Music should be used as fundamental dialogue in cinema: Composer Ramprasad Sundar

Internationally acclaimed music composer and sound designer Ramprasad Sundar, who is associated with Netflix, held a masterclass titled Scoring for Short-films & Documentaries at the ongoing 17th Mumbai International Film Festival.

Stating that music is an inherent part of cinema, he said, “It’s there from the beginning to the end. So a filmmaker should not introduce music in the midst or in the post-production phase. Rather, it should be on board from the very beginning."

"Music has been with us before films, television and theatre. Music in itself is a language and it should be used as a fundamental dialogue in filmmaking," he added.

Composing for a documentary is always a difficult task, according to the maestro. "In a documentary, the music is scored in such a way that, when the narrator or the voice-over starts, the music also flows simultaneously. This sets the emotion," he said.

Shedding light on the importance of sonic branding, Ramprasad said, “This means identifying a brand or title just by listening to the music. Choosing the right composer and artistes, having a clear vision for the show's sonic palette, data-driven creative breakdowns, crewing up with the right music team are basic principles to achieve a solid sonic palette.”

Ramprasad has worked as a sound designer, sound editor and sound mixer on various short films and documentaries. He has also composed music for the Tamil film Thoppi (2015).