The document analyzes the opening soundtracks of the films Charlie Bartlett and Brick. In Charlie Bartlett, alternative rock music builds along with cheering sounds to establish the protagonist's arrival on stage, though it is revealed to be a daydream. Brick uses slower, eerie music and diegetic school sounds to set a mysterious tone and hint at future events. Both soundtracks effectively set the genre and tone through their style and use of diegetic and non-diegetic elements, though Brick's is more unsettling.

1. Soundtrack analysis.

2. 1. Charlie Bartlett
• I chose to analyse the film opening soundtrack from Charlie Bartlett as the fade from day dream to
reality is extremely cleverly done and it is also a classic example of a teen drama/ coming of age
movie.
• The scene begins with the slow fade in of crowds cheering, it slowly builds in volume until strokes of a
guitar is added, the crowd screams and chants,“Charlie, Charlie” and the music picks up pace,
drums are added and the screams fade in and out as it cuts from Charlie putting on his school
uniform to the crowds chants, the slow rock music continues throughout at the same volume, the
screams increase in volume until Charlie goes on stage, the crowd erupts. Drums work in parallel
perfectly with the spotlights turning on and he thanks the crowd, the crowds chants begin to fade
into a single male voice,“Charlie, Charlie your mom’s here” until the screams fade out completely,
this reveals to the audience that it was a day dream.

3. 2. Brick
• I chose Brick to analyse as I think it is a really different and interesting composition of sound in
the opening sequence and it works well with the genre in a really sophisticated way.
• The sequence begins with slow guitar music, bells ringing fade in and get louder in volume, the
bells continue ringing as they fade into the school bell 2 weeks earlier, the sounds of lockers
closing and the murmur of students solidify the location and help to cement the genre.
Only diegetic and ambient sound is used after this, in particular the sound of footprints
walking up the hall and the pay phone ringing.The person on the other end says “Brendan”
to which he replies “Emily?” this is an important moment as this reveals the characters
names.
•

4. Music style and dialogue
• The style of music In Charlie Bartlett alternative rock with heavy notes from the guitar and drums,
the style of music was popular in the early 2000s, the time that this movie was made and so is
fitting to this genre and its audience, the use of the music elevates the anticipation of the diegetic
sounds of cheering crowds this also makes the audience feel as if they are there the crowds
chanting reveals to us who our main character will be and announces their arrival on screen.
Overall the sequence is uplifting and humorous. In brick the music style is slower and eerier which
fits well with the sequence and gives off an intriguing and mysterious atmosphere.
• The diegetic dialogue gives us hints about who our protagonists are and what they are like, we can
already begin to form an idea about what Charlie is like simply by the few spoken words that
transpire between our characters, as Charlie fades out of his day dream, the male character says
“she’s in the deans office, good luck Charlie, stay out of trouble. From this we can observe that he
might be a mischievous character, we also observe that despite this he is quite well liked as the
male character wishes him luck. In Brick this takes place in a much more visual manner, the camera
work focuses a lot on our protagonists feet, the name Is revealed to us however by the phone call.

5. Why is the sound used?
• The sound used by the two clips that I looked at establish genre, we can tell from the opening
scene of Charlie Bartlett that he is a drifter and gets into trouble which is revealed to us by
the use of the diegetic dialogue and the location which we find out is the deans office. Both
setting and character align with some classic teen drama components, the Brick opening
sequence however is much darker, the use of the slow chiming music puts the audience on
edge and the cut from the non diegetic bells In the music to the jump 2 weeks earlier and
the diegetic sounds of the school bell sets the location for us.And as we know what will
happen the diegetic sounds of the particular characters footprints have great importance.
The lack of music in the jump back is significant as the ambient sounds of the school are
much more sinister due to the events we know will take place 2 weeks later., this creates a
much more dramatic and suspenseful atmosphere.
• In the sequences that I watched I felt that the sound worked in parallel to the action in both
more so however in Charlie Bartlett than Brick, as I felt brick had a more eerie atmosphere
at the beginning with the use of the non diegetic bells, I was much more aware of this music
than I was in the first clip I watched however I still feel that it worked in parallel.

6. Why is the sound used?
• The sound used by the two clips that I looked at establish genre, we can tell from the opening
scene of Charlie Bartlett that he is a drifter and gets into trouble which is revealed to us by
the use of the diegetic dialogue and the location which we find out is the deans office. Both
setting and character align with some classic teen drama components, the Brick opening
sequence however is much darker, the use of the slow chiming music puts the audience on
edge and the cut from the non diegetic bells In the music to the jump 2 weeks earlier and
the diegetic sounds of the school bell sets the location for us.And as we know what will
happen the diegetic sounds of the particular characters footprints have great importance.
The lack of music in the jump back is significant as the ambient sounds of the school are
much more sinister due to the events we know will take place 2 weeks later., this creates a
much more dramatic and suspenseful atmosphere.
• In the sequences that I watched I felt that the sound worked in parallel to the action in both
more so however in Charlie Bartlett than Brick, as I felt brick had a more eerie atmosphere
at the beginning with the use of the non diegetic bells, I was much more aware of this music
than I was in the first clip I watched however I still feel that it worked in parallel.