# Scoring Recaps



## bryla (Jun 30, 2010)

For my summer assignment I have a show that starts with a 2-minute recap. Of course that is all black screen. How do you guys approach scoring recaps? What are you're questions to the director? Do you take turns or keep it monotone? Do you build or break during those 2 minutes? Do you glue it together with the Main Title and establishing shots or do you make a seperate piece? Basically: What are your considerations?

Thanks a bunch, and I will probably upload my result as an end to my assignment


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## midphase (Jun 30, 2010)

I was under the impressions that recaps are usually handled by the music editor utilizing a bunch of existing cues?


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## Narval (Jun 30, 2010)

bryla @ Wed Jun 30 said:


> For my summer assignment I have a show that starts with a 2-minute recap.


How can something start with a recap?


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## Dave Connor (Jul 1, 2010)

It's a very old tradition to start with an _Overture_ (an encapsulation of the material that will follow - _recap_ may be the word substituting in this case.) 

Not all end titles are edits of the score. Some are outright compositions in themselves using material form the score proper. Goldsmith's unused End Title for Alien a perfect example.


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## bryla (Jul 1, 2010)

Sorry I was not clear. 1 minute main title then 2 minute recap that tells the viewer what happened in the previous episode


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## Dave Connor (Jul 1, 2010)

Well, the recap footage is going to have it's own rhythm so it may be easiest to score it outright. Or steal as much as you can that will work from the prior episode and then compose the rest. My 2 cents.


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## bryla (Jul 1, 2010)

Hi Dave -

Thanks for the coins  As I said it's two minutes of BLACK screen - so I can't really lean on the pace of the footage...


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## JJP (Jul 1, 2010)

Nobody on this forum can give you the correct answer. It's best to go back to your producer or director and ask what they want. 

A black screen doesn't give you any idea what their plans are, so you need to ask. Don't feel like you're being stupid for asking. They have to provide you with the info you need to do your job. If they don't do that, it is your responsibility to ask.

It may be that they will just edit music for this section and you don't need to compose anything. You'd really like to know that before starting to write.


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## bryla (Jul 1, 2010)

Thanks very much JJP, but read the first post again  It's a school assignment, and my teacher is scoring a project the whole summer - so I just wanted some brainstorming on this subject


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## Dave Connor (Jul 1, 2010)

oh sorry - I read your post yesterday and lost the essence of your question. It sounds like you have to fulfill a certain technical and artistic requirement so it really is sort of the basic challenge of film writing - even with a black screen only.


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## bryla (Jul 1, 2010)

YES! And that is why I wanted to ask, what people generally put in to consideration doing this discipline


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## David Story (Jul 1, 2010)

Play to your audience, if that's the producer or teacher or the public that likes this show. What kind of music do they like and expect?
Start with a bang, something cool, then a build, help the recap be exciting and interesting. A sense of "something is about to happen" ie suspense. Over 2 minutes you probably need a break, then build again, like a trailer.
Again, ask the director or editor what scenes they are using. If you can edit those cues, with good transitions, that may be 90%.
Sometimes a recap is just the major scenes in order. Little new material except transitions, maybe. 
Keep it moving, simple emotions, some people have already seen it, others are trying to follow.


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## Narval (Jul 1, 2010)

So you are to write 2 min of music (based on previous episodes) to which they will later add the actual film? That is to say, to do whatever you want with material they've already provided to you? How could they make this even easier for you? :D 

Or did I get something wrong?


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## bryla (Jul 1, 2010)

Okay .... maybe this is not as normal as I thought .... It's just that it's a ZDF production, so I thought it was....


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## JohnG (Jul 1, 2010)

plenty of shows start with a recap but two minutes is long, first off, and expecting you to do it without the footage is just nuts.

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## bryla (Jul 1, 2010)

John, thanks for your thoughts  much appreciated - and thanks for all the input!


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## careyford (Jul 5, 2010)

Bryla, I like John's advice. I'd add that it's also an opportunity to sneak in (introduce) musical material that you want to develop in the episode to follow. That, of course, would be one use of an overture in a theatre piece or musical. Please let us hear your solution when you're done.

Best
Richard


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