick a scene from one of the films for
the class. Try to pick a scene that is no longer than 2 minutes. The
assignments are designed to build your skills toward a complete analysis of a
film.
The final assignment requires a whole analysis of a scene from a chosen
movie using the methodology you learned from doing the short assignments.
You can use any of the movies discussed in class or another movie of your
choice with the approval of the instructor. The final paper should be at least
2500 words. Some assignments will help you to build your final paper, so you
do not have to do all the work at the end of the semester and you have
feedback way before submitting your paper.
(Look at the final paper guidelines)
ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION
You will have to submit the assignments using the new NYU Classes
submission system, before the beginning of the next class.
Late submissions will lower your grade. After a week, assignments will not be
accepted. For special situations, please discuss it with the instructor.
QUIZZES
There will be four short quizzes (around 10 minutes) during the semester.
They will be mainly focused on the readings and on the concepts explained in
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class. Therefore, you will be asked to define concepts and terminology,
explain the main characteristics of a period of the history of film music or
shortly discuss a clip from a historical point of view.
ASSESSMENT
Quizzes (4) (25%)
Participation (10%)
Short assignments (35%)
Final Project and Class Presentation (30%)
ATTENDANCE
You are allowed ONE unjustified absence. You should e-mail the instructor
before the class.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/policies/academic_integrity
Remember to properly quote when presenting or paraphrasing a phrase,
sentence, or passage of a published work, even if the source is a web page, a
movie or an extra content from a DVD. It is always better to acknowledge too
much than fail to do so.
You will need to use a citation style: MLA, APA, Chicago… and follow it for
your citations, quotations and bibliography.
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If you have any questions, ask the instructor.
READINGS
The readings are a selection of short articles and chapters (or fragments of
them) that discuss different aspect of film music and film theory. There are
also some class notes that normally summarize one or more articles.
Readings on NYU CLASSES / NYU library online
Sadoff, R. H. (2012). An Eclectic Methodology for Analyzing Film Music. M usic and the Moving
Image , 5 (2), 70-86.
Brown, R. S. (1994). Overtones and Undertones. Reading film music. Berkeley and Los Angeles,
California, US: University of California Press. (pp. 97-109)
Byrd, Craig L.(1997). Interview with John Williams. In Hubbert, J. (Ed.). (2011). Celluloid
Symphonies (pp. 414-423). Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of
California Press.
Gorbman, C. (1987). Unheard melodies. Narrative film music. Bloomington, IN: Indiana
University
Kulezic-Wilson, D. (2008). Sound Design is the New Score. Music, Sound, and the Moving
Image, 2, 2, 127-131.
Mera, M. (2013). Inglo(u)rious Basterdization: Tarantino and the War Movie Mashup. Vernallis,
C., Herzog,, A. and Richardson, J. (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Sound and Image in Digital
Media (437-461) New York: Oxford University Press.
Neale, S. (1990). Questions of genre. Screen , 31 (1), 45-66.
Wierzbicki, J. (2009). The Golden Age of Film Music, 1933-49. In Wierzbicki, J. Film Music: A
history (pp.133-159). New York: Routledge.
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WEEKLY SYLLABUS
Introduction to film and film music theory, definitions and
concepts, form
CLASS 1 (09/04) Introduction
Introduction / Syllabus
The industry of filmmaking: Music as part of the postproduction stage.
Overview of relevant industry practices
The historical and cultural context of a movie
Sound/Music in Cinema
The Great Gatsby (2013), Manhattan (1979), Atonement (2007),
Gravity (2013), How to train your dragon (2010), 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Assignment 1: Historical and cultural context of a movie.
Choose a film (preferably from the syllabus).
Using the Eclectic methodology and what we explained in class as a
model to write a cultural and historical context of a film.
CLASS 2 (09/11) Elements of film form and style
Narration / narrative
Plot / story
Shots / cuts
Temporal parameters
Codes and semiotics
Syntactic analysis [Analysis of the audiovisual elements of a scene over
time]
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Reading:
Sadoff An Eclectic Methodology 70-86
Notes on Narrative/Narration, Plot/Story
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Spring Breakers (2012),
Avalon (1990), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), The Godfather II
(1974)
Assignment 2: Syntactic analysis of a Scene.
Do a syntactic analysis of a scene (1 or 2 minutes long) using Avalon as
an example.
CLASS 3 (09/18) The role of music in film
Narrative / narration music
Heard/unheard
Definitions (Diegetic vs. Nondiegetic)
Terminology used in the industry to address music in film
The model of Max Steiner as a canon for film scoring practice
Reading:
Gorbman Classical Hollywood Practice pp.70-91,
Boogie Nights (1997), Battleship Potemkin (1925), Modern Times (1936),
King Kong (1933), Life of Pi (2012), The Dictator (2012), Moonrise
Kingdom (2012)
Assignment 3: Music and Filmic codes of the scene
Select a scene and extract the musical and filmic codes.
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CLASS 4 (09/25) Film music perception
Musical Expectations
Congruency/Incongruency
The Viewer: hypothesis making
More on codes
Readings:
Bordwell, D. Zip, Zero, Zeitgeist.
http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2014/08/24/zip-zero-zeitgeist/
Rear Window, Citizen Kane, Psycho, Basic Instinct, Vertigo, Sunset
Boulevard
QUIZZ 1
Concepts and Vocabulary (in Class and in the readings) [classes 1-3]
Diegetic / non diegetic , types of shots, plot / story, narration /
narrative, codes, Gorbman’s 7 rules, Sadoff’s Eclectic Methodology
Assignment 4: Textual/Cognitive analysis of the scene
Do a Textual Analysis of a scene, considering the implication from a
cognitive point of view, as discussed in class.
