OzMusEd - Music Technology

Acid Assignments

These assignments are more advanced than the Acid Activities. They are designed to make you put more thought into your creations.

Assignments

Assignment 1: Movie Soundtrack
Assignment 2: Remix Assignment (pdf file)

Assignment 1 - Movie Soundtrack

SCENARIO
You are a film composer who has just been hired to compose a soundtrack for a sea thriller called CALM DEAD SEA.

PLOT SUMMARY
The film is a high budget epic set on an abandoned sailing boat, miles out at sea. It stars Bruce Willis as the hero, Jennifer Anniston as the beautiful and helpless damsel in distress, and Brad Pitt as the evil villain. This is pure Hollywood, at its best! (Needless to say, if you do well with this soundtrack you will be set for life!)

YOUR BRIEF
Create an original piece of music that could be used to accompany the scene outlined below. The total length of the scene is exactly 1 minute. It is important that you succesfully interpret what is happening on screen and and reflect this in the soundtrack by creating an appropriate musical atmosphere and mood. Think suspense, thriller, suprise!!!

Make sure that your music corresponds to the timings listed for each event. Choose your loops carefully to ensure that you create the required atmosphere.

TIMING
(Secs)

ACTION ON SCREEN

0-5
5-10
10-15
15-20
20-25
25-30
30-35
35-45
45-60
Exterior view of an abandoned sailing boat, swaying on still waters
Boat interior: Camera scans around interior
Shadows seen briefly in the darkness
Cut to our Hero, speeding towards the abandoned boat in a speed cruiser
Our Hero pulls up along side the boat and jumps aboard
He scans the deck and heads inside, always keeping an eye out
Our Hero is unaware that he is being followed and continues his search
He is attacked and engages in a fierce and dangerous fight
A Victory!! Camera pulls back as our Hero vanishes into the horizon