! Avatar&Music&Analysis& by&Xueran&Chen& MMus&in&“Scoring&for&Film,&Television& and&Video&games”&candidate& 2014 Introduction* ! !!!!The!groundbreaking!technical!and!directorial!abilities!of!Director!James! Cameron!can!be!experienced!in!his!breathtaking!visual!world!of!Pandora!in! "Avatar".!This!never!before!seen!world!is!filled!with!landscapes,!creatures,!and! civilizations!that!have!also!never!been!heard!before!by!audiences.! !!!!Bringing!to!life!the!sounds!of!Pandora!is!not!as!easy!as!a!normal!film.!There!is!a! huge!music!team!working!day!and!night!for!past!year,!little!by!little!building!the! sound!of!Na'vi!and!their!amazing!world.!! !!!!Avatar!is!my!favorite!film!ever.!Now!I!have!time!to!sit!down,!watch!it!hundred! times!and!analysis!how!James!Horner!built!this!amazing!music!project!from! scratch.!! !!!!The!first!thing!I!do!is!analysis!cue!by!cue,!what's!instrumentation!he!used!and! how!the!music!functions!in!film.!Then!from!my!note!and!transcription,!I!trying!to! learn!the!way!he!orchestrate!the!piano!version!of!the!cue!to!a!full!orchestra! music,!even!adds!more!nonJorchestra!instruments.!I!trying!to!figure!out!how!he! use!themes!in!this!film!and!how!he!develop!them!to!different!cues!and!function! differently.!Then!I!search!on!Internet!about!the!team's!working!flow,!trying!to! figure!out!their!workflow!and!how!they!cooperate.!Also,!the!amazing!and! complex!production!is!always!worth!to!learn.! !!!!Then!I!focus!on!the!relationships!between!cues!and!try!to!understand!how!the! 1! ! music!editor!editing!the!soundtracks.!How!he!use!"Repetition”,!“Using!existing! music!material!to!create!new!music"!and!other!editing!techniques.!! !!!!All!these!analysis!and!researching!makes!me!have!a!basic!idea!about!how!they! bringing!to!life!the!sounds!of!Pandora.! ! ! 2! ! Table*Of*Contents* Introduction* Part*I:*Movie*Background* • Project!information! • Composer’s!information! • Synopsis! Part*II:*Music*Analysis* • Overlook!of!the!music! • Three!main!functions!in!this!film! • Specific!Analysis:! i) –Orchestration. ii) –Themes. iii) 1Development. iv) –Production. • Music!Editing! i) 1Repetitions. ii) –Using.existing.music.material.to.create.new.music. iii) 1Source.music. References* Full*Film*Music*Analysis*Chart 3! ! Part*I:*Movie*Background* • Project.information. Avatar!is!an!epic!science!fiction!action!film!directed!by!James!Cameron.! Composer!James!Horner!scored!the!film;!this!is!his!third!collaboration!with! Cameron!after!Aliens!and!Titanic.!Horner!recorded!parts!of!the!score!with!a! small!chorus!singing!in!the!alien!language!Na'vi!in!March!2008.!He!also!worked! with!Wanda!Bryant,!an!ethnomusicologist,!to!create!a!music!culture!for!the!alien! race.1! ! “Development!of!Avatar!began!in!1994,!when!Cameron!wrote!an!80Jpage! treatment!for!the!film.!Filming!was!supposed!to!take!place!after!the!completion! of!Cameron's!1997!film!Titanic,!for!a!planned!release!in!1999,!but!according!to! Cameron,!the!necessary!technology!was!not!yet!available!to!achieve!his!vision!of! the!film.!Work!on!the!language!of!the!film's!extraterrestrial!beings!began!in! summer!2005,!and!Cameron!began!developing!the!screenplay!and!fictional! universe!in!early!2006.!Avatar!was!officially!budgeted!at!$237!million.!Other! estimates!put!the!cost!between!$280!million!and!$310!million!for!production!and! at!$150!million!for!promotion.!The!film!made!extensive!use!of!cutting!edge! motion!capture!filming!techniques,!and!was!released!for!traditional!viewing,!3D! viewing!(using!the!RealD!3D,!Dolby!3D,!XpanD!3D,!and!IMAX!3D!formats),!and! for!"4D"!experiences!in!select!South!Korean!theaters.!The!stereoscopic! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1!Wikipedia,!The!Free!Encyclopedia,!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Horner! 4! ! filmmaking!was!touted!as!a!breakthrough!in!cinematic!technology.! the!film!broke!several!box!office!records!and!became!the!highestJgrossing!film!of! all!time,!as!well!as!in!the!United!States!and!Canada,!surpassing!Titanic,!which!had! held!those!records!for!twelve!years!(and!was!also!directed!by!Cameron.!It!also! became!the!first!film!to!gross!more!than!$2!billion.”2! ! • Composer’s.Bio. !!!!“James!Roy!Horner!(born!August!14,!1953)!is!an!American!composer,! conductor,!and!orchestrator!of!film!music.!He!has!been!well!known!by!his! beautiful!melody!line!and!integration!of!choral!and!electronic!elements!in!his! music!He!also!using!Celtic!musical!elements!in!his!film!score!frequently.!He!has! the!best!selling!orchestral!film!soundtrack!of!all!timeJ!score!for!the!1997!film! Titanic.! !!!!Horner!was!born!in!Los!Angeles,!the!son!of!Austrian!Jewish!immigrants!Joan! (née!Frankel)!and!Harry!Horner,!who!was!a!production!designer,!set!designer! and!occasional!film!director.! !!!!Horner!started!playing!piano!at!the!age!of!five.!His!early!years!were!spent!in! London,!where!he!attended!the!Royal!College!of!Music.!He!subsequently! attended!Verde!Valley!High!School!in!Sedona,!Arizona.!He!received!his!bachelor's! degree!in!music!from!the!University!of!Southern!California.!After!he!earned!a! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2!Wikipedia,!The!Free!Encyclopedia,!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar_(2009_film)! 5! ! master's!degree!he!started!working!on!his!doctorate!at!the!University!of! California,!Los!Angeles,!where!he!studied!with!Paul!Chihara,!among!others.!After! several!scoring!assignments!with!the!American!Film!Institute!in!the!1970s,!he! finished!teaching!a!course!in!music!theory!at!UCLA!and!turned!to!film!scoring.! !!!!Horner!has!scored!over!100!films,!frequently!collaborating!with!directors!such! as!James!Cameron,!Mel!Gibson!and!Ron!Howard.!! !!!!Horner!has!won!two!Academy!Awards,!two!Golden!Globe!Awards,!three! Satellite!Awards,!three!Saturn!Awards,!and!has!been!nominated!for!three!British! Academy!Film!Awards.!His!body!of!work!is!also!notable!for!including!the!scores! to!the!two!highestJgrossing!films!of!all!time:!Titanic!(1997)!and!Avatar!(2009).”3! ! • Synopsis. !!!!!Avatar,!a!story!happened!in!2154,!tells!about!human!start!“Avatar”!plans!to!get! the!recourse!from!planet!“Pandora”.! !!!!!In!the!future,!advanced!technics!make!outside!space!not!mysterious!for! human!anymore.!PandoraJJ!a!planet!has!trees!taller!than!900!feet,!mountains! flouting!in!the!air,!millions!kinds!of!plants!and!animals.!However,!what!makes! human!extremely!exciting!is!not!because!of!the!possibility!of!life!could!happen!on! the!planet,!but!the!precious!ores!which!worth!2!millions!per!kilogram.! !!!!!In!order!to!get!those!resources!from!Pandora,!“Avatar”!plans!starts.!To! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3!Wikipedia,!The!Free!Encyclopedia,!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Horner! 6! ! facilitate!their!work,!the!humans!use!a!link!system!that!projects!a!person's! consciousness!into!a!hybrid!of!humans!and!Pandora's!indigenous!humanoids,!the! Na'vi.!This!humanJNa'vi!hybrid!–!a!fully!living,!breathing!body!that!resembles!the! Na'vi!but!possesses!the!individual!human's!thoughts,!feelings!and!personality!–!is! known!as!an!"avatar."!! !!!!!Jake!Sully,!the!hero!in!this!story,!offered!the!chance!to!control!an!Avatar!body! made!by!his!brother’s!DNA.!In!his!new!avatar!form,!this!former!Marine!who! confined!to!a!wheelchair!could!once!again!stand!up.!He!is!given!a!mission!to! infiltrate!the!Na'vi,!who!have!become!a!major!obstacle!to!mining!the!precious! ore,!and!then!tell!them!to!leave!after!get!trust!by!those!people.!! !!!!In!the!laboratory,!Jake!opens!his!eyes!and!saw!his!blue!toes.!He!starts!to!do! research!with!Grace's!team!in!the!deep!jungle.!Once!they!are!in!the!jungle,!Jake! meets!some!trouble!and!separated!from!his!team.!Navi's!princess!Neytiri!saved! him!and!brought!him!to!her!tribe.!It!brings!a!whole!new!level!to!Jake!to! understand!those!people!and!the!planet.!He!starts!to!learn!the!ways!of!living! from!Navi's!people!and!becoming!one!of!them.! !!!!!While!Jake!begins!to!bond!with!the!native!tribe,!he!quickly!falls!in!love!with! the!people,!the!forest,!and!Neytiri.!Unfortunately,!Jake!has!to!take!a!stand!since! the!restless!Colonel!moves!forward!and!plans!to!destroy!the!beautiful!world!on! this!planet.!After!Grace's!death,!Jake!decides!to!call!all!the!clans!on!Pandora!to! come!together!and!starts!a!epic!war!for!save!this!planet.! Part*II:*Music*Analysis* 7! ! * • Overlook.of.the.music. . !!!!Personal!speaking,!I!think!the!music!working!very!efficient!in!this!film.! Functionally,!they!mainly!work!in!three!functions:!Create!atmosphere,!give! emotion!to!scene,!and!underline!score.!Of!course!the!music!also!works!as!many! other!functions,!such!as!connecting!scenes,!revealing!character's!unspoken! thought!in!some!part!of!the!film.!For!example,!The!beginning!music!give!audience! a!feeling!about!the!big!forest!picture!and!give!audience!a!sense!about!what!kind! of!place!and!environment!the!story!happened!in.!Function!as!giving!location,! period!and!concept!of!the!story.!But!those!three!main!functions!appear!the!most.! Musically,!the!soundtracks!are!very!beautiful.!James!Honor!applies!electronic! music!elements!to!orchestra!music!perfectly!in!this!film.!Some!soundtrack!such! as!"Jake's!first!flight",!has!really!beautiful!melody!line!and!amazing!arrangement,! many!people!also!enjoy!listening!the!soundtracks!alone.!Technically,!"Avatar"!is!a! huge!project;!the!music!is!a!very!big!project,!too.!In!a!video!on!Internet,!James! Horner!and!his!team!members!talked!about!their!workflow,!how!they! cooperated!and!glued!their!things!together.!Compare!to!normal!film!music! project,!this!one!is!definitely!more!complex.!! ! ! 8! ! ! • ....Three.main.functions.in.this.film. ! Create!atmosphere! !!!!This!is!a!very!important!function!of!music!for!this!film.!Using!music!create! acoustic!feeling!about!the!whole!new!environment!in!this!film!is!challenging,!but! James!did!a!great!job!of!this!point.!!! !!!!The!first!example!would!be!at!beginning!!(00:00:54J00:03:58)!when!it!cuts!to! the!space.!The!music!creates!a!boundless!and!vacuum!atmosphere!to!the!picture,! extends!the!environment!out!of!the!picture.! !!!!The!most!important!example!of!this!function!would!be!soundtrack!"Pure! spirits!of!the!forest".!(00:37:07J00:39:35)!There!is!no!hit!point!or!emotion!in!the! music,!the!music!really!well!functions!as!"creates!an!atmosphere".!This!cue!is! very!subtle!and!beautiful,!it!perfectly!blind!in!to!the!amazing!pretty!world!of!the! night!in!jungle,!makes!the!environment!even!more!fantastic!than!picture.!When! Jake!starts!to!notice!the!environment,!music!come!in!with!picture,!becomes!one! part!of!the!environment.!! !!!!The!third!example!would!be!the!cue!every!time!they!talking!in!the!meeting! room.!The!music!is!just!a!soft!low!synth!pad!and!some!small!electronic!sounds,! but!it!adds!a!clean,!cold,!highJ!technique!feeling!to!the!environment!very!well.! This!cue!appears!almost!every!time!they!talking!in!the!meeting!room!of!the! human!base.!It!creates!such!difference!between!beautiful!nature!environment! 9! ! and!cold,!iron!human!base.! . Give!emotion!to!scene!(commenting)! !!!!This!function!appears!very!often!in!films!generally.!So,!it!works!a!lot!in! this!film,!too.!The!basic!idea!of!this!function!is!using!music!rendering!a! mood!to!the!scene,!give!emotional!information!to!audience!about!what's! the!story!going!on.!For!instant,!in!this!film,!the!most!obvious!cue!of!this! function!is!"The!distraction!of!Hometree".!(01:44:33J!01:48:16)!when! Hometree!down,!Na'vi!people's!crying!and!shouting,!the!music!creates!a! tragedy!mood!to!the!scene.!Then,!when!it!cuts!to!Na'vi!people!immigrating,! the!music!gives!a!sad!and!hopeless!feeling!to!the!picture.!! !!!!The!next!important!example!would!be!"Become!one!of!the!people".!The! music!is!so!touching!and!moving,!just!makes!you!to!cry!when!Jake!going! through!the!ceremony!that!he!finally!won!his!position!among!the!people,! becoming!one!of!Na’vi!