Breanna Chidebelu
Pixar
As a kid, I always watched Pixar films. There are so many movies that I enjoyed, and I still rewatch today. In the "Music in Film" workshop, other Scholars and I learned about the history of film scores, and we got to create our own music based on a theme. My theme for my two compositions was "Pixar" because I like Pixar movies. When I was making music, I focused on one emotion. Next, I put a series of instruments that sounded well together, then I chose one scene from two different movies (Monsters Inc. and Cars) that would fit with my music pieces. One important thing in film is the music that is played in certain scenes, and that can enhance the meaning behind the scene, characters, and setting. My musical compositions highlight the Pixar scenes and the characters that are featured in them, and the audience would also understand the emotions behind each scene.
Cars
​The second scene I made music for was in Cars, where Lightning McQueen participates in the final race for the Piston Cup. The emotions for the scene is triumphant, persevering in adversity, and feeling proud. I use music in the major scale, since that scale portrays a positive mood. I added many woodwind sections and synthesizers to make a piece that sounded like someone was determined. I started my piece by blending a clarinet loop with a flute synthesizer in the first several seconds, then adding a trap flute melody later on. My piece also has a variety of flutes and piano playing as the scene goes on. I added a "silent" section when the blue car (the King) crashes and Lightning stops by the finish line as the green car passes through and wins. My music played quietly in the background as Lightning helps the King finish the race. I thought that the background music was necessary to emphasize the scene and Lightning McQueen's good sportsmanship. When the King and Lightning pass the finish line, I added an electric guitar trill and some drum beats to represent the crowd cheers. I was amazed that I was able to make my own electric guitar sound, and I am happy with the result.
"Cars 2006 The king Crashing At Finish Line, Last Race. Best Ending! (8/8) DopeClips". Youtube. Uploaded by Perception TV.
23 Jun 2017. https://youtu.be/Y0hdEWXRqCI
Monsters Inc.
The emotion of this Monsters Inc Scene is "sadness". For this goodbye scene, I wanted to implement sad instrumental loops that blended together to create a longer melody. In the workshop, we learned about the major and minor scales used in film scores and the emotions associated with each one. I believed using a variety of piano melodies helped me best while making the musical piece. When Boo and Sully enter Boo's room, the music started out softly and as the scene progressed, the volume got louder. There was also an addition of a solemn string section when Sully leaves Boo's room. There were also some slow music playing throughout my piece, to represent Sully walking slowly as he leaves. Near the end, when Mike picks up a door piece, I added a string plucking part. Something I enjoyed most about this composition was that I was able to find unique music loops that I have never heard before. I explored the instrumental loops in Soundtrap that were organized by music genre (eg. RnB, EDM, classical, rock). I am glad with my final composition for one of my favorite Pixar movies!
"Touching Goodbye Scene - Monsters Inc (Boo & Kitty)". Youtube. Uploaded by Ed Vizenor. 24 Oct 2013. https://youtu.be/BPaTaEN2wxY
Rope
The emotions of this scene was mysterious and suspenseful. This scene is from the movie Rope (1948). I wanted to add a suspenseful melody to the scene. I used a drumbeat loop as a basis for my track. Then I blended it with a somber piano loop to give the scene a sense of suspense. In the background, I recorded a clarinet track with long notes and short notes. During the workshop, we learned about Adobe Premiere Pro, a useful software where we can add music to video clips. When I finished my composition, I added my music to the audio already in the movie scene. I thought it was necessary to keep the original audio so that there is some context and the audience can know what's going on. It was very easy for me to use Premiere Pro's tools because I used this software in high school. However, I did need a refresher on where to find certain video and audio effects.
Hitchcock, Alfred. "Rupert Discovers The Body (Final Reveal Scene) | Alfred Hitchcock's 'Rope' (1948)". Youtube.
1 Jun 2018. https://youtu.be/oIThlmqg0FU