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Background music for an agility docu-soap
Imagine
you're a film producer working on a series of 'fun' sports for the small screen. First on your
list is Agility, that exciting dog sport which is growing in popularity around the world.
You've cast your main characters - a feisty handler, some adorable dogs, the Judge (da' heavy)
and a cast of hundreds in comfortable clothes and running shoes. Now it's time to organise the
background music. Your 'music spotting notes' might look something like this...
Working title: Agility
is Fun
Place:
A green and pleasant field somewhere in the UK
Date:
Present
Cast
- An
intrepid competitor - our hero/heroine!
- Assorted
dogs, mostly black and white
- Judge
- wearing dark glasses
- Other
competitors, wearing Dita shoes and brightly coloured fleeces
Screenwriters:
Agility Avid & Others |
How to read this script
Music spotting notes are the end results of a
conference between the film or video director and the composer and music arranger.
Here is some of the jargon to help you decipher
what's going on.
BCU = BIG close up
CU = Close up
CUE: Start music
ELS = Extreme long shot
FADE =
LS = L o n g Shot
MS = Mid shot
PAN = Move right to left or left to
right, pivot to encompass a broad view
TILT = Move up or down
TRACK = Follow with dolly or tripod on wheels
VLS = Very long shot
ZOOM = Move in or move out
|
Reel
one.
Scene
1 - Opening sequence |
Photo: Eric Trafford
|
CU:
Competitor loads the dog–wagon
with assorted dogs into cages etc.
ELS:
Then sets off, driving doggedly onto the motorway system.
FOLLOW van into the night.
Cue: I Drove All Night
[Roy Orbison] |
|
Scene
2 - Arrival |
PAN
event venue.
ZOOM IN on van entering grounds.
Competitor arrives at show site and parks up.
MS: Competitors exits van, opens doors and immediately releases assorted
dogs.
ZOOM OUT.
VLS: Blur of fur. |
Scene
3 - Footloose and fancy free |
Photo: Eric Trafford
|
CUTAWAY
to green and leafy exercise area.
Background music
lots of barking
PAN: Relieved dogs race into view.
Cue: Walkin' The Dog [Rufus Thomas].
PAN
TO DOGS WHO GO WILD
Cue:
Release Me [Esther
Phillips]. Let off their leads, they charge about madly - as dogs do -
Cue: Young
Hearts Run Free [Candy Statton]
Music fades. |
Photo: Eric Trafford
|
Scene
4 - The Paws that Refreshes |
CUTAWAY
TO BACK OF VAN. MS: Erstwhile handler reaches for flask.
ZOOM
TO CUPPA TEA. Sighs
and drinks contentedly to the strains of
Cue: Everything
Stops For Tea [Jack Buchanan]
DISSOLVE. |
Scene
5 - Round the Ringside |
|
PAN
SITE.
MS.
Handler heads for the rings to walk the course.
Cue: Que
Sera Sera [Doris Day]
Music
fades.
MS: Competitor stops to chat to other bleary-eyed
competitors.
CU: Handlers huddle in earnest conversation.
Cue:
I Heard It Through the Grapevine [Gladys Knight or Marvin Gaye]
JUMP CUT. |
|
Scene
6 - The Run |
PAN
ABC ring.
ZOOM IN to sign post. Pause.
Cue: ABC
[Jackson 5] which is this classification at this ring.
MS: Eager
handler is first to go. Looks cool.
LS:
Enter 'da Judge who
strolls along to the music
Cue: Here
Comes the Judge [Shorty Long]
Music
changes almost immediately. Drum roll. Tension
mounts.
Cue: Get
Ready [Temptations]
LS:
Scribe and timekeeper take their positions.
CU: Timekeeper breaks into song.
Cue: In
Your Own Time [My time! – Family]. |
MS:
Competitor takes the start line. Decides to do a recall.
Walks away.
CUE: Stay
[Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs]
CU:
Dog breaks into song.
