Spotting Session in Film

What Is Spotting in Film?

Spotting is a creative process that the composer usually enters towards the end of filming, during the editing process. However, the composer is sometimes on hand during the entire film shoot. The composer is shown an unpolished "rough cut" of the film before the editing is completed. He also talks to the director or producer about the music they need for the film. The director and composer will watch the entire movie, noting which scenes require original music. During this process, the composer will take precise timing notes so that they know how long each cue needs to last, where it begins, where it ends, and of particular moments during a scene with which the music may need to coincide in a specific way. This process is known as "spotting." Once a composer has settled on a composer, he can begin spotting the picture. With the composer, review the entire picture, scene by scene, to discuss the music cues – the moments that are appropriate for music. When working with film, spotting should be done on a flatbed editing table so you can go slowly back and forth over the material. Music expresses emotion. It bypasses the brain and works directly on the heart. Yet what might be right for the composer might be wrong for the director or producer.

Enhancing the Experience

Adding music will significantly enhance the film or video experience, as will the sound effects. These two elements should not fight each other for dominance on the soundtrack. The composer has two challenges after the director and composer agree on where music should be placed and on a musical style appropriate for the piece. First, to write music that enhances the visual imagery effectively. Second, to make the music fit precisely into exact music cues. Traditionally, the music editor breaks down each music cue into a series of beats by employing "click tracks." A click track is a synchronous metronome that is locked to the picture. It is now customary for film and video composers to work with the MIDI standard. With a MIDI-compatible synthesizer, composers can create an entire score in the privacy of their own home or studio.

Separate Spotting Sessions

A film soundtrack's three main sound elements are dialogue, sound effects, and music. Each of these elements has its spotting session, at which the "spots" in the film that need attention from the different departments are identified. They must play the film from beginning to end, in real-time, in the spotting session. This allows the music editor, supervisor, and composer to ask questions about specific musical pieces or spots. They can also stop the playback for discussion. After all, a discussion is what the spotting session is for. However, the whole film does need to be viewed without skipping any section.

Film Editing

Occasionally, a filmmaker will edit the film to fit the music flow rather than have the composer edit their score to the final cut. Sometimes, a composer will be asked to write music based on their impressions of the script without seeing the film itself. Therefore, he has more freedom to create music without the need to adhere to specific cue lengths or mirror the emotional arc of a particular scene. A director usually takes this approach if he does not wish to have the music comment specifically on a specific scene. The music can be inserted into the film at any point the director wishes during the postproduction process.

The Spotting Notes

The spotting notes are important from both creative and technical standpoints. They provide various pieces of information for each music cue. Also, they must keep this information up-to-date and accurate throughout the project. Database software can be used for this. It is essential to realize that the spotting notes can and often do change during music composing, postproduction editing, and the final dub (the film mix). They are, in many ways, quite fluid. The composer, music supervisor, or the director may make changes to the film that affect them.

Source Texts

• Film Score: Spotting