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Unit outline_

CMPN2510: Scoring and Arranging for the Screen

Semester 2, 2022 [Normal day] - Sydney

An application of various musical skills and disciplines pertinent to today's music industry, this unit of study explores fundamental aspects of composing, arranging and orchestrating for the screen. Theoretical principles are drawn from dramaturgy and cinematography, and applied to concerns of form, aesthetics, orchestration and technology to inform the various practical processes of preparing a music score from its inception to the delivery of parts for a recording session. Scoring and Arranging for the Screen offers a pragmatic approach to negotiating the pressing demands faced by screen composers in today's film and television industry.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Composition and Music Technology
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Phillip Johnston, phillip.johnston@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Phillip Johnston, phillip.johnston@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Assignment 1: Spotting Notes
Create Spotting Notes for a film sequence (5 cues)
10% Week 02
Due date: 12 Aug 2022 at 23:59

Closing date: 09 Sep 2022
500-1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
Assignment hurdle task Assignment 2: Developing thematic material: theme/motif
Compose an effective film music theme/motif (see Canvas for details)
10% Week 03
Due date: 19 Aug 2022 at 23:59

Closing date: 04 Nov 2022
score (4–16 bars) + audio file
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
Assignment Assignment 3: Theme/Motif (Development)
Development of Assessment 2 theme/motif into full cue for clip provided.
20% Week 04
Due date: 26 Aug 2022 at 23:59

Closing date: 04 Nov 2022
2 minutes of audio/vide + score
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
Assignment Assignment 4: Writing under dialogue
Write underscore music for two contrasting scenes containing dialogue.
25% Week 07
Due date: 16 Sep 2022 at 23:59

Closing date: 04 Nov 2022
music for two film clips, 2.5 min.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
Assignment Assessment 5: Combining Orchestral and Electronic Sounds
Provide underscoring for one of 3 2-minute film clips. (See Canvas).
35% Week 10
Due date: 14 Oct 2022 at 23:59

Closing date: 04 Nov 2022
Music for a two minute video clip.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

  • Assessment 1: Create Spotting Notes for five cues, based on a video clip provided. 
  • Assessment 2: Create a film music theme/motif to be used in a clip provided. A score and audio file are required.
  • Assessment 3: Create a fully developed film music cue for a film clip provided, based on your theme/motif from Assessment 2. An audio/video file with your music and a score are required.
  • Assessment 4: Write music under dialogue. Write and produce a MIDI demo and score for two contrasting video clips provided that contain dialogue which must be supported yet not obscured.
  • Assessment 5: Combine electronic and orchestral/acoustic instruments for a choice of one of three film clips provided.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.
Note that information here may not match assessments in Handbook. The information here is correct.

Assessment criteria

Please see the Canvas site for further assessment criteria.

The following assessment criteria are used for written work in this unit of study:

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Demonstrates high level of initiative in research and reading; sophisticated critical analysis of evidence; high level engagement with theoretical issues, innovative use of reading/research material and impressive command of underlying debates and assumptions; properly documented and written with style, originality and precision.

Distinction

75 - 84

Demonstrates initiative in research and wide, appropriate reading; complex understanding of question and ability to critically review material in relation to underlying assumptions and values; analyses material in relation to empirical and theoretical contexts; properly documented; clear, well-developed structure and argument with some signs of literary style.

Credit

65 - 74

Evidence of broader understanding than pass level; offers synthesis with some critical evaluation of material; coherent argument using a range of relevant evidence; some evidence of independent thought, good referencing. A high credit (70-74) shows some evidence of ability to problematise and think conceptually.

Pass

50 - 64

Written work meets basic requirements in terms of reading/research; relevant material; tendency to descriptive summary rather than critical argument; makes a reasonable attempt to avoid paraphrasing; reasonably coherent structure; often has weaknesses in particular areas, especially in terms of narrow or underdeveloped treatment of question; acceptable documentation.