(01:19:35J01:24:36).!The!music!emphasizing!the! emotion!in!the!picture,!and!rendering!a!very!touching!mood!to!bring! audiences!tear,!and!it!works!really!efficient.!! !!!!Then,!the!moment!when!Jake!gives!his!speech!to!Na'vi!people,!music! raise!audience's!emotion!again!and!again,!cheering!everyone.!This!cue! "Gathering!all!the!Na'vi!clans!for!battle"!is!one!of!my!favorites,!because!this! cue!works!so!well.!Every!time!I!watching!this!part!of!the!film!I!feel!so! 10! ! moving!and!cheering,!then!I!find!that!it's!the!music!makes!me!feel!that! way.! ! Underline!score! !!!!Underline!score,!another!very!common!and!important!function!in!film! music.!Underline!score!contain!a!big!range!of!functions,!most!important! two!are!"underline!action"!and!"underline!audience!reaction".! !!!!A!very!good!example!of!underline!action!in!this!film!would!be!the!cue! "Chasing"!(00:27:08J00:31:05).!Jake!leaves!his!team!and!start!play!with! the!big!rolling!flower.!Suddenly!all!flowers!closed!and!a!big!animal!appear.! The!big!animal!run!back!to!its!grope,!but!the!real!danger!appears,!the!giant! tiger.!Then!the!tiger!start!chasing!him.!The!first!part!of!the!score!functions! as!enhance!audience!reaction!by!underlining!the!situation.!The!second! part!is!a!very!tension!and!fast!cue!(the!chasing!part).!Function!as!an! underline!action!score.!With!many!hit!point.!Create!a!tension!feeling!and! underline!the!chasing!action.! !!!!Another!example!would!be!cue!"Neytiri!fighting!with!Quaritch",!Music! start!with!Neytiri!riding!fast,!fast!percussion!underline!her!fast!riding! speed.!Quaritch!is!going!to!destroy!Jake’s!lab.!At!that!moment,!Neytiri! appears!and!stopped!him.!During!the!fight,!her!tiger!killed!by!Quaritch.! Music!underlined!the!fighting!with!many!hit!point!and!a!very!tension! 11! ! feeling.! !!!Then,!underline!audience!reaction!is!a!little!bit!different.!I!will!say!cue! "Viper!wolves!attack"!(00:32:08J00:36:21)!is!a!good!example.!Music!starts! when!the!viper!watching!Jake.!Then!the!viper!is!going!to!kill!Jake.! Suddenly,!a!seed!of!soul!tree!floats!in!sight!and!stops!on!her!arrow.!!At! first,!percussions!give!a!feeling!of!dangerous!to!audience.!And!then!the! strings!crescendo!is!create!a!tension!emotion!for!the!viper!attacking.!When! the!soul!seed!appear,!music!change!and!tell!audience!that!situation!is! changing,!she!will!not!attack!him.!Music!dragging!audience!reaction!all!the! time!and!enhance!their!feeling.! 12! ! • Specific!Analysis:! . Orchestration* !!!!“Once!the!music!has!been!written,!it!must!then!be!arranged!or! orchestrated!in!order!for!the!ensemble!to!be!able!to!perform!it.!The!nature! and!level!of!orchestration!varies!from!project!to!project!and!composer!to! composer,!but!in!its!basic!form!the!orchestrator's!job!is!to!take!the!music! written!by!the!composer!and!"flesh!it!out"!into!instrumentJspecific!sheet! music!for!each!member!of!the!orchestra!to!perform.”4! !!!!James!Honor!is!a!piano!player.!Usually,!he!find!motive!and!write!music! on!piano,!then!orchestrates!it!to!a!full!orchestra;!sometimes!he!also! directly!write!orchestra!on!paper.!In!this!project,!he!is!the!main! orchestrator;!team!with!Nicholas!Dodd,!Jon!Kull,!J.A.C.!Redford!and!Gary!K.! Thomas!doing!the!orchestration!together.!! !!!!He!has!already!improvised!and!composed!few!scenes!by!piano!before! any!thing!been!written.!!While!he!composing,!he!think!about!he!will!adds! more!nonJorchestra!instruments!play!nonJorchestrally!later.!After!finished! the!orchestra!part,!they!dubbed!some!synth!and!sample!drum!on!the! orchestra!music.!!! !!!!For!example,!James!wrote!this!piano!piece!first!(p!2J1).!Then!he! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4!Samuel!Adler!(1982,!1989,!2002):!The!Study!of!Orchestration.! 13! ! orchestrates!it!to!the!orchestra!version!(p!2J2)!and!records!it.!! ! ! ! p2J1!!!!!Jake’s!first!flight!(part)!–!piano!version! ! !!!!Through!my!analysis,!I!found!that!he!use!piano!to!get!all!the!important! parts!of!the!music!such!as!melody,!harmony,!tempo,!rhythm!and!main! background!movement.! 14! ! !!!!In!this!example,!part!of!one!of!the!most!beautiful!sound!track!“Jake’s!first! flight”,!we!could!see!he!written!down!all!harp’s!movement,!which!is!the! main!background!movement.!Then,!in!the!piano!version,!we!cloud!also!find! the!melody!and!harmony,!which!played!by!strings!later!in!orchestra! version.!! !!!!Then!things!that!haven’t!written!in!the!piano!version!are!male!voice,! piccolo!and!percussion.!The!voice!and!piccolo!are!just!effects,!outside!the! main!body!of!the!music.!The!percussion!is!one!important!part!of!the!music.! As!a!composer,!we!all!know!that!if!we!already!have!the!tempo,!time! signature!and!rhythm,!we!could!dub!some!percussion!or!drum!on!the!track! easily.!So!I!think,!he!already!has!how!the!percussion!plays!in!mind.!After! orchestration,!he!records!the!percussion!and!dubs!it!on!the!orchestra.! ! 15! ! "#$ % & ' ( "  )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ! !                       p2J1!!!!!Jake’s!first!flight!(part)!–!piano!version! !    16!! Themes!* “In!music,!a!theme!is!the!material,!usually!a!recognizable!melody,!upon! which!part!or!all!of!a!composition!is!based.”5! James!Horner!used!several!themes!for!this!movie,!they!appear!in!different! kinds!of!scenes,!work!as!different!functions.!Those!are!three!themes!that! he!used!a!lot!in!this!film.!There!are!other!themes!like!“become!one!of!the! people”!theme,!“Jake’s!first!flight”!theme!and!so!on,!but!they!are!not!been! used!so!often!than!these!three.!                                   !                     !                     !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5!Drabkin,!William!(2001).!"Theme".!The!New!Grove!Dictionary!of!Music!and!Musicians,!second!edition,! edited!by!Stanley!Sadie!and!John!Tyrrell.!London:!Macmillan!Publishers.! 17! ! !Development! !!!!“In!classical!music,!musical!development!is!a!process!by!which!a!musical! idea!is!communicated!in!the!course!of!a!composition.!It!refers!to!the! transformation!and!restatement!of!initial!material,!and!is!often!contrasted! with!musical!variation,!which!is!a!slightly!different!means!to!the!same!end.! Development!is!carried!out!upon!portions!of!material!treated!in!many! different!presentations!and!combinations!at!a!time,!while!variation! depends!upon!one!type!of!presentation!at!a!time.!In!this!process,!certain! central!ideas!are!repeated!in!different!contexts!or!in!altered!form!so!that! the!mind!of!the!listener!consciously!or!unconsciously!compares!the! various!incarnations!of!these!ideas.”6! !!!!James!Horner!developing!themes!in!different!ways;!rendering!different! color!to!the!melodies!to!achieve!different!functions!of!the!music.!There!are! tons!of!different!developments!James!did.!I!will!choose!few!examples!from! them!and!explain!how!I!understand!his!developments.! ! Main.Theme.Development. !!!!The!“main!theme”!has!been!used!everywhere!in!the!film,!a!big! percentage!of!music!are!using!the!main!theme.!Here!are!two!example!of! the!development!of!main!theme.! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 6!Benward!&!Saker!(2009),!Music!in!Theory!and!Practice:!Volume!II,!p.138J39.!Eighth!Edition.!ISBN!978J0J 07J310188J0.! 18! ! !!!!!The!first!main!theme!development!is!when!after!Neytiri!teaching!Jake! about!what!is!an!Ikran!and!start!flying!with!it.!When!Neytiri!start!to!fly,!the! music!change!big!and!glorious!which!function!as!creates!a!mood!that! indicates!audience!“this!is!really!awesome!”!The!music!using!the!main! theme,!but!develop!to!be!very!freedom,!has!the!feeling!of!flying.!! !                                                                                                                            ! ! !!!!The!second!example!would!be!soundtrack!“become!one!of!the!people”.! The!music!starts!with!the!song’s!theme.!When!Nytiri!and!Jake!swim!in!a! river!during!a!beautiful!night,!music!turns!to!main!theme!but!develops!into! a!very!subtle!and!romantic!way.! ! 19! !                                                                                                                                                                                                ! ! Victor.Theme.Development. !!!!The!first!example!of!developments!of!“Victor!Theme”!would!be!part!of! cue!“Attack!!Warriors!”!When!Jake!diving!to!attack!the!enemy,!brasses!play! the!victor!theme!out.!This!development!gives!the!melody!a!lot!of!energy! and!power.! !                                ! 20! ! !!!!This!theme!melody!could!also!adds!magnificent!feeling!to!scene!by!the! following!development.!Jake!following!Neytiri!to!sees!her!Ikran,!this!theme! punching!in!when!it!cuts!to!the!image!of!the!huge!Hometree.!! !                                                          . . . Production. !!!!James!Horner!said!that!Avatar!has!been!one!of!the!most!challenging! projects!he!has!ever!been!involved!with,!and!he!has!never!worked!so! closely!with!a!group!of!musicians!as!he!did!on!this!film.!They!spent!past! year!doing!the!mockup,!editing!the!music!as!he!writing!and!orchestrating! the!music!each!day.!As!the!music!develop!with!the!film!together,!it!allowed! them!give!Cameron!a!facsimile!of!what!his!music!sounded!like!against!his! film.! !!!!Avatar!music!team!is!definitely!a!huge!music!team.!Their!works!can!be! defined!into!six!subjects:!composing,!orchestrating,!recording,!mixing,! editing!and!sound!design!(music).!There!are!tons!of!great!musicians! involved!in!this!project.!James!said!he!could!never!have!accomplished! 21! ! creating!and!producing!almost!3!hours!music!without!their!unique!and! astonishing!talents.! !!!!There!are!three!main!persons!in!this!project:!James!Horner! (composer/orchestrator/conductor)!Simon!Rhodes!(music!mixer!/!music! recordist)!and!Simon!Franglen!(electronic!music!arranger)! !!!!To!compose!for!this!huge!project,!traditional!method!of!composing! seems!unreliable.!James!Horner!took!on!a!more!experimental!approach! with!this!project!than!he!normally!would.!“I!didn’t!rely!on!a!written!score! for!large!parts!of!the!film,”!he!says.!“Instead,!I!improvised!much!of!the! score!against!the!picture.!There!was!no!orchestra!involved!until!the!end!—! just!me!playing!the!parts!into!the!film,!using!an!electronic!instrument!or!a! piano.!I!find!myself!trying!to!move!slowly!away!from!writing!conventional! orchestral!music,!incorporating!other!instruments!into!my!scores!that! don’t!necessarily!play!orchestral!music.”!He!uses!Sibelius!to!notate!what! he!has!written!and!gets!it!to!the!copyists.!Which!makes!the!work!clearer.! After!finished!a!cue,!he!will!send!score!and!sequence!to!Franglen.! !!!After!they!generate!a!tempo!map!from!Horner’s!cues,!Simon!Franglen! mocks!up!the!nonJsynthetic!elements!(which!will!be!later!replaced!by!the! orchestra),!and!then!uses!a!range!of!plugJins!to!lay!down!the!score’s! electronic!and!rhythmic!elements!to!achieve!the!otherworldly!textures!of! Horner’s!vision.!Franglen!also!using!BFD2!and!other!virtual!instruments! 22! ! working!in!this!project!instead!of!2!tons!of!equipment's,!which!he!normally! would.!After!his!arrange,!he!leave!the!session!to!Rhodes.! !!!!Scoring!mixer!Simon!Rhodes!using!protools!blending!the!score’s! synthetic!and!orchestral!elements.!“Because!of!the!way!James!is!working,! much!of!what!he’s!creating!is!being!recorded,!but!not!written!down,”!says! Rhodes.!So,!we!know!that!some!parts!of!the!music!may!improvise!by! musicians!instead!of!written!down!note!by!note.!Because!there!are!too! many!tracks!