A Message to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, RE: Best Original Score Category.

Dearest Academy Members,

While watching the recent Academy Awards Ceremony it came to my attention that the Best Original Score category seems to be lacking some guidelines as to what is worthy of winning the award. I understand that most people are not as obsessed with film scores as I and some others are, and so they would not perhaps be fully aware of what exactly makes an award-winning score, so I decided I should try to help provide some guidelines to make the voting process easier, as well as more clear. 

This year’s nominees were The King’s Speech (Alexandre Desplat), How To Train Your Dragon (John Powell), 127 Hours (AR Rahman), The Social Network (Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross) and Inception (Hans Zimmer). All worthy nominees, for sure - however I must point out that one of the year’s best scores, by far, is missing from this list: that being Tron: Legacy (Daft Punk). Hopefully the following suggestion of score nomination and voting guidelines will help to explain why Tron: Legacy really should have been included in this list, and why the winning score for The Social Network, while being a very nice soundtrack, was not the Best Original Score this year. 

To begin with, the guidelines.

When making the nominations for Best Original Score, what guidelines are used? Is there a list of suggested qualities a score must have to be worthy of a nomination? Since I am clearly not a member of the esteemed Academy, I do not know the answer to this question. From my observations of past winners and nominations I feel the answer to this must however be “no”. Therefore, are Academy members simply voting based on what they think sounds best? Or perhaps other factors are involved?

In any case, having a certain simple, short set of guidelines will undoubtedly help with nominations. I understand there is one rule which resulted in Black Swan (Clint Mansell) not getting an Oscar nod: the music must be almost entirely, if not completely, original work. The Black Swan score was based largely on Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake ballet, which was perfect for the film, but since it was not Clint Mansell’s own original work, it could not be nominated. I think this is fair, and that this rule really should be applied more often, particularly in the case of a certain film composer by the names of James Horner (we’ll get back to him in a moment).

This rule will be the first in my recommended set of guidelines:

1. The score must be made up of entirely original work, written by the composer, and contain no elements that can be directly linked to other scores.

This is very important, as I am sure the Academy would like to promote original work and dissuade anyone from copying someone else’s work. Plagiarism simply cannot be allowed, even if the composer is copying from their own prior works. The title of this award is Best Original Score after all - composed only for the film to which it has been attached.

James Horner

This rule also effectively guarantees that James Horner can never be nominated for an Academy Award until he gets some inspiration and puts some originality into his scores. They are great for listening, and I do not deny that I enjoy some of his scores, but really James - enough is enough. Every single one of his soundtracks that I have listened to so far sound similar, if not identical. Deep Impact and Apocalypto combined make Avatar, while also sharing elements between them. The same trumpet call is used in nearly every score, while a violin piece (originally from John Williams and Itzak Perlman’s score for Schindler’s List) makes an appearance at least once in film scores Horner has composed after Schindler’s List (no lie: listen to Titanic, Apollo 13, Enemy at the Gates - actually, that violin piece is used as a major theme in Enemy at the Gates). So enough already, James Horner. He has been nominated nine times in this category, and won for Titanic (which as I just mentioned, contained many elements that were either copied from someone else or transposed from many of his prior scores), so from this moment forward I ban James Horner from any more nominations until he can compose a score that is entirely original, with absolutely no elements from anything else.

Of course this rule applies not only to James Horner but to other composers, in particular Hans Zimmer and his group of composers under Remote Control Productions. When watching a film it is generally reasonably easy to know within a few minutes if the score was composed by a member (or members) of RCP. These members include: Klaus Badelt, David Buckley, Ramin Djawadi, James Dooley, Lisa Gerrard, Nick Glennie-Smith, Harry and Rupert Gregson-Williams, Steve Jablonsky, Mark Mancina, Trevor Morris, Blake Neely, Atli Orvarsson, John Powell, Trevor Rabin, Marc Streitenfeld and Geoff Zanelli, to name a few. You are probably quite familiar with their work, if not their names. Some are becoming better known with their more recent scores, such as Djawadi, Jablonsky and Orvarsson (whom I had not heard of until seeing Season of the Witch in January, and then The Eagle in February of this year). 

Why this rule applies in particular to the RCP group is that they often collaborate on scores, which is perfectly fine, but occasionally elements of one score will leak into another and then we have problems of originality. For example, Steve Jablonsky’s Tranformers: Revenge of the Fallen score had one piece with unmistakable choral influence from Hans Zimmer - taken out of context, it would easily fit as part of Hans Zimmer’s Angels & Demons score. So when considering scores for nomination as Best Original Score, we must listen carefully.

