Influencing The Audience Through Film Scoring

This research project aimed to explore what techniques can film composers implement in order to achieve desired responses from a viewing audience. Three varying films were used as control content, with three scores written for each, with each of them utilising various compositional devices in order to gain particular outcomes and to anticipate responses from subjects groups, who would partake in surveys recording their reactions to the films, and these responses were analysed and whether or not these compositional devices were effective was discussed.

The project gathered research from various journal articles and academic sources to inform decisions regarding the concept of leitmotif, which proved to be an essential skill utilised in the compositions, with the majority of participants leaning towards the desired outcomes set out by the compositions. Another factor in the compositions was the ideas formed by leading film composers. Interviews and articles relating to composers which inspired the pieces were researched, and the specific devices which they utilise were implemented into the scores, which also proved to be a mostly effective tool in achieving desired responses from the audience.

The experiment proved fruitful for the most part, with the majority of participants connecting themes to particular characters or emotions, and the techniques informed by proven composers were also effective in influencing the subjects viewing of the films, despite some missteps in the composition where these responses were not achieved.