(more!than!450!tracks!in!a!9!minutes!cue),!they!use!three!Pro! Tools!machines!locked!by!Satellite!Link!and!synced!to!picture!through! Video!Satellite!LE.!So!they!won’t!worry!about!the!huge!amount!of!track! numbers!and!size.!Then,!to!make!this!mixing!possible!and!easier,!Rhodes! mixes!the!project!in!5.1!surrounds!on!a!big!console!instead!of!directly! mixing!in!protools.!! !!!!This!is!the!basic!idea!of!how!this!big!team!rolling.!Of!course,!the!real! situation!should!be!much!more!complex.!! ! ! 23! ! • Music!Editing! ! !!!!In!film!music,!the!concept!of!music!editing!is!slightly!different!from!any! other!music!production!process.!! !!!!The!role!of!the!Music!Editor!in!film!has!certainly!changed!over!the!time.! Computer!technology!and!software!development!has!blown!the!doors! open!for!what!is!possible!when!it!comes!to!editing!music.!50!years!ago! they!didn’t!have!access!to!the!movie!on!video!or!hard!drives!so!after!the! music!spotting!session!the!music!editor!would!do!a!scene!by!scene! breakdown!or!“timing!notes”!In!today’s!world!they!have!the!film!at!their! fingertips!through!digital!media!and!can!lock!in!sync!to!a!vast!array!of! synthesized!sounds,!making!the!timing!notes!superfluous!for!the! composer,!although!the!music!editor!might!still!keep!rough!notes!to!keep! track!of!subsequent!changes!in!the!film!as!the!postJproduction!process! continues.! The!music!editor!will!monitor!the!completion!of!the!score!and!attend!all! recording!sessions.!When!editing!changes!take!place!that!affect!scoring,!it’s! his!task!to!keep!the!composer!informed!and!make!the!appropriate! revisions!to!the!cue!breakdown.!The!music!editor!may!run!the!cueing! system,!which!the!conductor!uses!to!maintain!visual!and!audio!sync!while! recording.!Once!the!music!is!recorded!the!music!editor!will!synchronize! 24! ! the!tracks!with!the!picture!and!may!be!responsible!for!editing!cues!to! accommodate!changes!made!in!the!film!after!scoring.!After!the!final!mix!or! dubbing!process!is!complete,!he!or!she!will!be!responsible!for!delivering! cue!sheets!used!for!calculating!royalties.! !!!!Jim!Henrikson!is!the!main!music!in!this!film.!He!has!since!built!a!long! and!distinguished!career.!From!Willow!in!1988,!he!has!faithfully!worked! with!James!Horner.!! !!!!In!Avatar!project,!instead!of!let!the!composer!writes!3!hours!new!music,! music!editing!will!not!only!reducing!composer’s!work!but!also!makes!the! music!more!efficient!and!creates!some!connection!between!scenes!that! have!relationships.!The!most!obvious!editing!job!we!can!see!are! “repetition”!and!“using!existed!material!to!create!new!music”.!! ! Repetitions* !!!!One!of!the!most!effective!ways!of!editing!is!“repetition”,!which!means! reusing!an!existed!cue!in!another!place!in!the!film.!This!method!would! reduce!composer’s!work!by!reducing!the!length!of!the!music!he!or!she! should!write.!The!repeating!music!would!also!create!some!connections! between!scenes.!!This!technique!has!been!used!in!TV!serials!very!often,! since!it’s!impossible!to!create!so!much!new!music!to!satisfied!TV!shows.! 25! ! Composers!and!music!editors!always!using!the!same!music!repeating!or! edit!it!to!fit!the!new!scene.!! !!!!In!this!project,!Jim!Henrikson!use!this!technique!several!times!to! reducing!James!Horner’s!work!and!also!achieve!other!functions.! !!!!For!example,!He!put!the!soundtrack!“Pure!spirits!of!the!forest”!at! (00:08:17J00:09:40),!when!Jake!follow!Norm!go!into!the!lab,!and!saw!his! avatar!there.!This!track!is!originally!write!for!(00:37:07J00:47:22),!when! the!pure!spirits!of!forest!landing!coming!from!the!air!and!landing!on!Jake’s! body.!Creates!a!purely!beautiful,!subtle!and!fantastic!feeling!to!the!scene.!I! think!the!Jim!inserted!this!cue!here!after!every!important!cues!finished!by! James.!He!put!here!for!three!reasons.!First,!this!scene!is!the!first!time!Jake! saw!a!avatar.!And!the!music!should!add!a!fantastic!feeling!to!how!amazing! is!this!thing.!Then,!it!creates!a!connection!between!when!he!saw!this!body! first!time!and!when!he!uses!this!body!travel!in!another!beautiful!world.! Third,!the!music!here!fit!the!picture!very!well!and!enhanced!audience’s! feeling.! !!!!Another!example!would!be!the!cue!“Report!to!the!colonel”,!used!in! (00:50:08J!00:51:00)!and!(00:54:03J!00:54:35).!These!two!scenes!both!are! about!Jake!talking!with!Quaritch!in!human!base!meeting!room.! Instrumentations!are!low,!deep,!dark!synthesizer!pad!combine!with!some! high!pitch!soft!electronic!textures.!It!creates!a!clean,!cold,!highJ!technique! 26! ! feeling!to!the!environment.!So,!since!the!two!scenes!are!at!same!place!and! same!characters,!Jim!repeating!the!same!cue!to!add!the!continuity!to!them.! !!!!Every!times!when!the!night!jungle!scene!appears.!(01:03:15J!01:03:45)&! (01:21:35J!01:21:50)!the!music!is!very!gentle!and!romantic,!harp!play! arpeggios,!strings!play!harmony!and!flues!play!the!theme!melody.!It! represents!a!beautiful!jungle!night!in!another!world.!Adding!fantastic! feeling!to!the!scenes.!Also,!because!these!two!scenes!are!both!describe! romantic!experiences!Jake!had!with!Neytiri,!the!music!connects!them! together!and!creates!a!romantic!mood.!! !!!!!There!are!more!repetitions!of!music!in!this!film,!and!all!of!them!have! good!reasons!and!work!perfectly.! ! Using!existing!music!material!to!create!new!music! !!!!The!concept!is!similar!to!repetition.!First,!is!to!create!connections!and! recall!emotions.!Second,!to!avoid!writing!and!recording!additional!music.! The!difference!is!this!technique!is!using!existing!steams!or!single! instruments!to!create!a!new!cue!through!editing.!! !!!!For!instant,!(01:32:20J!01:33:36)!Music!comes!in!while!Grace!talking! about!the!amazing!world!of!the!trees.!Strings!play!very!soft,!using!the! melody!of!pure!spirit.!It’s!the!same!recording!from!the!track!“pure!spirit”.! But!in!this!scene,!the!music!editor!only!use!the!strings!steam.!This!music! 27! ! has!been!made!in!order!to!describe!the!subtle!and!beautiful!world!which! Grace!talking!about.!Recall!the!picture!of!amazing!avatar!world!to! audience’s!imagination.!Add!imagine!through!music!to!give!audience! imagination!about!what!Grace!talking!about.! !!!!The!most!important!example!would!be!the!cue!“Distraction!of! Hometree”!has!been!used!twice!at!(01:46:45J!01:48:44)!&!(02:17:36J! 02:19:12).!The!materials!are!the!same,!but!different!arrangement!and! mixing.!They!both!have!the!same!string!background,!brass!tragedy!melody,! and!percussions.!At!(01:46:45J!01:48:44),!starts!with!a!woodwind!solo,! then!more!than!two!women!vocal!singing!at!the!same!time.!At!(02:17:36J! 02:19:12),!the!music!starts!with!brass!play!tragedy!theme!melody!for! many!times.!Then,!the!female!vocal!comes!in,!but!only!one!voice.!Both!cues! represent!Na’vi’!people’s!tragedy,!losing!the!war!and!people!are!dying.!The! editor!use!the!same!material!to!makes!two!cue!sounds!very!similar,! creates!connections!between!them.!And!recall!the!tragedy!image!last!time! Na’vi!people!had.!I!think!these!two!cues!are!the!best!using!of!this! technique!in!this!film.! !!!!There!are!much!more!example!of!this!technique!in!this!film.!Using! existing!music!material!to!create!new!music!would!not!only!save!time!and! money,!but!also!achieve!great!effect.! ! 28! ! Source!music! !!!!Source!music!refers!to!music!in!a!film!that!is!part!of!the!fictional!setting! and!so,!presumably,!is!heard!by!the!characters.!It!can!be!background!music! or!be!produced!by!characters!themselves!as!part!of!the!plot.!The!opposite! of!source!music!is!underscoring,!which!is!music!heard!by!the!viewer!(or! player),!intended!to!comment!on!or!highlight!the!action,!but!is!not!to!be! understood!as!part!of!the!"reality"!of!the!fictional!setting.! !!!!In!movie!Avatar,!because!of!the!period!and!location!of!the!story!is!in! another!completely!different!world,!and!the!source!music!should!be!part!of! the!fictional!setting,!something!original!from!Pandora.!It!couldn’t!be!the! normal!instrumentation!and!the!things!that!they!don’t!have!in!that!planet.! !!!!To!achieve!this!goal,!James!Horner!found!that,!Na’vi!people!always! singing.!So!choir!would!be!the!most!important!instrument!in!source!music.! Then,!we!could!see,!at!(01:55:33J!01:55:57),!Na’vi!people!are!chanting!and! singing!in!choir.!This!is!very!typical!source!music;!the!sound!is!one!part!of! the!setting,!produced!by!the!people!in!pictures.! !!!!Then!at!(01:22:41J!01:23:05),!when!Jake!connecting!the!tree!of!soul,! audience!could!hear!the!source!music!of!ancient!Na’vi!people!are!singing.!! !!!!Another!great!example!would!be!at!(00:47:21J!00:48:35),!the!native! music!sung!and!played!by!Na’vi!people.!In!the!music,!except!the!voice,! there!is!also!some!percussion.! 29! ! !!!!The!idea!of!source!music!in!this!film!is!to!create!Na’vi!people’s!native! music!and!songs.!It’s!a!big!challenge!but!James!Horner!did!really!great!job.! 30! ! References* Richard!Davis!(May!1,!2010),!Complete.Guide.to.Film.Scoring:.The.Art.and. Business.of.Writing.Music.for.Movies.and.TV. ! Fred!Karlin,!Rayburn!Wright!and!John!Williams!(Jan!10,!2004),!On.the.Track:.A. Guide.to.Contemporary.Film.Scoring. ! Benward,!Bruce,!and!Marilyn!Nadine!Saker!(2009).!Music.in.Theory.and.Practice,. eighth.edition,.vol..2..Boston:.McGraw1Hill..ISBN.97810107131018810.! ! Rushton,!Julia!(2001).!"Subject!Group".!The.New.Grove.Dictionary.of.Music.and. Musicians,.second.edition,.edited.by.Stanley.Sadie.and.John.Tyrrell..London:. Macmillan.Publishers... ! Benward!&!Saker!(2009),!Music.in.Theory.and.Practice:.Volume.II,.p.138139.. Eighth.Edition..ISBN.97810107131018810.. . James!Horner,.Avatar’s.Soundtrack.Album.! ! Learn!Na’vi!Community,.http://forum.learnnavi.org. . Wikipedia,.http://www.wikipedia.org. . Avid’s.website,.www.avid.com ! 31! Start with percussion, the music and scene is really like Tarzan’s beginning and use the same approach in music. Music suddenly changes when the eyes open. In this part of music, main instruments are percussion, brass, soul like soprano, and a little bit strings. Slow tempo, no rhythm, percussion mainly using for hit point with the cuts. At about “00:03:58”, rhythmic percussion and strings arpeggios came in and music become faster and rhythmic in order to add more tension to the landing scene and many picture of huge machines. Change again when they get off of the plane. Music has more electronic sounds loops and the emotion is a little dark. Fade out when colonel speak about Pandora rules. Music Description ! Jake follow Norm go into the lab, and It’s the same music form soundtrack ”Pure spirits saw his avatar there. of the forest.” Coming in when Jake see the avatar. Main instrument are pads, some small pitched percussions and fviolin solo. Fade out when the monologue come in. Pure spirits of the forest (repetition) 00:08:17 00:09:40 Scene Description “You don’t dream in The music start with all Black, then cryo…” (In CD) a big first-person perspective flight scene with narrating. This scene is ended by a human eyes open. Then the story begin, Jack is in a space airplane and already sleeping for 6 years. Space picture and black-suit people scene appears alternatively. With the reading, all these picture tell audience how Jake came to Pandora and why. Finally, the space airplane arrived Pandora, and music fades out while the colonel speak about Pandora rules. Track Name 00:00:25 00:07:55 Time ! Full Film Music Analysis Chart I think this cue was insert by the editor after all important music finished, because the music is just cut from another cue. And its function is creates a mystery atmosphere for the avatar. The beginning music give audience a feeling about the big forest picture and give audience a sense about what kind of place and environment the story happened in. So it function as an “Evocation of a physical setting and location”. After that the second part of the music (00:00:54-00:03:58) is function as “Creation a physical atmosphere” which is flaying in space. Then the next part of music (00: 03:5800:04:45) is more like a “underline score” that give tension to the landing scene. Finally, the last part (00:05:09-end) is again function as “Creation of a physical atmosphere”. Huge machines, vehicles, troops and weapons. Comment Music start when Jack into the Machine. (only percussions). Next cut is they are in the play and flaying in beautiful forest. (A helicopter effect sound suddenly up may give the chance to change the music.) Music fades out when they down the jungle. They are walking in the jungle. Flying above the Jungle (not in CD. edit from CD track “Viper wolves Attack” 2:06) Walking in Jungle,(Not in CD) 00:23:56 00:24:41 00:26:12 00:26:30 ! Music start when cut to the scientists cleaning the container. Then a lab scene and Jake is ready to go in his avatar body. Launching and connecting. Jake wake up in the avatar body, feels really good. Then he run out the clinic rudely. After a short running, he stopped and saw Grace and started talking. Finally, the cue fade out when he sleep. Jake into his Avatar world (In CD) 00:14:01 00:19:35 ! 