Establishing musical tone for a film’s score is typically a straightforward process of elimination and addition.  For example, a drama needs dramatic music that is easily dictated by the scene; if a scene needs to be sad, we give it sad music, and then fill out the other emotions required, like hope or bitterness and so on; if a scene is “x,” then the music will be “x.”  For comedy however, writing music can be more complicated because it is never funny without context (unlike other types of music that don’t require context to convey emotion), and determining which tone will be funny within that context inevitably adds an additional layer of complication.

In Official Selection, our two main characters are respectively interested in making a refined drama and flashy action movie.  Much of the script’s comedy is derived from the fights between the proponents of these two genre extremes, which create the context that the score enters into.

The primary decision that must be made is whether the music itself will become a part of the context or act as a third party.  As a part of the context, it attempts to make no comment on the scene, being deadly honest to the content.  I say attempt however, because this is difficult.  If the music is too honest, then it becomes sarcastic, and if it isn’t honest enough, it becomes contemptuous in its apathy, mocking the emotions present in the characters to comedic ends.  Honesty itself can also be quite funny, as it tends to be in a dark comedy or some indie-style comedies (In Bruges and Greenberg come to mind).  Alternatively, if the music varies between these three lines, ducking in and out as it pleases, then it becomes a third party, making comments on the film as the narration progresses.

For Official Selection, the music plays this third party.  It consistently begins each new scene attempting to be emotionally honest, but the ridiculous behavior of the characters soon causes it to grow annoyed or impatient and it begins to swing at extremes.  For example, the film begins with a serious orchestral build rising to bombastic, classical horns and chords over the majestic phrase “UPON YOUR IMAGINARY FORCES,” but withers when the title is suddenly pulled.  For the second title, “Die Tomorrow 2: Resurrection Drift,” the music is prepared to sell the idea, beginning and ending concisely, before it can be pulled, but by the time the third title rolls around, it no longer cares and shows us with a half-hearted attempt at supporting what it believes is just a bad idea.  This cycle of providing honest tone before becoming sarcastic or apathetic cycles every scene, occasionally cutting out as if to say, “I’m not even going to respond to that behavior.”

The score, now a third party player, also goes one step further by aligning itself to the film’s cyclical nature.  Just as the film starts in an honest endeavor, deviates and then returns to seriousness, the music manages to find that honestly serious tone in the end.  I find this brings immense satisfaction to the end of the film; rather than ending in chaos or commentary, we end in honest conviction!

DS Wallace, Composer for Official Selection [http://www.ds-wallace.com/]