Screen Training Ireland, IMRO and Pulse College MA in Scoring for Film and Visual Media are delighted to welcome composer and orchestrator Conrad Pope to Dublin to deliver an intensive two-day masterclass for film composers.
Conrad Pope is one of the most exciting, original voices in contemporary film scoring. He has contributed to more than a hundred movies, and worked on films of every genre and budget, making scores that “work” in almost every style. This “in the trenches” music making, working side by side with Hollywood’s top professionals—including Joe Johnston and Walter Murch on Universal’s THE WOLFMAN, Scott Hicks on NO RESERVATIONS and Gary Ross on SEABISCUIT – has honed his ability to see films as a filmmaker does. Often the discussion of music in a film can seem abstract and nebulous. It is Conrad’s unique experience and dramatic perspective that has made him a valuable collaborator, able to effectively and concretely communicate with a director about the contribution music can make to their film.
Among his peers, Pope is not only regarded as a “musician’s musician,” but he is recognized as an imaginative musical dramatist, able to contribute a meaningful dimension to a film’s story: music, the emotional core of every film.
Pope’s passionate commitment to telling a film’s story with persuasive and compelling music has made him one of the most “in demand” scoring professionals. His long list of orchestration credits includes STAR WARS EPISODES I-III, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS I AND II, THE TREE OF LIFE, ARGO, LIFE OF PI, MOONRISE KINGDOM, and THE HOBBIT series, while his composing credits include MY WEEK WITH MARILYN and TIM’S VERMEER. Today’s elite film composing talent – including John Williams, Alexandre Desplat, James Newton Howard, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, Alan Silvestri, Danny Elfman, John Powell, Hans Zimmer, and Mark Isham – have all called upon his gifts as an arranger, orchestrator and conductor.
Day 1: 10am – 3.30pm
Making Music for Film: A Guided Tour
Conrad Pope presents a day devoted to the mechanics of writing music to visual media in today’s landscape of expanding opportunities but shrinking budgets.
The challenges of crafting scores for major Hollywood blockbusters to small independent films will be examined and solutions offered. Whether one is using the forces of the symphony orchestra, composing a purely electronic score, creating a “hybrid” score which blends electronics and live performances or writing for chamber groups, properly managing ones workflow is critical to success. Beginning with “breaking down the film ” and the “spotting of the music” we’ll examine the challenges of developing a vocabulary to discuss musical ideas with non-musicians, developing a musical approach to fit the film, how to approach a film that has already been “temped” with pre-existing music, making and “selling” demos, understanding and executing producers’ notes, the pitfalls of MIDI mock-ups for scores that will eventually be recorded live, meeting deadlines and work flow, handling picture changes and “conforms”. By the end of lecture, one will have an overview of the technical aspects of the production of a film score from spotting to the “dub”, the process of sketching, demoing, midi transcription, orchestration, copying, performing, recording, mixing and dubbing, as well as an insider’s view to today’s creative challenges, musically.
Day 2: 10am – 3.30pm
Music in Film Today and the Professional’s Role in its Making
Pope will share his views and experience regarding the process of scoring film today; its methods and techniques, its practical concerns, the constantly evolving aesthetics and technical advancements and the new tools and techniques necessary to meet these ever emerging challenges, as well the unchanging, necessary skills –both musical and dramatic- that form the foundation for a successful and sustainable career in commercial film music. From DAW to recording full orchestra and chorus, from spotting to the “dub”, from composing to conducting, the work of a conceiving, writing, recording and finishing a film score will be explored.
Application Procedure:
Please apply online at www.screentrainingireland.ie. Deadline for applications: Monday 4th May 2015. For further details contact sorcha.loughnane@screentrainingireland.ie.
Profile:
This masterclass is open to composers working in film, television, animation, games and visual media.
Tutor: Conrad Pope
Course Date: Saturday, May 16th, 2015
Course Duration: 2 Days
Venue: IMRO, Copyright House, Pembroke Row, Dublin 2
Location: Dublin
Cost: €40