| Music, for many black Americans, functions as a cohesive element within the black community. It is a cultural ingredient that permeates, represents and reconstructs various aspects of black life. Musical texts make reference to contemporary social/political ideology. Rhythms, textures, and musical structures reflect African survivals. Finally, music sound, structures, and/or concepts convey aspects of cultural history. Black independent filmmakers, recognizing the significance of music as a vital cultural mechanism, employ it (music) as a primary ingredient of their "storytelling" process.;Film music, for the black independent filmmaker, serves as a contemporary indicator of attitudes and perceptions of black life. Therefore, in addition to reinforcing visual images presented by the film narrative, the "music narrative" helps communicate the filmmaker's perception of both his or her own cultural world and the world outside. This study examines music in selected films produced by black independents to ascertain the multifarious roles of music within the creative process, the film context, and the aesthetic ideology.;In regard to the role of music in films by selected black independent filmmakers, this study concludes that one or more of the following occur in most films: (1) music sound and/or concepts interact and interweave within the creative process to aid in the evolution of the film; (2) music is a vital communicative component within the film context relaying social, political and cultural ideology, (3) music (sound, concept, and/or structure) is an active ingredient of black cinema aesthetics.;The significance of this study lies in its successful attempt to unearth music as a cultural resource with a significant impact within the filmmaking process. Black independent filmmakers, cognizant of the power exerted by various cultural ingredients, use music to help fuel and mold their creative expression. |