00:14:01-00:14:24, from cleaning the container to Grace operate the machine, music function as connect between several scene. From 00:14:25, after Jake said “Zero”, music change, and the function change to “Suggesting unspoken thoughts of the character”, suggesting Grace’s surprise and wonder a about if he can link the avatar successful. Then from 00:15:17, they start to link, music just “Underlining the situation” very honest, and tell the audience that the data is good and he will eventually linking successfully. And then from 00:16:48, Jake feels really good with his new body and begin a scene that running out of the clinic rudely, the music begin to function as an “Underlining action”, then music change when he run out of the clinic, music still underlining action but added Jake’s happy mood into it. This part ending when him stop running. Finally, the music becomes very soft and create a mood of relaxing. A very short and low volume big reverb Flute solo and a little bit percussion. (Audience will not notice it as a music) 33! The music is just coming in after Jake’s unnecessary alert. So, it creates a relax feeling, and also a jungle atmosphere. Start with percussions, pushed by a cymbal then Music with a feel of speed, big and wide change to strings chords. (It’s a edited track, with feeling. Express the cool flying experience and addition Drum track on original track Viper amazing beautiful world properly. wolves attack. And have the same scene with the Original track witch is the helicopter flying above the jungle. ) Start with strings, then change to harp, string legato with flute solo while Jake said ”zero”. When Jake begins get into the machine, the music start to change. Instrumentation becomes a oboe solo, then, going more bright by harp melody. Strings staccato and horns coming in. The music rising and rising, finally, strings tremolos lead music to another part. This part at first is quite and soft, and indicates that they are now in the avatar world. When Jake feels very good about his new body, percussion coming in. High flute short notes indicate his naughty. He starts to break things and music becoming more and more tension. Chaos woodwinds, crescendo strings, and chromatic low piano notes create a tension and rude feeling. After he run out of the clinic, music change more bright. Harp and strings with a little brass textures play theme melody with rhythmic percussion. After a hit point, music becoming soft again. Harp, strings, horn solo, and triangle. Fade out ending. When cut to night jungle. Music become dark; build by a deep and dark pad. When he saw those dogs, music becomes a “Japanese Bushido” style, built by flutes, vocal, low strings and percussions, create a dangerous feeling. When start to fight, music change to a fighting cue, still with a Japanese feeling, with strong percussions play in a faster tempo, and flutes play out of tune. Stop when wolves gone. In the night, Jake is trying to make a fire. Some wolves are following him. He successes make a torch and through the light he see all the wolves. Then start fighting, after several rounds he is pulled down by a wolf and the Viper appear, save and help him fight with the wolves. When all the wolves run away, the music fades out. wolves attack part2 ! Start by a percussion, then a strings crescendo stopped at the high point. Then music change to soft strings legato and harmonics. Then low string and horn come in to give a transition. 33:11, the music is edited, with a very obvious disconnection. Then 33:15 there is a disconnection about reverb of the music. So, this part of the music is edit by other existing music. After the dialogue, strings and brass ensemble chords rid the scene off. Music start when Viper watching Jake. Then viper preparing to attack. Suddenly a flying seed floating in sight and stop on her arrow. The viper surprised, stop attacking and run away. Next cut is the helicopter flying above the forest. Grace’s team is looking for Jake. Viper wolves attack part1 (In CD, bonus track) Start with a pad and low flute (indicate the environment) Cymbal, percussions and brass come in when he see the big animal. Brass play legato at low register creates a dangerous atmosphere. Then when Jake talk to the monster, instrumentation change to only a dark pad. Makes the scene seems even more dangerous. When Grace says “Run! Definitely run!” a very strong chasing music starts. Rhythmic percussion, low brass legato and high brass short notes shinning with woodwinds. Music ends with a string tremolo and crescendo. 00:32:08 00:36:21 Jake leaves his team and start play with the big rolling flower. Suddenly all flowers closed and a big animal appear. Then dialog with Grace. Big guy turn back and Then big tiger appear. Start chasing! Chasing end with he fall into the water. Chasing (Not in CD) 00:27:08 00:31:05 ! 34! When Jake walking in the darkness, the music gives this scene a dark and scary atmosphere, indicates there are something dangerous out of sight. When start fighting, music underlining action. It follows the picture very tight. Music ends when the fight stops. Frist part of music is function as “Portray emotion”, Percussion give a feeling of dangerous to audience. And then the strings crescendo is create a tension emotion for the viper attacking. When the soul seed appear, music change and tell audience that situation is changing, she will not attack him. Brass coming before cut in order to connect the two scenes. Then the music appears which is the same melody with the helicopter scene because the scene is the same. The first part of the score functions as enhance audience reaction by underlining the situation. The second part is a very tension and fast cue(the chasing part). Function as an underline action score. With many hit point. Create a tension feeling. A strings rising ends the cue. Jake goes in to the place where everybody having dinner, after dinner, they go to the place for sleep. Music fades out when he get back to the human worlds. Dinner in the camp (not in CD) 00:47:21 00:48:35 ! Music start when Jack notices how beautiful the world is. The environment is very beautiful. The woman is pray for the dead animal. When she finished, she left him. Jake tried to stop her and thank her, but got a bunch. Then they started to talk. After talk the scene became more childlike. He trying to follow her and behaved like a baby following an older sister. When they on the wood bridge, she told him to go back, at this moment, the secret tree’s seed appear and change her mind. She is leading him to her camp. On the road, Jake got a sudden attack by the native people. And the woman protects him and talk with them. Finally they bring him to the camp. When they arrive the camp, the leader who is her father at first decides to kill him. Then the mother appears and asks him a series questions, then change everybody mind, decide to let him stay. Pure spirits of the forest (In CD) 00:37:07 00:47:22 ! The first part is “source music”, like an African native song built by human voices and percussions. Second part music changes, percussion, flute and relax tempo really give a jungle night feeling. Music begins very subtle, a long strings legato, pad, harp and light pitched percussions. It sounds really beautiful and subtle. While Jake saying ”why save me?” the music goes down and strings play a soft melody, making a transition. Then it turns to a childlike, naughty music. Marimba, flute and pitched percussion give a relaxing and naughty sense. After that, it’s turns back to a beautiful and subtle music. Because the scene is more pure and tenor, the main instrument is legato high strings. Then she changes her mind, music become positive and brighter. To do this, the composer use harp, strings, little percussion, faster tempo and brighter chord. Suddenly music change because of the attack. Big percussions, effects, low string movements (this part doesn’t contain in the CD track). Then they bring him to the camp. Low brass playing the a very recognizable melody that is very powerful and dark, combine with big percussion and string effect articulations, create a powerful and dangerous feeling. This part of the music stopped when she talk to her father. Music change, main instrument is voice, combines with pad and percussion single hits, creates a mystery, dark and tension feeling. 35! First part is source music; director just want it sounds like it’s come from the group of people. And the second part is function as “create atmosphere”. The music created a peace night jungle feeling. The first part of the music is very subtle and beautiful, I think James Horner just want use this to create a very beautiful background blinding with the beautiful environment. (create a atmosphere). at about 00:39:35, the music change, become a childlike and naughty music, which make audience relax and indicate that now the situation is Jake is like a child following the older sister and what they talk now is not serious anymore (create a mood). 00:40:17 Jake become serious and tell her that he really needs her help, so the naughty music fades out. Suddenly, the secret tree’s seed come, the music change to beautiful and subtle again, indicate that the situation is positive and those things is beautiful. At 00:41:57, the music change, indicate the woman is change her mind and music continue describe a positive and beautiful scene. 00:42:20, music suddenly changes again, because Navi’s attack. Music becomes dark and dangerous, functions as creates a mood. From 00:43:30, also function as connect several scenes. And music stops at 00:43:41 when the women talk to her father. Then another Japanese Bushido style music start, and create a mood that Jake is in a dangerous situation that he may be killed. Then music changed when mother appears. And now the music also function as “Revealing psychological make up” of the mother who is mystery and psychic. Music comes in before the first scene, the helicopter flying heads to the Hallelujah Mountains. It cuts to they are talking in the helicopter that the radar is not working and they can’t see anything also because the clouds covers their vision. Suddenly, they get into the Hallelujah Mountains area, the clouds disappears and they see the amazing landscape and astonishing. Then finally they landed at a base on a mountain’s top. Music come in when Jake looking the pictures of Grace’s school. Then there is a reading to explain what is Jake thinking now. Then the picture cut to a big tree and Neytiri going to show Jake her Ikran. Flying to Hallelujah Mountains (not in CD) In Hallelujah Lab (not in CD) 00:55:03 00:56:27 00:57:06 00:57:55 ! Jake is reporting to the colonel and the boss. Max saw it and the scientist’s team is preparing to move to Hallelujah Mountains. Report to the colonelnot in CD) same track with 50:08 00:54:03 00:54:35 Music separate to two parts. Frist part is soft strings legato with soft horn solo. (same melody with “pure spirit”) The second part, brasses play the Victor Theme (appear at 2:21:03). Then fades out by strings Timpani rolling coming before the flying cut. And then brass ensemble plays the Haliluya Mountain’s Theme melody. Then high strings crescendo and low strings staccato. When they saw the mountains, strings and brass play Flying Theme together. Music changes key down when cut to they arrive the landing place. It fades out after landing. High Synthesizer combine with low strings orchestra textures. 