Film Music

A comprehensive introduction to film music, this book provides a concise and illuminating summary of the process of film scoring, as well as a succinct overview of the rich history of contemporary film music. Written in a non-technical style, this book begins by presenting a brief history of film music, covering topics ranging from blockbuster franchises to indie film scores. It explores film music from around the world, including Bollywood and European Avant-garde cinema, and film music in animation, like Disney-Pixar and Japanese anime. It then offers a guide to the language of film-music analysis, the creative process behind composing film music, and the use of current technology. The book champions diversity in the industry, with case studies and interviews from a range of active film composers, including Pinar Toprak (Captain Marvel, 2019), Kris Bowers (Bridgerton, 2020), Natalie Holt (Loki, 2021), and Rachel Portman (Emma, 1996). Complete with a glossary of key terms and further reading, this book is an invaluable resource for all those beginning to study film music, as well as lifelong film-music buffs seeking to update their understanding of film music.