Depending on the budget of a film, editors are sometimes released from their contracts right after picture lock which in my opinion is a false economy. No one knows the film better because we deal with every frame, every sound track,  every VFX comp,  every piece of source music, every credit etc etc etc. We are sometimes asked back for the mix so here are some suggestions.

Attend Music Recording Sessions

As an editor, I think it’s important to attend the music recording sessions. It’s the only time you will hear the score in it’s full glory. It is featured with the silent film and allows the editor to watch the film with a different perspective. The music is pure, without dialogue or SFX so it allows the editor to protect the composer’s vision in the final mix.

In Alex Heffes’ beautiful score for Hope Gap, the final cue had amazing cellos under the piano that were not shining through in the mix so I asked to raise and feature them more which boosted the emotion. Since cellos are low sounding instruments, increasing the levels didn’t feel forced or sentimental, just incredibly emotional.

Vary the Sound

Obviously, sound is very important but the absence of sound can also be powerful so you have to measure when to drop it and allow the pictures to reveal the story and create tension. In the final mix, it’s important to vary the sound of the film to keep it fresh and exciting, sometimes feature only music, sometimes champion the sound effects, sometimes crank the sound up to eleven. Suggest ideas that showcase the best from every department which allows the film to be original and the strongest version possible.

“sound is very important but the absence of sound can also be powerful”
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Collaborate with Composers

We used classical music as our temp in the opening of Regeneration but Mychael Danna’s score blew us away because it was a revelation. Mychael used sparse and occasional Base Drums over the one minute opening shot like explosions … boom … Boom … BOOM!

Mychael is not only a composer but a film-maker, always thinking about the narrative, characters and emotion. His score helped to set the tone and enhance the opening. He made space for gunfire, the occasional shout from an injured soldier writhing in pain, an occasional crow, and the desolate atmospheres. Mychael worked in perfect harmony with the sound design.

Besides Mychael’s talent, he makes intelligent choices and collaborates closely with the director and editor. On one occasion, he asked if I could make a little more space for the score which really enhanced the emotion in a montage. The key is to collaborate and be receptive to suggestions and ideas that elevate the film.

Trust the Composer

When I edited the TV thriller Falling For You, the score arrived during the mix and it was one frame out of sync so we moved it down. When the composer Jonathan Goldsmith arrived he pointed out that it was meant to be one frame earlier. When we moved the score into the intended position, the film became scarier because the music anticipated the edits which was disconcerting, making the audience jump at the cuts, elevating the suspense and overall effect of the film.

Consider Dropping Cues

Most composers write more music than is necessary which is great because you have options in the mix. If a scene, especially a dialogue scene works well without music, I prefer to drop the score.

In A Very English Scandal, there was score when Hugh Grant’s character describes what it’s like being a gay man in the 60’s but we dropped it in the final mix. Hearing Hugh’s very important admission, performed in such a brilliant way felt more emotional and dramatic without score.

Every film is different but unless the score is adding another layer and elevating the film, it usually distracts and detracts from the drama.

“If a scene, especially a dialogue scene works well without music, I prefer to drop the score.”
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Clear the Right Tracks

If you download music or songs from the internet, it is imperative that you get a master copy to ensure that the correct version is being cleared and that it’s running at the right speed before the final mix. I encountered both of these issues and it’s not fun trying to salvage the original vision with the wrong version or different speed during the expensive and stressful mix.

In my assembly of The Crown: Paterfamilias, when young Prince Philip attends the Nazi funeral of five family members, I used Mozart’s Lacrimosa. The version I wanted was dark and ominous but it couldn’t be cleared so we had to settle for a lighter orchestration. Rupert Gregson-Williams helped us by adding a low male chorus in the mix which really helped the tone and sinister mood we wanted.

In conclusion

Due to the cost of mixing studios, there never seems to be enough time to deal with every detail that I try to include in my offline but the goal is to achieve as much as possible. It can be a stressful time because occasionally, some of the score arrives late, source music isn’t cleared early enough, or foley may need to be re-recorded. Try to accomplish as much as possible whether your comments are small or big because you will have to live with these choices forever. 

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During the spotting session, the composer will screen the film with the director and editor, sometimes for the first time. I enjoy these sessions because it’s refreshing hearing from an objective, unbiased and creative point of view.

Usually the director and editor are not musically educated so we have to describe the intentions for the film without proper musical terms which composers are used to but it can be comical at times. My only musical training consists of guitar lessons when I was 8 and I played the drums in the school band when I was 12 so composers, please be gently with us.