One last note on Guideline #1 is back to the plagiarism aspect, just to reinforce why this is important. I spent quite a lot of time on James Horner because he is the most blatant abuser of Guideline #1, but Hans Zimmer is also guilty. His Academy Award-nominated score for Gladiator has definite elements of classical composer Gustav Holst’s The Planets Suite, in particular Mars, the Bringer of War. He is not the only one to do so, either, or to be “inspired” by classical pieces. Therefore we must also consider classical influences to scores, not only modern ones.

Now, enough about Guideline #1. Onwards!

2. The score contributes positively to the film as a whole, supporting and enhancing the film’s emotions, ideas, and overall viewing experience.

This is important to consider as well. What impact does the score have on the film? When you are watching the film, do you actually notice the score, and if so, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Some scores fade into the background of their films, becoming barely noticeable amidst whatever other sound design there is and the images on the screen. These scores usually provide some emotional cues, some tension, general mood and tone-setting. They serve their purpose, and we do not think much about them after. 

Other scores try to take over the film, announcing themselves with trumpets and fanfare and calling as much attention to themselves as possible. When poorly mixed with the rest of the soundscape of the film, these scores can blast their way through dialogue, obscuring important aspects of the film and detracting from the experience. 

Does this look like the poster of a kids' film to you?

There are also scores that simply do not work with the film to which they’ve been attached, as if they were composed for something else entirely. Recently I saw the film The Last Legion (2007) and was utterly confused by it. Part of that confusion can undoubtedly be blamed on the script, but another part is due largely to the score, which did not work with the film at all. Patrick Doyle’s very orchestral, sweeping and bombastic music seemed to suggest a kid-friendly action fantasy epic, a la Disney. The film itself however really isn’t. Yes, there is a young boy in a lead role, but the level of violence would never be seen in a Disney film (the script didn’t help with this confusion of “is it kid-friendly or not?”, with some scenes that seemed like they were aiming for Disney and others aiming for a more adult historical drama audience). Nevertheless, even more perplexing was the overly “cheerful” music used for quite dramatic scenes and battle sequences. It is very difficult to describe the utter chaotic confusion of this film and its score, but all in all, it is a good example of how a score can be so wrong for a film that it causes major problems.

Then there are the scores that provide strong support for their films, in many of the same ways as the first category I mentioned, but instead of fading into the background you actually notice them, and in a good way. You recognise themes for characters and events; there are distinct elements to the score that make it unique to that film, so much that later, long after you saw the film, you can hear a piece of music and know for certain which film that piece belongs to. John Williams is one of the best composers for this type of score; you may not know that the piece was composed by Williams, but when you hear the themes from such films as Star Wars, E.T., Indiana Jones, Harry Potter (the first three), Jurassic Park, Jaws and more, you know instantly what they are. They are iconic and unforgettable. Also in this category: Daft Punk’s score for Tron: Legacy. 

Then, finally, there are scores that go one step further: they become so entwined with the soundscape of their film that to remove them and replace them with something else would not only take away an important aspect of the film but even modify the story of the film itself. The score becomes a part of the diegesis (for those of you who have not been through film school, diegesis is a Greek word for “recounted story” and is the total world of the story and action on screen). Most film scores are non-diegetic, meaning they have no source in the world on film and do not directly have any impact on the action other than as being supplementary for the benefit of the audience. Occasionally, however, there are scores that become in some ways, if not all, diegetic. A good example of this: Hans Zimmer’s score for Inception. The unmistakable braaaaaahm, braaaaaahm booming of this score is not only iconic to this film, but it enters the diegesis at critical moments. The song “Non, je ne regrette rien” by Edith Piaf is played by the characters in the film as a cue for waking up from the dreams they are in, but the deeper into the levels of dreams that they go, the slower time passes, until the song is so distorted by time that it becomes a series of braaaaaahms. Hans Zimmer worked with the sound designers and mixers of Inception to make sure that the score and the film combined perfectly, and so the score became a part of the diegesis of the film. Undoubtedly if we were to remove Hans Zimmer’s score and replace it with something else, the film as a whole would lose an important element and not be as effective overall. 

All these categories must be considered when making nominations for Best Original Score. In my opinion, if a film score does not fall into the last two categories, then for what reason would it be nominated? This award is for the best scores; a score that is quickly forgotten, or that simply does not work at all with its film, are not contenders.

And now, the final guideline:

3. The score can stand alone as a great piece of music in its own right.

It used to be that one of the main forms of popular entertainment was the symphony; people gathered to listen to a great orchestra playing the latest pieces by talented composers. Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Brahms, Bach, Vivaldi, and more. Then, times changed... and what do musically talented composers do now?

They write film scores.

Not everyone, I know, but it’s the only job for composers that pays reasonably well, and so it is not surprising that composers have shifted from making music for concert halls to writing music for films. It makes sense to combine music and film; films without music tend to sound like they are missing something.

