Music in Film Online
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MUSIC IN FILM Rutgers University online Semester/Year: Spring 2021 Sections: 07:700:230:90 and 91 TAs: TBD Modality: Online Instructor: Joseph Turrin Email: Use course email (inbox icon in red navigation bar to the left) Course Description: This course examines music created for film from both historical and analytical perspectives. The objective is to establish an appreciation for the art of film music, to understand its nature and requirements, and to study the composers and directors who work in the medium. Topics studied will include the functions of the film score, aesthetics, the film industry, synchronization, the early sound film, the rise of the symphonic film score, and composers from the 1930s to the present. The class will consist of lecture presentations, viewing film excerpts, discussion forums, two 1500-word essays, two exams (mid-term and final), and one student presentation. No prior knowledge of music is required. Course Goal: Students will cultivate musical perception—developing the ability to discern the function of music in film, the relationship of composers and directors as the work together, as well as, the particular musical characteristics of preeminent film composers past and present. Students will identify various film composers, musical styles, historical relationships, film genres, narrative structure, use of musico-cinematic devices such as motives, etc. Students will gain an understanding of the operational aspects of the industry and the resulting development of music written for the movies over the past 100 years. Course Objectives: Learning Outcomes By the end of the semester, the student should be able to: 1. Develop a musical perception—with the ability to discern the function of music in film. 2. Acquire an understanding of the operational aspects of the industry and the resulting development of music written for the movies over the past 100 years. 3. Students would be able to critically evaluate the relationship between the visual and aural dimensions of film. Goals will be assessed through tests, threaded discussions, one final project, essays and analytical papers. Course Materials: No Text Required. Equivalent of course readings will be provided in the course as media files and excerpts of relevant films and music scores which may be used to teach or elicit critical analysis from the student. Course Assignments List and describe each assignment below. 1. Discussion Forum (2 points per Unit) = 28 points 2. Essays (2) = 15 points each. 3. Final presentation (1)= 12 points. 4. Exams (2): Mid Term= 15 points, Final Exam= 15 points Course Grading Grading is based on the assignments [ Final Grade Calculation Points/Percentage Type Discussion Forum (2 points per Unit) = 28 points 28 points Essays (2) = 15 points each. 30 points Final presentation (1)= 12 points. 12 points Exams (2): Mid Term= 15 points, Final Exam= 15 points 30 points TOTAL 100 points Rutgers Grading Scale Points Grade Description 90-100 A Excellent, superior achievement 85-89 B+ 80-84 B Good, exceeding all requirements 75-79 C+ 70-74 C Average, satisfactorily meeting all requirements 60-69 D Poor , unsatisfactory 59 or lower F Failing or withdrawal while doing failing work This course follows all Rutgers grade regulations, policies, and standards as stated in the student handbook. Review the catalog for conditions under which an incomplete may be granted http://nbregistrar.rutgers.edu/facstaff/regis.htm and http://www.rutgers.edu/academics/catalogs. Course Schedule: Start Points and Date Due Date @ 11:59 Unit Assignment percentage 12:01 PM value AM Explore the functions of film Discussion Forum Week 1: UNIT 1: MUSIC IN music & discuss the various Due: 1/23 by 11:59 2 points 1/17 FILM sample clips. PM Discussion Forum Week 2 UNIT 2: THE SILENT Origins and history of early film Due:1/30 by 11:59 2 points (1/24) FILM development. The silent film. PM Early experiments with Discussion Forum Week 3 UNIT 3: SOUND & synchronization, vitaphone, Due:2/6 by 11:59 2 points (1/31) FILM sound recording, Thomas Edison PM and others. Discussion Forum Max Steiner (father of the film Due: 2/13 by 11:59 score), Korngold, Waxman, and 2 points PM UNIT 4: THE Newman. King Kong (1933). Week 4 DRAMATIC FILM (2/7) Paper Due: 2/16 by SCORE Assignment: 1000 word paper 11:59 PM (minus 2 on the early evolution of the points for every 15 pts. Dramatic Film Score day late) Discussion Forum Week 5 UNIT 5: VIENNA & The Leitmotif, Tone Poem, the Due: 2/20 by 11:59 2 points (2/14) HOLLYWOOD orchestra PM The studio system, composers, UNIT 6: THE GOLDEN Discussion Forum Week 6 directors & actors. Gone with AGE OF Due: 2/27 by 11:59 2 points (2/21) the Wind, Casablanca, The HOLLYWOOD PM Wizard