How I Enriched My Rewrite Video With Music
Hi there! This post is part of a documentation project on how I wrote, scripted, narrated, scored, audio/video edited, and uploaded a rewrite video for the anime Demon Slayer. I detail my production process, and how my skills and principles can be applied elsewhere. Visit my landing page to see the rest of my process!
Why My Project Needed Music
I wanted my video to be an immersive story. Footage and narration are strong on their own, but I needed music to aid them. Music tells stories like no other medium can through orchestration and instruments. I love movie/tv soundtracks and music in general, so I was incredibly excited to get to this part of my video.
How I Found My Music
Demon Slayer has a lengthy OST (Original Soundtrack), but using it was risky due to copyright. I instead opted for artists who created covers of the OST. I had a whole range of emotions to cover, and I wanted as many music options as possible. As I found my tracks, I downloaded them using 4K Video Downloader.
Music Is Universal
If a product appeals to emotion in any way, there’s music to match it. Music can elevate your content like nothing else and completely transform a scene or anything else it’s featured in.
Scoring My Video
I began scoring my video. I had music in mind for some scenes already, but others required some experimenting. I wasn’t sure exactly what tone I wanted, but I wanted to make sure each scene felt right.
I’d even try different music with the same feel. I’d have multiple action tracks, but one sounded adventurous, while another sounded upbeat and triumphant. Both could work, but I wanted the one that fit the best. I’d even test different parts of the same song to see what part worked better.
The Sound Of Silence
Some scenes actually worked better without music. I had a couple of high-tension scenes, as well some sad scenes. The lack of music created a contrast to the rest of the video, emphasizing the impactful feel of the scene.
Keeping My Sound Fresh
My rewrite covered three story arcs, each with different characters and events. As I moved from arc to arc, I phased out tracks I’d used and bring in new ones, giving each arc a set of new themes. While I cycled through some of my music, I still had plenty of staple tracks that could be heard all the way through.
My Unique Opportunity
My project gave me a unique opportunity. The music I used was composed for scenes lasting several minutes. With my scenes averaging less than a minute, I had far more music to play with.
However, it also presented a unique obstacle. Certain motifs were longer than my scenes. I’d have to cut down their length, editing them together with a parts cut out.
Finishing Scoring
This was the easiest and one of my favorite parts of my production. I love music, and getting the opportunity to score my scenes with music I chose was an absolute blast.
Skills I Demonstrated
- Understanding storytelling principles
- Understanding tone and feel of content
- Knowledge of how different scene elements work together
- Understanding the feel you want for different content
Applying My Skills
The skills I demonstrated here can apply across the board. I understand the power of music and how it conveys your content like nothing else. Knowing how different elements of a product work together is invaluable in content creation.
With my audio editing finally out of the way, it was time to move on to editing the video.
