Soundtrack analysis

Now that we've started editing, I thought i'd start looking at how sound tracks effect the over all effect of a thriller film. I decided to look at the music and sound affects used in the opening of Inception. This is the opening sequence of Inception:



Instantly the music starts with low deep notes. Although it is quite a simple piece of music to begin with, the notes are slightly off so it makes the audience feel on edge and unsure.Then the music starts to layer and slightly higher pitched, shorter notes are added very subtly, which increases the off putting, unsure feeling. There is also an added eerie tone, like on note being held for a large proportion of the set up, this is typical of lots of thriller films as it adds suspense to footage instantly. As the actually footage starts, softer high string instruments are added in, lighting up the mood of film. This is also very off putting as the combination of the low slow music and high quicker notes confuses the audience. The string music quickly ends as the action starts. As the shot changes and they change  location, the music partly comes to a halt and a deep dong like noise plays for a moment. From this point, the music although it is still important, is over powered with speak.

In the first 1:08 the layering of music is very important in building up suspense and creating tension in the film. The layering helps to make the audience with uneasy and slightly off as they know something is going to happen but some of the layers hint something bad may or may not happen. Listening to the soundtrack from Inception and other thriller films, I'm starting to realise that layering is very important in creating the right feel/mood and tension within a thriller film and we should consider this when adding soundtracks to our thriller opening.