36! The first part of the music is function as creates a mood that Jake feels sorry to Grace. The second part of the music is mainly function as “connect scenes”, science the timpani rolling coming before the cut to the huge tree. This technic James Honor used a lot in this movies. To build a smooth bridge from a small scene to a big scene. And also, the following music is sound very big, indicates that the environment is huge. The first part of the music is very short and has 2 functions. One, is to connect two different scenes. Two, is create a magnificent atmosphere. And the second part of the music also has two functions, which is from their vision is covered by clouds to they go through the clouds see the amazing landscape and landing on the mountain. The first is physical function that creates a big and magnificent atmosphere. But beside this, there is another important function, to indicate that the picture they see is unbelievable amazing and they are astonishing. (Create a mood) Creating mood and atmosphere. Main function of this short cue is to create an atmosphere of the big natural environment. Jake is learning riding horse with Neytiri, Music ends when Tsutey comes. Learn riding horse not in CD) 00:51:48 00:53:35 Big reverb flutes with vibraphone. Pad comes in when banding, then strings chord crescendo when Jake fall down. And low brass-like synthesizer and big percussions come in when Tsutey appears. They start talking, music stops. Create a dark mood when they talk about to destroy “Blue monkeys’” home. And also the synthesizer sounds create a high-tech environment. Report to the Jake talking with the colonel and the High Synthesizer combine with low strings colonelnot in CD) boss. Music comes in when they talk orchestra textures. about destroying “Blue monkeys’” home. It fades out when cut to the lab. 00:50:08 00:51:00 ! ! The bioluminescence of the night (In CD) Part 3,4: Becoming one of the people (In CD) Music comes in before the cut from lab to learning scene. In this cue, first part is a lot of scenes of Jake learning in the forest. The second part is he learning the skills that fall on the leaves. Then music change to part 3, which is a happy scene that Grace’s school opens again. Then, part four, Some night scene in forest with Neytiri and in the lab. This part describes the relationship between Jake and Neytiri, Jake and Grace becomes better and better. Then it goes to the last part, which is the scene Jake hunting with Neytiri and made a clean kill. Then music fades out while Neytiri saying: “You are ready.” Part 1,2: 01:00:16 01:05:09 This is a long cue. The music divides to 5 parts. The first part comes in before the learning scene. Harp plays the movement and flutes play the theme song melody, strings play secondary melody. Then when they running, percussion comes in and strings play main melody. And it goes back to former organization when the scene changes back to quite scene. Part 3, the music is following the actor’s movement. Harp and string describe Neytiri’s smooth and smart movements. Brass gives a push to indicate Jake’s courage. And then pitched and un-pitched percussions describe Jake’s stupid movement. Music goes back to the main melody. Harp play arpeggios, strings play harmony and flues play melody. Then music changes to another part, transport by a world music style choir. This part is the music is very quiet and beautiful. Harp still plays arpeggios, mallets instrument and woodwinds play melody together softly. Then the last part of the music is a flute piece, with a little percussion as effect. Neytiri’s Ikran appears and she Music separate to two parts. First part fades in teaches something about this amazing when Ikran appears. It starts with only pad, and bird to Jake. then a big reverb flute solo come in (edited part, appears somewhere else), give a big space feeling. The second part of the music starts when Neytiri start to flying. It introduced by a timpani rolling crescendo and cymbal. Then strings play the theme melody and flute play some following melody and effects. Music fades out when cut to lab scene. Pandora [from 1:39 in the track] 00:58:23 00:59:59 ! 37! This whole cue is always function as connects scenes and it created a community between scenes. The first part of the music (01:00:1601:02:10) mainly functions as connects several scenes and a gives a mood of the passion feeling that learning in this magnificent, amazing and beautiful environment. And the second part of music, from Neytiri falls on the big leaves to Jake falls on the ground and stands up (01:02:11-01:02:45). This part of the music was written for underlining actions. Then the third part of the music begins, which is a happy music. It gives a happy mood to the scene and also connects scenes. Music smoothly go to next part, the subtle and beautiful music describes the relationship between Jake and Neytiri, Jake and Grace becomes better and better. And music underlined Grace and Neytiri’s cares to Jake. From 01:04:25, when the scene cut to Jake hunting, music smoothly changes to next part. This part of the music not function as connects scenes any more, it mainly just creates a big jungle atmosphere and secondary create a mood of hunting. The first part of the music is just for creates a big environment for the scene. When Neytiri start to fly, the music change big and glorious which function as creates a mood that indicates audience “this is really awesome!” (Maybe underline audience reaction?) Music comes in right after Jake’s Ikran flying straight. He is very happy and exciting about the first flight. Neytiri feeling really happy when she saw he has done it. They start to fly together and then Neytiri shows Jake the soul tree. Scene cuts to Jake’s group talking about soul tree. Grace is explaining how the soul tree is amazing and secret. Finally, it cuts to a chasing scene that Jake and Neytiri escaping from a Toruk. 1:Jake’s first flight 01:12:03 01:16:09 ! Music fades in when Jake walks in the Ikran’s area. He begins to find the Ikran who chooses him too. When he finds one that chose him, he starts to fight. And finally he wins the fight, bonds his Ikran and has his first flight. Capturing the Ikran 01:08:45 01:12:03 2:Great Leonoptryx Music comes in right after the last cue when cut to the mountain scene. Jake and 3 others all the way go to the cliff where they capture the Ikrans. Finally they reach there and see the amazing picture of the landscape. Then Neytiri comes and then Jake will goes first to captures his Ikran. Climbing up "Iknimaya - The Path To Heaven" (In CD) 01:05:10 01:07:58 ! Musically, I separate this cue in 3 parts. The first part is steadily tempo and very musical. Choir performs the fly theme melody. Strings and harp play harmony. Sometimes flute solo also affords the melody. This part uses a Lydian mode in E. The second part is from when Neytiri shows Jake the tree of soul to when they start to escape from the Toruk. This part is a soft piece and play mainly by string in low dynamic. Brass comes in only before the transpose to next part. Then the third part is a chasing scene. The music is a typical action score, fast tempo percussion with some strings trills. Main part of this cue is underlines the action. In order to underline the intensive fighting. The composer used fast tempo percussions and electronic elements to establish the main framework. And add some strings and woodwinds as effects. In the quiet part, when Jake wins the fight, the composer used strings pad to fit the relax scene. Then fast percussion comes in again when he first flight. This cue has a big, glory feeling. James mainly using the major, add9 chords for harmony; Slow steadily tempo; The main melody is performed mainly by choir, which is very important to get the glory feeling. And also steadily percussion, low brass and low strings give it a strong bass part. Flute comes out as solo at some part, gives a big natural environment feeling. At the end, in order to get a elevation to describes a feeling that seeing the amazing landscape. James used a transpose from D to E to approach this effect. 38! The first part of the music is function as create a mood that indicate this scene is very positive. Add a joyful and magnificent feeling to this scene. The second part of the music is to revealing the mystery characteristic of the soul tree. Then the third part is obvious a underline action score, to underline the chasing scene, and create a intensive feeling. I separate the music into two part because the different functions. The first part, from the beginning of the music to Jake start to fight. This part of the music mainly function as creates an nervous mood for this scene. When Jake starts to fight, music becomes a underlining-action-score. The cue is mainly function as “Create mood”, and at the end it function as “underline the expected reaction of audience. And I separate it in two parts because of the different moods it creates. The first part, from music begins till before they reach the cliff. This is the main part of the cue. It creates a feeling that they are doing something glory and honor. The second part is starts from when they see the amazing picture at the cliff. Music becomes very bright and big. It enhances the feeling of the amazing picture and makes it more amazing. Jake speaks with the colonel. The colonel tells him that he can go home tonight and has his new leg. He refuses and tell him he has to finish the ceremony. Music comes in when Jake says, “I have to finish this.” Then it cuts to the ceremony. After the ceremony. Neytiri bring him to the tree of voices and let Jake hear the trees. Finally they choose each other as lover and mated there. Music comes in when Neytiri wakes up and saw the big machine is destroying their voice trees. Then Jake wakes up and try to stop the machine, he breaks the camera of it and run away. Music fades out when the bad guy analysis the pictures. Become one of the people Scorched earth 01:19:35 01:24:36 01:25:10 01:28:07 ! Jake wakes up in the machine and feeling sad, because he thinks the life in Avatar world is the real life. And he realizes 3 month passed, the time colonel gives him is run off. Then scene cut to he talking with the colonel. Music fades out. Back to reality 01:17:52 01:18:44 (In CD) Music comes in when the Toruk flies away. Neytiri is talking about Toruk and Toruk Macto in the camp. Story of Toruk Macto 01:16:40 01:17:44 ! This cue is separates to 5 parts. Parts 1-3 and 5 are psychological function. And part 4 is physical function. The first part, from Jake says, “I go to finish this…” to before cut to the ceremony. The music is creates a moveable and a little sad mood. It indicates that Jake is doing something movable. Then the second part, music still function as “creates a mood”. But here the mood is more movable and also ceremonious. Then part three, from cut to the night scene to Neytiri says, ”come on,” creates a beautiful sense to the scene. Part four, they start talking, is functions as creates a physical atmosphere of the scene. And also when they listen the tree, inserted a piece of source music. Then the final part, from when they kiss to the music ends, is to create a romantic mood. This cue is very obvious functions as creates a sad mood to the scene. This cue’s function is to revealing the powerful and sacred characteristic of Toruk. 