The film must find its own voice
A score begins before the first note. It begins with narrative time, the character of the people on screen, the relationship between movement and silence. Louis Siciliano calls this search for a film’s unmistakable musical identity its tinta sonora. Acoustic and electronic instruments become expressive choices shaped by the story, not a formula imposed upon it.
The result may require orchestral or chamber writing, jazz, acoustic traditions or electronic synthesis. The filmography distinguishes the nature of each credit, from original composition to other music-department roles.