Underscoring!! 77Musical patterns help to create different emotions.One of the advan-
tages of using some of these patterns is that, if used properly, the patterns
become ‘‘catchy’’ (memorable), which increases audience identity. There
is a short time to establish an identity that these ‘‘tools’’ (e.g., catchy bass
patterns, repeated guitar, and piano riffs) are worth investigating.
A nontraditional approach to the music can be interesting.This is
usually referred to as ‘‘going against the picture’’—writing music that is
unexpected.
R
Author’s Note: I worked on a commercial for Master
Lock that was filmed for the Super Bowl. The picture
shows a burglar trying to break a lock without success.
The traditional approach would have been to write
something dark, electronic, or cinematic; actually,
many styles would have complemented the picture.
Instead, the agency wanted a calm piece of classical
music. The final choice was to use a mellow, vocal sere-
nade sung in German and composed by Mozart; it was
atotallyunexpectedmarriageoffilmandmusic.The
commercial was hailed as one of the outstanding com-
mercials on the Super Bowl and received acclaim
within the advertising community; one of the main rea-
sons for the success of the commercial was that the
music plays ‘‘against the picture.’’
It was a difficult assignment from several viewpoints.
The first concern was to not destroy a great piece of
music by having to fit it into a 30-second commercial
format. The solution was to find a harmonically accept-
able edit point that would make the composition sound
as if it had not been edited. After much experimenta-
tion with the orchestration, a smooth transition was
accomplished.
The second concern was to hire an orchestra that
would play Mozart in an authentic style. A third con-
cern was to hire an opera singer who was familiar with
singing in the style of Mozart. All items were accom-
plished. This is an example of how to approach period
music.R
The musical approach is usually suggested by the agency and is an
intrinsic part of the original concept of a commercial. Never ‘‘go against
the picture’’ without approval from the agency. If warranted, make a spe-
cific suggestion to the creatives; it might spur some creative thinking.