Selecting the Right Music for Your Short Film

So, you’ve finally finished shooting and editing your film. The performances are spot on, the acting is superb, and the visuals are stunning enough to land you a spot in Cannes. However, one thing is missing.

The music.

There’s nothing worse than watching what could have been an impactful film ruined by cheesy stock music picked at random without any concern for how well it complements everything happening on screen. 

So, that begs the question,

How do you select the right music for your film?

In this guide, we’re going to look at a few tips that’ll help you make your short film more Oscar-worthy by finding the right music. 

The Importance of Finding the Right Music

Like film, music has the power to alter the way we perceive things, emotionally and logically. When these two mediums work together and support one another, it’s truly magical. 

Imagine a high-stakes foot chase. You have driving electronic drums, each drop matching the pace of the main character’s footsteps as they hit the pavement. The tempo is slowly increasing, the synths and sound effects are getting louder, and near the end, a smattering of sharp, staccato string notes enter the chat, making the tension so palpable that anyone watching can’t help but scoot to the edge of their seat. 

This is why finding the right music is important. Without it, immersing your audience in this adrenaline-fueled pursuit would be next to impossible.

The same thing goes for a scene about a quiet moment of reflection, the heartwarming reunion of a father and son after many years apart, or a superhero gearing up to save the city in the final, epic battle. 

When we talk about the intrinsic link between music and film, it’s typically relative to ‘theme’ or ‘mood’.

Would the original Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde have been as impactful if it weren’t for its use of Bach’s Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor, or would The Matrix trilogy have been as iconic of a hit if it weren’t for the aggressive industrial style music that was growing in popularity nearing Y2K?

Probably not. 

But how did the directors or music supervisors who chose that music know that it would work, and how can you take inspiration from their process? 

Matching Music to Genre

Before you start searching for music for your film, make sure you have a good understanding of what kind of music is being used in your genre. After all, if you’ve chosen to be a filmmaker, it’s probably because you love watching films, right?

So, here’s your homework:

Watch some of the best films in your genre and listen carefully to the music they use. 

Did the movie license songs from other artists, or did someone create original music for the film? 

Is there an underscore, and if so, what kind of instrumentation and pacing does it use? Are there any prominent music motifs? How does the overall choice of music support the film?

Of course, the goal here isn’t to copy your favorite movies. Still, this research process can help you determine what works well with specific genres and what certain audiences and individuals (including yourself) latch onto. 

Creating the Right Mood

One of the most fundamental aspects of searching for music for your film is finding a song that reflects or matches the intended tone of what’s happening on-screen. A thrilling car chase with a folky acoustic guitar in the background doesn’t really work, and neither does a heartfelt moment between two lovers atop a bed of club beats. 

One excellent example of a director who beautifully paired a heartbreaking scene with the right music is the above scene from The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. The somber piano piece comes in subtly around 2:53, reflecting the emotional depth of the and the dark, introspective theme of betrayal. 

If you were a filmmaker who created this movie, you might ask:

What kinds of instrumentation might best represent a somber scene like this one? What is the pacing of the scene so that the instrumentation matches it? How does the scene evolve, and can I match that development with the music?

Consider the Use of Motifs

Most great movies have motifs in their soundtracks, which are essentially melodies or progressions that repeat themselves throughout the narrative in different iterations, reflecting what’s happening in the scene or the character entering the story.

Hans Zimmer is a king of motifs. In the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, he uses this energetic, adventurous, and slightly whimsical piece of music in times when Jack Sparrow is on-screen. It’s often shown in scenes where Sparrow is swashbuckling with other pirates or getting into clever shenanigans, reinforcing his persona as a fun and daring pirate. 

And, of course, who can forget the main theme of the movie?

Catch Viewer’s Off Guard

While this might go against what I said earlier about making sure music complements a scene, in some cases, it can be fun to toy with your audience’s expectations. Though it might make sense to add a large, dramatic orchestral piece to a climactic action scene, it might be precisely what your audience expects, and what’s the fun in that?

Consider the opening credits scene for Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). Redbone’s funky, upbeat hit “Come and Get Your Love” perfectly contrasts the dark and desolate alien environment. 

Right off the bat, the film establishes itself as playful and irreverent. 

Another great example is the “ultraviolent sequence” from A Clockwork Orange, in which Malcolm McDowell can be heard singing Gene Kelley’s “Singin’ In the Rain.” This is a starkly disturbing contrast to the violent, twisted actions of the movie’s protagonist. 

Examples of Effective Music Use In Film

It Follows (2014)

The score for It Follows perfectly captures the retro horror aesthetic, using a suspenseful, synth-heavy score. In the scene above, you get the unsettling combination of heavy sub-bass and dissonant synth strings, heightening the sense of dread as the main character moves frantically through the house.

Arrival (2016)

Not only is Arrival one of the best sci-fi films of the past decade, but it also has one of the most incredible soundtracks I’ve heard in film. Throughout the film, we get these large bursts of orchestral strings and horns mixed atop synthetic elements, creating a sense of awe and wonder as the main characters attempt to communicate with unknown lifeforms. 

Her (2013)

Composed by Owen Pallett and Arcade Fire, this warm and melancholic score reflects this film’s exploration of love and loneliness. Synthetic elements atop otherwise traditional acoustic instruments place the audience in the future, where the story takes place.

How to Find the Right Music for Your Short Films

If you’re reading this, chances are you probably can’t hire John Williams or Hans Zimmer for your film. Hiring a composer or producer, let alone a group of musicians or an orchestra, can be pretty expensive.

If you’re a short filmmaker on a tight budget, the best route is finding existing music that works for your film rather than trying to create your own. 

Of course, using pre-made music is a double-edged sword. Suppose you’re using copyrighted music from another artist. In that case, you’ll have to hunt down the copyright owner, request permission to use the song legally in your project and obtain a master/sync license. While this might be easy with an independent artist, getting permission from major-label artists can be both time-consuming and expensive. 

On the other hand, you could peruse a stock music library for songs or underscores that fit the vibe of your film, but finding high-quality tracks (that haven’t already been used) in a sea of amateur-sounding music can be a seemingly impossible feat. 

Luckily, there are platforms like ProTunes One, which offers a vast music library. With flexible subscription plans and an AI-powered search engine that helps pair your project with the perfect soundtrack, we help filmmakers and content creators finish their masterpieces without the stress of legal battles or hidden fees. 

Check out ProTunes One today and find the perfect music for your short film!