“It is not an afterthought or something that comes at the end of all the other processes, it is an integral part of filmmaking.”
The impact of a perfect score matched with clever sound design is a lasting one, complimenting the narrative and building a story world that is truly immersive. As AFTRS Discipline Lead of Sound, Stephen Murphy said above, sound design and music for screen are integral to the filmmaking process and central to creating the realism that captivates an audience.
At this year’s Vivid Ideas Exchange for Vivid Sydney, Stephen and AFTRS Discipline Lead of Music, Cameron Patrick, showcased the power of music and sound for screen in an interactive, live scoring session. Peeling back the curtain of movie magic, the pair discussed the fundamental reasons for having sound in film and TV, what that looks like behind the scenes of a production and how to create the desired, authentic sound that an audience expects.
Emphasising the impact of musical storytelling, Cameron brought out a string quintet to perform two versions of scores accompanying five different film clips, with the audience selecting which piece resonated with them the most. Using breathtaking footage of nature taken from AFTRS’ short films, the excited audience chose and assembled their score while AFTRS students added critical foley elements, drastically shaping the meaning and resonance of the story.
The interactive session featured compositions from students and alumni of the Master of Arts Screen: Music, a program dedicated to help you develop your own unique voice as you produce music for the screen. This two-year course will teach you how to apply different styles of music to screen narratives and allow you to experiment with the most effective technologies to help you realise your ideas in AFTRS’ state-of-the-art recording studios. Seminars and collaborative productions will help you develop your individuality, fast-tracking your way to a career in composition for screen. Alongside our creative students on display, AFTRS’ MAS Music alumni have gone on to create incredible soundscapes for film and TV, including the likes of Angela Little, composer on A Stitch In Time and Everybody’s Oma, and additional arranger and composer on Baz Luhrmann’s iconic film Australia.
If your interest is in production recording, mixing, or sound design, the Master of Arts Screen: Sound Design explores the role sound plays in building story worlds and prepares you for the next stage of your career as a sound practitioner. Through a combination of practice-based learning and theory, you will critically evaluate the techniques and technologies in which sound can be produced, edited and manipulated to create an emotional response in the audience. You will be encouraged to challenge norms and build an informed creative practice, able to adapt to future platforms.
Explore both of these programs at our upcoming Postgraduate Info Sessions on July 26-27. Join us at our state-of-the-art School campus to hear directly from our Discipline Leads and learn how they can fast-track your journey to becoming a leader in the creative industries. Register here.
