Music and the Movies

Everywhere I look fabulous looking movies are being advertised. Whether it be through TV spots or YouTube adverts or Facebook pages.

Literary adaptations seem to be most popular lately, in particular, Young Adult. With The Host coming out, The Mortal Instruments and Warm Bodies just to name a few, I can say I am in every way excited! 

Another thing I have particularly noticed is the use of popular music on these such trailers. Beautiful Creatures use the wonderful Florence and the Machine 'Seven Devils', one of my favourite songs off of her latest albums to create the moody atmosphere that accompanies the book about Witchcraft in a small southern town. This is most probably a ploy to draw in a wider audience to their film and entice their current audience by showing they're 'with the times'. But what I love is the popularity it is giving bands. Every time that advert is played, the song plays with it and people here the tune and hum along, listen to the lyrics and decide they like the sound of it, google it, buy the album. And music that deserves to be heard, is.

What I also love is how many smaller scale bands are being thrust deservedly into the lime light :) Bands like The Black Keys are being featured on the Warm Bodies trailer and though they are veritably well known for their wonderful, dark music, having been featured on the radio and accumulating their own following, they are now featured everywhere, with a whole new audience listening to them who may have never discovered them before.

I personally have discovered an amazing new band through adverts and trailers recently and I suggest everyone go listen to them. They are Imagine Dragons. Their song 'Radioactive' first featured on the Assassin's Creed advert, which is where I heard it and YouTubed it myself. It was then taken by The Host and used in their first, brand-spanking new trailer. (This film looks amazing by the way!) Practically unheard of before, Imagine Dragons now has an official video for 'Radioactive', seen here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktvTqknDobU - which I have seen appear on TV music channels! Movie  trailers have not made this band, they do that themselves with their incredible talent, but they have certainly giving them that push toward popularity :)

Like Jaws, I think if you took away the music from trailers, it would be boring and uninteresting. Music creates an atmosphere, sets a scene, terrifies you and even turns you to blubbering mess. To prove my point, if a soundtrack weren't included in a movie, would we ever have had musicals?

Singing off x

One Huge Step For - Well, Me.

So bloggersphere, I haven't been very kind to you lately. I have abandoned you somewhat and for that I am sorry. But I have my reasons! Or excuses, whatever you will call them.

I have been working non-stop over the Christmas period - and when I mean non-stop I mean 44 hour weeks non-stop, so I haven't really had time to sit down for a cup of tea, let alone think of something witty and readable for this blog. I also have been revising for my retake exam that I took this morning. Eek! Plus I got a new boyfriend so I've been all smitten and loved up, much to the disgust of those around me :P

But now I am back and I promise to grace you with my presence a lot more often!

So what's been happening with me? Well I finally applied for University. Which was scary and stressful and chaotic. Everything I expected it to be really. If anyone ever tells you the process is easy, then, well, they've never gone through the process. I rewrote my personal statement about three times, got sent back my application by college about seven times and am currently trying to iron out one of the mistakes that my college made. But it's done. I'm going to an open day in two weeks to check out the University I desperately want to go to and their Creative Writing course. University is a massive step. It means being grown up and independent and that's scary. I mean, I can't even use a washing machine! But I guess that's the adventure really, doing things you've never done before and learning that you're not actually that bad at being an adult.

I also retook my A2 Literature exam today. It wasn't a matter of needing to, I already have the points I need to get into University. It was more pride than anything. I couldn't stand to have that low grade beside my name for the rest of my life. I'm stubborn and determined and I wanted to be able to say my grade with pride. I think this mental attitude comes from a great upbringing by my parents. They always supported me in what I did and pushed me with the right amount in the right direction. I can never thank them enough because their support is why I'm going to university in the first place.

Well that's the boring part of what's been going on with my life out of the way. Next blog will be filled with book reviews, music rants and raves and all that exciting stuff! :D

Signing off x