39! Fast tempo percussions, forte brass and strings This cue is very obvious made for creates a trill and tremolo. Low brass and low strings play intensive mood for the scene. To add tension to the movements. High brass and high strings play the pictures. the melodies. There are also choir and a flute-like rhythm loop in the music. The first part, strings coming first and then the brass comes in, gives a movable and sad mood. When cut to the ceremony, the flute solo lead the music changes and it gives a jungle feeling. Then the strings and brass rise and end when it cut to the moon. After the first piece music fades out, the second piece of music fades in. This is a romantic piece. (the same with the one before when they learning)Harp, mallets and pad give a subtle and beautiful atmosphere. Then harp and mallets fade out, left pad and flute solo play softly when they talking. Finally, string rise play the theme melody when they making love. Music fades out when Jake wake up in the machine. This cues is a sad piece. Piano and violin solo play the theme melody(not exactly the same) but in minor scale and very solo tempo. Then horns play the melody and fades out. The music is mainly the same melody repeat again and again by the low strings. And flute plays as a secondary melody. Music has a powerful and deep feeling. Music comes in while Grace talking about the amazing world of the trees. Fades out when Quaritch showing the video. Pure spirit (edited) Telling the truth(not Then the colonel find out Jake’s video in CD) log and shows it to them. Parker finally agrees with the colonel and they will hit the Hometree. Then it cuts to Jake talking with Grace in the lab. Judy comes in and told them the troops going to hit the Hometree. Grace is very shocked and run to Parker to convince him let them talk to the Navi’s people to evacuate them. Finally he agrees, Jake and Grace is going to talk to them. 01:32:20 01:33:36 01:33:36 01:36:05 ! Music comes in when the colonel find out the person who breaks the machine is Jake. Then it cuts to the people are preparing the war. Jake and Neytiri come back, and Tsutey fight with Jake because he mated with Neytiri. After the fight, Jake try to tell the people the reason they come to them, but the colonel cut the link and he fails. Music fades out when they talking in the control center. Angry of the people (not in CD) 01:28:10 00:31:35 ! The music here is a soft but dark background, low strings pad sustain until the cut to Parker’s office. Then a deep synthesizer replaces the previous basses, low strings play legato with horns softly. Then percussion come in, hit the point of Judy running into the lab. Music become tension. Strings running, flute play melody. When it cuts to next scene. Brass play louder, low brass moving low in background, strings float up to play the melody. Finally, when they start to launching, string play the Theme melody. When Grace talking about the trees on Pandora. Strings playing very soft of the melody of pure spirit. The same recording of the track “pure spirit”. But in this scene, the music editor only use the strings steam. Music comes in as an electronic pad. And then brass and percussion give the power to create a war preparing feeling. And then a underline music comes several times when they fight and when the colonel breaks in the linking room, which built by flute solo, fast percussion and brass. When Jake speaking, strings come in. The soft music makes a movable and sad mood to the scene. The last part of the music, strings and brass play legato and fades out. 40! The soft pad gives a deep and dark atmosphere to the scene. Then the music starts to function as underline the situation when Judy come in. Percussions and running string gives a alert mood. Then music rise when they going to talk to Parker. Finally the theme melody gives audience hope. This music has been made in order to describe the subtle and beautiful world which Grace talking about. Recall the picture of amazing avatar world to audience’s imagination. This cue is mainly functions as a underline score. It’s underlines several fights and troops rudely break into the connecting room. And music changes to very low or left only a pad in order to keep continuity of the music and the mood. The last part of the music which is when Jake and Grace have been taken to the control center, strings and brass play legato and fades out, indicates that that is something not going well. 01:37:55 01:42:58 01:36:05 01:37:55 ! ! Telling the truth(not Jake and Neytiri run down from the in CD) stair and talk to the Mother and Father. He tells them that human will come here soon; hit the Hometree and the truth why he come here to learn. They are very shocked and angry. Neytiri crying and despairing. Jake and Grace have been banded. The Navi’s people going to fight with the human. Attacking the After banded Jake and Grace, it cuts Hometree (not in to the human air troops. Navi’s people CD) are preparing to fight. Then the troops arrive at the front of the Hometree, and shoot the gas into Hometree, evacuating the people inside. Navi’s start shooting the aircrafts, but the arrows are so powerless that cannot event hurt one of the aircrafts. After the first round fighting, human changes to the fire missiles and firing the Hometree. Navi’s people cannot defend this devastating attack and begin to escape. Moat release Jake and Grace. Finally, humans give the final attack to the Hometree and destroyed it. Musically, I separate this big part of the cue to 6 small parts. The first part is from it cuts to the air troops scene to when they arrive and stop in front of the Hometree. It’s very typical epic war scene music. This cue appear a lot in this film, I call this “war cue” Fast tempo percussion loops, strings play 16th and 8th notes in fortissimo, big choir and low brass play high dynamic notes follow the rhythm. At next part, brass and strings play lower and slower, in order to give next part more power. Then the third part starts when they begin fighting. This part built by the fast high string and percussion which is a little chaos and powerless. When human open fire, the music transpose to next part. Low brass comes in play whole note in big dynamic, and strings play more tidy and powerful. Music is much powerful than the last part. When it cuts to Moat (Mother), music goes down lead by a flute solo. This is the 5th part of the music; strings and brass play tremolos and trills to following the story. Finally, the music becomes very powerful and tragedy. Strings and brass together playing the long notes in minor and diminish harmonies. Flute playing some effect sounds above a soft and deep synthesizer pad, creates a jungle feeling. Then a choir sing a sustain note very far, flute fades out, music become serious. When strings start to play theme melody ( a minor variation), the music creates a sad mood. 41! This big part of the music is mainly an underline action score. The first part of the music indicates that war is coming and the air troops are really powerful. Second part has the psychological function revealing that this scene is like a short calm before the storm. When Navi’s people firing, the music is not powerful but chaos, it describes the powerless attack of the Navi’s people. When human troops firing, music becomes really powerful, indicates that the missiles are devastating and the power of the human troops is too much bigger than the Navi’s. Then the 5th part of the music is trying to deceive audience that Moat is going to kill Jake. After she release Jake, music also gives a release. The last part of this cue is when human troops give the final attack to the home tree. The music becomes devastating and tragedy. The first part of the music is mainly function as create an jungle atmosphere. The suddenly instruments change creates a feeling of location changes from the lab to the jungle. The second part of the music is obviously to gives a sad mood to the scene. Music comes in after Grace says, “it doesn’t matter. I’m fine.” They use the aircraft hanging the lab move into the deep forest. Jake injects a medicine for Grace and talking with her. Then, they reach the soul tree Moving to deep inside the jungle (not in CD) 01:51:29 01:53:25 ! A shoot to Jake’s team is screw in a chamber. Trudy pretends a delivery staff delivering the food. She stunned the soldier and let Max release the team from the chamber. They start running from the control center to the aircraft. While Trudy starting the engine, a officer find there is a situation and told the colonel. Right after knows this, he grab a gun, run out of the room and start shooting them. Finally, they escaping successful, music fades out. Escape from Hellgate (In CD) 01:48:17 01:50:59 Shutting down Grace’s lab Music comes in when Hometree begins falling. People running from the tree, and some of them die under the tree. When Hometree fully down, everyone is shocked and despair. They crying, feel extremely sad and hopeless. Then it cuts to Neytiri found his father is dying. The father give his bow to Neytiri and tells her to protects Navi’s people. Jake comes, Neytiri cry and shouts at him, ”get away and never come back!” Then it cuts to the control center. They pull the trigger to stop Jake and Grace’s link. Finally, it’s a scene that Navi’s people emigrating to somewhere else in despair. 01:43:02 01:48:16 The destruction of Hometree (in CD) ! Musically, I separate this cue into two parts. The first part is a rhythmic music combines with percussion loops, brass and flute effect sounds. When they reach the soul tree area, the music turns into the second part. Big reverb women voice and strings creates a mystery and sad Music start with very soft and low pad combines with soft horn solo. After Trudy takes out the gun, high strings harmonics crescendo, then rhythmic piano and percussion loop come in, lead music into the next part. The second part is mainly repeating percussion loops, and mallets built the main structure. Strings play the melody. When they get out of the gate, strings fade out. Quaritch starts fire, brass come in and rising with strings together in order to create an intensive feeling music. I will talk about these two cues together because there is nearly no gap between them; and also the emotion in music is continually. I divide the first cue into two parts. When Hometree start falling, synth pad comes in first, and low strings and choir follow. They rise and rise until the tree fully down on the ground. Then, second part of the music comes in. Brass play the tragedy theme melody, low strings play legato background and high strings moving in minor scale. After the troops left, music go down and flute lead soft strings to a transition for next part. The second cue (Shutting down Grace’s lab) built mainly by soprano, strings, percussions and solo woodwind. They play freely in slow tempo and big reverb. The women voice really point out the color of the sad scene. Percussion makes the tragedy feeling stronger. 