TENSION FILLED STRINGS: THE MUSIC OF MASQUERADE
The importance of music far extends being the cause of us mentally revisiting scenes from movies we would prefer not to ; it informs us of mood and feeling that might otherwise remain illusive. Alan Smale, former leader of the RTE National Symphony Orchestra and musical consultant for Masquerade sits down with us to discuss his choice of period-appropriate music for Clap ‘n Load Studios’ inaugural short film
As I sit listening to Q Lazzarus’s cult hit “Goodbye Horses” blaring in my ears writing this post I'm reminded of the importance of music. The mere sound of those opening beats sends chills through me immediately causing me to mentally replay Buffalo Bill’s infamous dance scene in Jonathan Demme’s 1991 multiple Oscar Winning movie, “Silence of The Lambs”.
The importance of music far extends being the cause of us mentally revisiting scenes from movies we would prefer not to ; it informs us of mood and feeling that might otherwise remain illusive. For instance, if we were to listen to Elton John’s “Circle of Life” a sense of warmth might wash over us, whereas Louis Armstrong’s "We Have All The Time in the World" could evoke a sense of melancholy.
It reminds me of conversations I've had with film fanatic friends of mine who gush at the mere mention of Ennio Morricone‘s name yet scathingly mock the intrusive nature of Hans Zimmer's body of work, particularly in the action genre. Music is an incredibly powerful component in the making of a film, however it’s really just another tool at the disposal of the Director of the film to help reinforce the creation of the world they've invited you into. Clap 'n Load's "Masquerade" is no different. Albeit the production team did things a little differently. Where most films will include music in their movie after filming has long since wrapped, the recording of the music took place first and the scenes were shot second.
"We story boarded the film to the music by timing the dialogue." John Kelly, the film's writer-director, tells me when I asked him about his consideration of music in his short-film some months ago. "It was unique to record the music before shooting the film, but it allowed us to create an intensity on-set and in the delivery of the dialogue that correlated to the music."
Of course picking the correct pieces of music was integral as it not only had to fit the tone of the story, but reflect the period accurately too. "I wanted what they'd really have listened to at that time at a Masquerade Ball" John tells me. "That must have been a task in itself?", I query. "Well, thankfully I had help in selecting the right pieces." John enlisted the assistance of renowned Violinist Alan Smale. If that name sounds familiar to you it’s probably because it is. Alan is First Violin for The National Symphony Orchestra and Wexford Opera House to name just a couple of his impressive credentials.
I could tell you more about the musically driven choices Alan made for the short-film, but why would I do that when the Greystones native was good enough to take time out of his busy schedule to discuss just that with us, which you can watch here...
The music for the film (the wonderfully melodic combo of Tchaikovsky's "Andante Cantabile" and Puccini's "Crisantemi for String Quartet") was recorded two months prior to shooting the film by a string quartet in Ashford Church over the course of a single two hour session. That was as impressive a feat as it was ambitious. "It was worth it." John smiles. "We played the music on-set to allow the actors modify the delivery of their dialogue and help them get into the headspace of their characters...and when the music stops dead at the end of the second piece, we baked that interruption into the scene.". The thoughtful filmmaker recognised, not just the importance of music in his film, but the psychological insight it could afford the actors in the portrayal of their characters, together with an opportunity to enhance the cinematic experience for his audience, allowing them experience the Masquerade Ball aurally in an accurate representation of the period in which it’s set.
Listening to samples of the pieces John has sent me, one could argue if music informs us of mood in film, then this short-film has plenty of tension filled drama afoot.
A LOOK BEHIND THE MASK : MASQUERADE
With Clap 'n Load Studios about to drop the official trailer for their first short film "Masquerade" this Friday, we decided it would be an appropriate time to reflect on the origins of the project and the unexpected adversities it had to overcome in order to come to life.
With Clap 'n Load Studios about to drop the official trailer for their first short film "Masquerade" this Friday we decided it would be an appropriate time to reflect on the origins of the project and the unexpected adversities it had to overcome in order to come to life.
John Kelly, the film's writer and director speaks to me over Zoom on a particularly wintry December evening. His affection for his first production is infectious as his warmth for it is transmitted down the camera lens. "I was on a flight coming home from DC and had been thinking about writing a story that focused on what people present to us rather than what they are, and the imagery that came to mind was of a masquerade ball. So I wanted that to be the focal point of the film." he candidly explains giving an insight into the background of his idea. "So I spent the flight Googling images of Masquerade masks and costuming, which wasn’t easy with the awful internet connection." he laughs.
Initially an idea for "a three minute showpiece without dialogue" it quickly became apparent to the young writer-filmmaker that this idea could expand far further than he initially imagined as he began to realise a much larger world within the germ of his idea. So much so he tells me that creating it as a short movie became a task in itself.
“There’s the basis of a TV series here, and we have the plot points and outline of that series already written. Masquerade is just an excerpt of that longer story.”
However, it being a Kickstarter fundraising film it was decided to keep the project, an ambitious period piece set in England prior to the Irish 1916 rebellion, to under fifteen minutes. "Its a situation story about power and the tenuous position of power. There's a whole lot we haven't gotten around to talking about in this pilot, but there's a lot of stuff going on." He isn't wrong. In the trailer for the film he shows me we meet a staunch Duke, his power-driven wife, their cowardly Physician, and learn of the dangers looming for each of them when the actions of the Duke’s headstrong son come to light on the night of their masquerade ball.
Of course, the production wasn't without its issues. The primary one: being a film with a low budget means less access to crew and equipment. Calling upon friends, family and volunteers the film was shot at a breakneck pace over a single weekend in Kilruddery House in Wicklow. Undaunted and undeterred by a lack of budget the production steamed ahead and where glitches arose creativity overcame. Frustratingly, after production wrapped further delays on the project were met as the the post production team working on the film were forced to work from home due to the pandemic resulting in a lengthy delay.
John Kelly’s enthusiasm for his film assisted him in overcoming each issue stating "Where problems arise I like to see as an opportunity". After the lengthy wait for post production to finalise, John using the time in-between to work on future projects for Clap 'n Load Studios, the film was released to competitions around the world and has been a resounding success receiving awards and nominations for Best Actor and Costume, to name a few. The delays in seeing his project come to life were no doubt disheartening at times, but the end result (which is slated to be released on Christmas Day) and trailer that will be released this coming Friday are a testament to his passion for film-making.
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