shieroz – Page 6 – Shie Rozow – Composer, Music Editor

Music can complement characters

We all know the Imperial March from Star Wars that plays practically every time we see Darth Vader on screen. This can be either a theme or a motif. Themes are well developed musical ideas – think the Raiders March from the Indian Jones movies. A motif is more of a snippet, it tends to be shorter than a fully developed theme, or sometimes it’s just part of a theme – think Jaws, all you need to hear is 2 notes and there it is. Using themes and/or motifs for specific characters can be a very effective way to further your story, but like all things, overdoing it can lessen the impact. Keep in mind not every character necessarily needs a motif, and you don’t have to use the motif every single time you see the character, you can keep it for key moments.

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Be careful how you “hit” or “sting” moments

“Hitting” or “stinging” is when the music comments on an action, cut or dialog that’s happening on camera. Hitting something in an obvious musical way can be very effective, for example that big scare in a horror film when a monster jumps up at a victim. But like so many things in life, all good things in moderation. Often it’s best to have subtle hits, where the music change is there but understated.

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Pick and choose what to “hit” with the music carefully

Music can highlight specific moments, picture cuts, or even lines of dialog. Doing so is called “hitting” or “stinging” a moment. Be very judicial in what moments you want the music to hit. Too much and you risk the music feeling either “Mickey Mousey” (cartoony) or it can lessen the impact of the hits since there are so many of them. It’s like using too many exclamation points when writing. When you get it just right each hit will elevate and/or propel the story very effectively.

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Music can illustrate action

Often called “Mickey Mousing” having the music closely follow the physical action of the characters on the screen can be an effective comedic tool, especially in animated films. It can even be used dramatically when done right, but if over-used it can come off as goofy and cheapen the scene rather than augment it.

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Music can comment on a scene

An example of commenting on a scene would be having sad music under sad dialog, or effusively heroic music under a heroic action scene, or comedic music accompanying physical comedy (slapstick, etc.). In the early days of film this was a very typical way of scoring movies – the music essentially mirrored what was on the screen. Today that approach tends to be avoided and seen as old-fashioned. I believe it was the great Jerry Goldsmith who once said “Don’t’ score the man running, score WHY he’s running.”

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There a couple of general approaches to a score

Thematic scores (think Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spider-Man, Bond movies) use distinct and recognizable themes and/or motifs to help tell the story. Atmospheric scores avoid strong memorable themes (they may still use motifs, but not as much if at all) but are more ambient and moody (think Gravity, Blade Runner, The Social Network, and so many horror films). Neither is better than the other, it’s a stylistic choice.

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If you notice where the music started or stopped, it probably started or stopped in the wrong place

This is true even where the whole point of the music entrance or end is to be very dramatic. For example, if the music starts on a startling action or picture CUT in a very loud and dramatic fashion, when done right the audience won’t notice that the music suddenly came in strong, they’ll just be startled by what’s happening on the screen. Same goes for creating a massive build into a climactic moment. If done right the audience shouldn’t notice that the music drops off suddenly, they should just feel the enormity and the shock of the moment. If you’re paying attention to the music, it’s probably not quite right yet.

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Music can serve a myriad of functions

Music can inform the audience emotionally or manipulate emotions, it can highlight specific moments, it can establish the passage of time, it can misdirect the audience, it can setup thing to come, it can excite, it can establish a sense of time & place (historical era or geographical region), it can establish a sense of space, it can inspire, it can confuse, it can create relationships (using themes or motifs for specific characters or plot points), it can make us laugh and so much more. Whatever it’s function, music brings a psychological & emotional depth than nothing else can match.

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As a general rule music should follow what’s on the screen, not lead

More often than not, music works best when it goes hand in hand with or REACTS to what’s happening on the screen. If the music is ahead of the action it can lessen the impact of the story by tipping off some of the audience or worse, by giving away what’s about to happen.

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Spotting is key!

Deciding WHERE to have music and where not to is crucial to telling YOUR story. Music placement can impact the way you’re telling your story immensely.

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Pocket Wins 4 Awards at the Best Short Film Competition

Congratulations to Joe Ferro & Anne Grauso for winning 4 Awards of Merit at the Best Short Film Festival for their film, Pocket. The film was honored with Best Film, Women Filmmaker, Cinematography & Direction. Shie had the pleasure of scoring this award-winning short.

Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should

When working with directors, it’s not at all uncommon to get a very specific request regarding music like “can you just mute the trumpets” in a specific spot. Often the answer is yes, I can. We have the stems and it would take just a click of a button to mute those trumpets in that spot. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that doing so is what the director really wants, nor is it what we should do.

Rather than immediately complying with these types of specific requests, I try to find out what is behind them, what’s really bothering the director. More often than not there is an underlying issue that isn’t about muting the trumpets (or whatever the case may be) but something else. For example, those trumpets are stepping on dialog or a sound effect. Often there is a better, more musical solution to address that problem. So I always try to figure out what is the cause of the director’s request so I can offer the best possible musical solution.

For example, when I worked on The Wolfman there was a very dramatic and impressive cue during one of the moments where the werewolf lets out a monstrous howl. I was asked if we could mute certain elements, which I could have done very quickly and easily. But when I inquired on why, the director explained it was competing with the beginning of the howl and he wanted to make room for that low guttural buildup into the full-on howl. We needed to make room for the sound effect.

Now that I knew why he was asking to mute certain parts of the music I completely understood that there were certain frequencies that were fighting at that moment with the sound effects. But simply muting them would have taken away from the energy and impact of the music. I had a better idea. I could re-cut the cue (which by now had been conformed several times over from its original form anyway) and delay the musical phrase that stepped on the beginning of the howl just a little bit, making space for those low guttural sounds without sacrificing the integrity of the music. So that’s what I did. I was able to give the director what he wanted in a much more musical fashion, and he was thrilled with the result.

This is but one of countless similar examples I’ve had over my career, and what I’ve learned is how important it is to figure out what is behind these types of very specific requests. Directors and producers are not musicians and it’s not unusual for them to make specific suggestions that might not be the best musical solutions to very real and legitimate issues. It’s just their way of expressing what’s bothering them, by offering the solution that they can easily identify, but might not be the best musical solution. As the composer and music editor, I feel my job isn’t just to execute their requests verbatim, but it is to understand what is triggering their notes and to offer them the best musical solution(s).

One of my favorite compliment that I have ever received was by a producer who told me “you never give me what I ask for, but you always give me what I need.” He loved that I always cared to understand what the underlying problem is and offered him better solutions than he knew to request.

So next time someone who isn’t a musician gives you a very specific request, remember that’s their way of solving a problem, it’s their way of communicating, but it’s your job to find out what the underlying problem is and offer them the best musical options you can come up with to solve that problem. That said, sometimes the problem is that they just don’t like trumpets and that’s all there is to it. Sometimes muting the trumpets is the right move. The trick is to figure it out so you can give the client not just what they’re asking for, but actually exceed their expectations.

For the record – no trumpets were harmed in the making of this blog. I have nothing against trumpets, I was just using them as a random example.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.