Outline

Overview

An application of various musical skills and disciplines pertinent to today's music industry, this unit of study explores fundamental aspects of composing, arranging and orchestrating for the screen. Theoretical principles are drawn from dramaturgy and cinematography, and applied to concerns of form, aesthetics, orchestration and technology to inform the various practical processes of preparing a music score from its inception to the delivery of parts for a recording session. Scoring and Arranging for the Screen offers a pragmatic approach to negotiating the pressing demands faced by screen composers in today's film and television industry.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Composition and Music Technology
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Andrew Callaghan, andrew.callaghan@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 1 September 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Creative work	Project 3b: Score an action cue. Compose a short score for an action sequence. See canvas for details.	30%	Formal exam period Due date: 17 Nov 2025 at 23:59	2-3 minutes + 300 words.	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Out-of-class quiz	Quiz: concepts and skills Check understanding and ability to complete the subject. See Canvas. #earlyfeedbacktask	10%	Week 03 Due date: 21 Aug 2025 at 23:59	30 Minutes	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Project 1a: Present your work-in-progress on a short cue. Short presentation and Q&A; feedback before final submission. See Canvas.	5%	Week 04 Due date: 27 Aug 2025 at 23:59	5-10 minutes	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Creative work	Project 1b: Finalise your short cue + creative reflection Short score demonstrating synchronisation. See Canvas for details	20%	Week 05 Due date: 05 Sep 2025 at 23:59	60 seconds + 300 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Project 2a: Present your work-in-progress arrangement Short presentation and Q&A; feedback before final submission. See Canvas.	5%	Week 09 Due date: 08 Oct 2025 at 23:59	5-10 min	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Creative work	Project 2b: Arrange a theme to underscore dialogue Arrange a given theme to work under dialogue. See canvas for details.	25%	Week 10 Due date: 17 Oct 2025 at 23:59	2 minutes + 300 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Project 3a: Present your work-in-progress of an action cue. Short presentation and Q&A; feedback before final submission. See Canvas.	5%	Week 13 Due date: 05 Nov 2025 at 23:59	5-10 minutes	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= early feedback task ?

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.
Note that information here may not match assessments in Handbook. The information here is correct.

Assessment criteria

Canvas will include rubrics tailored for each assessment based on these general descriptors:

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Learning outcomes are demonstrated at an exceptional standard
Distinction	75 - 84	Learning outcomes are demonstrated at a very high standard
Credit	65 - 74	Learning outcomes demonstrated at a good standard
Pass	50 - 64	Learning outcomes demonstrated at an acceptable standard
Fail	0 - 49	The learning outcomes of the unit of study have not been met to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Lecture 1: Introduction to the subject. The composer and the filmmakers: business models and processes. What does film music do? Music's functions within audiovisual narratives.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 01	"Welcome and introduction to the assessments, with a focussed discussion of the week 3 quiz (assessment 1). Spotting sessions, working with video in music software. Saving and backing up your projects.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 02	Lecture 2: Developing a concept. Musical style & meaning (aka style topics). Extramusical concepts, composer treatments & the press release. Case studies: Hans Zimmer & Hildur Godnodottir.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 02	Using concepts to choose musical palettes (style/genre, theme, instrumentation, etc.). Discussion about the first composition project (assessment 2). Creating a short transition cue based on a given theme.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	Lecture 3: Musical forms vs audiovisual forms. Music/visual relationships, differences in form, and heirarchies. Modular & extensile composition for the screen.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 03	Creating extensile music. Giving and getting feedback in the industry and in class. Syncronisation: hitting the spot, micro-adjustments to tempo.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Lecture 4: Planning points of dramatic emphasis within a cue. Orchestration/instrumentation and production techniques for short and medium-length cues.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 04	Student presentations of first composition project: a short score demonstrating synchronisation. Students to offer & hear feedback before the second submission. Types and degrees of synchronisation: what to emphasise, when to play through.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	Lecture 5: Developing and arranging your ideas. Representing dramatic themes & mythic structures through music. Linking together material within a cue, cue-to cue relationships.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 05	Introduction to second composition project. Arranging & production: building to and from points of dramatic emphasis.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	Lecture 6: Working within the sound design. The sound department, elements of sound design, and sound hierarchies. Blurring the line between sound and music.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 06	Blending your music with sound design: arrangement & production of musical material to fit within sound design.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	Lecture 7: Sneaking and underscoring dialogue. Common techniques & functions of sneaking. Identifying thematic changes in dialogue.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 07	Creating introductions to cues using several sneaking techniques. Placing music around the voice: arranging and ducking.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Lecture 8: Writing for Dramas. The dramatic arc and large-scale score planning. Writing for procedural dramas.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 08	Toning it down: Create a piece using 'neutral' styles and/or ambivalent valences.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	Lecture 9: Underscoring action. Surveying changes and similarities from neoclassical to 21st-century action scores.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 09	Presentations of dialogue underscoring composition works-in-progress. Students hear feedback before the second submission. Working with drums and percussion.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 11	Lecture 10: Writing longer cues. Developing moments of contrast and relief.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 11	Building your toolkit to write longer cues. Introduce & discuss the final assessment. Expand an idea to create a longer cue.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	Lecture 11: The PoMo score - new formal approaches in 21st-century scores. Creating scores & parts, click tracks, pre-lays for a recording session.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 12	Exporting & archiving your work. Proceed with final compositions, informal presentations/formative assessment.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 13	Lecture 12: Writing for title sequences and creating demo reels. Challenges and opportunities for composers in the near future.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 13	Presentations of final compositions (action sequences); hear feedback before the final submission. Continue compositions toward final submission.	Tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Attendance to both lectures and tutorials is required. Missing more than one class between Weeks 3 and 12 (inclusive) will result in an automatic Absent Fail grade. If you have a legitimate reason for missing a class, you must apply to the Special Consideration Portal to be excused. Repealing an Absent Fail grade (Attendance) will require completing an additional assessment successfully.

If you miss a class due to illness or an unavoidable commitment, please read the Class Notes posted on Canvas in the Modules section for each week. They will be posted within 24 hours of the Lecture.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Recommended Reading (not required, but could be of interest):

Davis, Richard. Complete Guide to Film Scoring : The Art and Business of Writing Music for Movies and TV. Boston, MA: Berklee Press, 1999.

Hill, A. W, and ProQuest. Scoring the Screen : The Secret Language of Film Music. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Books, 2017.

Karlin, Fred, and Rayburn Wright. On the Track. Routledge, 2013.

Kompanek, Sonny. From Score to Screen : Sequencers, Scores, & Second Thoughts : The New Film Scoring Process. New York: Schirmer Trade Books, 2004.

Lehman, Frank. Hollywood Harmony: Musical Wonder and the Sound of Cinema. 1st ed. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190606398.001.0001.

Sapiro, I. Scoring the Score: The Role of the Orchestrator in the Contemporary Film Industry. Routledge, 2016. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315857824

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Outline working processes that affect the creation of screen music
LO2. Distinguish between music’s diverse roles for screen narratives
LO3. Examine relationships between musical form and other audiovisual elements
LO4. Develop concepts for music composition and production
LO5. Compose and arrange music for common types of cues
LO6. Apply contemporary screen music production techniques
LO7. Analyse and critically evaluate compositions for audiovisual media

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit of study has been revised to reflect the current student-oriented learning outcomes and the tools needed to navigate the present industry.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

CMPN2510: Scoring and Arranging for the Screen

Semester 2, 2025 [Normal day] - Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links