I wanted to share a letter with you that pertains somewhat to my February Keyboard column. It is about some of the musical choices we make as we compose a film score. Some choices we make are based on gut instinct, some on specific notes from the director, and some from the genre of the film itself. As we write, we must always keep in mind how our music will effect the audience. We place ourselves in their shoes for a while and watch the movie 'for the first time.'

We also must keep in mind how the music will behave when put into perspective. Music sounds different played at different volumes to the dialog and effects. Which leads me to the letter I got recently from one reader. Here it is:

Jeff,

Glad to see your column still surviving in Keyboard. I always find something interesting or useful. I know you frequently cover issues of protocol, etc. Here's one I've just encountered.

Last year, I scored my first feature. Recently, I attended a screening of the film in its present form.

I'm very disappointed at the treatment the music received. It's very soft and not very good-sounding. (This applies to all the music they used in the film, including some pre-existing pieces they secured rights for.) Aside from the fact that I worked hard on the music, and would like it to be heard, it's so quiet that it doesn't even serve the picture very well. The low end is anemic, which means the music and dialog are vying for the same space in the audio spectrum. In most cases, the music is little more than some tinkling in the background--no fullness, at all.

From my perspective, I'm disappointed on all fronts. Naturally, I didn't get paid much, so I was at least hoping for a showcase for my work. If I had known how things were going to turn out, I would have cleaned up my demos, submitted them, and moved on to the next project, having gained a little experience. Instead, for all my effort, I ended up with a small paycheck, and nothing to add to my reel. Lose--lose.

On the bright side, if the producers do find some sort of distribution for the film, they will have to take it to the next level of post-production. To this point all the sound editing and mixing was pretty rudimentary. They didn't send it out and have a proper audio mix done. And there's plenty of ADR to be done. If that step ever happens, there may be a chance to get things right. (I would have offered to help mix, had I known...)

The final editing, including sound, was done by the editor with the help of the producer. (The director bailed before the picture was finished. I guess he grew impatient during one of the post-production lags, and decided he needed to move on to other things, so he left NY for LA.) I can talk candidly with the editor, as he's a friend. And though the producer is easy to talk to, I'm not sure if it's appropriate for me to address this with her. Presumably, the mix is as they wanted it. However, neither she nor the editor are terribly experienced at mixing/EQing music, so it's possible that someone who knew what they were doing could have gotten things more to everyone's liking.

I'd really appreciate any input you can provide on how best to handle the situation.

Regards,

name withheld

I sympathize with this story. The best thing anyone can do in this situation, I think, is to never bring it up. The only time it's appropriate is while the film is still being dubbed and something could be done to fix the problem. Afterward it will just seem like sour grapes. If film makers are happy, then that's all that matters on this project. Hopefully it will be better next time. This is why it can be very important to attend all the mixing sessions for a film.

Every composer I know has had at least one film mixed so that the music suffered. But some directors prefer music to be understated and gentle, for fear that more will distract the audience from the dialog. Sometimes this is a valid concern.

Girl Interrupted: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Various Artists

The Sopranos: Music From The HBO Original Series

Various Artists

Magnolia: Music from the Motion Picture

Aimee Mann

The Hurricane: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture

Original Soundtrack

Brilliant:

American Beauty Sountrack

Thomas Newman