Rutgers University Relationship Between the Composer & Director Discussion Describe the relationship between the composer and director and how the “spottin

Rutgers University Relationship Between the Composer & Director Discussion Describe the relationship between the composer and director and how the “spotting session” is connected to this relationship.

(200-250 words)

links:

https://youtu.be/y6qaIsj8XjE 7. THE MOVIE BUSINESS – Terms and job descriptions
The Film Industry
Director
The person usually responsible for complete artistic control of the film – actors,
schedule, music, location, script, editing and keeping in budget. When a film succeeds,
he or she is praised and when it fails, he or she is to blame.
Producer
Finding the money for a film project is the producer’s responsibility. In today’s financial
terms, we can be talking anywhere from 500,000 for a low budget film to 150 million or
more for a large budge film. He or she makes sure that all the legal contracts are
negotiated, people get paid for their work and the film is delivered within budget.
Director of Cinematography
The person responsible for shooting the film and ultimately how the film will look when
complete. The Cinematographer works closely with the director to set scenes up before
any shooting is done. He or she controls the lighting, camera angles (in combination
with the director), focus and depth in a shot, camera movement and much more. There
can be up to 3 or 4 camera units working at any one time on a feature film.
Screenwriter
Without a screenwriter there is no story. These are the written words that actors will
speak, the description of settings, sometimes indicating camera shots like close ups,
pan shots and more. Sometimes a screenplay is developed out of a novel and
sometimes it can be totally original. It’s not unusual in the film business to have several
screenwriters working on a project. Directors are notorious for adding and deleting a
page here and there and if the screenwriter is on location he or she may be asked to
rewrite on the spot. When Alfred Hitchcock was asked, what were the three most
important ingredients that go into the making of a movie? His answer, “the script, the
script, the script.”
Film Editor
This is the craft that can make or break the film. After months of shooting on location,
the project can end up with 200 hours of film. It’s the film editor’s job to cut this film
down to a two or three-hour piece. He or she must take all the raw footage and
tightening it up – assembling, eliminating and splicing all the various shots, and most
importantly, maintain the focus, flow and balance of the film. In a sense, without editing
there is no film. The director, producer and cinematographer also have a say in this
process. Editing a feature length can take anywhere from a few months to a year or two.
Composer
When the film is finished and completely edited, the composer is asked to view the film
and to start the process of writing music. After many months and maybe years have
been spent developing, getting a good working screenplay, going on location to shoot
the film, and eventual editing, the composer is the last person brought into the film. He
or she is asked to compose and record the music in two to six weeks. This is an
unusually short amount of time to compose, which can put the composer under
considerable pressure to produce a score. Before the writing begins, the composer and
director decide, at a spotting session, where the music will start, and where it will end –
and the composer along with the music editor will notate the exact timings to the fraction
of a second concerning the particular scenes. The composer can then begin the work of
composing the exact amount of music needed.
Knowing how much music to write and the length of each music cue, is crucial to the
composers work. The reasoning for being the last one on board is simple – ideally, there
shouldn’t be any more editing, cutting, or changes, as this could affect the composed
music, requiring the composer to rewrite or adjust what was already composed. If the
film is still being edited and timings are changing, it would make the job almost
impossible.
Music Editor
This is the assistant to the composer, but only affordable on larger budgeted films.
When the director and composer meet at the spotting session it’s the music editor’s job
to take detailed notes of the conversation, and to note timings to the second, as to
where music is placed in a scene. As the composer gets closer to the recording dates,
the music editor will prepare, with the recording engineers, any click tracks, video
playback, etc., that may be needed at the session.
