Social Realism Soundtrack Research

I have conducted research into what instruments are commonly used in social realism films, and have done this by listening to Fish Tank's trailer.

Fish Tank

• This trailer begins with a drum beat and claps. It appears to be in 4/4 time. We also hear intermittent single string synth sounds.

• At 10 seconds we can also hear the door effect of slamming and another beat adds to the growing polyphonic texture. 

• At 17 seconds the previous sound of a diegetic dog bark appears to have now become part of the soundtrack, in a synth form that has taken on the barks pitch

• At 25 seconds when Mia (the main character) walks away we hear the previous created soundtrack pause and fade away. This is then replaced by a much 'fresher' sound, with an acoustic sounding synth noise, and a much regular beat.

• At 56 seconds the music begins to gather momentum with a cymbal like sound and electric guitar pattern which are repetitive

• At 1:08 the music again changes and is once again a very open sound, with only one instrument used in a lengthened melodic sound.

• At 1:14 the original two beat and a clap effect comes back in, suggesting a rounding up of the trailer

• A violin effect is used at 1:21 which is rising, suggesting the climax of the trailer is approaching

• When each actors names are introduced we hear a singular drum beat which uses reverb 

• As Mia is attacked in the yard at 1:40 the tempo again speeds up, suggesting the panic as is shown in the trailer

• Finally we hear another section of music where we hear a rising scale of violin music, suggesting the climax is close. This is then cut by a singular beat, and we are left seeing Mia and only hearing the diegetic sound of her breathing.