Describe Essence of Film

If the composer hasn’t watched earlier cuts of the film, he/she would have read the script. We discuss the essence of the story and characters and why we reached a certain version of the scene which may have deviated from the original script. What is the overall tone? How should the story and score develop? Discuss the differences in structure which may be for emotion, character arc or plot development. This will aid the composer to delve deeper into the narrative allowing the score to percolate in their minds. 

“Discuss the differences in structure which may be for emotion, character arc or plot development.”
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Mute Temp Music

Temporary music allows directors and producers to view the film with all the bells and whistles but the wrong music could destroy this experience. During the spotting session, I prefer to mute the temp music which can be a distraction. It’s more important to discuss the raw scenes and how a great score can enhance the film.

If a certain piece of temp music works brilliantly, play it and explain why you love it; it could be the instrumentation, theme, tempo, or simply how a certain chord affects you emotionally.

Score Subtext

One of the most important aspects of the spotting session is to discuss how you want the audience to feel. A great scriptwriter will write dialogue that is unrelated to the state of the character and a brilliant director will visualise the subtext of what that character is truly feeling or thinking. The composer needs to score the subtext, not the surface. This will increase the complexity of the scene and give the characters and film more depth.

How much Score?

The amount of music used is always questionable because until you are mixing the final orchestrated score, it’s hard to imagine how it will blend with all the other elements and how you will feel. It is better to compose more music than less so you don’t need to edit or duplicate the same cues. Most composers may suggest scoring some additional scenes so be supportive and allow them to follow their instincts. At this stage, only they know the ideas or themes that are floating in their creative brains so I would encourage all suggestions plus alternative versions if necessary.

Transcend early music choices

When a director listens to music during the early stages of writing, developing or directing, it may serve them well and allow them to visualize the film but I would suggest changing it. A film undergoes many transformations so the music has to evolve with it. The rhythm, character arcs and development of the narrative may be different so the music has to transcend early ideas.

In the assembly of Tyrannosaur, I placed Seasons In The Sun by Terry Jacks on the montage of the wake and it worked well and was emotional. On the first day of the director’s cut, Paddy asked me to change it to Sing All Our Cares Away by Damien Dempsey and it elevated the scene immensely. Not only was it more contemporary and emotional, but it described the characters better, “Mary loves the grouse” connects better to Olivia Colman’s character and “He’s consumed by rage, like his father at his age” speaks about Peter Mullan’s character. And the moral of the song is “We grow strong, or we fall” echoing the characters’ growth and transformation.

On another film, the director listened to slow classical music during the shoot that he grew fond of so he didn’t want to change it during the edit. This really slowed the pace of the film down and in my opinion hurt the overall effect.

Discuss Source Music

It’s important to show and discuss what source music will be purchased or if any diegetic music is required from the composer.

In A Very English Scandal, the production purchased a few 60’s songs but none of them were Rock ‘N Roll enough for Ben Whishaw’s photo shoot. The character had found fame and was into sex and drugs but we couldn’t afford the Rolling Stones so I used Friday on My Mind by The Easybeats. This song has a 60’s sound, fast pace and is about partying which perfectly reflected Ben’s character. Hugh Grant’s character had gotten married and had a baby so we used Stranger on the Shore which was slower and more old fashioned. By intercutting and juxtaposing these two diverse tracks, they reflected the contrast in the characters’ lives.

In Hope Gap with Annette Benning and Josh O’Connor, we needed a pub track so the wonderful composer Alex Heffes offered us several tracks that we could mix as much pounding base as required.

Update Cuts

You may have a spotting session prior to locking the film so it’s important to communicate and keep the composer up to date with any changes to the film as this impacts on their work, instrumentation and orchestration. The composer will send sketches of synthesized music so it’s important to be honest about your compliments or criticisms as this will help to improve the final score. 

“it’s important to communicate and keep the composer up to date with any changes to the film”
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In conclusion

An editor may be the composer’s closest ally since you are both trying to achieve the same goals through rhythm, pace and emotion. We have also spent months working closely with directors, trying to reveal their vision so we have lots of insight to draw from. Although there’s only one music spotting session, keep the communication flowing because everyone needs to be up to date and in sync with the production. This will allow the music recording and mix to run smoothly. 

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As the technology evolved, the film editor’s job expanded. We are now also responsible for creating credit sequences, compositing visual effects, sound design and editing music.

The following suggestions are aimed at aspiring film and TV editors; those new to the craft who want some guidance; and to experienced editors who want to compare and contrast different working methods.

