NOTE: Reading, listening and viewing assignments are to be completed by the indicated due date. You are responsible for the content of the reading assignment even though it may not be discussed in class. Please ask questions about any points that you feel need clarification or warrant discussion.

Follow this link to a list of the composers and musicians with web links that will be discussed during the semester.

August 22 - First day of class.  Introductions and Overview.
Activity: Exploring online resources; Spotting a video clip

August 24 - Preparation for scoring of a sample cue.
Activity: Setting up a file. Creating and locking markers. Creating spotting notes using markers.

August 26 - NO CLASS. School of Music Faculty Retreat

August 29 - Introduction to Film Scoring; The characteristics of a good melody.
Reading assignment: Davis, "Complete Guide to Film Scoring" - Acknowledgements, Introduction, pages vii-xi.

August 31 - The History of Film Music: Early Films and Music; The Silent Movies
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 1, pages 3-11.

September 2 - The First Talkies: The Beginning of Synchronized Music
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 2, pages 13-17.

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September 5 - NO CLASS. Labor Day holiday.

September 7 - The Studio System and the Studio Music Department
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 3, pages 19-25.

September 9 - Guest presentation and Q&A. Two Broadway orchestrators working with Katya Stanislavskaya.
Class will meet in Breese Gym (second floor) at 10 AM.

September 12 - Musical Styles - 1930-1950: The Golden Age of Hollywood
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 4, pages 27-33

September 14 - Musical Styles - 1930-1950 (continued)
Interviews: David Raksin. Davis, Part V, pages 338-344
NOTE: Some of the reading assignments from the Davis book are out of order, like this one!

September 16 - Musical Styles 1950-1975
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 5, pages 35-43

September 19 - Musical Styles - 1950-1975 (continued)
Interviews: Elmer Bernstein, Davis, Part V, pages 264-269
NOTE: Some of the reading assignments from the Davis book are out of order, like this one!

September 21 - Musical Styles - 1975 to Today
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 6, pages 45-54

September 23 - 1975 to Today (continued)
Interviews: Danny Elfman, Davis, Part V, pages 286-292
Interviews: Richard Gibbs. Davis, Part V, pages 293-298

September 26 - Film-Scoring Technology
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 7, pages 55-63

September 28 - Film-Scoring Technology (continued)
Interviews: Harry Gregson-Williams. Davis, Part V, pages 310-315

September 30 - Production: The Film-making Process
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 8, pages 67-78

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October 3 - Production: The Film-making Process (continued)
Interviews: Michael Kamen, Davis, Part V, pages 322-328

October 5 - The Composer's Time Frame
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 9, pages 79-86
Interviews: Mark Isham. Davis, Part V, pages 316-321

October 7 - Spotting
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 10, pages 87-91
NOTE: Nanotechnology Assignment Due! (Collaborative project with Dr. LaFratta's Digital Animation Class)

October 10 - The Music Editor
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 11, pages 93-107
Interviews: Alf Clausen, Davis, Part V, pages 276-280

October 12 - The Music Team: Orchestrators and Music Preparation
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 12, pages 109-116
Interviews: William Ross. Davis, Part V, pages 351-355

October 14 - The Recording Session and Mixing
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 13, pages 119-126
Interviews: Lolita Ritmanis, Davis, Part V, pages 345-350

October 17 - NO CLASS. Fall Break.

October 19 - NO CLASS. Fall Break.

October 21 - NO CLASS. Fall Break.

October 24 - The Music: Creating the Music
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 14, pages 129-137

October 26 - Creating the Music (continued)
Interviews: Elliot Goldenthal, Davis, Part V, pages 299-304
Interviews: Alan Silvestri, Davis, Part V, pages 366-371
Note: Last day for a "W"

October 28 - NO CLASS. CMS/ATMI, Santa Fe

October 31 - Technical Requirements of the Score
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 15, pages 139-150
Interviews: Mark Mancina. Davis, Part V, pages 329-332

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November 2 - Synching the Music to Picture
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 16, pages 151-161

November 4- Television
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 17, pages 163-169

November 7 - NO CLASS. NCMEA, Winston Salem.

November 9 - Television (continued)
Interviews: Mark Snow. Davis, Part V, pages 372-376
Interviews: Shirley Walker. Davis, Part V, pages 382-387

November 11 - Ethnic and Period Music
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 18, pages 171-178

November 14 - Ethnic and Period Music (continued)
Interviews: Terence Blanchard. Davis, Part V, pages 270-275
Interviews: Cliff Eidelman. Davis, Part V, pages 281-285

November 16 - Animation
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 19, pages 179-188

November 18 - Animation (continued)
Interviews: David Newman, Davis, Part V, pages 333-337
Interviews: Richard Stone, Davis, Part V, pages 377-381

November 21 - Songs, Soundtracks and Source Music
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 20, pages 189-202

November 23 - NO CLASS. Thanksgiving Holiday

November 25 - NO CLASS. Thanksgiving Holiday

November 28 - The Business of Film Scoring: Making the Deal: Agents, Attorneys, and Contracts
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 21, pages 205-216
Interviews: Michael Gorfaine and Sam Schwartz, Davis, Part V, pages 305-309

November 30 - Publishing and Copyrights
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 22, pages 217-229

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December 2 - Royalties
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 23, pages 231-243
Class Presentations (final projects)

December 5 - Demos and Marketing
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 24, pages 245-253
Class Presentations

December 7 - Finding Work.
Reading assignment: Davis, Chapter 25, pages 255-262
Class Presentations

December 9 - Class Presentations. Exam review. Last day of Classes

WEDNESDAY, December 14, 8:30 to 11:00 AM - FINAL EXAM, Coulter 374.

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