Work Log
Monday: Researching music in film
Tuesday: Researching music in film
Wednesday: Researching music in film
Thursday: Writing about music in film
Friday: Writing about music in film
Music in Film
Importance
While one may or may not consider it too deeply, sound is vital to the success of any film. A common understanding that while the term "film" suggests the visual side of the subject, audio makes up half of the quality of film. Furthermore in the list of things that may not be considered, the soundtrack of a film's audio contributes a major impact to the quality of a film as well. Most people could think of certain films that have that one soundtrack that ultimately outshines the actual movie, where the music just doesn't fail to amplify the emotions and senses of everyone watching and listening. But why does music play such a major role in film?
Mood
The first thing one might think of is that the music can easily set the atmosphere of a scene in films. And while it is an easy answer, it isn't any less true. Music is one of the main tools that filmmakers can make use of to add or change the mood of a scene. Without music, a dramatic fight scene between two 
martial artists, where the tension could be cut with a knife, loses a lot of its heat and suspense when the music that was subconsciously telling your brain to feel that suspense is taken out. Similarly, some situations in movies or shows could have multiple reactions or feelings in response to what is taking place in the plot. If the end of a movie has your main character breaking up with their lover, it can be seen as a positive moment of growth for the main character is relieving/happy music is played, or it can be seen as a moment of sorrowful loss if depressing music is played. Music can quite literally decide how most viewers will emotionally respond to a scene. Take this video, for example, where the same scene is played exactly the same except for the one key detail: the music. The feel of the scene changes dramatically with just the music changing.
Connecting Shots
Music can also seen as the glue that keeps a series of clips switching from each other from being just that. When there is music playing throughout a series of clips, it subconsciously contributes to the viewers' understanding that these different angles and points of time are all connected under the same sequence of events. The music carries over from shot to shot to shot, and we understand that with the music, these clips become connected to each other. Without music, a scene can feel more like a bunch of clips being randomly placed together. This is just a general idea, obviously, with many exceptions. However, it is still important to keep the connecting of shots together through music.
Immersion
Lastly, music draws the audience further in to the world of the film. Imagine this: you're watching the climax of the TV series you've been following for months. The conflict is just reaching its peak when someone pauses the show. You're immediately taken out of the experience -and angry too probably.
Music works in a similar way. It adds to that sense of immersion to the film, adding on and/or amplifying the emotions and suspense of whatever you're watching. If you were to watch that same TV series climax again -without pauses- but the music is taken out, you'll feel similarly taken out of it (though to a lesser extent). The scene will look more like two actors fighting or talking to each other rather than the cinematic experience that you felt like you were watching previously. As a side note, it also feels more professionally made when there is music playing in the background, since it fill space in the audience's attention when there is not much sound being played otherwise.
Conclusion
Through it all, music is the subtle (or not so subtle) blanket that is wrapped around a film's quality. It can define the audience's emotional responses to scenes, it keeps a sense of momentum when using a series of shots together, and it ultimately makes your film more of something to be experienced. The soundtrack brings everything together, so give it plenty of attention as a filmmaker.
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