Overview
In this unit, you will explore composition and production techniques for professional film and game audio in the creation of an original score for visual media. You will analyse the composition and sound design techniques of a range of visual media from film to game audio and learn a range of techniques that underpin these styles. You will further explore advanced recording, synthesis and sampling techniques in composing for visual media. In the major portfolio assessment, you will be required to plan for and create an original score and sound design elements for a piece of visual media.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisite: Completion of 72 credit points in CG51. Students outside of CG51 may seek approval from the CG51 Head of Course to undertake this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
- Analyse a range of professional music composition techniques and their relationship to visual media
- Prepare and pitch a concept document and project plan for the sound design and music composition elements for synchronisation with visual media
- Create an original music score and sound design elements for visual media using a digital audio workstation.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||
| 2 - Presentation - 20% | |||
| 3 - Portfolio - 50% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||
| 2 - Communication | |||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||
| 4 - Research | |||
| 5 - Self-management | |||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||
| 7 - Leadership | |||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Ableton Live software
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
p.preece@cqu.edu.au
t.barton@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Unit introduction
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
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History of music for film
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Events and Submissions/Topic
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Dynamics in film music
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Events and Submissions/Topic
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Foundational harmony and melody for film music
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Drum and beat programming
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Programming strings and working with traditional musical elements
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Programming synths and working with non-traditional musical elements
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The role of Sound Effects (SFX) in foley and score integration
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Mixing and mastering basics for optimal mix output
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Immersive mixing
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Project week and feedback sessions
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Final mix and major assessment preparation
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1 Written Assessment
In the world of film and game music, composers use a range of techniques to shape the audience’s emotional experience and support the narrative. Analysing existing works is one of the most effective ways to develop your own compositional skills and clarify your artistic direction. This assessment task will give you the opportunity to closely examine how music and visuals work together to tell a story and create mood.
You will select two pieces of music from film or game scores and analyse them within their visual context. Your analysis should identify the key compositional techniques used — such as harmony, melody, texture, orchestration, and the use of leitmotifs or themes — and explain how these elements contribute to the specific style of the music and enhance the visual storytelling.
In addition to discussing musical elements, you will also consider technical aspects where relevant, such as mix levels, dynamics, and the relationship between sound and image. Through this process, you will gain insights into the creative and technical decisions composers make and how these shape a viewer’s experience.
This task is designed to help you build a foundational understanding of composition principles in film and game music, while also developing your ability to critically analyse and reflect on professional works.
Submission details
- No more than 1500 words
- 12pt font
- Submitted as a word document
- APA referencing style (including Gen AI)
AI Assessment scale tool:
Level 2 - You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas. Any misuse or lack of disclosure regarding the use of AI tools will be considered a breach of academic integrity.
Week 5 Friday (15 Aug 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 6 Friday (29 Aug 2025)
- Analysis of musical elements: Accurately identifies and explains key compositional techniques (e.g. harmony, melody, texture, orchestration, leitmotifs) used in both excerpts, with appropriate terminology. (20%)
- Understanding of narrative integration: Demonstrates a clear understanding of how the music supports and enhances the narrative, mood, or action within the visual context. (15%)
- Comparative analysis: Effectively compares and contrasts the two excerpts, highlighting similarities and differences in compositional and technical approaches(15%)
- Clarity and structure of written analysis: Presents ideas in a clear, logical and well-structured format. Use of appropriate academic language and maintains focus on the task requirements. (15%)
- Use of appropriate terminology and critical reflection: Employs correct musical and technical vocabulary and demonstrates reflective thinking about how compositional decisions shape the audience’s experience. (10%)
- Adherence to delivery requirements: Meets word count, formatting, and presentation guidelines. Submits in an appropriate file format. (5%)
- APA referencing: Correctly cites all sources, including Gen AI, using APA referencing style. (5%)
- Analyse a range of professional music composition techniques and their relationship to visual media
2 Presentation
Creating music for visual media is a dynamic and collaborative process, shaped by the specific needs of a project and the creative relationships involved. This assessment gives you the opportunity to define and present your creative vision for your major assessment task, while demonstrating your growing understanding of music for screen.
In this task, you will prepare a video pitch presentation where you will outline your creative direction and approach for your major portfolio project. Your pitch should clearly communicate your concept, explaining how your music will support the mood, narrative, and style of the visual media.
