How we negotiate the meaning of music in film

   "I Vow to Thee, My Country" 

 This song could be used at the end of a war movie, when the soldiers have won and are returning home. The song is obviously patriot because of its name, "I Vow to Thee, My Country" and also has that patriotic feel. Since it starts off softer, that could be when they are all walking home, tired after a long war. When it starts to pick up that could be when they have arrived back to their city and are all welcomed home. It would most likely be used in an older war movie, like the war in the picture. The song fits well with the genre of an old war movie because of the classical instruments used. The orchestra sounds like something you would hear often around that time period.

  In the movie the song would represent a moment of triumph and patriotism. It gets that message across because it is a recognizable song, so people would remember the name and its connection to someone's love for their country. Also, the strings used in the song make it sound meaningful but soft at times, and the percussion helps to build up the piece. When the percussion gets louder the rest of the instruments get louder, which makes it more powerful, and triumphant sounding. 

Midterm Summative

Legally Blonde

    

 The movie "Legally Blonde" depicts the reality of many things. Mostly, it depicts blonds, by implying that you can get far if you are blond and pretty. In the movie, she one day decides to go to law school, and it shows her studying while working out like it is not hard to do. A main reason that they show for why she gets into Harvard is the group of men who watch the admissions video of Elle in a bathing suit, making it seem like it was her beauty that secured her her enrollment. She does not seem to be in school long before she receives the internship to assists on cases, which is given to her by a man that finds her beautiful. Once again, it is the fact that she is an appealing woman that is getting her far in the law business. I am certain that there are many law students and lawyers that are blond that have gotten by on solely their intelligence, and not their looks, and that some of them have even come from sororities. 

    In this scene, I believe it depicts what happens in court incorrectly. Although the lawyers on the opposing side seem appropriate in the way they act and dress, Elle does not. Lawyers are not supposed to wear bright pink dresses while defending someone but rather a professional looking suit, or bring their dog to court in their purse that serves no health or safety purposes. Her two friends would not have been able to cheer her on in the middle of her questioning either. I would not think that a real lawyer would be allowed to tell personal stories as she did to relate to the case, or be very well thought of if she was giving the judge, "a vocabulary lesson when you should be questioning your witness." It does not seem very realistic either that you would fire one of your lawyers and bring in a new one in the middle of your court session.

  Although many parts of this movie seem to be depicted incorrectly, I realize it is all for the purpose of entertainment. It can also be seen as an inspiring movie, that a girl that did not seem to have much focus on anything other than boys and beauty, could work her way up to getting into Harvard Law School, winning a case, and being valedictorian at her graduation. Even though it is not very realistic, it is a nice story.

All Film is a Construction

The process of making a Hollywood blockbuster:

- Find a story and get the rights for it by paying the author ->$
-Get a professional screenwriter to turn the book in to a movie, might take multiple screenwriters ->$
-Have the script approved by backers
-Hire; director, casting director, musical director, editor, cinematographer, assistant producers -> $
-They will all hire their own assistants and crew, filmmakers pay for them ->$
-Directors are booked months or years in advance
-Casting director makes a list of actors that would be good for the film
-Hold auditions, get top actors -> $$
-Contracts are signed
-Film can be shot in a studio: Craftsmen hired to make set -> $
-Actors need to be trained for skills or stunts
-Insurance for stunts -> $
- Food and housing for actors -> $
-Film can be shot on location: Cast and crew transported and housed -> $
-Pay town for blocking roads or closing their shops -> $
-Finished filming: Director works with editors
-Musical director creates score; gets rights to songs or gets an orchestra -> $
-Special effects, sound effects, voice-overs are added
-Film is done
-Producers now spend the money on promotion -> $
-Actors make appearances at press conferences and television talk shows all over
-Posters and trailers are made ->$
-Money made from the film is usually taken by producers to make a sequel or movie of the same genre ->$

Main Theme in Sound City

Many songs nowadays only really serve the purpose of being a good song to dance to. The songs do not teach you very good morals and do not always present a life style that everyone can relate to. The song 'Starships' by Nicki Minaj is an example of why music is not as good as it used to be. Starships are not a real thing, and the messages portrayed in her song are bad and do not have anything to do with starships if they really did exist. The theme of her song is dancing at clubs, spending all her money and drinking a large amount of alcohol. She also throws in the lyrics, "Twinkle, twinkle little star," which has no relation to the song, and "I ain't paying my rent this month, I owe that," which is not a good example to be setting.
                Another reason why music is not as good anymore is because of the focus of many music videos. In Nicki Minaj's music video for this song, a large portion of it is Nicki on a beach in a very small bathing suit, for the purpose of making her look sexy. The rest of the video is people dancing around in their bathing suits. The video does has not real meaning and does not really relate to the song, other than the 'starship' that appears at the beginning.
                Music before 1995 seemed to have more meaning and be more honest than music like 'Starships." The videos usually related to the songs and tried to show you a message, rather than show you how to sell your body by dancing and dressing a certain way. Music now a days does not seem to teach you any valuable life lessons. 

#5 "Tough Guise"

 Jess, from the television show "Gilmore Girls."

 Jess's character always liked to play the 'tough guy.' He never cared about, or tried in school, although he was extremely smart. When he first moved into the town, he was rude to everyone and always looked angry, not being grateful for how welcoming everyone was trying to be. When trying to get Rory, he toyed with her and Dean's relationship, rather than being honest.

  This is only partially consistent with the media, because in the later seasons, when Jess gets older, he is much more open and honest about his feelings. He is comfortable and confident with himself and does not have to put on a "tough guise" anymore. Although, when he first moved into the town, it very much related to the "tough guise" because of his attitude towards everyone. He got in many fights and was seen by the town as trouble. In the "Tough Guise" documentary we watched, it said that boys as supposed to act tough, be strong and not show their true feelings. That is how Jess acted in many seasons of the show, and that is why I chose him.