Comments on: Filmmakers: Engage Your Composer http://www.jurgenbeck.com/archives/259?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss jurgenbeck.com :: official website Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:15:23 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Jurgen Beck http://www.jurgenbeck.com/archives/259/comment-page-1/#comment-73 Jurgen Beck Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:41:00 +0000 http://www.jurgenbeck.com/?p=259#comment-73 Thanks, Gabriel. :-) Thanks, Gabriel. :-)

]]> By: Gabriel H. http://www.jurgenbeck.com/archives/259/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Gabriel H. Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:30:57 +0000 http://www.jurgenbeck.com/?p=259#comment-72 Great post, Mr. Beck. Great post, Mr. Beck.

]]> By: Jurgen Beck http://www.jurgenbeck.com/archives/259/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Jurgen Beck Wed, 13 May 2009 15:58:08 +0000 http://www.jurgenbeck.com/?p=259#comment-7 Thanks, John, for your comments. This may be a bit over the top, but bringing in the composer for creative input even at the stage the script is developed (and not even necessarily with musical cues right at the start) will have a positive impact on the final product. The music should be so completely married to the story that the viewer won't even notice it, but instead is impacted by how well it underlines what is on the screen. When the composer is engaged early on, there is a lot of dialog between the director and the composer, which helps a composer understand what the director essentially wants to achieve. At the same time, if the director is open to what a good composer can contribute, it can impact the way particular scenes are developed and shot. Here is an example: Let's assume that there is an emotional scene in the script that shows someone dying and we want to display the reaction of a loved one. You could stick some dialog in the scene that spells out everything the two people have on their minds, essentially robbing the viewer of a chance to experience the scene on a deeper level. Instead, you could skip some or all of the dialog and let the music express those thoughts, giving the viewer an opportunity to be involved in the emotional event unfolding on the screen. Keeping a good balance is indeed a craft. The important point is to allow the composer to contribute from his/her unique position in more ways than just laying down the music tracks. Blessings, Jurgen Thanks, John, for your comments. This may be a bit over the top, but bringing in the composer for creative input even at the stage the script is developed (and not even necessarily with musical cues right at the start) will have a positive impact on the final product. The music should be so completely married to the story that the viewer won’t even notice it, but instead is impacted by how well it underlines what is on the screen.

When the composer is engaged early on, there is a lot of dialog between the director and the composer, which helps a composer understand what the director essentially wants to achieve. At the same time, if the director is open to what a good composer can contribute, it can impact the way particular scenes are developed and shot.

Here is an example:

Let’s assume that there is an emotional scene in the script that shows someone dying and we want to display the reaction of a loved one. You could stick some dialog in the scene that spells out everything the two people have on their minds, essentially robbing the viewer of a chance to experience the scene on a deeper level. Instead, you could skip some or all of the dialog and let the music express those thoughts, giving the viewer an opportunity to be involved in the emotional event unfolding on the screen.

Keeping a good balance is indeed a craft. The important point is to allow the composer to contribute from his/her unique position in more ways than just laying down the music tracks.

Blessings,

Jurgen

]]> By: John Calvin Young http://www.jurgenbeck.com/archives/259/comment-page-1/#comment-6 John Calvin Young Wed, 13 May 2009 14:41:58 +0000 http://www.jurgenbeck.com/?p=259#comment-6 Thank you so much for this post, Jurgen! I know from that director's standpoint, I've always wondered how the composer wanted to be involved in the project--did I need a finished, locked edit before I even a approached the composer? What materials does the composer need to start his work? Thank you so much for this look at the situation from the other side, from the composer's standpoint. IHS, John Calvin Young Director, Young Christian Studios Thank you so much for this post, Jurgen! I know from that director’s standpoint, I’ve always wondered how the composer wanted to be involved in the project–did I need a finished, locked edit before I even a approached the composer? What materials does the composer need to start his work? Thank you so much for this look at the situation from the other side, from the composer’s standpoint.

IHS,
John Calvin Young
Director, Young Christian Studios

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