You will be required to:
- Present a comprehensive brief and detailed explanation of your proposed creative direction
- Discuss your influences, ideas, and how you intend to respond to the visual narrative
- Demonstrate techniques and concepts acquired throughout the course
- Include minor audio examples from Assessment 3 that reflect your current progress
- Provide a technical list of any virtual instruments, DAW, and sound libraries you will use in your final project
Your video presentation should be no longer than 5 minutes and should contain audio and visual elements. By the end of your pitch, the audience should have a clear understanding of your creative intentions, your planned technical approach, and a sense of excitement about the potential of your final work.
AI Assessment scale tool:
Level 2 - You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas. Any misuse or lack of disclosure regarding the use of AI tools will be considered a breach of academic integrity.
Week 10 Friday (26 Sept 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 11 Friday (3 Oct 2025)
- Response to the creative brief: Clearly articulates a thoughtful and relevant response to the provided brief, demonstrating a strong understanding of the project’s narrative, mood, and technical requirements. (20%)
- Creative direction and concept: Effectively communicates the intended creative direction for the project, including mood, style, and narrative alignment. Shows originality and clear artistic intention. (15%)
- Demonstration of techniques and compositional approach: Explains the techniques and skills acquired throughout the course and how these will be applied to the final project. (10%)
- Audio examples demonstrating progress: Presents well-produced, relevant audio examples that reflect partial progress toward the final score. Audio should clearly demonstrate emerging compositional ideas, techniques, and alignment with the brief. (30%)
- Technical planning and feasibility: Outlines the DAW, virtual instruments, sound libraries, and other tools that will be used, with clear reasoning for their selection and how they support the project’s goals. (15%)
- Presentation quality and delivery: Communicates ideas clearly and professionally within the time limit. Uses appropriate software and formatting for video presentation. (10%)
- Prepare and pitch a concept document and project plan for the sound design and music composition elements for synchronisation with visual media
3 Portfolio
To work successfully as a film or media composer, it’s essential to be able to compose, produce, and mix your work to a professional standard. This assessment will give you the opportunity to demonstrate those skills by creating an original composition that builds upon the structure of a provided arrangement.
For this task, you will recreate and expand on the arrangement structure of the "Westworld Composition" provided by your lecturer. You will compose, produce, and mix your own music to match the exact duration of the lecturer-provided arrangement.
You will use Ableton Live and other equipment such as virtual instruments, MIDI controllers, headphones, and monitors to complete your project.
Your composition must include:
- Sound design elements such as atmospheric sounds, textures, and sound effects that enhance the arrangement
- Musical ideas that reflect the mood and subject matter of the content
- Appropriate dynamics, pacing, and musical progression throughout the composition
- Only royalty-free, one-shot samples if you choose to include any pre-recorded samples
Final Submission Requirements:
- A mixed and bounced audio file of your finished composition (refer to Moodle for file format and naming conventions)
- The composition must cover the entire runtime of the provided arrangement
Submission details
Your final graded submission will be the delivery of the final music product. Your submission will include:
- Stereo Bounce/Export at 24 bit 48kHz. Master chain will be optional.
- An mp3 ‘listener’ 320kbp/s
- An Ableton Live Set at the final stage of the mix - or any alternative DAW session
- A video export with your completed version of the composition delivered in mp4 format.
Feedback is an essential part of the composition, recording and mixing process. You will be required to submit milestone tasks throughout the term so that you may receive feedback prior to your final submission. You will also be required to give constructive feedback to your peers. Your submission of these milestones will contribute to 15% of your final grade.
AI Assessment scale tool:
Level 2 - You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas. Any misuse or lack of disclosure regarding the use of AI tools will be considered a breach of academic integrity.
Week 12 Friday (10 Oct 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (24 Oct 2025)
- Effective use and application of technical devices, including virtual instruments, effects, and sound design tools (20%)
- Clear understanding and application of genre-specific musical devices and conventions appropriate to the project (20%)
- Completion of a full, original composition that covers the entire duration of the provided arrangement, including sound design elements and appropriate musical development (20%)
- Demonstrated foundational understanding of musical harmony, chord structures, and their role in shaping mood and progression within the composition (20%)
- Quality of audio mixing, including balance, clarity, dynamics, and adherence to submission requirements (10%)
- Submission of required milestone tasks as outlined on Moodle (draft progress, file uploads, or check-ins as applicable) (10%)
- Create an original music score and sound design elements for visual media using a digital audio workstation.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
