--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The job, when you write film underscore…" description: "\"The job, when you write film underscore, is to be ignored. That comes with the gig, no question about it.\" — Alan Menken" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/alan-menken-8351_cinema_the-job-when-you-write-film-underscore-i_1499281.jpg" --- # The job, when you write film underscore, is to be ignored… ![“The job, when you write film underscore, is to be ignored. That comes with the gig, no question about it.” quote by Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/alan-menken-8351_cinema_the-job-when-you-write-film-underscore-i_1499281.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/alan-menken-8351_cinema_the-job-when-you-write-film-underscore-i_1499281.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/alan-menken-8351_cinema_the-job-when-you-write-film-underscore-i_1499281.jpg) > “The job, when you write film underscore, is to be ignored. That comes with the gig, no question about it.” [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music for film should blend into the background, serving the story without drawing attention to itself. **In simple terms:** Film music should be unobtrusive. Key Takeaway Create scores that support narrative quietly. Themes film music storytelling subtlety Mood reflective professional Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - movie scenes - theatrical productions - advertising - video games Key Concepts composition audience immersion Questions to Reflect On - How can a composer balance presence and invisibility? - When does subtle music become ineffective? A Different Perspective Audiences may miss emotional cues if music is too silent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Gig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gig/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) ## Related quotes > [Parents are tired of being ignored when it comes to their children's education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-robinson/parents-are-tired-of-being-ignored-when-it-comes-to-their-children-s/) [Mark Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-robinson/) > [... an initial underscore already conveys strong feelings of magicalness to a C programmer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/an-initial-underscore-already-conveys-strong-feelings-of-magicalness/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I wanted to write in film or something like that. I thought acting was an embarrassing thing to say you wanted to do, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-minghella/i-wanted-to-write-in-film-or-something-like-that-i-thought-acting-was/) [Max Minghella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-minghella/) > [I always said when I was younger, I wanted to write film music, and I think that's what my ultimate dream is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mvula/i-always-said-when-i-was-younger-i-wanted-to-write-film-music-and-i/) [Laura Mvula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-mvula/) > [I write for film or, in this case, television when I haven't got a play cooking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-write-for-film-or-in-this-case-television-when-i-haven-t-got-a-play/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [It is much easier to do a film about something that the audience readily knows about - say, cricket. 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Some believe I just write film scores, which is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ennio-morricone/i-want-people-to-know-about-all-the-kinds-of-music-that-i-write-some/) [Ennio Morricone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ennio-morricone/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) ## More by Alan Menken > [I'm not interested in being the producer of somebody else's song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-m-not-interested-in-being-the-producer-of-somebody-else-s-song/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Every time I play 'Part of Your World,' a whole part of my life comes back to me. It's just inescapable - it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/every-time-i-play-part-of-your-world-a-whole-part-of-my-life-comes/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [My first success was 'Little Shop of Horrors,' and I had been working for years on jingles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/my-first-success-was-little-shop-of-horrors-and-i-had-been-working/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Part of the job is knowing how to use this medium in the most effective way for the story you're telling, so for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/part-of-the-job-is-knowing-how-to-use-this-medium-in-the-most/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [I'll always work with my collaborator in the room so I have a reaction on a note-by-note basis. I know in my gut when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-ll-always-work-with-my-collaborator-in-the-room-so-i-have-a/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [I think the thing that strikes you when you come back to 'The Little Mermaid' after all of these years is the simplicity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-think-the-thing-that-strikes-you-when-you-come-back-to-the-little/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Music is a gestalt. Songs are a life force and they have specific vocabulary to them. You hear a few notes, and they take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/music-is-a-gestalt-songs-are-a-life-force-and-they-have-specific/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [I see my songs and shows almost like a mosaic - part of a bigger picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-see-my-songs-and-shows-almost-like-a-mosaic-part-of-a-bigger-picture/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [I have an awards cabinet in my studio where I keep my eight Oscars, my 11 Grammys, my seven Golden Globes, and my Tony Award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-have-an-awards-cabinet-in-my-studio-where-i-keep-my-eight-oscars-my/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [My favorite thing is a brand-new project from scratch because you really never know how they're going to come to life. Going back for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/my-favorite-thing-is-a-brand-new-project-from-scratch-because-you/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Truth be told, of course, what I enjoy most is reinventing myself and doing new projects where I work in new genres, or I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/truth-be-told-of-course-what-i-enjoy-most-is-reinventing-myself-and/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [I love 'The Gospel Truth,' the song that opened up 'Hercules.' I thought that song was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-love-the-gospel-truth-the-song-that-opened-up-hercules-i-thought/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Collaboration is all about rewriting and rewriting and rewriting and helping each other to constantly improve a piece. And, it's also about spurring each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/collaboration-is-all-about-rewriting-and-rewriting-and-rewriting-and/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [I have the ability to clear the decks and focus on what's happening in the moment. And I get to spend my life doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-have-the-ability-to-clear-the-decks-and-focus-on-what-s-happening/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Movies, there are moments when you're writing a song or demoing, a moment in the recording studio. Musicals much more just eat up your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/movies-there-are-moments-when-you-re-writing-a-song-or-demoing-a/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) [Explore all 81 Alan Menken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. 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I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The job, when you write film underscore, is to be ignored. 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