BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
The Cambridge Dictionary defines the word frisson as “a sudden feeling of excitement or fear, especially when you think that something is about to happen”. But it’s a concept better understood through experience than explanation, and Australian screen composer Jenna Pratt has created a new album centred around the feeling itself.
Music can give us chills down our spines, and raise goosebumps over our skin. Jenna’s debut album FRISSON is designed to induce these feelings, and using her background in storytelling for film and television, she crafted each track to create a “truly visceral experience”.
In the past, Jenna has had music placed in productions such as See What You Made Me Do (SBS), Asking For It (SBS), and Bondi Rescue (10). This time, rather than thinking about how music can be scored to match each visual cue, Jenna says all tracks from her new album can be worked into film and TV projects organically: “I consciously infused each track with distinct emotions and purposes.”
Jenna tells CutCommon about her debut album FRISSON, and how she believes we can experience the sensation through music for the screen, and without it.
Jenna, you’re quite a prolific composer who works on screen projects, but we’re chatting today because you’ve just released your debut album Frisson! Why did you want to venture into a project that was truly your own: the creation of your music without supplied vision to accompany it?
The concept originated with Kiki Finley, my music manager and owner of Pointblank Management. She envisioned developing an album with the intention of licensing it for film and TV purposes.
In the entertainment industry, the chance to compose music specifically for visual media can be sporadic. Rather than waiting for such opportunities to arise, we came up with the idea of crafting an album that doesn’t rely on pre-existing visuals but is readily available for use in film and TV projects.
How would you describe the freedom — or challenge — of composing music without visual cues?
Even though I was given a brief without any visuals to rely on, I was fortunate to receive musical references such as the score for The Whale, and other experimental soundtracks. It definitely felt challenging at first, but sparked a concept in my mind, leading me to centre the album around the captivating emotion of frisson, and adopt the three-act structure often found in narrative films.
Throughout my creative journey, I found myself deeply fascinated by the profound impact of music on emotions within films and TV shows. Building on my past experiences, I aimed for the album to be a representation of the powerful emotions and sensations conveyed through music in visual storytelling.
So tell us a bit about how you understand or relate to this concept of frisson, and why it resonated with you in this musical sense.
Frisson is something I’ve come across quite a lot while watching movies and TV shows. It’s that feeling you get — especially during those impactful scenes, or when a leitmotif comes in and just stirs up emotions, even if you don’t realise it at first.
But what’s really fascinating is how it connects with me on a musical level, too. I mean, I can’t even count the number of cues I’ve heard over the years that have stuck with me. And you know why? It’s all about how they made me feel in that particular moment when I was watching the scene.
Music has this incredible power to leave a mark on us, and those moments where music and visuals blend perfectly together, they just stay in my memory. It’s truly mind-blowing how music can create such strong emotional ties.
What are some of your most powerful memories of feeling frisson in connection to screen music?
Throughout my life, there have been countless moments of films and their accompanying scores that have stayed with me. Scenes from movies like Jurassic Park, Forrest Gump, and heartwarming stories like The Princess Diaries – they all had that special way of leaving a lasting impression on me.
One scene in particular that hit me really hard was from an episode of Doctor Who, centered around Vincent Van Gogh, and inspired by the fact that Gogh never knew he would be famous. They transported him through time to the present day, where he got to see a gallery full of his own breathtaking artwork. It’s one of those scenes that just tugs at your heartstrings. The acting, visuals, and the perfect blend of original score and licensed music in the background – it all comes together in this powerful way.
That moment is etched in my memory, and even now, I can feel the emotions it evoked. It’s incredible how certain scenes can truly resonate with us and have such a profound impact.
How do you capture the essence of frisson and translate it into music for your album? For instance, did you think about an imaginary scene or emotion for each track?
Throughout the creative process, I consciously infused each track with distinct emotions and purposes. What truly excites me is the anticipation I carefully built into the cues, pausing unexpectedly, leaving the listener eager to explore what comes next.
To bring a unique touch to the music, I delved into blending unconventional textures, adding various effects to the strings, and seamlessly combining synth elements with traditional orchestral instruments. The result is a fresh and enthralling sonic experience that fills me with pride.
Drawing inspiration from the three-act structure commonly used in narrative fiction and films, I organised the album’s first three tracks (FRISSON PT.I, FALLEN, UNBENDING FATE) as the setup, followed by the next three (DISCOVERY, APEX, WEIGHTLESS) forming the confrontation, and ultimately, the subsequent tracks (WEIGHTLESS, TICKING TIME BOMB and REDEMPTION) serving as the resolution.
I included a part 2 to the opening track FRISSON, aiming to reinforce the album’s main theme and create a beautiful cohesive musical journey.
It seems as though your album provides a sort of visceral experience for your listeners! Is that part of your intention — to help create a physical emotional response?
You know, the whole idea behind this album was to tap into something deep and emotional[…]that spine-tingling thrill you get when you experience something really powerful and moving. My goal was to give the audience a truly visceral experience, something that they could interpret and connect with on a personal level.
It’s all about creating that emotional connection and letting the music speak to each person in a unique way.
Composing FRISSON with these ideas at the forefront of your mind, what are some of the key lessons you’ll take out of this composition experience and inject into your screen music projects?
This album has been an absolutely transformative journey for me as a composer, propelling me to new heights and unquestionably enhancing my skills.
While I am fully aware that there is still much to learn and improve upon, taking on the challenge of creating this music has ignited a passion within me to keep exploring diverse styles and instruments, honing my own distinctive voice and sound as a composer, which I’m eager to carry into my future screen music projects.
Along the way, I have gained invaluable insights into my strengths and areas for growth, and this has only fuelled my determination to persistently write, study, and create music for many years ahead.
Frisson, composed by Jenna Pratt and engineered by Chris Corby, is now available to stream. Learn more about Jenna on her website.
Images supplied.
