School of Humanities  
 
 
MUS-20047 Unheard Melodies? Music in the Narrative Film  
Co-ordinator: Mr Nick Reyland    Room: CKF08, Tel:33297  
Teaching Team: Dr Sohrab  Uduman, Miss Jo-Anne  Watts, Mrs Anna  Truman, Mrs Hayley  Harewood  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 2 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office: Tel: 01782 733147
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for
Film Studies Dual Honours (Level 2)
Film Studies Minor (Level 2)
Media, Communications and Culture Dual Honours (Level 2)
Media, Communications and Culture Minor (Level 2)
Music Dual Honours (Level 2)
Music Minor (Level 2)
Music Single Honours (Level 2)
Music Technology Dual Honours (Level 2)
Music Technology Minor (Level 2)
Music Technology Single Honours (Level 2)
Available as a Free Standing Elective
Yes
Barred Combinations
None
Prerequisites
None
Description

Why do films have music? How does music help a film to tell its story? Do we actually hear film music? Does music make perceivers more receptive to a film's ideological content?

This module will explore questions along these lines, while enabling students:
- to acquire an understanding of the uses and history of music in the narrative film (and, by extension, in other screen media, e.g., television, computer games)
- to develop the ability to analyze instances of film/screen music, and to critique its narrative and ideological purposes
- to learn a basic vocabulary of music analytical tools
- to gain a basic understanding of narrative theory, and
- to develop analytical and other scholarly skills through written assignments, classroom contributions and independent research.

Students interesting in composition or sound editing will also have an opportunity to rescore an existing passage of film as part of their portfolio assessment.

The first half of the module will proceed by building up a theoretical base for understanding and analyzing filmic narrativity and, crucially, music's place within the filmic discourse; the second half of the module will then progress through a series of case studies exploring examples from Hollywood and non-Hollywood scoring practice. Films studied include Casablanca, American Beauty, and The Dark Knight.

A basic knowledge of music theory and some practical musical ability may be advantageous to students taking this module, but is not necessary.

'Narrative Film Music' by Claudia Gorbman, Yale French Studies , No. 60, Cinema/Sound (1980), pp. 183-203. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2930011

and

Kathryn Kalinak's book 'Film Music: A Very Short Introduction' (OUP, 2010).
Aims
For students to acquire an understanding of the uses and history of music in the narrative film (and other screen media, e.g., television, computer games), and to develop the ability to analyze instances of film/screen music, and to critique its narrative and ideological purposes.
Intended Learning Outcomes
analyze the narrative functions of film/screen music and describe in detail the musical parameters being manipulated to perform those functions will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
critique the ideological purposes of film/screen music, illustrating arguments with reference to music, film and cultural theory will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
define and exemplify key concepts in film music theory will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
Study hours
10 hours lectures
10 hours seminars
1 hour tutorials
50 hours lecture and seminar preparation
30 hours work on WebCT assignments
49 hours work on final essay
Description of Module Assessment
01: Webct weighted 40%
WebCT assignments
Students will be required to complete WebCt assignments during the first 5 weeks of the module. After tutorials at which they are alerted to potential improvements to their submissions, students then submit final versions of what they consider to be the two strongest assignments. These two pieces should add up to a total of 1,000 words; the final two pieces are submitted as per a normal printed essay, as well as via TurnItIn.
02: Portfolio weighted 60%
2,000 word essay or rescoring a short passage of film
Students choose to EITHER answer an essay question, addressing a theoretical issue or providing a close analysis of a film scene, from a range of options, developing out of seminars delivered in the second part of the module, OR they may provide an original score or create a compilation score for an existing passage of film lasting c. 5 minutes. In addition to rescoring the scene, students will have to provide a 1000-word commentary on their creation's narrative functions. Students will have a chance to discuss their work-in-progress in tutorials before submission.
Version: (1.06B) Updated: 03/Mar/2013

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.