Therefore, with so many talented people turning to writing music for films, should it not make sense then that the music they compose should be able to stand alone as a great piece of music in its own right? I think so. Just as Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, composed for a ballet, stands alone as a wonderful piece of music without the visual accompaniment, so also should a great film score. 

I said before that a truly good film score must be so much an important element in a film that if we were to remove it, that would have a negative impact on the film itself; however the same does not apply in reverse. The film without its score would have problems, whereas the score without its film should not. I do hope this concept makes sense.

Conclusion, and assessment of the 83rd Academy Awards nominees and winner.

I have kept these guidelines as short and simple as possible, kept to their most basic elements in an attempt to show the best way of choosing nominees - and a winner - for Best Original Score at the Academy Awards. I am sure the esteemed Academy cannot disagree that these guidelines are fair and considerate, as well as being impervious to prejudice in any aspect. 

In the most basic terms, the Best Original Score winner should be the score that is completely creatively original, supporting and enhancing the film to which it belongs while also being a great piece of music in its own right. 

Now, we must quickly apply these guidelines to the 83rd Academy Awards nominees.

In general, the nominees fall under these guidelines fairly well; they are all quite original, with no blatant issues of transposed music from other pieces. They all support their films nicely to varying degrees, and generally stand alone as good music - for the most part.

More specifically:

How To Train Your Dragon is a cute, lovely soundtrack that fits nicely with the film and incorporates several unique elements and themes that make it special. Much of the score sounds good apart from the film as well. The composer, John Powell, did a good job in crafting a score that sounds original - there are very few elements that are recognisable from any of his other films. Bravo, John Powell.

The King’s Speech is unmistakably a score by Alexandre Desplat with its focus on beautiful piano pieces, but it fits so well with the film that this is excusable, and it does not copy anything from Desplat’s prior works. The themes are well-written, and memorable. On its own, the score makes for nice, relaxing classical-style music. A very worthy nominee for Best Original Score.

127 Hours is different from the first two, since A. R. Rahman focused much less on a traditional orchestral score and instead used a more modern sound, with a simplified variety of instruments. Some pieces focus on strings supporting woodwinds; others focus on guitar. The score sounds simple, but is textured, and emphasizes the tension and emotions in the film terrifically. 

Inception is exceptional. I have already discussed the major reason why I find this score to be brilliant, but to reiterate, Hans Zimmer weaves the score so tightly into the fabric of the film that it becomes at times a part of the diegesis of the film itself. The film and score are so entwined that without Zimmer’s iconic music, the film would lose something vital; however on its own, the score still stands as a beautiful composition. Listen to the piece “Old Souls” from the official soundtrack if you don’t believe me. Also, I am not a “Hans Zimmer groupie” - I can write at length about problems that I have with Zimmer and some of his works, but in this case, I believe he has again proved himself as a talented composer.

Finally, this year’s Academy Award winner: The Social Network. It is this score’s victory that caused me to write this, because I couldn’t disagree more. It has been praised for being “different” and yes, I do not deny that it is very different from the rest of the nominees. However, does being “different” mean the same thing as being “good”? Composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross undeniably put much effort and creativity into their score, and it works well with the film itself, but it does not make much of an impact. It supports, but does not emphasize; it becomes a part of the background of the film, and is not entirely memorable afterward. The first piece has the semblance of a theme played on a piano to start, then ambience takes over. Is ambience the same as music? Not according to the course on film sound that I took last term. 

I have nothing against composers trying something different and modern, and getting away from the traditional orchestral score - really, I don’t. Not too many years ago I read several articles online that bemoaned the fact that certain composers would never be recognised by the Academy for the fact that they incorporated modern instruments such as electric guitars into their mostly orchestral pieces; oh, how times have changed!

The Social Network’s score is largely electronic, and they use the tools they have well; there are some pieces that sound good on their own (such as “In Motion”), but others fall flat without the film. As well, the score lacks any kind of unifying theme or element that makes it iconically an element of the film. In many ways, the score on its own could be considered as an experimental electronic rock album, perhaps. 

This is not to say that the score is “bad”, or not entirely worthy of its nomination; I think it is a good thing that the Academy is ready to recognise creative pieces that are not traditional film scores. However, given the guidelines I have listed, does The Social Network score have all the elements necessary to win Best Original Score?

In my opinion, no. 

That honour, I believe, should have gone to Hans Zimmer and Inception. When the fair and reasonable guidelines I have written here are applied to each of this year’s nominees, is that not the same conclusion anyone else should come to as well?

Thank you for reading my proposal for new guidelines in the nomination and selection of a winner in the Best Original Score category.

Yours Truly,

Emma Peterson

Filmmaker