I love the craft of editing and am always amazed at the transformation a film undergoes until you lock picture and a huge contributing factor is music. Editing temporary music is a daunting task so I will share a little insight regarding my approach in the hopes of inspiring you through the following tips.

Tip I: Choose sound tracks with the same tone

Despite being controversial because temporary music is so subjective, my first tip is to embrace it because it’s expected and required. Music is part of the storytelling so if it’s selected and edited creatively, it will communicate on another level and elevate your film. The purpose of temp score is to allow the director and producers the opportunity to experience the film’s potential with all the elements, despite their temporary nature.

When I begin a job, I choose sound tracks that have a similar tone to my film. I lay in different pieces of music to get a feel for what works. The cues may affect you differently so you need to discern what you require the music to do? Does it enhance the scene? Do you really need it?

Music helps to reveal the story, advance the plot and underscore emotion but it can also elevate, add energy and excitement to a scene. Music can help disguise a problem in the plot or if a certain actor is being mistaken for the wrong character, recurring motifs or themes can solve these issues by allowing the audience to subconsciously make the right associations. It is ideal if the themes develop throughout the film and increase in intensity allowing the emotion and characters to develop. Make instinctive choices based on your taste and innate rhythm and allow your sensibilities to shine through.

“Music helps to reveal the story, advance the plot and underscore emotion but it can also elevate, add energy and excitement to a scene.”
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Tip II: Ask for sketches and experiment

Temp music is often used as a template which sometimes gets copied but hopefully acts as a springboard to a great score. If a composer is hired early, ask them for synthesized sketches that you can experiment with and help develop the score. In my assembly of A Very English Scandal, I used upbeat temp music for the 60’s but placed a choral piece during the bitter-sweet ending when Hugh Grant is on the balcony being celebrated whilst Ben Whishaw is travelling on a bus having lost his court case. Both characters have gone through hell and their lives are destroyed so the music evolves with the characters and reflects their inner journeys and tremendous loss.

If a composer is attached but is unavailable to send sketches, I would suggest using their previous sound tracks because they may have the same tone and sensibilities that are required for your film. On the feature film Pure with Keira Knightly, I used temp music from Nitin Sawhney’s previous albums that had a contemporary feel but also had an etherial quality that worked beautifully for our damaged characters. Everyone loved the temp so Nitin was hired to compose the score.

Tip III: Use Unfamiliar Scores

Don’t use evocative scores from famous soundtracks as they will conjure up images and/or themes from other movies. Using popular music in your film is a short-cut that will result in negative feedback since executives watch many films and most editors are using the latest award winning scores. Less familiar scores may sound original and more organic in your film. Finding the appropriate tone and orchestration is difficult and laborious but use temp music with instruments that the director likes and/or suits the film. Through research and experimentation, you will be rewarded with a unique and distinctive temporary sound track.

Tip IV: Monkey See, Monkey Do 

If the pictures and music are telling you the same thing, one element is redundant. I use music contrapuntally so that the audience is intrigued instead of being told what to think and how to feel. The music has to add another, deeper layer instead of mimicking the images. In A Quiet Passion, when the young actors morph into older actors, we used Charles Ives’ The Unanswered Question which is eerie and adds a disconcerting quality to the scene. It also sets the tone for Emily Dickinson’s bitterness, failing health and eventual death, played sympathetically by Cynthia Nixon.

“I use music contrapuntally so that the audience is intrigued instead of being told what to think and how to feel.”
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Tip V: Layer several tracks of music

Layering music tracks on top of each other can create a whole different feeling. I sometimes layer up to five pieces of music that compliment or contrast each other. One of my tracks is best described as Ostinato which is a continuous pattern that can repeat itself, speed up or slow down but it adds an underlying rhythm like a ticking clock, building tension and marking the passage of time. When I layer other tracks on top, I’m using Polyrhythm by combining complimentary or conflicting figures. I then usually add long melodic strings to add emotion if necessary but you can create original, interesting and discordant pieces that elevate your temp track.

I used these techniques in The Crown: Hyde Park Corner, when King George VI is found dead and the members of the Royal Family learn of his death. There is shock, emotion and chaos which was reflected in the five pieces of temp music that I edited and then it was composed brilliantly by Hans Zimmer and Rupert Gregson-Williams. I was thrilled to be collaborating with these giants because not only did I have many amazing sound tracks from their previous films to draw from but when I requested individual stems for my temp tracks, they graciously sent them to me!

End of Part One…Click here to read part 2

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