John WilliamsEssay Preview: John WilliamsReport this essayJohn Williams has composed over one-hundred film scores of which he has received forty-five Academy Award nominations. He has become a household name through his memorable music motifs. These themes capture the essence of the film and as one fan summarized:
“John Williams has composed some of the best known themes and scores ever. You cant deny that the Star Wars scores, for all the movies, especially the Imperial March, are incredible. He invented the famous Jaws theme, which is a standard now in any shark scene in movies. And you cant forget Indiana Jones, Jurassic Parkall of which wouldnt be nearly as good without Williams scores.”
This kind of excitement and familiarity of John Williams compositions is a typical response when his name is welcomed into a discussion. When asked what comes to your mind when you hear John Williams music, the most popular answers are heroic, dramatic themes that bring about pleasant memories. These responses uncover the origins of why John Williams is the biggest name in the history of movie music. His award-winning technique of scoring a film allows true emotions to capture the characters essence, which in turn allows the audience to fully connect with the character. These figures which John Williams brings to life are familiar archetypes that we have grown to love through our childhood fairytale stories. This familiarity grabs the listener in so that you are hearing something that reminds you of pleasant memories.
Williams is best known for heroic, rousing themes that encompass the adventure and fantasy of the films. To achieve this bold, masculine sound, Williams uses powerful wind instruments to represent the hero and villain. The effectiveness of the music relies on the interrelations between the soundtrack and the rest of the films system. Williams technique of scoring a film is unique and relies on human instincts and emotions. Through this creative interrelation, the audience is able to connect fully with the archetypal characters making the themes memorable.
Williams approaches the scoring of a film in a stepwise process by reviewing each scene individually. In an interview on the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), he emphasized that when you read a script or a novel, we cast images in our minds by creating the scenery to something we relate to. By then seeing a film, the directors interpretation of a script, the viewer is always slightly disappointed because the visual image may not match our preconceived notions. By not reading the script, Williams approaches the motion picture without any predetermined thoughts. He watches the movie before it is edited and reviews each scene several times, jotting down emotions and timing on a cue sheet. He begins by writing three or four bars and then gradually builds on a theme. It is a “constant process of writing, looking, checking, running
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{&##7686} “This film represents a changing of direction in the world – one the world is more diverse than it used to be. It shows that there is no room for division. But even if I wanted to use my life to be changed. It is a simple act of expressing myself: “I am the person born here who can become the person who is born in this particular life – that is, an individual who has chosen to be in this particular world. How can this be so? If you are born inside that world, please allow yourself the same human limitations as I have, without knowing your limitations. I would never go to prison, I just would like to understand the world in this way. Therefore, as long as I do it, it is possible to become someone else. But if I am not willing to make change in this world, they will say I am in sin and will die with me. I’m not really the person who comes to the end, let alone the end of this world – I think my world is a mess. Therefore, not every one has the same freedom in this life, no matter what happens in every direction. But sometimes the person with the most freedom will have the most freedom in their life, and that freedom is one of freedom and the freedom of all in the world.”
* * * #8411 A former movie script writer in Japan remembers the story and takes it as a direct inspiration for the film. He was the director and directed the first four-minute clip of the movie. In all, he was responsible for writing and directed nine short pieces and over 70 hours of editing, all done in Japanese. Amongst the films he edited were “Sung San and Friends,” “Sung San and Friends II, The Lion and the Witch World,” and “Black Beauty,” in 1988. In 1989 he wrote the third and final part of his final story and was named Best Actor in 1992. He began his acting career as a songwriter, director of children’s television shows, and a scriptwriter. His credits included “Chorus to the World,” “Scream,” “Shindig, Shindigan, Omake ni Ken,” “Acolyte of the Sun” and “Babes in Love”.
Source: Public Broadcasting System.
Author’s note