Outline

Overview

This unit is an introductory survey of the history and aesthetics of film music from the late 1890s to the present day. Topics for discussion will include the dramatic function of music as an element of cinematic narrative, the codification of musical iconography in cinematic genres, the symbolic use of pre-existing music, and the evolving musical styles of film composers.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	MUSC2663
Academic unit	Analysis, History and Cultural Studies
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Phillip Johnston, phillip.johnston@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Participation	Participation Attendance/Participation/Reports (random selection Q&A in class on reports)	20%	Ongoing	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	Assignment 2: In-class analysis Written test in class (Golden Age)	20%	Week 04 Due date: 12 Mar 2024 at 17:00	50minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	Assessment 4: In-class analysis 2 Written test in class (Herrmann)	20%	Week 08 Due date: 16 Apr 2024 at 23:59	50 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assessment 3: Licensed Music task Practical task + notes	20%	Week 10 Due date: 10 May 2024 at 23:59	3 minutes of music + 500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	Assessment 5: In-class analysis 3 Written test in class (Songs/Licensed Music)	20%	Week 13 Due date: 20 May 2024 at 09:25	50 minutes
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Participation: Participation in tutorial discussions and Film Reports
In-class analysis: Writing an analysis of film music from a scene shown in class.
Licensed music task: audio/visual + essay (see Canvas for details)

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

The following assessment criteria are used for written work in this unit of study:

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Demonstrates high level of initiative in research and reading; sophisticated critical analysis of evidence; high level engagement with theoretical issues, innovative use of reading/research material and impressive command of underlying debates and assumptions; properly documented and written with style, originality and precision.
Distinction	75 - 84	Demonstrates initiative in research and wide, appropriate reading; complex understanding of question and ability to critically review material in relation to underlying assumptions and values; analyses material in relation to empirical and theoretical contexts; properly documented; clear, well-developed structure and argument with some signs of literary style.
Credit	65 - 74	Evidence of broader understanding than pass level; offers synthesis with some critical evaluation of material; coherent argument using a range of relevant evidence; some evidence of independent thought, good referencing. A high credit (70-74) shows some evidence of ability to problematise and think conceptually.
Pass	50 - 64	Written work meets basic requirements in terms of reading/research; relevant material; tendency to descriptive summary rather than critical argument; makes a reasonable attempt to avoid paraphrasing; reasonably coherent structure; often has weaknesses in particular areas, especially in terms of narrow or underdeveloped treatment of question; acceptable documentation.
Fail	0 - 49	Work may fail for any or all of the following reasons: Unacceptable paraphrasing; irrelevance of content; poor spelling; poor presentation; grammar or structure so sloppy it cannot be understood; failure to demonstrate understanding of content; insufficient or overlong word length.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

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 Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

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 2023 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 2023. 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	Introduction: Film Music Analysis/Theory/History; Overview of Unit Content, Structure, Assessments & Protocols	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 01	Introduction to scene analysis	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 02	The Silent Film Era	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Writing a short scene analysis (for assessments) - Introduction and practice	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	i) The Golden Age of Film Music (Hollywood in the 1930s-1940s); ii) Claudia Gorbman’s Classical Hollywood Practice	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Discussion of Readings: Gorbman & Donnely K.J. Donnelly: ‘The Hidden Heritage of Film Music’ Claudia Gorbman’s Classical Hollywood Practice	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	Film Noir and Neo-Noir: Evolution of a Genre	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Assessment 2: In-class test 1 (Golden Age)	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	Licensed Music	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Introduce Assessment 3 (Licensed Music Task). Discuss Powrie/Stillman - "Changing tunes: the use of pre-existing music in film"	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	Bernard Herrmann: The Music of the Irrational	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Discuss Reading 4, “Tracking Identifications” Hearing Film (pp 141-148)	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Silver Age of film music	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Student clips	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	Jazz and film music	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Assessment 4: In-class test 2 (Herrmann)	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Electronic Music in Film Music	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Further clip analysis (Morricone/Rota)	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	Songs in Film Music	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Discuss “The Popular Song as Leitmotif in 1990s Film” (Rodman, pp 119-125)	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Contemporary Film Music: State of the Art	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Debrief on Assessment 3 Licensed Music	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Television & Streaming Screen Music	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Assessment 5: In-class test 3. (Songs/Licensed Music)	Tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of timetabled activities for a unit of study, unless granted exemption by the Dean, Head of School, Program Leader, or relevant Unit of Study Coordinator. The Dean, Head of School, Program Leader or relevant Unit of Study Coordinator may determine that a student fails a unit of study because of inadequate attendance. Alternatively, at their discretion, they may set additional assessment items where attendance is lower than 90%. This applies to both Lectures and Tutorials, beginning at WK3.

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

Bibliography (for readings: see Canvas for specific pages and weeks):

Brown, Royal S. Overtones and Undertones: Reading Film Music. Reprint 2019. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1994. Online.

Donnelly, K. J. Film Music: Critical Approaches. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2001. Print.

Gorbman, Claudia. Unheard Melodies: Narrative Film Music. London: BFI, 1987. Print.

Kassabian, Anahid. Hearing Film: Tracking Identifications in Contemporary Hollywood Film Music. New York: Routledge, 2001. Online/Print.

Phil Powrie & Robynn Stillwell, ed. Changing Tunes: The Use of Pre-existing Music in Film. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2006. Print.

Rodman, Ronald. “The Popular Song as Motif in 1990s Film” in Changing Tunes: The Use of Pre-existing Music in Film (ed. Stillwell & Powrie). London: Routledge, 2017. Online.

Other Recommended Readings: (not required)

Butler, David. Jazz Noir: Listening to Music from Phantom Lady to The Last Seduction. Westport: Praeger, 2002. Online/Print

Hubbert, Julie. Celluloid Symphonies: Texts and Contexts in Film Music History. 1st ed. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2011. Online.

Kalinak, Kathryn. Settling the Score: Music and the Classical Hollywood Film. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1992. Print.

Wierzbicki, James Eugene. Louis and Bebe Barron’s Forbidden Plane: a Film Score Guide. Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press, 2005. Online/Print.

Wierzbicki, James Eugene. Film Music: a History. New York: Routledge, 2009. Print.

Donnelly, K. J. Occult Aesthetic: Synchronization in Sound Film. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014. Online.

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. develop an understanding of the history of the art and craft of screen composition, and its relationship to other art forms and worldwide culture/history more broadly.
LO2. analyse film cues, articulating the composer/director’s creative decisions.
LO3. understand the concepts relating to the technical skills of screen music: choosing a point of view, expressing drama, realizing intent, trapping, negotiating diegetic music, and using licensed music.
LO4. display a working knowledge of the relevant principles of dramaturgy and cinematography.
LO5. understand the implications of genre and style in scoring and arranging for the screen.
LO6. examine the relationship between the dominant ‘Hollywood’ paradigm and that of independent film/world film, specifically regarding gender, class and culture.
LO7. understand the business and commercial aspects of the film and TV industry.

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.

NO INFORMATION ENTERED HERE YET

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

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

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

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

MUSC2663: Survey of Film Music

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

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

Media

Student links

About us

Connect