For some of the key scenes, Shannon would consult with Fiadhnait McCann (the sound designer and sound effects editor), and she would send over some sounds she had worked on, which would inspire Shannon to compose something he would then send back to her. By leveraging the ease of digital file sharing in this way, composer, musicians, and sound designer/editor were able to “riff” off of each other’s work in a workflow that seems more akin to a Jazz jam session than a modern post production schedule. Shannon says he would use these interactions to get a feel for “how much or how little he needed to do”.
He opines that sometimes it’s about paring back the music. He directed my attention to a scene in the house when cursed brother and sister (Bill Milner and Charlotte Vega) are discussing the crumbling manor house they live in (which is kind of a central “character” throughout the film). There is so much going on sound wise (creaks and drops) as the scene builds to a dramatic moment that Shannon felt it best to remove the music entirely, and simply let the house (sound effects/design) do the heavy lifting. He thought McCann’s work was “amazing” and “very skilled”, so he “just got out of the way” for that dramatic moment.
The Final Mix
The composer tells us he felt lucky that director O’Malley invited him in twice during the final mix to ask how he felt about the mix of dialogue and music. Again, this process involved a give and take. At times the composer felt the music was a bit too loud and crowded out the action and dialogue. Conversely re-recording mixer Killian Fitzgerald (Avatar Post production) showed him how they could edge the music up a bit at times to add some urgency.
And from a composer’s standpoint Shannon told CinÉireann that the musical stems he delivers tend to emphasize octave and ranges rather than specific instruments. For example, he often delivers some of the lower “subbier” (subsonic) elements as a separate stem, which gives the mixer a chance to tweak those elements separately from the rest of the musical elements. He’s concerned that dialogue (especially male voices) can get lost behind very bassy sounds. Also, if the composition includes vocals, he delivers a separate vocal stem so it can be mixed to accommodate the dialogue. With a background in musical producing, mixing, and studio engineering, he understands the value giving the re-recording mixer some options.
Stephen Shannon finds composing for film compelling because very often the music is not the most important part of the soundscape. And, when called to “get out of the way”, he’s challenged to do that in a way that best serves the film, but honors his passion for music?
If you are moved by sound on screen, The Lodgers is a haunting Irish tale, and an absolute masterclass in blending sound design and music to build drama.
What do you listen for, and what are you hearing?
Please address your questions, comments, or criticisms to [email protected].
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