IMPROVISED FILM SCORES BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
A practical research project
The three film scores presented here were produced between August and October 2021 as part of a research project exploring how improvisation might be combined with digital recording and editing to produce film scores.
The production of each film score involved conducting a practical experiment into the use of a specific scoring strategy involving these key elements. The processes and results were recorded and analysed with the aim of critically reflecting on the feasibility and usefulness of each strategy employed. Feedback gathered from the musicians who took part and a small group of directors and composers was an important part of this critical reflection.
The Hidden rocks score involved recording solo improvisations and then mining them for ideas to be learnt, adapted and utilised in a composed piece for film. The Human and SISMA scores both employed variations on a strategy of editing and arranging the recorded material from group improvisation sessions. These sessions were undertaken with the aid of pre prepared reference materials, produced by me and designed to create a cohesive group dynamic with a shared direction towards a particular sound or concept. I also set a number of improvisation parameters (or rules of conduct) for each session, to help structure and guide the improvisations.
For anyone wishing to know more about this research project, please feel free to contact me through the contact page on this website.
The project builds on a small body of academic work in this area. Notably, the research into improvisational approaches for scoring films by Yati E. Durant and, separately, Daniel Moshe Sher, the research into the use of improvisation in the creation of new operatic works, by Ellen Louise Denham, and Michael Hannan’s experiments into creating compositions by editing and arranging recorded material produced via improvisation. A process he terms ’comprovisation’.
For full references for these studies click below.
IMPROVISED FILM SCORES
Watch all three films in the next section
beneath the descriptions
HUMAN (2014, DIR. CARLOTA CASTELLS)
Score added - 2021 - without the endorsement of the director, in compliance with Creative Commons license 3.0 Unported
Link to license bellow text
Human - Improvisers - Ric Booth, Molly Sternova, Rebecca Hearne, Sally Smith, Rosh Lal and Keitu Metsu.
Concept. Group project. Voice only with a strong female vocal presence. Suspended chord to invoke a feeling of ambivalence, shifting to beautiful warm resolving chords for the final scenes of the film. Reverb heavy sound. I watched the film many times and created a MIDI mock up of the intended sound.
Improvisation parameters - The other singers watched the film once before the recording session and listened to the MIDI mock up. Each take started with one of two starting chords leading to free group improvisation. Discussion and ideas session after each take. Recorded whist viewing the film. Sang in a circle with no headphones to increase unity of sound.
Editing and arrangement - Edited and arranged by me with a focus on the group sound for the beginning and end of the film and a focus on a single female voice for the middle. Arrangement choices were designed to create a thematic link with the films narrative and to create a score which matches the films dynamics, building for the end section where there is a more hopeful tone and the voice over drops out.
SISMA (2020, DIR. LORENZO NERA)
Re-scored - 2021 - without the endorsement of the director, in compliance with Creative Commons license 3.0 Unported
Link to license bellow text
SISMA - Improvisers - James Barlow - Guitar and effects, Jim Street - Moog Rogue, Guy Whittaker - Percussion, bowed and beaten, Ric Booth - Assorted bowed objects connected to a resonant wooden frame (a home made instrument known as 'the machine').
Concept. Group project. Abstract organic sounds that blend with the sound design. Create a sense of embodiment in the real world. Add intensity to the sound track. I watched the film many times and created a pre recorded drone, intended to guide the dynamics like a conductor through the manipulation of the cut off frequency. Group discussion regarding instrumentation.
Improvisation parameters - Minimal melodic content. Dynamics guided by pre-recorded drone. No set starting points. The other musicians watched the film once before the recording session. Recorded whist viewing the film. Use of headphones to hear the sound design and drone. Recorded all in the same room with some separation between recorded instruments.
Editing and arrangement - Edited and arranged by me with a focus on blending with the sound design. Arrangement choices were designed to add intrigue and an extra layer of interest to the film. To create a score with dynamics that match the films structure. To build and release tension without obscuring important aspects of the sound design.
HIDDEN ROCKS (2021, DIR. NITIN DAS)
Scored - 2021 with the involvement and endorsement of the director
Link to other work by Nitin Das below text
Hidden Rocks - Concept. Solo project. Create a structure that fits the films edits and meets the directors aims for the soundtrack. Bright and uplifting with an air of excitement and mystery. Include percussion and strings. Build around acoustic guitar and piano. Improvisation methods. Improvising alone to generate and explore ideas. Carefully noting important markers in the film for the score to emphasise and setting the time signature and tempo accordingly. Deciding on the instrumentation with notes from the director. Using starting points and free improvisation to explore ideas. Comping improvised recordings to create parts. Learning, reworking and orchestrating ideas from the improvised sessions.
Editing and arranging. The improvisation, editing and arranging process took place concurrently through the project.