42! These two parts of the cue both function as create atmospheres. The first part of the music creates a deep jungle atmosphere. And also the percussion and rhythm loops give a speed feeling indicates that they are moving fast into the forest. The second part of the music creates Functionally, I separate this cue into three parts. At the beginning, when Trudy comes in the room, the music is function as “setting up an audience for a subsequent surprise”. The quiet and low music seems like calm but feels little bit unstable; preparing the surprise for next part. Then when Trudy hit the soldier, music transpose to the second part, underline score, it underline their actions while escaping from the control center. Then when the colonel starts to fire, music goes into part three, which function as creates an intensive mood to the scene. The first part of the cue, The destruction of Hometree, has both psychological and physical functions that are creating a destroying, horrible feeling to the scene and underline the action people running from the falling Hometree. The second part of this cue is pretty obvious functions as creates a disaster and tragedy mood to the scene. Finally, the next cue is sad and hopeless. It becomes part of the atmosphere; Express the despair and sadness of Navi’s people properly. And this mood goes through the scenes both in human’s control center and Navi’s emigration. ! Navi’s people sitting on the ground and preparing praying. Jake carrying Grace here and lay her in front of the tree of soul. People start praying ceremony. After ceremony, Grace wakes up and tells Jake, she with Eywa, and she is real. Then she dead. Healing ceremony 01:58:39 02:01:10 (In CD) Musically, I would like to divide this cue into three parts. Frist part ends when Jake gets off from the big dragon. Brass play Toruk Mactol theme melody and big percussion create a very powerful music at first, then music go down, transposes to the next part. Strings playing sustain background, and hold it at there for a very long time, until he finishes talking with Neytiri. flute solo play the praying song melody, adding warmth to the scene. Finally, strings start moving softly. Navi’s people are praying in front of the tree of soul. Suddenly, a big dragon appears in the air. They are extremely scared and shouting. Then, Jake gets off from the Toruk. People shocked by this scene. They can’t believe he is Toruk Mactol. Neytiri tell him she not afraid anymore. And Tsutey will help Jake saving their people. Toruk Mactol coming (not in CD) 01:56:56 01:58:39 Soft pads and soprano sings in big reverb before they pray. When they start pray, music becomes ceremonious and mystery. Bass male voice chanting, big percussion, soprano, strings and choir playing rhythmically. After praying, everything stopped but just left pads and flute solo play theme melody. Finally, strings and a violin solo fit the scene of Grace’s dying. A ceremonious praying choir. Praying song (not in Navi’s people is praying in front of CD) the tree of soul. I divide this cue into two parts. To describes a desolate field, and bleak atmosphere, alto flute solo and low women voice sings freely with big reverb. Then percussion comes in as a transition. Finally, when they fly, brass and strings come in and combine with fast tempo percussions. 01:55:33 01:55:55 Jake linked his Avatar and wake up in the destroyed place. He looking and walking at this bleak world. Suddenly his Ikran comes and they begin to fly. It cuts to they flying in the sky and they preparing capture the Great Leonoptryx. Music fades out when Jake falls on its back. feeling in the music. Great Leonoptryx (In CD) area, and land. Music fades out. 01:54:07 01:55:30 ! 43! Source music. Indicates people are singing and chanting. And we can also see the big single percussion hit is following the light from the ground. After ceremony, The music creates a sad mood to Grace dying scene. The function of this cue is really subtle. I would say, when Jake comes down from the sky, the music at the very beginning is dark and scare, which is following with the director’s idea want to add a scaring emotion to this scene. It suddenly changes when we see Jake. The music becomes glorious and powerful. Then the next part of the music revealing the surprise feeling of Navi’s people. Finally music point the scene is touching and positive. Source music. The first part of the music is really fit the color of the scene which is bleak and desolate. And give a lonely feeling to the scene. When Jake talks, music turns into the transition and finally changes to the second part when Ikran fly. The second part of the music gives a heroic and positive feeling to the scene. a mystery atmosphere to the secret place. The colonel is giving a speech to people in human base, which is about to attack the tree of soul by bomber. People strongly agree and they start preparing the weapons. Jake’s team getting information from Max about colonel’s pan. They shocked and then start to talking and making plans. Colonel’s attacking plan (not in CD) Jake’s defending plan 02:05:54 02:06:54 02:06:57 02:08:41 ! After Grace’s death. Jake stuck into sad. After a while thinking, he begin gives his speech to Navi’s people. And Tsutey helps him with translating. These powerful words give a lot of morale to the people. It goes like, “The sky people sent us a message, that they can take whatever they want. And no one can stop them. We will send them a message: you ride out as fast as the wind can carry you… They can’t take whatever they want, This is our land!” People strongly agree and support him. They shout with full of confidence. Then Jake goes his Toruk with Neytiri. People following him. Then, it follows a lot of scene of gathering other clans. Music ends when it cuts to the colonel’s speech. Gathering all the Na’vi clans for battle (in CD) 02:01:12 02:05:34 ! The music is very soft and unnoticeable. Or technically. Electronic pads and effect sounds makes the music feels like it just part of the environment. This part of the music sounds like edited by drag several steams from other parts of the music. Music sneaks in when the colonel speaking. A synth pad banding and changing, and also some electronic effect sounds. With the people’s emotions rising, strings rising slowly and percussions play louder and louder. It ends when it cuts to Jake’s team. Strings, pads and violin solo continue playing like the end of last cue. When Jake thinking. Music goes dark, low brass and horn solo replaced strings and harp. When he starts speaking, strings come in playing softly and slowly. They rise and rise. Cymbal and timpani’s rolling crescendo and lead to another part. Music becomes rhythmic. Rhythmic percussions, brass, choir come in and play faster and faster. Everything is raising follow the speech and people’s emotion. When it rise to the peak when Jake running with Neytiri to his Toruk, music goes down a little bit. And start rise again, reach another peak when his Toruk gives the powerful pose. Percussion and choir still going faster until people ride on there Ikran and flying. Music turns not rhythmic. Brass and strings legato come in replaced percussions and choir. It gives a little ending before the cut to riders scene. When it cuts, another part of music goes. It’s a rhythmic epic music mainly built by full orchestra, choir and repeating percussions loops. It’s sounds very powerful, positive and epic. (Not sure) This cue is mainly function as a physical environment inside the lab deep in forest. 44! This cue function as create a dark emotion to the scene. It tells audience that what happened now is sinister. Every time I watch this part of the movie, I was really moved and touched by it! And then I think carefully what makes me moved is the music. So, this part of the music is really important to the scene and works very well. Functionally, I separate this cue into four parts. The first part, from Grace’s dead to Jake close his eyes, creates a continuity with the last cue; drag scene back to the reality. When Jake closes his eyes, second part start. It reveals the unspoken thought of Jake; Describe what Jake is thinking. Then Jake begins his speech; Music goes to next part. The third part of the music is really important, it holding audience emotion tightly with the words he gives. Emotion rises and rises, pushed and enhanced by the music. After his speech, music still keeps curving the emotion’s wave until the cut of riders’ scene. Finally it goes to part four, which has several functions: the two main functions of this part of the music are connecting several scenes, create continuity between them; and add momentum and speed to the pictures. 02:10:01 02:12:53 02:08:13 02:09:59 ! ! Ask help from Eywa Jake talking in front of the tree of soul. He is praying for help from Eywa. Neytiri comes and tells Jake that Eywa probably will not helps him. War [part 1] (in CD) Music comes in when it cuts to the helicopter. Human team is departing the base. Hundred of aircrafts is heading to the war. They cross the forest to reach the tree of soul. Then it cuts to Navi’s team. They are flying in the mountains, heading to the place where they going to assault human team. It cuts to human team again. Ground team is landing. Hundreds of solder get off the airplane. Then they sneaking into the forest. The colonel speaking in radio and tells the solder preparing to drop the bomber. Music ends when it cuts to the scene Navi’s team saw human team. Musically, I separate this cue into four parts. In first part, marching snare, brass and powerful choir play in fast tempo (about 127). Brass and choir play alternatively and rhythmically. Strings always following the choir or the snare. When it goes to part two, music turns less rhythmically and softer. Choir sings legatos in low dynamic smoothly. Strings and brass play legato together. And more major chord gives a brighter color to the music. Then it changes back to the human marching theme, which is part three. This part is similar to the first part since they both presenting the same thing, human marching army. Choir, snare and staccato brass create a marching sense. But what’s different in this part is that the chord and color of this part are darker. Finally it goes to the fourth part, which music goes down and becomes quieter and lower. Percussion and electronic loops, strings and brass’ soft legato create a sneaking feeling. In this cue, the music is soft and almost unnoticeable. An electronic pad sustain in the low section. Soft strings and low brass come in later. Playing legato softly, give a feeling of warmth. 45! James Horner creates different themes for human team and Navi’s team. The music is more function physically in this cue. The composer captures all the action of every scene carefully and uses music to enhance them. At the beginning, music is sounds like a March, which is exactly what human team’s marching action. They it cuts to Navi’s team, the composer use legato strings and brass instead of staccato choir make it sound more bright and fit the action of their flying. Using string and trumpet play the “become one of them” theme melody. Then it cut back to human. Besides army marching feeling, music adds more dark emotion to commentary that those are the bad guys, indicates they are going to destroy. Then music turns low and quiet to fit the sneak movement of the ground team. This cue mainly function as creates the physical environment for the scene. And add warmth to the atmosphere. And also give some emotional support to what Jake saying. 