Music and Visual Perception: An Analysis Of Three Contrasting Film Scores across Different Genres In Two Volumes
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Music and Visual Perception: An Analysis Of Three Contrasting Film Scores across Different Genres In Two Volumes

Abstract

This dissertation includes two parts: my re-scoring of selected cues from three different films and a research monograph. The three films I will be working on consist of a variety of different genres: the comedic action animation film Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016), the adventurous fantasy film Snow White and the Huntsman (2012), and the quasi-documentary film The Laramie Project (2002). I have chosen to analyze these three films due to their accessibility and the large genres of films they cover: documentary, fantasy, adventurous, period, action, comedy, animation, ethnic, and franchise.Volume I My research monograph is a critical study of both the original scores of these three films and scores of similar genres of films, which will give me a chance to explore historical sound/musical study. Through these studies, I would like to discover effective ways to score films of a similar genre, including comprehensive analyses of how different instrumentation, harmony, melody, rhythm, and dynamics contribute to each film genre. I will pay special attention to the ways each composer is able to write with their unique voices while fulfilling the need of the director. Furthermore, I will also be analyzing ways these composers use to tell the story by breaking down each exemplary cue. Lastly, I would like to consider other possibilities that a composer could take if given a chance to score films of these genres. Volume II The second part of this dissertation is my re-scoring of selected cues from the three chosen films. My goal of re-scoring these films not only focuses on utilizing similar procedures as their original scores but also on finding a distinct way to tell the story with my own voice. For each film, I have created a particular sound palette, including the instrumentation and sound adjustments, suiting the given genre of story. To help my scoring process, I have studied the original scores and interviewed the original composers or the music editor to better understand the purpose of the music for specific scenes. The total duration of scenes I have re-scored is roughly 70 minutes, with about 60 minutes of music. The goal is to tell the story the most effective way while working with the visual image and other sounds, such as the sound design and dialogue.

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