Spotting Session
Definition
A Spotting Session is a meeting between the director, the composer, and/or the supervising sound editor, in which they watch the locked picture together and identify where music and sound effects will be placed in the film. During the music spotting session, the director and composer discuss the emotional and narrative function of each piece of music, its start and end points, and its overall character. During the sound spotting session, the director and supervising sound editor identify all the sound effects and ambiences that need to be created.
Contextual Usage
The director and composer sit down for the music spotting session: "Let's go through the film scene by scene and figure out where we need music. I want to start with the opening sequence — I'm thinking something very sparse and unsettling, just a few notes on a piano. And then the music shouldn't come back until the scene in the hospital."
About this section
Sound is arguably the most emotionally powerful element of the cinematic experience. Research consistently shows that audiences are more forgiving of poor picture quality than poor sound quality — a t...
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