Temp Score
Also known as a temporary score. During the long tedious task of editing – the director
and producer may want to hear a bit of music with the film just to get a feel and maybe
smooth out places that may flow better with music. At this point, there is likely no
composer hired as of yet – so they decide to fill the film up with music from other
sources (downloads, iTunes, CD’s, other film scores, songs, etc.). All meant to be a
temporary score until a composer is hired. This temp score is also necessary when the
film is screened from time to time during the editing process for the studio executives
who put up the financing. You can imagine how empty a movie can feel without some
sort of music, and since the director and producer want to create the best reaction at
executive screenings, a temp score is added. There have been situations where the
composer was let go after being hired, as the temp score was preferred and used in the
release of the film.
Orchestrator
Given the incredible time restraint placed on the composer, the orchestrator becomes a
vital part of the process. When the composer sits down to compose a score, he most
definitely starts with a short hand version of the music, or a kind of rough sketch and
outline. This gives the composer a bit of breathing room, in which he can get through
the composing and approvals by the director rather quickly. On a large budgeted
picture, requiring an orchestra, large ensemble, chorus, vocals or synthesizers – it
becomes a tedious task for the composer to even think or have the time to write this
music out for an orchestra, especially considering the deadlines involved. With an
orchestrator on staff, the composer can turn his sketches over to the orchestrator for
orchestration while the composer can just concentrate on the process of composing.
Most composer sketches can be very detailed and will usually include indications of
what instruments or combination of instruments are to be used. It’s then up to the
orchestrator to flesh out the sketch, creating a full score for the agreed upon
instrumentation.
This next graphic with will give you some idea of what a composers sketch may look
like. Notice how fast and scratched out it looks although most of it is there. Notice the
indicated instrument references and even the timings per second at the top of the page
and at the beginning of every bar. In the orchestrator’s hand, this sketch will turn into a
full sounding orchestration for a large symphony or ensemble. On very large projects,
some composers can have three or four orchestrators working with them. So you may
ask – can composers orchestrate, and can orchestrator’s compose? The answer is yes.
Many of the great film composers, past and present, got their foot into the door by being
orchestrators.
The composer Rimsky Korsakov once said “orchestration is the soul of the music.”
Check out the next video, which might make this more understandable. Although not a
movie piece, it makes the point. In the video a pianist is playing the last few bars of a
composition. You can imagine this to be a sketch of something that a composer might
have written before it is delivered to the orchestrator. Immediately following is the fully
orchestrated version of the same exact piece – note for note. This is what the art of
orchestration is all about.
Gaffer
“The gaffer is the head electrician. This means that they are in charge of all the lighting
personnel. How they got this name, I have absolutely no clue – but rumor has it that the
name gaffer predates the sound era in a time when electricity was used to a lesser
degree than today. The early stages had canvas roofs that were opened and closed to
emit varying degrees of light. This canvas was moved with large gaffing hooks, which
had been traditionally used to land large fish.” (Twyman, Debbie (1999), accessed on
6/9/16, http://twyman-whitney.com/film/essentials/gaffer.html). On the film set the
gaffer’s assistant is called the best boy.
Line Producer
The function of the Line Producer is to make sure the activities on the film or television
set are running smoothly and efficiently. Problems with actors, directors or crew are his
or her responsibility to resolve. The Line Producer is also responsible for making sure
the daily activities stay within budget. He or she in always in direct contact with the
studio and its executives insuring that all is going as planned.
Executive Producer
In motion pictures, an executive producer oversees the film making with regard to film
finance. Executive producers work with the line producer and report to production
companies and distributors.
Music Supervisor
The Music Supervisors responsibility on a film or TV project is to provide legal expertise
in all matters related to music. If the director or producer would like to have a
commercially recorded song included in their film, the Music Supervisor would handle all
the contracts and legal negotiations with publishers, artists and record companies.
Music Contractor
A Music Contractor is in charge of hiring the studio musicians. He will also work as a
union representative making sure that union rules and regulations are obeyed. The job
also includes reserving the recording studio, keeping track of studio hours, and acting
as a liaison between the musicians and the unions to insure proper pay and working
conditions.
