Media composers are only a part of some greater creative enterprise, be it a film, game, television programme or commercial. As such, they need to be able to understand the creative vision of the director or producer and create music which is in line with their expectations. Communicating creative ideas and attempting to describe music in words is notoriously difficult and fraught with potential problems. In this module we introduce students to the complexity of this issue and offer some strategies for better communication.

Further to this, students will be exposed to more complex and demanding industry sectors such as computer games and library music. Composers are introduced to more difficult projects where the technical requirements are more demanding. Again, listening to interviews with real-world clients will help students acclimatise to the language and style of communication used in the industry. This will help guide the composer, helping to clarify the client’s intentions and define the creative direction of travel.

This module covers:

• Breaking down project briefs through looking at real-world examples to understand what the client wants.
• How to translate what the client wants into music and composing for the client.
• A guide for writing for trailer music and leading composer insights into the composition process.
• Understand how the TV music industry works and how to compose TV themes and commercial music.
• A step-by-step guide on writing great tunes.

Both professional and academic research gathers relevant information from a wide range of sources before analysing, evaluating, synthesising, and drawing reasonable conclusions on the basis of that information. The research will be evaluated on the basis of its originality, depth of insight, and the quality of the supporting argument.

Research can constitute:

• Professional research (i.e. further understanding gained from examining the professional output of other practitioners)
• Academic research (i.e. further understanding gained from theoretical/historical/analytical activities)

We expect students to:

• Analyse, synthesise, critically reflect, and build an argument
• Use academic writing, including referencing and a bibliography

Students are introduced to the practical skill of writing music in sync with the picture. Having established the powerful and complex relationship between music and the moving image in the previous module, students should be well equipped to begin writing their own original music to a given picture.

In this module, we also look at several different areas of the industry: documentaries, animation, commercials, and natural history, each of which presents its own set of specific requirements and challenges.

This module looks at the technical and creative aspects of scoring::

• Simple sync to picture
• Professional sync to picture
• Technical: Timecode, Frame Rates,  BWF, etc.
• Intro to Spotting
• Composition to Picture

This module explores what for most composers is the most challenging and rewarding environment offered in media composition: scoring drama. Students are introduced to the art of spotting the film, choosing when and where to place music, and discussing in depth the role the music plays. The emphasis now is on interpretation, the nuances of style complementing the vision of the director, storytelling, and characterisation. At this stage, students are encouraged to develop a distinctive musical and interpretative style of their own.

We have moved on from the technical aspects of writing to picture covered in the last module to embrace the more subtle, artistic, and interpretative value brought to the film by an effective and well thought out score. Students at this stage will also be expected to accept and implement notes on their work quickly and effectively, a key personal and professional skill.

This module covers:

• A basic introduction on scoring for film and the key points that you should take away in the brief.
• Understand the process of spotting for film and the other considerations to take when scoring films.
• A guide in getting started when composing for film.
• Deep-dive into composer insights and their approaches when starting their compositions.

Here students will have the option of tailoring the course to their own needs. You can pick one module from the following:

• Musical Sound Design
• Sampled Orchestration
• Career Development for Musicians
• Music Editing
• Composition: Telling Stories
• Contemporary Games Composition

For more information on these modules, click the button to download the Course Handbooks. Please note, the availability of MA elective modules may be subject to a minimum enrolment. The choice of electives is provisional and may be subject to change.

The Final Major Project is a major piece of work that represents the culmination of creative, technical, and research skills acquired during the rest of the course. 

Students will be required to score 30 minutes of music to picture from a wide choice of source material including full-length feature films and documentaries. This is a substantially longer piece of work than any other so far. It requires both solid technical skills and a much broader and deeper creative insight into the source material. Thirty minutes of music is a great deal more challenging than the sum total of several shorter assignments. It is the difference between writing a short story and a novel. Consequently, the original idea and the approach need to be thought out much more thoroughly. Students will be supported by formative assessment from their tutor at points throughout the Final Major Project.

You also have the option of completing a written dissertation if you prefer. This will represent your research into an area of music intended for media consumption (I.e. not concert music). The dissertation is an extended piece of scholarly written work.

You will be asked to write an essay of 12,000 words (+/- 10%), including footnotes, but excluding bibliography. You will undertake the work as an individual, under the guidance of a supervisor, with whom you will meet regularly in one-to-one sessions.