Research Proposal: Aims and Objectives

After speaking to Robin today I have blocked out the aims and objectives I will be placing into my research proposal. Whilst working on the honours project and dissertation the objectives listed below will be treated as a checklist of goals which will lead to the realisation of the projects aim. 

Aim

The aim of this study is to create a practical framework for the production of film scores for music and sound practitioner inexperienced in composing and producing music for film.

Objectives

• Research – Identify and review relevant literature to the project aim using a literature review focused on key research questions.
• Define methodology – Select relevant and effective research methods.
• Develop analytical tools – Develop a method to define the practicality of research related to the creation of film score from an inexperienced point of view. 
• Case Study – Identify and gather concepts by investigating different sides of music creation for film e.g. development of home production software and methods vs. what are considered to be professional. These concepts can then be used to help create a practical framework for film score production using analytical tools.
• Apply previous objectives to create a practical framework for the production of film score for music and sound practitioners inexperienced in composing and producing music for film. 
• Identify and apply a suitable method of project evaluation – Test the process by creating at least two separate cues to generate film score for a short film. To test whether the process can be generalised have volunteers with no traditional musical abilities apply the framework and have them review the process. 

Research Proposal: Introduction Feedback

I formatted information from the previous blog post into a blocked out research proposal introduction (see below) and sent it to Robin for some feedback.

Research Proposal Introduction:

Introduction

A general overview of the research topic. 

Film score is defined as a body of original pieces of music combined to accompany film, these individual pieces of music are known as cues. In order to create these cues the music composer must meet with producers and the director to discuss the various aspects of the music: How music will be used in the film; what it will sound like; what part will it play in relation to narrative? And where cues will begin and end.  

You can highlight the main research questions that are related to the project. 

The project intends to look at the creation of film score from a beginners point of view; it will investigate the creation process, timeline and time constraints of film scoring and will look at the individual professional roles related to soundtrack creation i.e. musical composer and editor and how these roles work with other members of a films creative team.  Most importantly the project will consider these research areas from an amateurs perspective and address their capabilities when composing film score.  In order to investigate these areas there are certain research questions that must be focused on, such as: 

• How does composed soundtrack work in film?
• What technology is available to assist?
• How does a composer remain in control of the score while working with other musicians?
• How does a composer work to tempo and time constraints?
• Identify emotional peaks and how to portray these emotions, how many emotions are there?

End the Introduction chapter with a clear description of your final Project Aim and 3-4 Objectives. 

The project aim is to create a process in which complete amateurs can compose, record and sync emotive soundtrack for dramatic films.

Robin replied with the following feedback:

Hi Oliver,

You're starting to block out a clear Introduction, which is good.

I'd suggest  that you clarify the use of 'amateur' - this might not be the best word, as it is unclear precisely what you mean here. Do you define yourself as the amateur? Or someone with film but not audio experience? Or someone with no media production experience at all?

I think you should use much more specific terminology so that your aim is not ambiguous. 

Can you state in one short sentence what you intend to produce, and who for? I'd state this, make it very clear, and keep referring to this as you write up your introduction.

There are some issues if what you are proposing to do is effectively create a 'soundtrack tool'

Music composition is an artform - an amateur without musical training can't create high calibre soundtracks just because a tool exists (this is true of filmmaking, animation etc. - amateur users can make more polished content than ever before, but it is not of professional production standard). 

The question 'what technology is available to exist' is effectively one you need to answer within the proposal, not the dissertation, if the aim of the project is to develop a pipeline for soundtrack composition. Discussing existing technologies is essential to establishing a rationale for your whole project, and thus needs to be addressed before you start. What if you set out to examine technologies and make a solution in semester 2, and find out right away that there are lots of great solutions already available? So make sure you address this in the proposal lit review.

Overall the project intro is looking fine, but you need the aim and objectives, lit review and method to really state what it is you are doing.





In response to this feedback I plan on on establishing my projects aims and objectives as soon as possible and will research available tools and technologies in my research proposal as a section in the literature review. I have also reworded my project aim using more specific terminology and addressing issues Robin mentioned above. The new project aim now reads: The aim of this study is to create a practical framework for the production of film scores for music and sound practitioners inexperienced in composing and producing music for film.

New Research Question

I have spent most of this week trying to develop a new research question based on the feedback Kenny and Robin provided me with. The current draft of my research question is as follows

"The project aim is to create a process in which complete amateurs can compose, record and sync emotive soundtrack for dramatic films. "

Although this needs to be refined slightly this is currently the direction my project is heading in. In order to achieve this aim I intend to look at the creation of film score from a beginners point of view; it will investigate the creation process, timeline and time constraints of film scoring and will look at the individual professional roles related to soundtrack creation i.e. musical composer and editor and how these roles work with other members of a films creative team.
Most importantly the project will consider these research areas from an amateurs perspective and address their capabilities when composing film score.  In order to investigate these areas there are certain research questions that must be focused on, such as:

• How does composed soundtrack work in film?
• What technology is available to assist?
• How does a composer remain in control of the score while working with other musicians?
• How does a composer work to tempo and time constraints?
• Identify emotional peaks and how to portray these emotions, how many emotions are there?

Meeting With Robin

I emailed Robin (Lecturer) on Tuesday (5th) and arranged a meeting today to discuss the direction of my project. We talked about the feedback Kenny gave me at the small group project meetings and I presented my most recent ideas for where the project is heading. I'm currently thinking about producing a step by step guide that amateurs can use to produce music for films.
Robin thought this was a suitable project aim and asked me to take my ideas and arrange them into a suitable project aim and research proposal introduction.

Small Group Project Meeting

Today I met with Kenny to discuss my suggested project aim and my ideas surrounding the honours project. As i feared Kenny confirmed that the proposal simply lacks enough of a practical element to merit a pass at honours level. We discussed the fact that I have no previous experience in scoring for film and the likeliness of me producing a score that could be used to show how the relationship between key emotional factors in the score and in the film work together, was slim at best.
The discussion regarding my lack of experience creating film score progressed to to a discussion about what methods existed to allow amateurs to create score for film; Kenny suggested researching this further and said to consider this as a potential direction for my dissertation and project.
Although I still feel behind I also feel like I have a focus point now and potentially have a relevant idea that incorporates both a dissertation and an honours project.