Studio Musicians / Session Players
The studio musicians are the instrumentalists and singers that will record the score. The
music contractor usually hires them unless the composer has a special player in mind
and makes a recommendation. These players are usually union musicians, especially in
the larger cities where film scores are recorded (LA, NY, London, etc.). Due to the
expense, especially on lower budgeted films, the project is sometimes brought to
Europe where musicians and studio rentals are less expensive.
Script Supervisor
One of the most important jobs on the set is that of the Script Supervisor. When in the
process of filming, there can be hundreds of hours of film, all of which were filmed out of
sequence and at several different locations. It’s also quite common for one particular
scene to be shot over and over and possible spread out for several days or weeks. It’s
the Script Supervisor who is responsible for keeping accurate notes of all the various
details; lighting, camera angles, what actors were wearing in the scene, where they
were standing, props used in the scene, etc. This requires a person who is extremely
detailed oriented and not afraid of paperwork. The job is about continuity during the
process of filming.
THE MOVIE BUSINESS – Budgets, and developing a movie deal
Developing the movie deal
A film project from its beginning, to the time it shows in the theater, can be a rather long,
tedious journey. Many films never make it mostly because of the complexity of the
project, faith in the project dwindles, or for the lack money. It’s interesting to think that
many of the great films: “The Wizard of Oz,” “Gone with the Wind,” “Casablanca,” “On
the Waterfront” and “Star Wars” almost never made it to the theater.
It all starts with an idea that some property will make a great film. Most films today are
conceived at production companies. These can be small or large independent
businesses run by producers, actors or directors.
The idea for a film can be original, from a book, play, or from just about any source. If
it’s a novel the Production House needs to acquire exclusive rights from the publisher.
For a fee the publisher will allow the production company to turn the book into a movie.
Depending on the popularity of the book it could cost hypothetically anywhere from
$25,000 to $250,000 or more for the rights. There is a difference between exclusive
rights – usually more expensive, being that for an agreed term, the publisher will not
grant permission to anyone else to make a movie, and non-exclusive rights – which will
allow the publisher to sell the rights to several interested parties at the same time. Most
film producers prefer exclusive rights and are willing to pay the higher fee.
A screenwriter or group of screenwriters must be hired to turn the book into a workable
script. A novel could contain 400 pages or more, which then must be distilled into a
screenplay of 50 to 90 pages. This could take a year or more, just to get the script into a
presentable form. Once this is complete, selecting the right director for the film is next.
Scripts go out to the director or to several directors – and then, more time is spent
waiting to hear back. Once a director is interested and contracted, the producer and
director both sit down and start to think about hiring a cast, director of cinematography,
film editor, etc. Scripts go out to all of these people and the wait continues.
When interested parties accept the offer to work on the film, agents and managers are
contacted and salaries negotiated. The total possible cost of the film is then calculated;
actors, director, screenwriters, crew, union truck drivers, editors, location settings (US,
Europe, Africa, India), traveling costs for cast & crew, hotels, food and catering and
other miscellaneous costs. The cost of making the film is then determined. Not
surprising, for a feature film it could be in the ballpark of $80 to $200 million dollars.
Now the producers must seek funding. First choices are the major studios. They have
the money, power and distribution deals to get the film out. They could easily say no,
which is what happened to George Lucas when he shopped around “Star Wars.” Every
studio in town turned it down. So the process of finding the funding includes seeking out
potential backers and taking the time for meetings, appointments, attending social
occasions, business lunches and dinners. The financing of a film is a highly complex
process in which many factors come into place including the distribution. Distribution
deals sometimes involve companies that specialize in this area. These companies not
only take into account getting the film into the local theaters but also specialize in
foreign distribution, TV, cable, streaming services and DVD releases.
It’s easy to see how things can go wrong, and for a film to never make it to the theaters.
