Nature, Roles and Functions

of Music in Moving Image

Once Upon A Time in Mumbai
ACP Agnel Wilson(Story is through his
narrative)
Sultan Mirza(Anti Hero Character)
Shoaib Khan (Villian)
Leitmotifs
• In a film a place, character or an emotion can be linked
to a piece of music. This can be a simple melody
which is usually few measures. To put in simple terms
movies that use music as a tool to reveal character’s
inner thoughts and feelings can influence audience’s
perception of what is happening on
screen(Green,2010).
Thematic Transformation
• Dramatic situations are supported, and variation is created through the
use of theme change. Simply said, a leitmotif can be changed to reflect
a character's evolving mood or state whenever it recurs in a movie by
adjusting the instrumentation, pace, dynamics, or harmony. This is
called thematic transformation(Hickman, 2006).
Tempo
• Western music is primarily structured around beats, and tempo refers
to the speed of the beats. While a slow pace suggests serenity and may
be used to complement a romantic scenario, a quick tempo creates
excitement and may even allude to conflict(Hickman, 2006).
• The tempo is perhaps the most significant musical decision a
composer makes while crafting a cue. A cue's emotional impact on a
scene is largely determined by the pace of the music. Certain situations
imply a tempo by rhythmic elements in the image, such as a train
passing on its tracks, someone entering the frame fearlessly, or fast-
paced editing. There is a huge range of tempos in film music, from
hardly moving to lightning fast.
Timbre
• The technical name for the colour or tone quality created by
instruments, voices, and different combinations of both is timbre. This
component frequently has a significant impact on the overall
impression of a movie score. Many composers begin by writing their
pieces on the piano, and the process of orchestrating their work
involves matching different melodic ideas to different voices and
instruments(Hickman, 2006).
 Folk and Non-Western Instruments

• Other cultural musical instruments are frequently used to set the scene
in stories. Non-Western instruments are capable of producing music in
a regional way. A film composer can allude to a different culture in
this way. Film composers in this case frequently select sounds that a
viewer would identify with a specific moment or
location(Hickman,2006).
References
• Green, J. (2010) ‘Understanding the Score: Film
Music Communicating to and Influencing the
Audience’, Journal of Aesthetic Education, 44(4), pp.
81–94.
• Hickman, R. (2006). Reel music : exploring 100 years of
film music. New York ; London: W.W. Norton.
• Rona, J. (2009) The reel world. 2nd edn. Milwaukee:
Hal Leonard (Reference).