Intro
I lived most of my life composing, producing and performing music. The music video, unlike film prioritises its music over any other element. In fact most music videos will feature the musicians performing and / or dancers to accentuate the lyrics, instruments and rhythm of the song. However, especially with the birth of MTV that only broadcast music videos, musicians understood their music video had to stand out and the only way to do that was give their video a filmic quality. It was a great challenge, because film running time was a short 2-3 minutes. In this short space of time the film had to 'tell' a story, promote the musicians and strictly adhere to the music composition.
Unlike a short or feature film, which may choose to use or not use music in scenes as it wills, the music video priorities the music and therefore the scenes have to stick to its compositional structure.
2 What is musical compositional structure?
3 Example
Musical compositional structure, also known as musical form, refers to the organization or arrangement of sections within a piece of music. The most common and orthodox structure for popular music includes:
A Verse followed by a Refrain. Then there is a second Verse followed by a Refrain. Here, there can be an additional or change of music to be followed by a double Refrain. In such a structure if the Verse is segment A then the 7 part structure reads ABABCBB as illustrated below.
Obviously some music structures include other segments like a motif, a solo, an instrumental etc which be inserted between segments together with other possible segments like an intro that introduces or a coda that rounds off a segment.
4 Task
So let us use Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1993) Last Dance With Mary Jane directed by Keir McFarlane as an example.
Do not watch the video: Try to listen to the song and write down its structure and segments.
Just to help you a little this song has a 13-14 segments in its structure.
5 Answer.
6 From music structure to filmic structure
Petty's song imposes a 14 scene structure. Try to visualise these 14 scenes. The chosen theme is necrophilia.7 This time watch the video.
1E Intro: Dead Corpses in the morgue.
2A Verse: The first verse is used to introduce the protagonist.
3D Motif: The protagonist gets to his feet and stretches.
4A Verse: The second verse introduces the second 'protagonist.' Unlike the other corpses she is sealed up in a shroud. As Petty opens the shroud the connection between the two is obvious.
5B Refrain: The 'last night with Mary Jane,' lyrics is timed to a closeup of the corpse's lips and Petty's caressing of other body parts. This establishes or gives away the theme of necrophilia beyond doubt.
6D Motif: Petty carries her out of the morgue.
7A Verse: Petty carries the corpse past the guards, through the corridors.
8B Refrain: Petty and the corpse in his car. He brings her home.
9F Other: This is an instrumental segment with aggressive guitar riffs. Fittingly, this change of music also brings a change of perspective. The dreary nature of necrophilia is given a humorous twist as Petty tries to prop her up on the sofa and then she drops when he switches on the TV which he humorously takes for a negative answer.
10 A The Verse: This is a return to the morbid reality. He puts on her make-up and sets up the table.
11 B Refrain: This will be the last refrain and fittingly this is Petty's last dance with Mary Jane.
12 D Motif. The harmonica sets the stage for the ending as Petty carries out the corpse onto the beach.
13 F Other: The guitars end this song, not the vocals. The corpse sinks forever under the waves.
14 F Other: Petty is left alone
7 Task
Try this with other music videos.
8 The Relevance of Music Structure for Film.
Armed with a knowledge of music compositional structure, one may apply this structure to a filmic composition. Look at how music structured the filmic narrative sequence of Last Dance with Mary Jane.
A study of music compositional structure can help with the structuring of a film script or storyboard.
It can help with the pacing of the scenes: The verse is longer than the other sections. This includes: introducing characters, establishing connections, passage from one stage or setting to the next, returning to or continuing the main narrative. The refrain as the give away, reveal and climax is shorter and often follows or finalises any action in the verse. The motif here has been used as a very brief build up to give coherence joining the scenes preceding it to the one that follows. In this example, the ending is not the refrain reveal or give away. Its narratological choice is different because it presents a twist. A humorous insert, and dwells on the endings of its two protagonists dealing with them in a separate way. The ending of Petty amongst the wave also gives a conventional filmic finale that mirrors its opening verse by featuring Petty.
Personally, my study of musical compositional structure has been applied to an academic study of film. I tried to trace the structure of a film along the lines explained above. I have treated Hitchcock's Psycho (1960) to such scrutiny. The structure reveals some interesting aspects of this masterpiece which help explain, mystify and intrigue both the analysts and the spectator more. Indeed, there can be little filmic analysis if one does not understand its structure.
Info about Director Keir McFarlane
Comments
Post a Comment