Music in the Movies

The Role of Music in Movies

Music in movies serves numerous significant roles, from setting the scene to driving the plot, and even defining a character.
Establishing mood is a key function of film music; a suspenseful soundtrack can make a scene scarier, while a soft melody can make it more romantic.
Film music can also create tension and heighten drama, leading audiences through intense emotional highs and lows.
Soundtracks often include leitmotifs, recurring musical themes associated with specific characters, locations, or narrative elements.

Types of Film Music

Diagetic music is included within the story’s world and can be heard by characters, for example, a song playing on a radio within a scene.
Non-diagetic music is background music that audience can hear but characters cannot, such as a suspenseful soundtrack during a chase scene.
Underscore is the underlying music that accompanies a movie, often bringing out emotional undertones and subtly guiding the audience’s reactions.

Film Music Genres

Styles of film music can vary widely, from symphonic scores in epic films to minimal electronica in sci-fi movies.
Action films often feature fast-paced, dramatic scores to enhance the thrill and intensity of chase scenes or battles.
Drama films may have more subtle, emotive soundtracks, with quieter, slower melodies used to emphasize emotional scenes.
Animated films usually have bright, energetic scores to match the colorful visuals and often include several catchy songs.

Famous Film Composers

John Williams has composed some of the most iconic film music, including the scores for “Star Wars”, “Indiana Jones”, and “Harry Potter”.
Hans Zimmer is known for his digital soundscapes and robust scores in movies like “Inception” and “The Lion King”.
Ennio Morricone composed classic Western film scores, such as “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”.

Analysing Film Music

It’s important to pay attention to how music is used in relation to the on-screen actions and scenes. Look for tempo changes, the role of instrumentation, the effect of pitch and dynamics, and whether the music is diegetic or non-diegetic.
Listen for leitmotifs and note what they symbolise and how they’re developed throughout the film.
Consider how music contributes to the emotion, narrative, and atmosphere of the film. Remember, silence can be as powerful as sound.