Style: historical, generic and artistic approaches
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CLASS 5 (10/02) Wagnerian total art work and the cinema
The foundations of music for film
Similarities and differences between Opera and Film
Leitmotivs and film music. Structural aspects of building a cohesive
soundtrack using motives.
Readings:
Brown Overtones and Undertones (The Sea Hawk analysis)
pp.99-109
Byrd Interview John Williams (on Star Wars) pp. 414-423
Sea Hawk, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings
Final Assignment (a) : Proposal final paper
CLASS 6 (10/09) Golden Era, Studio System
Hollywood after 1929
The studio system and film music. Staff composers.
Aesthetic critiques to the Studio System
The production practices of the Studio System
Korngold and his composing process
Reading: Wierzbicki The Golden Age pp. 1933-49 pp. 133-159
Robin Hood, Casablanca, The best years of our lives, King’s Row
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Final Assignment (b): Historical and Cultural Context for the movie
chosen for your term paper.
CLASS 7 (10/16) Postwar, the Post Studio Era and new musical ideas
Hollywood crisis after 1950s
Composer's practices, inventions and innovations:
Jazz, 20th century techniques, electronics, epic music
Reading: At least two sources for your final paper
Man golden arm, Dirty Harry, Rebel without a cause, Ben-Hur, Lawrence
of Arabia, To kill a Mockingbird, Taxi Driver
Final Assignment (c): Short summary of two of the sources (5-10 lines)
Syntactic analysis of at least one scene
QUIZZ 2
Classes 5-6
Wagner and Cinema (leitmotivs and dramatic structure), Golden Era
CLASS 8 (10/23) The new Symphonism of the 80s
John Williams and the restoration of the musical models of the Golden
Era
Beyond the Golden Era: differences in terms of film production and its
music
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Reading: Cooke John Williams and the New Symphonism (pp. 456-467)
Superman, Star Trek II, E.T, Jurassic Park, Jaws, Total Recall, Back to the
future, Schindler’s List
Assignment 5: Codes and textual analysis of at least three themes from
one of the movies discussed in class.
The movies discussed are mainly thematic. Choose three themes of one
of the movies discussed and describes the musical codes used and how
that relates to the film or the characters on the film.
CLASS 9 (10/30) Contemporary Hollywood Music: Remote Control
Remote Control and Hans Zimmer: a new model that improves the
Studio System by using technology and collaborative tools.
The Hyperorchestra and models of Hyperrealism: beyond the recording
and beyond the mockup
Reading: Hyperorchestra, Hyperreality and Inception
Inception (2010), Gladiator (2000), Bourne series (2000s), Da Vinci Code
(2005), Avatar (2009), Brave (2009), Sherlock Holmes (2010), The man of
steel (2013)
Final Assignment (d): Filmic and Musical Codes for the chosen scene.
CLASS 10 (11/06) Contemporary Film Music: Other models
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New musical models beyond Hollywood standard practice
A different model of collaboration between director and composer
Stylistic and aesthetic approaches to the music for Indie Films
Reading: Kulezic-Wilson, D. Sound Design is the New Score
Limitless (2011), Social Network (2010), Amelie (2001), The Skin I live In
(2011), The Bling Ring (2013), The Perks of Being a Wallfower (2013),
Requiem for a Dream (2000), Black Swan (2010)
Assignment 6: Historical or Syntactic analysis of a contemporary film
(2000-now)
CLASS 11 (11/13) Two Auteurs: Kubrick and Tarantino
Musical practices in auteur filmmaking
The Music Editor and the The Music Supervisor
Music Libraries
Transtextual Codes and the mashup
Reading: Mera Inglorious Basterdization: Tarantino and the War Movie
Mashup
2001 (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), The Shinning (1980), Django
Unchained (2013), Kill Bill (2003-04), Inglorious Basterds (2009)
QUIZZ 3
Classes 7-10
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Postwar, the 80s and Contemporary Film Music
CLASS 12 (11/20) Music and Film Genre
Practices and film genre
Generic Codes
Genre and time period
Generic Verisimilitude
The musical, Horror, Comedy
Readings:
Neale Questions of Genre pp. 45-48,
Alien (1979), Naked Gun (1988), The Sound of Music (1965)
Assignment 7: Shortly describe generic musical codes from a chosen
genre
Choose a filmic genre and explain which, in your opinion, are the
musical codes associated to that genre.
-- 11/27 – NO CLASS -- THANKSGIVING
CLASS 13 (12/04) Two genres: The Western / Fantasy movies
Genre and the historical time
A postmodern approach
My Darling Clementine (1946), The good, the bad, the Ugly (1966),
Magnificent Seven (1960), The man of steel (2013), The Amazing
Spiderman (2012, 2014), Batman (1989)
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Assignment 8: Answer set of questions on genre
CLASS 14 (12/11) Beyond Film and Beyond Genre. Multimodality,
Transtextuality and Hypergenre.
The case of Marvel
Generic Networks
Film, TV, WWW, Media Apps
The Avengers (2012), Thor (2011), Agents of SHIELD (2013-14), Iron
Man (2008)
Final Assignment due
QUIZZ 4
Classes 12-13
Music and Film Genre
12/18 – Paper Presentations
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