What If Everyday Life Was Set To Music?
Would we feel like movie stars?
I am a bit of a daydreamer. I am also a massive movie geek. So it is no surprise that I spend a lot of time dreaming about being in movies. One of my ‘hobbies’ is appearing in TV shows or films as an extra in my spare time so I have gained a little knowledge about how productions come together.
Being an extra is very strange. You do long hours and spend a lot of the time nibbling on free food and being nosey. At least I do.
What’s My Point?
Well… I was getting to that…eventually.
When a film or TV show is made there is no background music. You just have dialogue from the talented actors and any background noise from whatever is going on around the actors.
I remember having to pretend to be a mortuary assistant working in the back room of a morgue. They asked me to quieten the noise my boots made as I walked across the floor.
You gave me brand new wellington boots and expect them not to squeak?
It crossed my mind that whether or not I made a noise, it would no doubt be dubbed out and replaced by a tense piece of theatrical music. Post-production music is what adds that bit of tension to a scene or creates a bit of hilarity (depending on the type of film).
If Life Were A Movie
This then got me thinking about how brilliantly music is used to add flavour to a movie. A sweeping orchestral piece can create awe and wonder, like in the Jurassic Park scene where they first see the field of diplodocus’s.
Don’t tell me off if I named the wrong kind of dinosaurs. I am no expert. Brontosauruses and diplodocuses look pretty much the same to me.
In Titanic, the Celtic melody that James Horner added to the scenes where the ship was buoyantly speeding through the waves is well chosen.
What about if your everyday life had a soundtrack as well?
If film and television directors can insert some exciting or romantic music to enhance a story then imagine what we could do with our everyday lives.
Some Suggestions
If it were me, I would add a crazy, powerful crescendo to the dramatic near-death experience when I swerved to avoid a car that pulled out into the road without looking.
I’d play some fun, comedy music to the moment when I had just put on a new shirt and quickly spilt my coffee on it.
In a moment of seriousness, I’d add a kind of Jaws violin piece to the time when I spent ages trying to make the electricity supplier realise that they had over-billed me by £300.
The tension was real here. How I didn’t swear at them I don’t know! But I got the money back!
In A Nutshell
Movies and TV series rely heavily on music to carry the narratives along. Our lives are full of adventures and silly occurrences which means they would be truly enhanced by adding themes and incidental music. Sometimes I try and imagine the theme that I would add to a situation I am observing.
When I hear two friends flirting I think of this, for instance:
This scene with Kate Winslet and Jack Black, using Hans Zimmer’s music, is perfect.
I hope that I have started to get you thinking about what music you would use to soundtrack your day. If you feel inspired, maybe write down your own ideas in a post and tag me in it.
What tune would you use for when you are working or at the park? Would putting the bins out require a sassy composition or a dreary one? What is your favourite musical soundtrack to a popular film?
