The filmmakers behind La Barracuda share their secrets to filming and recording live music in their OCFF-winning narrative feature.
All images via La Barracuda.
There’s an undeniable power to films that find creative ways to feature music as an integral part of a film’s narrative. One recent example is La Barracuda, a “slow-burn Texas thriller brimming with tension and a lot of music,” which screened at the Oak Cliff Film Festival, fresh off of its lauded premiere at SXSW a few months earlier.
Filmmakers Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin (who are pictured below receiving the narrative feature award and prize package at the OCFF) had to find creative ways to make a musical world come to life within a film that is deeply rooted in the rich country and folk music scene in Austin, Texas.
If you’re looking to tug your audience’s heart strings by using “live” music on a project of your own, you may want to check out these filmmakers’ tips before recording.
You Don’t Have to Fake It to Make It
One of the most endearing aspects of a film like La Barracuda is the authenticity of its characters and their relationships with the music in the film. Lead actress Sophie Reed‘s character (Sinaloa) actually performed her songs herself — which can both be helpful and problematic.
Know Your Rights
Using music in films, even original compositions, can get tricky very quickly in terms of licensing. It’s important, as in the case of La Barracuda, to do your research and work with a music supervisor from the very beginning — lest you film scenes with live music that you can’t actually use in your final cut.
Camera and Sound Departments Need to Work Together
As any sound mixer will tell you, this certainly rings true on all sets. Cinematography seems to always be the head honcho; however, for a film whose soul is the music, it takes a special relationship between sound and camera departments — expertly demonstrated by La Barracuda‘s director of photography (Jonathan Nastasi) and sound mixer (Paul Toohey). Their collaboration found a way to balance the two elements masterfully.
Use the Board
This is actually a pretty clever workaround as a way to record “live” music authentically while making opportunistic use of the environment. While not every scene will be in a bar or concert venue, that doesn’t mean board mixing is out of the question. Having a board on set can often be a great tool for balancing everything from music to recording dialogue.
Have Faith — Music Will Add Layers
At the end of the day, the choice to use music in the film depends on how much it can add to the story and overall production. Not every project needs “live” music scenes (as they can be quite tricky). However, in the case of La Barracuda, it proves that going the extra mile to record authentic music performances can create something unique that audiences (and the crew) can feel.
Samuel Goldwyn Films picked up La Barracuda, it will see a theatrical release in the U.S. this fall. Check out the Facebook and Twitter pages for updates on upcoming screening dates and locations.