Choosing Music for a Documentary Film

Video Transcript

"Some people overdo the music in the documentary. I mean you don't always need you know background music. And then the music that you do use will generally be like instrumental because it will be in the background while they're talking, you don't want the music to kind of overshadow their voice you know and be crazy and stuff. So you got to make sure that it fits you know. If you are talking like very emotional, maybe slightly depressing thing that they're talking about you don't really want upbeat music. So you know it has to match. And also to find this music is like well you find music that already exists from some band or some musician or do you get somebody to do you know music after you are done with the documentary and actually score the thing for us. So you know both ways work it just kind of depends you know what kind of time frame you have. Finding music is easy enough, just put an ad again on the internet or whatever and you'll get lots of responses. And also you know you have the musician sign a release form just as you did with the talent you know the interviewers, interviewees, have the musician sign that release form saying that you can you know use their music in the production. But again you know it's kind of like with too many different transitions and stuff that don't really fit just make sure you don't overdo it with the music , it's a common mistake is you know just have wall to wall music in a documentary and it really doesn't need it so. Music again you know is up to the film maker, it's up to your specific taste of you know what the documentary is about."