[Fmpro] comedy scoring

Fri Mar 21 22:33:17 GMT 2008

I am originally from Montreal.  I lived in Toronto for a few years  
after Berklee  and then headed to LA, where I lived for 17.  Currently  
I live on an island near Seattle.

Hummie

206/230-0222
800/546-8611

www.hummiemann.com

On Mar 20, 2008, at 7:33 PM, Claude Castonguay wrote:

> Thanks a lot Hummie,
>
> i'll check-out Men in Tights for sure with great interest. I checked
> out your website, the music is great. Orchestration is top notch. I've
> yet to experience my music being played by a full orchestra.Up here in
> Canada these type of sessions are almost non-existent in film and in
> TV, well inexistent... I guess it's pretty much the same in the U.S
> except for Hollywood Feature Films. I was talking with Paul
> Baillargeon who scored many seasons of Star Treck with full orchestra
> and the last 2 seasons in Digital Performer and EastWest Symphonic
> Orchestra...
>
> The film i'll be scoring is in the vein of Curb your Enthusiasm, lots
> of talking, a main character with an hyperactive brain (à la Woody
> Allen) but he hangs out with trendy people...
>
> So, i'm glad i asked this question on the list. I got great
> suggestions from the list. Thanks to everyone.
>
> Hummie i read somewhere that you're Canadian, from what part of Canada
> are you from?
>
> Best,
>
> Claude
>
>
>
>
> On 08-03-20, at 19:32, Hummie Mann wrote:
>
>> Well, Thank you for your interest.
>>
>> Firstly you really need to discuss with the director if he wants
>> "funny" music (the trombone example formerly mentioned in another  
>> post
>> is what I call funny music).  That approach feels very slapstick to  
>> me
>> and unless you are doing a silly kids movie, I don't think it is done
>> too much. By the way, sometimes the way contemporary writers will do
>> this slapstick stuff is using pizz strings - I have done it a bit as
>> part of a score.
>>
>> Assuming that the director does not want funny music, then there  
>> are a
>> few techniques that seem to work quite well.  One is scoring the  
>> scene
>> in a more dramatic way but using a lot of sync points as one wold do
>> in "Mickey Mousing" animation.
>>
>> There are many instances of this in "Robin Hood: Men in Tights".  I
>> would suggest checking out the big fight sequence that happens in the
>> party near the front of the film where Robin is challenged by the
>> Sheriff of Rottingham and also most of the sword fight scenes in the
>> film - there is a particular moment in the final fight scene between
>> RH and SoR where Mel went to having shadows fighting and where by
>> using a much smaller orchestration, the comedic intent was supported,
>> even though if you listen to the music without the film, it does not
>> sound "funny".
>>
>> Another technique is using a type of music that seems "inappropriate"
>> or somewhat contrary to the scene. For some rhythm Latin grooves and
>> Gospel seems to work as they are just 'fun' types of music, so people
>> smile just at the sound of them.
>>
>> I have underscored comedic sections of many films in a variety of
>> different styles of music using the Mickey Mousing and it is often  
>> the
>> best approach, the music does not sound funny but the relationship it
>> has with the visuals is funny - so that is a win-win.
>>
>> Best of luck -
>>
>> Hummie
>>
>> 206/230-0222
>> 800/546-8611
>>
>> www.hummiemann.com
>>
>> On Mar 20, 2008, at 10:04 AM, Claude Castonguay wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Hummie,
>>>
>>> great to see you on the list!
>>>
>>> As the original poster of this thread i, for one, would be really
>>> glad to have you go into as much detail as you would like.
>>>
>>> Best regards,
>>>
>>> Claude
>>> On 08-03-20, at 12:21, Hummie Mann wrote:
>>>
>>>> I have scored a number of comedies so I think I will weigh in here.
>>>> It is a discussion you need to have with the director - does he  
>>>> want
>>>> funny music or not?  Having scored 2 films for Mel Brooks (Robin
>>>> Hood:
>>>> Men in Tights and Dracula: Dead and Loving It), the usual approach
>>>> that Mel wanted was NOT to have funny music, however there are
>>>> examples in both scores where by doing "serious" music but "Mickey
>>>> Mousing" the action, you can actually have music that is not funny
>>>> but
>>>> yet supports the silly antics on screen.  If you want specific
>>>> examples I can tell you what scenes in particular to look at  
>>>> where I
>>>> used this technique, but do not want to go into more detail unless
>>>> you
>>>> want me to.  Ok, that's my 3 cents.
>>>>
>>>> Hummie Mann
>>>>
>>>> 206/230-0222
>>>> 800/546-8611
>>>>
>>>> www.hummiemann.com
>>>>
>>>> On Mar 19, 2008, at 9:04 PM, Robyn Traill wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I haven't really done many comedies, but I agree with
>>>>> the straight approach.  Take the protagonists feelings
>>>>> seriously.  Play the music from their perspective
>>>>> rather than being a commentator poking fun from the
>>>>> side.
>>>>>
>>>>> Then do that with the usual originality and taste.
>>>>>
>>>>> Airplane by Elmer Bernstien is a good example of this.
>>>>> Utterly ridiculous movie.  Totally straight music.
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> The Film Music Pro List is sponsored by Film Music Magazine -  http://www.filmmusicmag.com
>>
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>> Hale Music
>>
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>
>
> _______________________________________________
> The Film Music Pro List is sponsored by Film Music Magazine -  http://www.filmmusicmag.com
>
> Best of FMPRO: http://www.fmproquotes.com - Quotes site  by Billy  
> Hale Music
>
> To edit your list options or unsubscribe, visit:
> http://nxport.com/mailman/listinfo/fmpro
>