ABSTRACT
A considerable obstacle in understanding the role of the orchestrator is the significant ambiguity surrounding the terms ‘orchestrating’ and ‘arranging’. They are often used as synonyms in discussions of music and film music, lending weight to the argument that they are one and the same, though descriptions of the activ - ities frequently differ quite widely. The role of composition in each of these activities is also unclear, as is the extent to which either or both might be considered to be creative. This chapter introduces the broad body of literature focused on film-score creation and production to explore the range of complex and often conflicting views on these industry tasks, before evaluating the clearest published accounts, all of which are based on Hollywood studio-era practices. Having established this foundation, the rest of the chapter draws on primary interview materials to bring the discussion into the contemporary era, including considerations of creativity and composition in each task, to provide clarity in these matters through the establishment of clear definitions for orchestration and arrangement as they exist in the film-music business.