of Oz Discussion Forum Terms and job descriptions in Due:3/6 by 11:59 the industry, the movie deal, 2 points PM spotting sessions, Temp scores, Week 7 UNIT 7: THE MOVIE click tracks, SMPTE code, etc. (2/28) BUSINESS Mid-term: 3/10 (online) Test open Exam: Mid-term on material from 12:01 AM to 15 pts. covered till now. 11:59 PM The song and its use in film. Toy Discussion Forum Week 8 UNIT 8: SONGS & Story, The Graduate, Once, The Due:3/10 by 11:59 2 points (3/7) FILM Wizard of Oz, etc. PM Discussion Forum Leonard Bernstein, Bernard Week 9 UNIT 9: COMPOSERS Due: 3/27 by 11:59 Herrmann, Aaron Copland, 2 points (3/21) OF YESTERDAY PM Alfred Newman & others. Williams, Horner, Zimmer, Discussion Forum Desplat, Elfman, and others. Due: 4/3 by 11:59 2 points PM Week UNIT 10: 10 COMPOSERS TODAY (3/28) Paper Due: 4/13 by Assignment: 1000-word paper 11:59 PM (minus 2 15 pts. on any contemporary film points for every composer. day late) UNIT 11: MODERN The synthesized score, atonality, Discussion Forum Week TECHNIQUES IN minimalism, computer generated Due: 4/10 by 11:59 2 points 11 (4/4) FILM MUSIC scores. PM UNIT 12: Week John Williams (Jaws, Star Wars, Discussion Forum REEMERGENCE OF 12 ET) Due: 4/17 by 11:59 2 points THE ROMANTIC (4/11) PM SCORE Exploring the music of horror & Week science fiction film. Nightmare Discussion Forum UNIT 13: HORROR & 13 on Elm St. The Day the Earth Due: 4/24 by 11:59 2 points SIFI FILMS (4/18) Stood Still, Avatar and The PM Matrix. Orchestra mock-ups, Midi, Discussion Forum 2 points samples, and music software Due: 4/30 by 11:59 PM Week Unit 14: COMPOSING 14 WITH SOFTWARE & (4/25) COMPUTERS Finale Project Due: 12 points Final Project: Final submitted 5/8 by 11:59 project analyzing the music of PM(minus 2 points one complete feature film of for every day late) your choice. Final Exam Due: 15 points Exam: Final Exam on material Online 5/4. Test covered in this course. open from 12:01AM till 11:59 PM. TOTAL 100 points Assessment Measures: Grading Rubrics Discussion Forums (1 per week/unit) Learning Objective/Goal: Students participate in online discussions based on topics posted by the professor in reference to the current Unit. Assessment Method: Discussion Forum: (“Lets talk about it”) 2 points per Unit = 28 points. The discussion forums will be graded on the following criteria. See discussion forum rubric below. C Contribute the equivalent of three (2) medium sized paragraphs (at least 150 words) to the discussion per week/unit based upon specific topics or question(s) posted by the instructor or alternately developed by the student. Students must also participate by responding to at least one (1) post of another student. a. Submissions must pertain to the material in the unit, be clearly stated, and cover the materials comprehensively. b. Online decorum at all times – be polite and mature. Assessment Rubrics: Discussion Forums (1 per week/unit) Criteria Outstanding Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory A B+ B C+ C D F Participation Required number of Required number Required Limited or no posts and of posts and number of posts participation responses within responses within and responses within each each week/ unit. each week/unit. within each week/unit. Good online Good online week/unit. Good Online decorum decorum observed decorum observed online decorum not always always. always. observed observed. always. Content focused Content mostly Focus on unit Content not strongly on unit focused on unit materials shows aligned with unit materials; posts materials; posts are some lack of materials or Criteria Outstanding Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory A B+ B C+ C D F comprehensive, somewhat understanding lacking clearly stated, and comprehensive, not and or clarity; understanding of meet the length entirely clearly barely meets concepts; posts requirement. stated, but meet the length do not meet length requirement. requirement. length requirement. Essay: 1000 word paper on the early evolution of the Dramatic Film Score. Learning Objective/Goal: Students required to understand the origin and development of the symphonic film score from 1925 to 1933 Assessment Method: Essay: 1000 word paper on the early evolution of the Dramatic Film Score (15 points). The following items must be included in this paper - the paper will be graded on the comprehension and completeness of these items. See essay and final presentation rubric below. 1. Students understanding of the historical development of the early film score. a. Composers who worked in early Hollywood and their musical backgrounds. b. The concept, origin and relation between late European musical romanticism and the dramatic film score. c. The use of music in the “silent era” d. The early development of sound in relation to film.