Dissertation questionnaire for film/TV composers/producers

[LouisOK]

I am conducting a questionnaire for my dissertation on the topic of instrumentation in composition and I am hoping to find people to take part in my survey who compose/produce (or something similar) music for film/TV. If that's you and you wouldn't mind sparing 5-10 minutes of your time you are my favourite person in the world!

All responses are anonymous and it should only take around 5 minutes to complete.

Here's the link:

https://forms.gle/zx9pipdgzdNaGosw7

Have a wonderful day!!!

[Lostgallifreyan]

I don't write music for films or TV, but I looked at the opening statements on your page, and it occurred to me that a film viewer with some attentiveness to the subject might also have useful input. As a basic idea, The Rock has some very effective mix of orchestral sound and synthesised sound (Hans Zimmer does this a lot too). Michael Mann liked using Tangerine Dream soundtracks, all synthesised, so much that he'd cut a movie to fit the score (and got riled if someone cut up the results later if doing so compromised the original vision and intent). Very few who write scores for visual media are lucky enough that their score is that central to the process. It's a good demonstration of how important the visuals of the movie are, and the intent of the director, in enabling a composer to get that director to attend equally to the music. Attentiveness to that might be the best basis for a composer, regardless of sources of instrumentation.

Kubrick chose parts of the score for 2001 purely by chance events, overriding intent by a composer who'd already tried. Trying to bias that kind of chance selection might be a big ask. The moment there's a formula, someone breaks it and impresses people with the change. Someone recently posted here, that a lot of new makers of film and TV shows have a small budget, but a need of music, so it may be best just to find out what they want and try to do it. Success can mean they know who to turn to next time. A full live orchestra says 'money' a lot more than it says about the quality of the finished show.

Sorry about the ramble, one thought just led to more. It happens..

[The Red Bladder]

As much as I might wish you success with your studies, I fear that if your lecturer/prof actually OK'ed the form of the questionnaire, then I fear for the quality of your studies and the final outcome and the seriousness with which your qualification will be taken in the future by those considering you for a commission.

I run a studio that is used mainly for TV and film score production and pre-production and I can assure you that 'YES' is the answer to ALL the questions - do they use samples - yes. Do they use DAWs - yes. Do they use synths - yes. Do they use odd noises - yes.

Everything gets used. Angle grinders or grand pianos. Sawmills or chainsaws. Synths or orchestras. Improvise or written. A Hammond or a sample. It's whatever fits the gig!

You would be better served, studying how a composer actually puts a TV or film score together, rather than grubbing about with yet another pointless survey!

(Sorry to be so negative - but it's better to hear that now than later!)

[Lostgallifreyan]

You would be better served, studying how a composer actually puts a TV or film score together, rather than grubbing about with yet another pointless survey!

I have to back that up, because while I'm not from an academic background, I did look up 'dissertation' after I posted earlier. While deriving from the notion of 'debate', it depends on a balanced assessment of researched details, often of apparently contrary things. A student does get to set the frame of reference (unlike for an assay where the terms are directed by the tutor), but it's still ultimately a test of research done by the student. Setting a questionnaire risks narrowing the responses to fit the student's frame of reference too closely, it risks getting only a desired or expected outcome. I think 'a priori' is the legal equivalent, and it fails to question the broader scope so is a weakness that an opposing lawyer would enjoy exploiting.

It is definitely better to find out what film and TV composers do, and to a large extent this is possible purely by being attentive to their published work.

[The Red Bladder]

If I may be constructive for our OP - the magic subject (that seems totally missing from that survey) is film score spotting. Loads of YouTube videos on that subject.

As it is The University of Middlesex, I strongly suspect that whoever is lecturing in this subject failed to mention the subject of spotting. As this process is central to the creation of a movie score, one must draw the obvious conclusion about the standards of learning and faculty guidance.

[Arpangel]

Having the skills, to emphasise with music whats going on in the film, without dominating it, Ennio Morricone was a master at this.
Study stuff like this.