Fail

0 - 49

Work may fail for any or all of the following reasons: Unacceptable paraphrasing; irrelevance of content; poor spelling; poor presentation; grammar or structure so sloppy it cannot be understood; failure to demonstrate understanding of content; insufficient or overlong word length.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Lecture 1: Introduction/Overview of film music practice/theory/history. Introduction to film scoring techniques and how to analyse film music cues in terms of dramaturgy, structure, orchestration, genre. Introduction to unit & assessments. Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Introduction to making MIDI mock-ups and the use of DAWs in film scoring. Creation of screen-shot scores. Cue sheets and Spotting Notes. Sample Spotting & Introduction of Assessment 1. Introduce Assessment 1 (Spotting Notes) Tutorial (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 02 Lecture 2: Themes and Motifs I. The use of themes and motifs, from the Romantic orchestra style, theme and variation, development vs arrangement/orchestration. Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Introduce Assessment 2. (Themes and Motifs cont'd, if time) Tutorial (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Week 03 Lecture 3: Themes and Motifs II Focus on motifs: The application and development of motifs in film music, and their relationship to themes. Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO6 LO7 LO8
Introduce Assessment 3 (Development) Tutorial (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
Week 04 Lecture 4: Analysis 1: Music for Batman: from Batman (Burton, 1989, composer: Danny Elfman) through The Dark Knight (Nolan, 2008; composer: Hans Zimmer) to The Joker (Phillips, 2019; composer: Hildur Guðnadóttir) & The Batman (Reeves, 2022; composer: Michael Giacchino). Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
Feedback/Debrief of Assessment 1 (Spotting Notes) Tutorial (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6 LO8 LO9
Week 05 Lecture 5: Instrumentation/Orchestration: How to choose what instruments are right for your scene. Compare full orchestra, chamber orchestra, pop instrumentation, solo instruments. Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO6 LO7 LO8
Feedback/Debrief of Assessment 2 (Theme) Introduce Assessment 4: (Dialogue) Tutorial (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Week 06 Lecture 6: The Art of Main Titles: Function and variations on approach. Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO6 LO7 LO8
Feedback/Debrief of 3 (Development) The Intersection of Theme/Motif, Orchestration & Main Titles Tutorial (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Week 07 Lecture 7: Electronic Music in Film. From Theremin and Ring Modulators through Software Synths, Samples and Electronica, and combinations of orchestral and electronic (Hans Zimmer), through electronic-based film music composition (Trent Reznor/Atticus Ross). Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
Introduce Assessment 5 (Electronic/Orchestral) Tutorial (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Week 08 Lecture 8: Analysis 2: The legacy of Potemkin/The Odessa Steps Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO6 LO7 LO8
Introduce Assessment 4 (Writing under dialogue) Tutorial (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO6 LO7 LO8
Week 09 Lecture 9: Combining Electronic and Orchestral Instruments Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO6 LO7 LO8
Feedback/Debrief of Assessment 4 (Writing under dialogue) Tutorial (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
Week 10 Lecture 10: Special Projects Week: TV scoring, Bored To Death (spotting notes, MIDI demos, finals) (online presentation) Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Office Hours Tutorial (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Week 11 Lecture 11: Analysis 3: In Cold Blood: Quincy Jones. Detail, structure, genre, combining jazz/classical, diegetic, non-diegetic. Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
Electronic/Orchestral Works Student informal presentation. (non-assessed) Tutorial (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
Week 12 Lecture 12: Contemporary Scores for Silent Film: Electronic, New Music & traditional approaches examined, and pertinence to mainstream film and television scoring. Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Feedback/Debrief of Assessment 5 The Film Business: Copyright, Collaborators (Music Editors, Music Supervisors, Orchestrators, etc.), Soundtracks, Licensing, Budgets. Tutorial (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of timetabled activities for a unit of study, unless granted exemption by the Dean, Head of School or professor most concerned. The Dean, Head of School or professor most concerned may determine that a student fails a unit of study because of inadequate attendance. Alternatively, at their discretion, they may set additional assessment items where attendance is lower than 90%.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Recommended Reading (not required, but could be of interest):

Andy Hill, Scoring the Screen: The Secret Language of Film Music (2017)

Sonny Kompanek, From Score to Screen: Sequencers, Scores, & Second Thoughts : the New Film Scoring Process (2004)

Fred Karlin and Rayburn Wright, On The Track: A Guide To Contemporary Film Scoring (1990)

Claudia Gorbman, Unheard Melodies: Narrative Film Music (1987)

Anahid Kassabian, Hearing Film: Tracking Identifications in Contemporary Hollywood Film Music (2001)

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. understand and negotiate complex processes relating to creativity, workflow, technology and collaboration
  • LO2. competently approach issues arising from creative ambiguity
  • LO3. gage helpful levels of critical self-reflection
  • LO4. understand the technical and practical uses of MIDI, as they are related to timbre, practice and utility for sampled orchestral and electronic instruments
  • LO5. understand the concepts relating to the synchronisation of audio to picture
  • LO6. display a working knowledge of the relevant principles of dramaturgy and cinematography
  • LO7. understand principles of form, instrumentation, arrangement and orchestration as relating to scoring for the screen
  • LO8. understand the implications of genre and style in scoring and arranging for the screen
  • LO9. understand the business and commercial aspects of the film and TV industry.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit of study has been revised to reflect the current student-oriented learning outcomes, and the tools needed to navigate the present industry.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.