02:12:55 02:17:32 ! ! War [part 2] (in CD) Human air team fly in Navi’s sight. Human ground team found movement get closer and holding position. Suddenly, it cuts to Navi’s riders running towards Human. Jake’s team calling another waiting team. After all teams follows, they begin to fight. At first, Navi’s team is very brave and kills many. After few round, human starts fight back. Navi’s ground team can’t fight air raid, start to escape. And Navi’s air force also suffering heavy hurt. Unexpectedly, Dragon found Jake and begins to attack him. At this critical moment, Trudy appears and comes to save Jack. After several rounds fights between Trudy and the colonel, she hit and finally killed by the missile. Then it cuts to Neytiri. She is escaping from a helicopter’s attacking. While she looking back, a robot shoot her from the ground. She falls down and Seze dead. Music fades out. This cue begins with bowing mallets, which give quiet but unstable sounds. Then when it cuts to riders, full orchestra and choir suddenly start playing rhythmically. Then music changes every key hit point. [Please reference the number in next column]. 1, music becomes tighter; All instruments go together. Low strings play the same rhythm with Percussion. Brass playing counter melody with choir. 2, More rhythmical percussions come in and sounds more speed. Strings tremolo follows and adds more intensive feeling. 3, Brass jump out and play powerful. 4, Brass paly Navi’s team’s theme melody. 5, high brass jump out and play fast notes, give tension to music. Using “victor theme” melody. 7, Single powerful 4th notes hit the points that Tsutey and Neytiri shooting. Then strings play legato fit the overview of the sky area. 10, choir comes in with big power, play alternatively with brass. And percussion hit 8th notes very hard. 11, music transposes one step higher to give more strength. 13, Go back to tonal, stable and full orchestra play unison. 14, strings leading the music, playing “become one of them” theme melody very slow. 15, brass jump out and play strong staccatos, raising the tension. 16, brass and strings play victor theme together. Music turns bright. 17, music goes back last part. 18, choir double with strings. 19, several same notes play by strings and choir together to emphasis the hit. 20, Strings and brass play “become one of them” theme melody very slow and hit the point when she get shot, music change. 21&22, brass play unchanged notes emphasize Neytiri’s movement. 46! The first part of this cue is functions as “setting up audience for a subsequent surprise. It’s like a clam before the storm, makes the first attacking feels more powerful. When it cuts to riders, music suddenly changes big and fast. From here, it becomes function as underlining action. There are several very important hit point that lead music to change. 1, [02:13:38] when it cuts to Jake. 2, [02:13:48] when the east coast team following. 3, [02:14:05] When it cuts to riders again. 4, [02:41:42] When Jake diving. 5, When Jake grab one helicopter. 6, When the aircraft crashing. 7, then it hit the point when it cuts to Tsutey and the point he shoot a solder in the aircraft. 9,when Neytiri shoot a solder. 10, [02:1501] when Dragon starts firing. “War cue” starts 11, [02:15:18] when Jake thronging a aircraft and when it crashing. 13, [02:15:30] when it cuts to the scene that several Ikran hunter flying toward the big plane. 14, [02:15:40] When Jake’s friend fall from the horse. 15, [02:16:07] when Jake saw Dragon. 16, [02:16:32] When Trudy appearing. And this part of the music also function as ‘revealing audience reaction.” Audience feel encouraged when they see Trudy coming and saving Jake. 17,[02:16:41] when Dragon start firing. 18, when Trudy starts firing. 18, When Dragon shooting missiles 19, Trudy’s plane hit. 20, [02:17:14] when it cuts to Neytiri escaping from a attacking. 21, when Neytiri hit. 22, [02:17:32} When she stop rolling. The music stop. All these hit point are keys to lead music going. ! Turning table (not in Music start when a lot of huge animal CD) running from the forest. They start to kill enemies. Then Neytiri realized that Eywa has heard Jake. It cuts to the air battle scene. Thousands of Ikrans are attacking enemies. Jake encouraged by the picture and begins to fight again. Then music goes to next part. 02:20:52 02:22:24 02:19:14 02:20:35 War [part 3] (in CD) Many scenes of Navi’s team member dying or hurting. Seze is dead. A Edited from “The firing horse running. Tsutey hit and destruction of the falling down from the air. Trudy hit Hometree” and dead… Music ends when it cuts to Jake. Losing the war Jake calls team members but no one responds. Human team is heading to (Not in CD) the tree of soul and ready to drop the bomber. Neytiri is about to sacrifices herself because there are too many enemies very close to her. Music stop when a human solder find a movement on radar. 02:17:35 02:19:13 ! Musically, I separate this big part into two small parts. First part: Trumpets play a marching melody first. Then horns start playing the victor theme melody combine with some marching snare. When it cuts to the scene that thousands of Ikrans coming from the mountains. Choir and strings play the melody changing the color, then brass go on. String fast not and low brasses give support. Hit the point when the big tiger appear, low brass and low strings suddenly play diminished chord just to changing the plot. Then strings play legato resolve the melody to major, slow tempo, touching moment. First part: strings doubling on brass. Second part: Low strings and brasses. Third part: Strings, brass and percussion. When Neytiri is about to shoot, strings rise and rise. Finally stop at the peak when the solder see the movements on radar. Brasses play tragedy melody, high strings moving in minor, raising and elevating. Women vocal singing freely in minor. Bass drum do single hit. And cymbal crescendo. 47! Creates a positive mood. The positive theme melody coming again. Indicates now the situation is good. Good guys are turning the table! When the big tiger appear, the music dragging audience emotion, tension and questioning. Then, the resolved chord creates a touching feeling to the scene. Functionally, I divide this cue into three parts. The first part is revealing that Navi’s team is losing the war, gives a bleak feeling to the scene. When it cuts to human. The music change dark and dangerous, that indicates Navi’s situation is very dangerous. When Neytiri talk to Jake, music changes again. It functions as “underlining the expected reaction of a audience”. It underlining the emotion line of the situation. This cue creates a sad and tragedy mood, and tells audience that these scenes are negative. Navi’s team is losing the war now. The same music with the scene of destruction of Hometree. So, it transfers the same emotion to the scene. ! After Quaritch talking, he break the window of the launching room. Jake trying to stop, but caught by him. When the colonel about to kill him. Neytiri shot Quaritch by arrow. Then he is down, music out. Death of Quaritch (in CD) 02:28:38 00:30:36 02:27:29 02:28:35 02:25:51 02:27:05 02:24:42 02:25:42 Quaritch decides to drop the boom now. Then they heading to the tree od soul. Jake jump on the boom plane and using grenades destroyed the plane’s engine. Then the boom plane fall and exploded. After that, Jake heading to the leading ship and trying to do the same thing. Colonel notices his plan and wants to stop him. The music changes to next cue when the explodes in the engine. Falling from the sky missile Jake and colonel’s ship both falling (not in CD) from sky. The drop on big leaves and back to ground safely. The ship destroyed but Quaritch clamed into a big machine and jumped out before the ship destroyed. He survived also. Then music fades out. Neytiri fighting with Music start with Neytiri riding fast. Quaritch Quaritch is going to destroy Jake’s lab. At that moment, Neytiri appears and stopped him. During the fight, her tiger killed by Quaritch. Music stopped. Jake fighting with Music start when they start fighting, Quaritch ends when Quaritch through his protective shell. Stop them drop the boom (not in CD) 02:22:25 02:24:42 ! Music beginning with strings. Then after Quaritch said “time to wake up” music change back to fighting cue. Instrumentation is similar to last cue. Brass play in fullground, strings and percussion supporting as background. When Neytiri shooting, Instrumentation change to string and choir play legato. It change to next cue when Quaritch down. The instrumentation and orchestration are almost the same with last cue. Instruments reduce and tempo slow down while the machine leaking air and stop working. Percussion come in when it cuts to Neytiri. Then brass play tritone, string playing background. Strings fast short run, low brass ensemble, snare building the main body. Some parts strings and brass crescendo effect also very effective. Low brass play legato when the colonel talking. Jake fly in to view, the “war cue” starts. Brass play main melody, choir strings supporting. Then the music repeating. James Horner also adds some hit point musically. 48! First part music play soft and give a sad mood to what Quaritch saying. Then it starts function as underlining action again. Brass slowing down to hit the movement of Quaritch. Underline action with a lot of hit points. Underline action with a lot of hit points. This cue function as underline actions. Strings running and brass long notes emphasized the falling feeling. Snare and trumpet and tension to the picture. When colonel talking, music giving the dark and scary meaning to the remark. Then Jake coming, music hit this point and give a strong characteristic to Jake. After that, music function as underline score, underlining the action and adding tension to the scene. Jake’s changing body ceremony. Navi’s people are praying and singing. Suddenly they stop; Neytiri kissed Jake’s human body’s eyes. Then he wakes up in another body. Cuts to credits. Credits Credits Jake’s ceremony (not the CD) I See You (in the CD) First Flight (in the CD) 02:33:47 02:35:23 02:35:23 02:38:11 02:38:11 End ! Neytiri can’t wake up Jake’s Avatar body. She knows something, then running to the launching room. At this time, Jake already stopped breathing. She jump into the room and put the oxygen mask on his face. He starts breathing and coming back to life again. It cuts to human beings leaving Pandora. Then Jake doing his last video in the lab. The ending (not in CD) 02:30:37 00:33:36 ! Soundtrack Soundtrack Rhythmic percussion and brass as background. Choirs sing the melody at fullground. Then oboe solo plays the theme melody. Strings and brass crescendo, percussion comes in again. Connecting to the theme song “I See You” (edited from Jake’s first flight) Cello and bass first come in. then high strings play the melody. (he use this a lot) Then, when Jake stop breathing, music turn to a tragedy cue. Brass plays the tragedy theme melody, woman vocal singing in the fullground. Then strings and woodwinds play the theme melody (variation) very soft, give touching ground music. Then timpani and cymbal roll lead music to a familiar melody (appear before when the same picture shows, the big dragon flying towards the sun). This melody played by horn and strings. Then music color changes again when it cuts to Jake setting in the lab. Violin solo play the melody, strings play background. Credits Credits First part of the cue is source music. The praying song. Then the music underlines the audience reaction. 49! Music starts sad and a little bit tension, because Jake is dying. Then music become a tragedy cue, cheating audience Jake is dead. Then it becomes a romantic cue when Jake comes back to life. When it cuts to next scene, music gives a ending feeling. Round up the film. Then it cuts to the lab, music changing color, but still gives a ending feeling.