# Theme development for film The Lost Legion



## Peter Emanuel Roos (Nov 11, 2004)

I have posted on my Home page a first snapshot of my theme development for the no-budget film The Lost Legion.

From the writer/director's website:


> "The Lost Legion is the story of a group of Roman legionaries. When their legion is ambushed and nearly destroyed in the dark forests of Germania, two legionaries, a centurion and his daughter desperately try to reach the Roman frontier safely. During their escape run, a fifth survivor joins the group: a Celtic warrior who served Rome as an auxiliary soldier. This Celt however carries a secret that affects the whole group. And soon they find out it?s not only the pursuing Germans that pose the gravest threat to their lives..."



Have fun,


----------



## Dr.Quest (Nov 11, 2004)

Beautiful theme. Very nicely done. Can't wait for more...keep going!
Cheers,
J


----------



## Buckles (Nov 11, 2004)

Really beautiful Peter...I look forward to hearing more!

-s


----------



## Herman Witkam (Nov 11, 2004)

Great development of the theme. It's sounds as dramatic as the storyline itself. :wink: 
Keep us posted on the project!


----------



## Niah (Nov 11, 2004)

Intense, Peter


----------



## Frederick Russ (Nov 11, 2004)

I like this! Great theme to build on - nice mockup. 8) As Doc said, keep going man!


----------



## Peter Emanuel Roos (Nov 12, 2004)

Hehee, guys...

:oops: :wink: 

When I play it back, I hear I need more expression curves, but it's just a draft for now.

I hope to pick up another theme soon. The solo trumpet line in this short cue actually already refers to it. This other theme is more intimate and will be the main title theme, set in 3/4, also played on guitar. A 4/4 version will be the basis for an end title song (yes, I am going to try to tackle it the commercial way . Recap the dramatic moments with a pop song. Hehe, I hope we'll have enough titles to display on top of it  ).

During writing I am using the Pure Guitar library, but for the final tracks I will have a real guitar (and hopefully a few other instruments, such as flute and cello).

This is by the way the first time I am using the VSL Opus 1 strings (performance and SusV Mod). What a difference with GOS! I really like the huge dynamic range. What a great library!

I just got some very positive feedback from the writer/director. Hopefully we will be working on a trailer this winter, based on the film's opening scenes.


----------



## Craig Sharmat (Nov 12, 2004)

Well done! 

Nice theme...though i have not seen seen picture, my guess is this will work very well. 

On a arrangement note, I'd be careful of low mid range build up in your instruments. they can rob your cue of some clarity without giving it more power which i think is what you are after.


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Nov 19, 2004)

Very enjoyable, Peter. The theme has lots of potential. I hope it works out well for you - please keep us informed. You're right about the strings. I too have GOS, and SISS Mini, but if/when Opus 1 goes on sale, I'll be jumping all over it! BTW, I only have one suggestion/critique: I'm not too crazy about your use of the choir. I just found it a bit cliche.


----------



## Peter Emanuel Roos (Nov 19, 2004)

Thanks for the comments!

I agree with Craig that the previous test was too muddy. I will try to focus more on realism and less on copy-catting Media Ventures stuff. 

Ned, I agree that it is a bit too cheap to use choirs as fillers here. I'll probably ditch them like the synth bass.

(the original test was already replaced by a less muddy version).

BTW, the long opening violin note is from good old Ultimate Strings, which has a nice amount of bow noise.

Cheers,


----------



## Patrick de Caumette (Nov 19, 2004)

Peter,
I thought this sounded great. Nice theme and development.

My only concern is whether or not the piece sounds like it actually comes from that period. I might be pushing it here but there were no classical guitars during the roman empire period. Luth would probably be more appropriate. But then I realize that you can also have heavy drum loops and it can work... 

just a thought...


----------



## TheoKrueger (Nov 19, 2004)

Very nice work Peter! Dark mood well achieved. 
I like the way the themes develope with no rush , must be good on the picture .

I can't really imagine how much better the Final version will be if this is just a draft . Nice 8)


----------



## Edgen (Nov 22, 2004)

damn Peter! I definitely dig the theme! Very nice gothic old feel. I'm not much of a history buff, but maybe what was said about the guitar is true? But, does necessarily need to have exact instruments from that era? Does it make that much of a difference in the way the audience would view the film?

Anyway, definitely keep us posted. anxious to see the film now 

/j


----------



## Peter Emanuel Roos (Nov 23, 2004)

Hey, thanks for the kind words!