On the movie “Jaws” – Spielberg was way over budget on location in Martha’s Vineyard
– and the studio was going to close down the whole production. Fortunately, Spielberg
was able to survive, and the film was completed. It’s amazing how many of our greatest
films, the films we know and love, almost never were made. Even when the financing is
in place, there can be studio problems, director disagreements, actors fighting and
quitting, going over budget and studio executives interfering. The list goes on and on
and every film has a story associated with it.
There’s also Post Production work on a film after in comes back for editing. Sound has
to be equalized and perfected, lab corrections on color, sound effects have to be
cleaned, dialogue needs to be rerecorded and cleaned up, referred to as Automatic
Dialogue Replacement (ADR) and music must be composed and recorded. The
complete sound track, which includes dialoged, sound effects and music, needs to be
mixed down into a stereo or quad audio track and matched to the film. This can easily
add another 6 to 12 months to the project.
ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement)
During the shooting of a scene, the dialogue spoken by the actors is also recorded by
the sound technician on the set. This recording is usually not very clean, being that
microphones can sometimes pick up stray noises from all kinds of sources including
wind, traffic, equipment, etc. This can often interfere with the dialogue track making the
sound quality muddled and noisy, and basically unusable. When the filming is complete
and the process of post-production begins, the sound editor reviews the dialogue track
and decides what sections of dialogue need to be re-recorded. Automated Dialogue
Replacement (ADR) is the process of doing this. The original actor is called in and
asked to record his or her dialogue over again, but this time in a professional equipped
sound studio. This involves viewing the scene, and then recording a new dialogue track,
making sure that words and picture are perfectly matched. Over the course of multiple
takes, the actor performs the lines while watching the scene; the best take becomes the
final version. ADR is also used to clean up and improve diction, context, better
performance or even a change in dialogue. Later on – street noises, room ambiance,
and sound effects are added and mixed in with the dialogue, but this time there is total
control.
Below is a video that demonstrates the difference between a fully edited raw version of
a scene, with no music, poor uneven dialogue inconsistent volume, and washed out
color – following is the same scene, after all the post-production work is complete with
the addition of music. The difference is apparent.
A New Life (1988) Music by Joseph Turrin
Pre-Production
Before pre-production can be considered in the film industry, time must be spent in
preparation of getting the project off the ground. During this time the producer must get
a workable screenplay written, obtain contracts and agreements with writers, publishers,
secure a director, chose actors, consider and secure as much financing as possible and
shop it around to various studios and distributors in hope of signing a deal.
If and when all this becomes a reality, agreements are signed and financing is secure,
the producer can begin pre-production. During this period the studio and financiers
approve the screenplay and the OK is given to start the production. A detailed schedule
and timeline is created, the script is broken down into individual scenes, storyboards are
created and information concerning props, location, costumes, needed visual effects,
required technologies are identified and documented. A list of all the necessary
equipment that must be available to the filmmakers is prepared and at some point, a
crew is hired and a date is set to start filming. When all is complete, the film project is
now ready to begin shooting either on location, in the studio, or both.
THE MOVIE BUSINESS – Spotting,click tracks, streamers, SMPTE Code
Spotting Sessions, Click Tracks, Streamers and
SMPTE
A spotting session is when the composer and director sit down for the first time, with the
film playing in front of them and decide about what places in the film need music, and if
so where it starts, where it stops, and the type or style of music, etc. The music editor is
at the composer’s side and is responsible for taking copious notes at the spotting
session, which he will later type up and deliver to the composer. It will include most
details about the conversations between the director and composer, including the exact
timing of all sections in the film that will contain music. With this information the
composer can now go to work and write music.
Concept of a score (What the composer needs to
consider)
1. What is this film all about? Action, Drama, Adventure, Love, Comedy, or
combinations of the previous.
2. What is the Directors concept of this film.
3. What about the major characters and personalities? Can music give them more
dimensions?
4. Time period in of film: 1700, 1850, 1950, 2006, 2015, etc.
5. The location of the film: USA, India, Spain, Africa, etc.
6. Opening title music (The first music you hear – setting the flavor and attitude of th…
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