Scoring a film.

[RedChalice]

I was curious about the process of film scoring.

should the score be available for the editor to edit along with the music?

or does the editor put the film together and then the score is created according to the edits.

It seems like it would be easier for an editor to make cuts in relation to the music because it can be difficult for a composer to match a tempo with random cuts in the film after the fact.

 

[Cryogenic Filmworks]

The score is created to the edit. If you cut the film to the score you would just have a two hour music video, not a movie.

 

[hempo22]

The score is created to the edit. If you cut the film to the score you would just have a two hour music video, not a movie.

not necessarily, spielberg re-edited ET to match the tempo of John Williams score better.

 

[Richard Crowley]

Big-budget (long-schedule) productions sometimes use "temporary" music just to set the mood for editing.
It is claimed that existing music tracks like Holst: Planets and Wagner: Ring Cycle cuts were used as temporary tracks during the editing of "Star Wars" episodes.
And you can hear what many claim is the influence of those temporary music selections (and others) in John Williams' final scores.

This was an interesting bit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_music#Editing

 

[Paul F]

There's no rules. Each director and composer have their way of working. but let's say the producer and director want a full orchestral score. in general, for big features, the composer will discuss what the director wants and they work together. Some directors have no clue what they want while others can be very specific. The theme is developed (ala the Star Wars theme) and used again and again throughout the movie. It is re-arranged for each scene. Other music other than the theme will also be composed for scenes which need something different. This can be done in advance of locked picture. Composers can watch the rough cuts to help them compose the arrangements for each scene.

Once a segment is locked, the arrangement for each segment is finalized. When the final score is complete, they do a scoring session.

But there are many variations. As said, if the film is using songs that already exist, ala American Graffiti, then the editor may want to cut to the music.

A montage would be a very good candidate for composing first and cutting to the music rather than the other way around. The composer can look at the footage to inspire a theme and write a piece that last x seconds and then the editor will cut the montage to the music.

 

[iamlance]

I've had good experiences with simply having the musician play improv with a rough cut of the short film. The director tells the artist the mood and whether specific parts of the scene need a change in tempo. We make sure to record several variations, but the rest is up to the player. Piano, guitar, both have worked very well doing this! In my experience, there is only a little editing of the pieces required to have them fit the particular film. It seems most good musicians can do this without much trouble. We had several people come up to the director and I after each film asking what the name of the song was and where they could get the sheet music! 'Sorry, no can do! It's all improv!'

 

[Noiz2]

There is a whole category (music editors/ supervisors) in a big budget film. They generally (every big film I worked on) would work with the director and maybe the composer to ind temp music to use in the edit and often for the first temp mixes. They also are the folks generally who find or suggest music that isn't score. The score is not usually locked down till the parts of the film it goes with are locked down, though samples have been worked out with the director so there is a good understanding of what it will be like, and the temp music/ score is picked to match tempo and feel as much as possible. I have also seen the director be so married to the temp music that they hand it to a composer and ask them to essentially copy it. Sometimes because the rights to the original are too expensive or because for some reason are just not available.

In theory the score would be finalized and mixed to a final locked version of the film, but these days with films locking about five seconds before the premiere they often have to be edited by the music editor to match last minute changes.

In no/low budget films often the music has been done before the edit is done, though not always. And generally No/Low doesn't use much if any "temp" music, though sometimes the composer will give them some other piece they have completed that is close for editing purposes.

Not all but many editors cut with music, either just playing or temp stuff they have dropped into the time line just so the cuts fall in a musical way. This music is generally just for them and even the director may never hear it. You fine tune the edits based on the film but the music will help guide you to getting them in a place that rhythmically feels "right".

BTW this also works great for sound editing big fight sequences. Getting a more musically pleasing series of hits often will sound and look better than trying to place each one visually. For one thing there is almost always a bunch of wiggle room on where exactly the "hit" hits since in a properly staged fight they don't come close to actually hitting each other, so you can slide things around and still be in the acceptably close zone.

Often the musically placed sequence will sound more "real" and natural than the one where you consistently placed the hit at the point of most likely contact.