Assignment on Musical Score

Assignment on Musical Score

1. What is a film score?

Ans. A film score is the orchestral music composed or used in a film. It is not the same as a soundtrack. They are not interchangeable. This is because a soundtrack is a song used in a film. A film score may be originally composed for that particular film or may have been used in a previous context.

2. Enumerate the basic functions of music in a film.

Ans. The basic functions of music in a film are as follows:

a. To provide the film with necessary film music.

1. Source music

2. Basis or identity of the film itself

3. Opening credits

4. Character themes

b. Identification of the ethnicity, location, and period of the situation or characters on the screen

c. Underscoring

d. Comments on a scene or provides the viewer with additional information or insight about the situation or characters

1. Overture

2. Describes a location

3. Character development

e. To generate an emotional response from the viewer while he/she is watching a film.

3. Watch any of the ff. cartoon film/movie and listen to the musical score used: Mulan

• Describe the emotional response or experience you had while watching the film. Did the musical made a lot of impact to you? In what way?

Ans.

The music in the film made a lot of impact on me. Throughout the story, I felt the Chinese or oriental influence on the music. There was also something about the film’s music that made it feel as if the time period is ancient. These two main factors made all the music that was played in the film coherent and connected to each other.

Sometimes, the music being played describes the atmosphere or the season of the current scene. For example, when Mulan’s father was praying in the temple, the music felt so serene, and it felt like you are really in a Chinese temple showing reverence to the place. There was also this scene when Mulan and her father were talking, aside from the cherry blossoms all over the place the music contributed a lot to make it feel like it is Spring time.

Aside from giving identity to the location, ethnicity and period of the situation, the music also portrayed a lot about the people in the story and what they feel. I felt the great value or weight of honor and tradition to the characters of the story.

The music really contributes to the mood of the story scenes. Whenever the scene would be about the Huns, the music would have a different feel that adds character to the Huns that they really are the enemies in the story. Another situation is that the feel of war or going of to battle can be really felt because of the music.

However, the greatest impact that the music had on me was on the emotional aspect. An example of this was when Mulan felt that she had dishonored her family, the music portrayed the exact feelings of being failure, and sadness that Mulan felt at that time. I can really feel the burden of the sadness being portrayed at that time. Another example was when Mulan felt determined to save her father from gong to war. The feeling of determination was portrayed by the music.

As a whole, I really believe that the film, Mulan, made a great impact on me not only because of the story, but also because of the music and what it was able to portray.