# New short film scored



## Rob Elliott (Nov 2, 2007)

Hi there,

Seems like more and more contracts are keeping our music produced under wraps (not allowed to share or distribute in any way).

As a favor to a friend of the family I spent a couple days on this 5-6 min short (plus a half day mixing)

It is put together by a very talented young lady filmmaker Jolie Hales (Chapman College Graduate school film program). The film was shot and edited locally by Dave Skousen.


A fairly simple and straight forward film - but a good story to be told. Hopefully you think the score fits. :D 


After these quick 'marathons' you always have second guesses but generally I am pleased with it. Writing REALLY fast is almost all instinctive 'right brain' - no time to go back and 'fix'.


Let me know what you think of it.


(Libraries: VSL and Black Grand)







http://www.robelliottmusic.com/mp3s/Misc/Passing%20Final%20Cut%2009%20web.mov (http://www.robelliottmusic.com/mp3s/Mis ... %20web.mov)




Rob


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## rayinstirling (Nov 2, 2007)

Rob,

I think this is great! I have never been in the position to produce music for film so it's like practising a black art to me. I usually always write a piece as if it were a song. Watching and listening to this is facsinating made more so by your skill in doing it relatively quickly and professionally.
I'll leave it to others with expertise in film cues to give technical critique.
Thank you for sharing.

Ray


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## Frederick Russ (Nov 2, 2007)

Nice work Rob! Your cues are emotionally effective and seem to enhance what's happening on the screen rather than distract from it. VSL sounds expressive - I see you found the xfades! Keep it up.


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## Rob Elliott (Nov 2, 2007)

Hey thanks guys. Since this was for a 'friend' and done as a favor, she was VERY easy to work with :D :D :D :D 



Yes you are so right Frederick- the velocity xfades (controlled with a pedal on strings and breath controller on brass and woodwinds) is absolutely critical to getting the most out of VSL.

I have also been using a lot of the FP and SFZ patches (all instruments) coupled with the strong dynamics (cres) . In some cases I think it is even better than velxfade. Of course it just depends on how much time I have or how lazy I feel (or both) :oops: 


Rob


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## Simon Ravn (Nov 2, 2007)

Very nice score, Rob! Composition aside, the only thing I noticed sticking out was some woodwind(s) - I only listened on my laptop but even there, the sound of that was not on par with the rest - can't really say if it was oboe, e. horn or bassoon  But what matters most is the composition and that is really nice!


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## JBacal (Nov 2, 2007)

Lovely and touching. 

Best,
Jay


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## Rob Elliott (Nov 2, 2007)

Simon Ravn @ Fri Nov 02 said:


> Very nice score, Rob! Composition aside, the only thing I noticed sticking out was some woodwind(s) - I only listened on my laptop but even there, the sound of that was not on par with the rest - can't really say if it was oboe, e. horn or bassoon  But what matters most is the composition and that is really nice!




Good ears Simon. I think you are talking about the oboe at 1:47-2:04. Sounds like he/she is sitting right on the lap of the concert master :oops: (hope they like each other).


Easy to fix - many thanks Simon :D 


(let's see if I can sweet talk the editor into receiving an updated mix)


Rob


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## Rob Elliott (Nov 2, 2007)

JBacal @ Fri Nov 02 said:


> Lovely and touching.
> 
> Best,
> Jay




Thanks Jay - this production is obviously VERY low budget but the genesis of the 'story' is good and simple. It was fairly easy to 'connect' with it. This little quick project didn't feel like 'work' :D 



Thanks again Jay.


All the best,


Rob


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## damoy (Nov 17, 2007)

Beautiful Rob. Not only does the music pair nicely with the picture, I think it elevates it to another level :D


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## Rob Elliott (Nov 17, 2007)

Thanks Damoy - I really appreciate your comment. :D 


Rob


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## Ned Bouhalassa (Nov 17, 2007)

Beautiful, moving music Rob. Sounds great. Love the piano motif. I really like how you stay in the same atmosphere throughout, and the end credits music is perfect. Thanks for sharing!


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## Craig Sharmat (Nov 17, 2007)

Definitley embellishes what is going on screen...nice job!

Piano motifs are my favorite.


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## Aaron Sapp (Nov 17, 2007)

Beautiful music as always, Rob!


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## Rob Elliott (Nov 17, 2007)

Hey thanks you guys for very kind words. This was a quick little one but I think this young director was pleased. Let's hope she becomes rich and famous!!


All the best,

Rob


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## Jackull (Nov 17, 2007)

Rob,

Very nice scoring. Excellent work for a short film. Congratulation.

-jackULL


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## Stevie (Nov 17, 2007)

hmm i can't connect to the video :(


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## JonFairhurst (Nov 17, 2007)

Very sweet, Rob. I especially liked the subtle change when the credits came in. It was as if it said "remember what you just saw."

Was that shot on 35mm? Very nice depth of field shots in the opening. My only criticism is that the title gave away the turn at the end (at least partially.) Had it been named "Flowers", rather than "Passing", my experience would have been very different.

All the best to you and to Ms. Hales.


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## Stevie (Nov 18, 2007)

heh, i tookk some time to load, but now i could listen to it.

OH MY GOD, this is absolutely ingenious!
you really hit the emotional nail on its head.
brilliant work!


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## Rob Elliott (Nov 18, 2007)

Hey thanks Guys - really do appreciate it. Jon - I actually think that is a good idea. I'll pass it on to her - let's see what she says.


Thanks again guys.


Rob


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## rJames (Nov 18, 2007)

The music is wonderful.

Let me preface my comment with the acknowledgement that I couldn't do as well as you with the music or as well as the filmmaker did with the picture...but since we've already opened the door to criticising the film...(Jon!)

I thought the darker, yet warmer music that swelled at the title gave away the idea that it was a "death" passing rather than a two people "passing." The question still remains whether the old man lost his wife or the guy lost his.

But when the gruff old man says, "just wait 30 years," we know its the guy. Too bad cause IMHO the movie works better if we follow the old man to the cemetery thinking that we are going to see his wife's gravestone in that swell where we his eye catches the guy (but we don't know that).

When we see the guy walking away from the store, the music again gives away that it is his loss. If we waited a little while to start the darker music (for the old man to be walking down the street) then we would still be thinking it was the geezers wife who passed.

In the scene where the geezer is walking by the fence and he looks in, I coulda thought that he was seeing his wifes tombstone as the camera rack focuses to show the cemetery. Your music is perfect there to make us believe that his wife has died except he already gave it away by saying that the guy will not be so romantic in 30 years.

Then the reveal of the guy would have had me in tears, (yes I am a sappy sucker). But I already knew that he was visiting his girlfriends grave. (the music is awesome there)(maybe over the top).

I guess we were supposed to have a willing suspension of disbelief that the geezer would make that comment in the store even though his wife was dead.

Tell THAT to your friend...I dare ya. (kidding)

Your lucky I don't have strong opinions.


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## sevaels (Nov 18, 2007)

I think its a very simple story with a very simple message.

The music adds so much.


Very nice job Rob o-[][]-o


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## Rob Elliott (Nov 19, 2007)

Man, rjames you should be a movie reviewer :D Of course on most projects there is some second guessing when done - but especially since this was a '2 day favor' and sort of rushed. Let's she how she first warms up to Jon's idea on the title  - then maybe I'll spring on her your thoughts. Only problem for me now is time - not sure I can do a small re-write :cry: 



Thanks again for all your comments.



All the best,


Rob


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## rJames (Nov 19, 2007)

Rob, now you know why I can't seem to land a job after meeting with the director. :D 

(actually, my suggestion is NOT to mention the title change either)


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