ZOOM in on big brown eyes.
Cue: Don’t Leave Me This Way [That gorgeous little Jimmy Sommerville of the
Communards/Thelma Houston]
PAN
to handler
who suddenly halts and
cries
Cue: Stop [In the name
of love – Supremes]
MS: Competitor calls
Cue: Old Shep
[Elvis]
CU: Signals to
dog.
Cue:
Go Now [Bessie Banks] |
Photo: Eric Trafford
|
|
TRACK
handler around the course. Fade to a medley of verbal.
Cue: Move,
Over [darling – Phyllis Nelson]
Cue: It’s Over [Roy Orbison]
Cue: The Only Way is Up [Yazz]
Cue: Get Up Offa That Thing [James Brown]
Cue: Walk On [By – Dionne Warwick]
Cue: Over The Sea-saw [Jess Rae]
Cue: Let’s Jump [the broomstick – Brenda Lee]
Cue: Moving on Up [M People]
Cue: Both Sides Now [Glen Campbell]
Cue: Under the Dogwalk... opps Boardwalk
[Drifters]
Cue: Go Go Go [Chuck Berry]
Cue: Weave [your spell – Level 42]
Cue:
Run, Baby Run [Newbeats] |
CUT
to center of ring..
CU: Judge shakes head and makes
cut-throat motion.
Cue:
Once,
Twice, Three Times... an elimination! [Lionel Ritchie]
PAN
to finish line.
SLOW MOTION. MS:
Breathless handler and dog
cross the finish line. Dog jumps up a la Alan Bray/Ian Fraser style!
Cue: Back
in My Arms Again [Supremes]
EXIT handler and dog dejectedly. |
|
Photo: Eric Trafford
|
OVERHEARD
ON SIDELINES.
CU: ZOOM TO HANDLER AND DOG.
Handler pats dog and says 'Good dog'
Cue: Wait Till I Get You
Home [Dolly Parton]
PANS to dog who wags tail and replies
Cue: I
Apologise [Timi Yuro]
DISSOLVE
to handler and dog
Cue:
Everyone’s a Winner [Hot Chocolate]
FADE |
Scene
7 - The Presentations |
|
Background
soundtrack: Whooping,
cheering, whistling and clapping
BCU: Gallant competitor stares dejectedly at the winner
Cue: It
Should Have Been Me [Yvonne Farr]
FREEZE
FRAME
What’s this?
Fellow competitor whispers something softly in our handler’s ear.
CU: Big
grin
Cue: Voulez-Vous
Coucher Avec Moi Ce Soir [Labelle] Play gently in background (that is if Patti
could ever sing that song gently!) |
Photo: Eric Trafford
|
Scene
8 - The End |
EXIT
HANDLER.
MS: Handler climbs wearily back
into van.
ZOOM OUT.
LS: Vehicle drives out of the showground with fellow
competitors waving farewell.
Cue: Time to Say
Goodbye [Andre Boccelli/Sara Brightman] .
FADE: Melancholic strains rise to a full crescendo |
Credits |
Credit: Eric Trfford
|
BACKLIGHT
PAN slowly from rosettes
lined up on the dashboard to tired but contented competitor
CUTAWAY to dogs in their cages, curled up, sleeping
and satisfied.
Van drives into the sunset. |
Alternative
ending |
PAN
slowly from plastic nodding dog on
dashboard to exhausted competitor
CUTAWAY to dogs barking at all and sundry,
leaping about and trying to bite each other etc etc??!!
Van breaks down leaving competitors on the soft shoulder. |
Screenwriter
An Agility Avid
Thanks to John Bell, music arranger
extraordinaire for his advice. He says that to produce a film with some many different sound
tracks would cost the moon.
Photos: Ellen Rocco & Eric Trafford
Thanks to Eric Trafford for his photos. You can see more on
http://community.webshots.com/user/jackrussells100
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