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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2019/2020

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Edinburgh College of Art : Music

Postgraduate Course: Practice of Composition for Screen (MUSI11055)

Course Outline
SchoolEdinburgh College of Art CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course is a continuation of Principles of Composition for Screen, in which you will work on a portfolio of works for screen and media including group organised projects, utilising advanced compositional techniques, new media skills and collaborative production abilities. The course will meet as a group in weeks 1, 5, 7 and 10 to guide and discuss current projects. Tutorials are offered fortnightly to interface with the intellectual, theoretical and practical aspects of student¿s work undertaken in this compositional field.
Course description The course aims to develop compositional skills through group organised projects and tutorial supervision of practical work, collaborative sessions involving film makers, game developers, sound designers and/or animators while engaging in the technical medium of composing for screen. You will:

Improve your abilities in composing for media, especially those for the screen and musical performance.
Improve your knowledge of the practical skills learned in Principles of Composition for Screen while expanding your intellectual and creative skills therein.
Develop and create your techniques for composing to screen while working in both collaborative and independent environments.

Group sessions will introduce, discuss and engage students in current projects, collaborations and film music festivals. Tutorials support individual creative activity in music composition in composition for screen projects. They will be guided by individual aesthetic choices, as well as project based concerns. Key components addressed include:

1. creative vision
2. appropriateness, technique and association with screen content
3. production quality and professionalism
4. organisation and process related to the realisation of creative vision in a project
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Principles of Composition for Screen (MUSI11058)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements Advanced experience with computer music and composition, including DAW software and related, notation for instruments experience, Advanced knowledge of screen music genre and history.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2019/20, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  13
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Seminar/Tutorial Hours 3, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 193 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Two projects presented as bounced audio to film and composed during the semester either in collaboration with another ECA student (through a film/animation project or otherwise) and/or internally (within ECA) or externally produced.

These works will be of a varied nature, both technically but also in genre and should demonstrate and challenge your abilities to compose versatile and contrasting works. They works should demonstrate a full exploration of your creative horizons as well as clear competence in relevant technical areas, while aligning with projected learning outcomes.

The portfolio will be submitted at the end of the course.

You must submit two copies of each portfolio, individually bound and/or in a closed document wallet. Any digital media should be submitted in H.264 video format and/or uncompressed WAV/AIFF audio format within a clearly labelled USB stick or comparable medium, and should have an organized and clear file structure. A cover page should be included which (briefly) explains the submissions included. DVDs or Audio CDs will not be accepted.

As this course is structured around individual tutorials, you will receive formative feedback throughout the course.

Portfolio of compositions for screen 100%

1. Development of a wider understanding of practices and creative aesthetics in composing music for screen 33.333%

2. Demonstration of experience and abilities when working in collaboration with others in a screen media project. 33.333%

3. Creation of a varied portfolio of musical screen works that represent versatility and presentation as a composer for screen. 33.333%
Feedback As this course is structured around individual tutorials, you will receive formative feedback throughout the course.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Develop a wider understanding of practices and creative aesthetics in composing music for screen.
  2. Gain experience and broaden professional level abilities when working in collaboration with others in a screen media project.
  3. Create a varied portfolio of musical screen works that represent a high level of versatility and presentation as a composer for screen.
Reading List
Chion, Michel. 1994. Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen. Columbia University Press, New York.

Sonnenschein, David. 2001. Sound Design: The Expressive Power of Music, Voice, and Sound Effects in Cinema.

Michael Wiese Productions, Studio City, California.

Philips, Winifred. 2014. A Composer¿s Guide to Game Music, MIT Press

Weis, Belton. 1985. Film Sound: Theory and Practice, Columbia University Press

Hoffert, Paul. 2007. Music for New Media, Composing for Video Games, Berklee Press Productions

Altman, Rick. 1992. Sound Theory Sound Practice, Routledge
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Creative problem solving.
Communication and collaboration when working in a team.
Organisational skills in dealing with multiple musical mediums.
Ability to see a project through from vision to creation and realisation on a professional level.
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Thomas Butler
Tel:
Email: thomas.butler@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Carrie Parker
Tel: (0131 6)50 2422
Email: Carrie.Parker@ed.ac.uk
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