MUSICAL APPROACHES:

DRAMATIC ATMOSPHERES
SUMMARY:
“These are odd moments in the movie where everything is both visually and
psychologically off-center, and music is allowed to describe the weirdness of the moment.
In the ‘Mystery’ category, music is asked to bring a light to the unknown psychological
idea. However, in ‘Dramatic Atmosphere’, music is used to get behind the visual,
bringing depth to the world of images that exist outside the minds of the character(s).”

1. In these scenes, something abnormal is happening visually. The composer can

A. describe the experience itself, leaving the character out completely, or
B. describe the experience from the character’s point of view.

2. The majority of these cues are overtly strange, but sometimes the strangeness is subtle, or
the scene seemingly begins normally, and it is the music’s job to amplify or add the
element of strangeness.

3. Due to the nature of these scenes, there are no restrictions on what can work, and there is
no formula for success. The composer has an opportunity to be extremely inventive.

4. The approach can be soft and seductive or loud and oppressive.

5. There is no easy solution, but usually atonal music works well, in which sound mass, in
large or small quantities, plays an important role. The collage technique can also be used
successfully.

6. When using atonal techniques, it is important to decide what density will best suit the
picture. Whether the cue is soft or loud, a cue can be any degree of density. It can be as
transparent as events in the highest and lowest registers only, or as dense as a
chromatically saturated cluster. A solution can be derived by the presence, or lack, of
important dialogue or sound fx, or whether or not it is important for a particular musical
element to stand out of the texture.

7. Atonal techniques can easily become formless, so it is essential that some element
remain consistent as a thread through the cue, holding it together. This could be a
repeating melody, bass line, ostinato, or pedal tone.

8. You can extend the sonic palette of acoustic instruments using classic electronic
techniques of tape manipulation (i.e. retrogrades, transpositions and varying the speed
etc.). You can use classic instruments in new ways through extended techniques, or you
can use exotic instruments to create unusual effects.
9. Think of these moments as the closest film-music ever gets to the pure idea of dramatic
sound.

10. Like many other categories, break the cue down into as few episodes as possible,
hitting only the most important moments. Focus on the atmosphere, creating a backdrop
for the visuals.

11. These can be dramatically static moments with little activity. If time is frozen, then the
music need not push the film forward. In other instances, the motion of the music can
send the scene into a dizzying frenzy.