Film scoring/Creating a motiv

< Film scoring
Interesting examples by FIREborn: Fear.ogg ---- Sad.ogg ---- Tired.ogg ---- Surprise.ogg ---- Joy.ogg ---- Fast like the wind.ogg.
This school is:
Narrative film production - Wikiversity Film School and School of Music - Wikiversity Film School
This course is:
Film scoring
The pages in the course is:
Introduction to film scoring
Create the sound of fear from a single note
Create other moods from a single note
Create the sound of joy using a delicate rhythm
Create other moods from delicate rhythms
Quiz: Music which tells a story
Create a mood with a melody
Create a story with a melody
Quiz: The Spy Story - Who is who?
DVD-Video: Scoring your first scene - The Promotion
Create four motifs - Mama, papa, baby, and Goldie ← You are here!
Create continuity with a single motif
Foreground / Background music - soft vs. loud
Quiz: Watch a short movie - George Lucas In Love
DVD-Video: What is a "Spotting Session"? - Only A Dream
DVD-Video: Write two musical cues for Home Wrecker
More musical theory
Butchering Midi - The starwars theme
DVD-Video: How would you score Green Tea Smoothie ?
DVD-Video: Write a film score for Blindman's Bluff
Write a film score for Seduced by the Dark Side!
Additional info about melodies in movies

Melodies can be themes

Another use of melodies
You can use a melody as theme (a motiv).
Associating a melody with an actor, location, or action
In a movie, there are always themes. There are the "good guy" and the "bad guy". There is the "romantic love interest".
Some locations can have special meaning to the characters in the movie.
Certain actions can evoke certain feelings in the audience.
All of these need musical themes. A musical theme is simple melody which create s specific feeling.

Controlling the audience

Spoon feed the audience
It might seem unnecessary to the filmmaker but audiences like to be told what his going on. Audiences want the movie explained to them.
The only easy way to do this is with music. And the easiest way to do this is with musical themes.
  • When the bad guys appear, play a musical theme for the bad guys.
  • When the children appear, play a bright and bubbly theme for children (assuming you want the audience to like the children in your motion picture.)
  • When the love interest appears on the movie, play a romantic theme.
A melody that represents a person, thing, or action.

Your assignment - Part 3 - A motiv

Create a melody (musical theme) for characters in the movie.
  • 2 points each. Create a musical leitmotif (leitmotiv) for a character in a movie.


To make this assignment easy, I have selected the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears"

"Goldilocks and the Three Bears"

The four characters in the story
1. The Papa Bear
2. The Mama Bear
3. The Baby Bear
4. Goldilocks
Create a short melody (motiv) for each of these characters.
Keep it simple!!!!
Use about 7 notes of a single musical instrument. That is all!!!!
Try to keep it under 4 seconds. NO LONGER!!!!
The purpose is to create a mood, not to create beautiful music.

Create motiv (melody) for each of these figures.


Papa Bear
Create a seven note musical theme.

Mama Bear
Create a seven note musical theme.

Baby Bear
Create a seven note musical theme.

Goldilocks Duck
Create a seven note musical theme.
Completed Homework Assignments for Creating a motiv


  • Orsanct has completed this assignment. July 25, 2007

Papa Bear

Mama Bear

Baby Bear

Goldilocks


  • Blueygh2 has completed this assignment. September 6, 2007

Papa Bear

Mama Bear

Baby Bear

Goldilocks


  • Joe Mac has completed this assignment. September 19, 2007

Papa Bear

Mama Bear

Baby Bear

Goldilocks
Instruments
papabear used boldt double bass hit
mamabear used boldt steinway grand piano
babybear used boldt wooden xylophone
goldilocks used pop flute
All were created with GarageBband 4, Yamaha midi controller, played by hand.



  • Tiago Louis Zontag (Zon) of Brazil has completed this assignment. January 9, 2008

Papa Bear

Mama Bear

Baby Bear

Goldilocks
Notice this:
When you listen to these motivs, you know exactly the personality of each of these character. In just a few seconds, everything becomes clear.
Only musical motivs can do this. Absolutely amazing!!!!
Completed Film Scoring assignment - Create a motiv
May 18, 2008
  • Tonto Silver has created four motivs.

Papa Bear

Mama Bear

Baby Bear

Goldilocks
Using a motiv to create continuity

The next page

Now that you have created a motiv, you can play the motiv in different ways to create both moods and continuity. Exercise: Creating continuity


Contact your instructor

Your instructor for this course is Robert Elliott. You can send me a quick email by clicking here.



NOTE: To submit assignments
To submit assignments, attach your completed assignments to an email and send it to me at "r_elliott innercite.com".


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