This week, I examine not one but several cinematic soundtracks to explain how music in virtual storytelling can either make or break the story that you’re trying to convey.
As mentioned in an earlier blog, there are occasions in which it is better to lyrics and/or instruments do the talking in order to allow the audience to pay attention to what is happening visually. In moments that are particularly emotional, this is especially true. Think about the times in your life when you’ve been literally “speechless.” How did you tell your friends or family about what happened? It probably would have been easier with pictures or film. But you can’t have pictures or film without any sound for too long- people might get bored.
However, it’s VERY important that the music you pick matches what you are trying to convey. I’ve created a little exercise to explain better what I mean.
Watch this famous romantic kissing scene from “Spiderman,” paying particular attention to the music.
Good. Now, play the clip again, but this time mute the volume on it while you play this song. After that, do it again, this time with THIS song.
Feels a little different, huh? Music is EVERYTHING. The first song gave an intensely romantic, dramatic feeling. The second song was fast-paced, fun, and less emotional.
“Across the Universe” is a perfect example of how powerful music can be in storytelling, as this film relies entirely on The Beatles’ discography to tell a story of love and war.
The clip below is particularly useful because it displays different approaches to using soundtracks, depending on what is happening visually. Notice that at first, there is no music- the audience doesn’t know what’s going on yet. Once it has become visually clear that someone has died and that there are people feeling agony, “Let It Be” begins to play.
However, there is still no music, it’s pure singing. As the scene transitions to a war setting, the singing is still heard but because there is no music the audience can hear the raw, natural sounds of screaming, fighting, and explosions. These sounds might otherwise be lost with music, but the singing adds an eerie, somber element to the story. The scene transitions to a funeral, and the background music to the song begins, occasionally flipping to an gospel choir shown in the church. This allows the music to merge with the visuals. It has become both the natural sound, and the soundtrack.
If you watch that clip muted, it is still clear through the visuals what is going on. A useful tip for deciding when to use music is to do just that- mute your footage, or flip through your pictures in silence. If you can still understand what is going on, no narration necessary, use music. Let characters speak only when they have something particularly important to say. Add a narrator only when the visuals aren’t clearly conveying the story.
Brian Storm does a nice job in this digital story of using a latin-flavored song to match his compilation of visuals of daily life in Cuba. The colors are upbeat and bright, which correspond directly to the lively soundtrack.
