Clifford Thurlow Making Short Films
Chapter 13 Music and Post-Production Review
For this review I will consider what I believe to be the key points from part 3, chapter 13 which explores ‘Music and Post-Production’.
The opening segment sets the tone for the chapter. Thurlow sums up how music ‘brings out the emotional heart of a scene’ something I agree with and have, through my first and second year at university, learned never to underestimate the power and importance of music and sound!
The section entitled ‘Music Rights’ explores the complexity of music copyright. I found this section very interesting as it provides just the right amount of information in a chatty and easy to read style. The incorporation of bullet points to show the three types of music rights also helps the reader distinguish the key information in this section of the chapter.
Within the chapter there is also an interview section called ‘In Tune With Spencer Cobrin’ discussing topics such as whether music can be intrusive, how technology has changed music scoring and whether experience is required to create your own music. Whilst I found this interview with a working professional particularly appealing, it feels like the author is trying to get their views about filmmaking confirmed (something psychologists call "confirmation bias"), rather than remaining open and I found that off-putting at times.
This chapter also includes interesting sections on other key aspects of music and post-production such as:
Working with a Composer – the positives, negatives and what they role entails.
Credits – why they are part of the storytelling process and how to avoid boring credits.
This book is a wonderful resource but it might not be quite what one would imagine from the title. What is meant by "the complete guide from script to screen", is that the book moves through all the stages of a production. In this chapter in particular, Thurlow’s emphasis is not on technical advice, but on the creative and artistic considerations of short filmmaking. Whilst I do recommend this book to anyone with some experience in filmmaking, (especially media, photography and visual culture students!) it is not practical enough for the novice.
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