# Modern documentaries



## Consona (Jan 18, 2021)

Whoever composes for these, tell the directors to *calm the f**k down*. Or better yet, let them read this!

In the last week I saw like 5 US documentaries, some about history, some about nature. 75% of the music was that loud "epic" nonsense that literally gave me a headache instead of some pleasant experience. BAAAAM BOOOOM TUDUDUDUUUU. WTF??? This is not Mad Max, this is a fox running across a countryside, for f**k's sake!!! BRAAAAAAAAAAM! Yea, this mountain is kinda high. BRAAAAAAAAAAAM! What a nice flower! BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!

And some of the documentaries were in this stupid style of fast cuts, and a lot of footage of shallow boring talks of guys sitting in front of the camera, exaggerating everything to make it aweeesomeeeee, repeating the same stuff over and over again to fill up the runtime. Jeez. It's sooo tiresome. The documentaries our TV was making were so superior compared to this but now majority of stuff I can find on TV is this trendy bullshit.

I'm ranting and yelling so much because I'm in the middle of another headache after watching one of those...


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## jneebz (Jan 18, 2021)

This made my day.


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## Saxer (Jan 18, 2021)

I know exactly how you feel


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## Max Bonsi (Jan 19, 2021)

Sooner or later it will be weddings' turn...
Poor world


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## Maurenon (Jan 19, 2021)

I totally agree. And it's not just documentaries either; reality tv is infested with overblown soundtracks as well. Is it an army attacking a poor french village in 
Ww 2? No it's an elimination competition in a reality show about people living on a farm. Is it the hero's triumphant return from the clutches of death? No, just the ending of a particularly "dramatic" segment before commercials. Is it the end of the world? No they're baking a bloody cake! 🤯 

Really annoying!


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## mikeh-375 (Jan 19, 2021)

I honestly feel similar everytime I hear a tired cliche in media music.


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## gohrev (Jan 19, 2021)

Yes, yes, and more yes.

It sets the wrong expectations for aspiring composers like me, who think overblown brass when somebody bakes an omelette is _the_ way to go about tv music.


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## Marsen (Jan 19, 2021)

I'm 100% with you!


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## Montisquirrel (Jan 19, 2021)

Any links with some examples?


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## MartinH. (Jan 19, 2021)

Maurenon said:


> Is it the end of the world? No they're baking a bloody cake! 🤯


I think cooking is one of the most legit uses for epic music. Turns it into comedy gold for me


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## Christoph Pawlowski (Jan 19, 2021)

In 99% of the few documentaries I watch (varrious topics) I always hear some Two Steps From Hell, or Chevaliers de Sangreal if the documentary is about the Vatican or Katholics in general.


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## Cat (Jan 19, 2021)

Consona said:


> Whoever composes for these, tell the directors to *calm the f**k down*. Or better yet, let them read this!
> 
> In the last week I saw like 5 US documentaries, some about history, some about nature. 75% of the music was that loud "epic" nonsense that literally gave me a headache instead of some pleasant experience. BAAAAM BOOOOM TUDUDUDUUUU. WTF??? This is not Mad Max, this is a fox running across a countryside, for f**k's sake!!! BRAAAAAAAAAAM! Yea, this mountain is kinda high. BRAAAAAAAAAAAM! What a nice flower! BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!
> 
> ...


I noticed that, too and I am with you.
I wonder if this might be a generational thing? Maybe this is what it is expected to hear by the younger viewers (under 40 or so)?


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## phil_wc (Jan 19, 2021)

ummm may I share my music here? "Hope Frozen" is my first feature docs I scored and it's an original Netflix. Also score is on Spotify, Apple. My music mostly underscores and ambient.  Maybe you could try. Recently score is nominated in IDA Docs Award along with Steven Price, Daniel Pemberton. (I'm not the winner, just nominated)


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## Rory (Jan 19, 2021)

I think that it depends on what one means by a documentary.

The New Yorker published this film - _Searching for My Long Lost Grandmother_ - on its YouTube channel last week. It was commissioned by Canada's national public broadcaster, the CBC. The music is by Toronto composer Tom Third.





The New York Times published _Walk Run Cha-Cha_ as part of its Op-Doc series. It was a 2020 Academy Award nominee. The music is by Los Angeles composer Laura Karpman, who recently won an Emmy for her music in the Sam Pollard/Geeta Gandbhir/Discovery Channel series _Why We Hate_. The New York Times published an article about Mr. Pollard four days ago: The Filmmaker as Historian.





Note: The fact that the films linked in this post deal with Asian subjects is coincidental.


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