Period movies are always problematic for the choice of themes and instruments. My idea is that if the actual period hardly has any instruments of its own (i.e. Roman, Germanic and Gallic cultures 2000 years ago) it is quite risky to try to make something in a fake "period" style.

Mind you, we are talking about 2000 years ago, not 400! There is hardly anything known about instruments and music from this period, and if we knew about it, it would probably not be appropriate for dramatic underscoring of a story.

So, in such a case I want to stick to instruments that we are currently accustomed to. The music should underscore the dramatic developments in the movie and not draw too much attention to itself. I think an (incorrect) period "feel" will draw more attention than a contemporary and commercial sound that people will probably hear and accept more subconsciously, as they are used to it from other movies.

If I would select an older instrument, like Patrick suggested (a Luth), I would land the movie's time machine in a wrong time and place (Mediaeval Europe, still at least 1500 "too late"). For the same reason I hardly ever like James Horner's Celtic flutes, which he seems to use for any period.

So why the guitar? Actually I have another theme that is supposed to be the movies title theme. I want it to be quite intimate and personal. In contemporary movies you can select the piano, which can have this "family at home" feeling. But, because of this very association I thought the piano was also too anachronistic to be used here.

I found the guitar a better choice; as anachronistic as the rest of the orchestral. But I agree I will raise eyebrows. I was thinking about the harp as an alternative, but that just doesn't make sense to me. It's not close and intimate enough (more distant and solemn).

I guess I will keep the guitar as solo instrument until I have recorded the main theme in a few variations and then let the director decide. BTW, the guitar parts will be played by a "real" guitar player in the final score. I also intend to include some real cello and flute parts, actually as much solo musicians as I can get hold of (given the no-budget aspect of the movie).

I am interested to hear of what you think about Heiror Pareira's guitar in Gladiator. It was selected as an explicit link to Spain, which is of course a very weird (but effective) anachronism, because the invention of the guitar had to wait for at least another 1700 year... :wink: 


I have been messing a bit with my orchestral template for this project and have changed quite a few mixer and midi balance settings. I have not yet really started with sequencing - I am still selecting instruments and updating my templates to my newer libraries, like SAM Solo Sessions and (soon I hope) True Strike. A bit tricky with only 3 sampler PC's... :-(

Today I'm collecting my Cubase SX3 and will start to convert my Logic project to SX3.

There is (still) no real hurry with scoring. The scenario is nearly finished, after several rounds, so now the practical planning for filming can begin. But I'm afraid it will probably not start until this summer, which is a better time than the winter to get all the "extras" (Romans, Germans) together at locations in Holland, Germany and maybe Poland. The project requires the cooperation of several "re-enactment" groups, like http://www.chasuari.de/ and http://www.gemina.nl/English/index.html

Regards,


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Nov 23, 2004)

Peter, I think your reasoning about choice of inst is bang-on. There's often a fine line between between an interesting score, and one that draws too much attention to it away from the story/dialogue. And, FWIW, I love your choice of guitar. I hope the director does too.


----------



## TheoKrueger (Nov 23, 2004)

Peter Roos said:


> .... A bit tricky with only 3 sampler PC's... :-(



Wow , how many pc's is someone supposed to have ?


----------



## Peter Emanuel Roos (Nov 23, 2004)

I do my regular work (software design and engineering) on my laptop. In my studio room I have 3 sampler PC's, 1 DAW and a file server, on which I run an impulse reverb, so I currently use 5 PC's for music.

David Govett recently mentioned somewhere (on Sonic Control I believe) that he uses 8 PC's with Gigastudio...


----------



## Herman Witkam (Nov 23, 2004)

I have ONLY 2! From which one is a monster system and one is and old barrel which has to be upgraded soon. 

Peter: If you would want the most authentic music you'd end up creating unison passages with the Lire and the Aulos (double reeded shawm). I don't think anyone has ever sampled those. Then you'd have to do research on the tuning of Pythagoras, which is the only tuning written down from that period.
The guitar sounds pretty much in its place there. Authenticity with instruments doesn't matter much anyway. Some directors think you can have Queen in a medieval film. :D


----------



## Peter Emanuel Roos (Nov 23, 2004)

Ah Queen!

Reminds of the soundtrack for The Scorpion King by John Debney. Includes some nice heavy rock stuff along with the orchestra. Great combination!


----------

