The Postnational Soundtrack: Defining the Canadian Documentary Film Score Through Identity, Space, and Compositional Practice

In a 2012 National Post article, renowned Canadian documentary filmmaker and journalist Kevin McMahon compared documentary film to iconic Canadian symbols, such as the colour red, the maple leaf, and the beaver (McMahon, 2012). Indeed, documentary film holds historical and cultural significance in Canada, inspiring substantial academic discourse. However, limited scholarly attention has been given to the integral musical score component of these films, and the defining characteristics of this musical genre. My research seeks a musical distinction for this art form, guided by the primary question: what are the defining characteristics of documentary film music in Canada?

I begin to answer this question through qualitative and quantitative methods and the creation of original scores for four Canadian documentary films. This examination is further enriched by new interviews of renowned and award-winning Canadian filmmakers, composers, artists, and educators. These include David Christensen, Emilie LeBel, Allan Gilliland, Jonathan Kawchuk, Darren Fung, Niobe Thompson, Ava Karvonen, and others. These new insights add to commentary from existing publications. Notable texts include the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015), Contemporary Musical Expressions in Canada (Hoefnagels et al., 2020), Canada: A Post-National Nation? (Cook, 2004), Hungry Listening: Resonant Theory for Indigenous Sound Studies (Robinson, 2020), Music’s Meanings: A Modern Musicology for Non-Musos (Tagg, 2013), several industry-sponsored studies and reports, and others.

This new research characterises Canadian documentary film music through factors unique to Canadian score creation, including hybridity, budgetary constraints specific to the Canadian industry, the contributions of individual composers, the role of mentorship and education, and a distinctly Canadian interpretation of “space” (both in a physical and metaphysical sense) influenced by the expansive geography of the country. Distinctions are also drawn from comparisons of American and Canadian styles of documentary.

Beyond these musical distinctions, this research defines the Canadian documentary score genre through its unique link to the national identity of the country. This music is diverse, which is reflective of Canada—both embodying a concept where seemingly differing elements may converge under one unified national definition and framework. Given this connection of music and identity, this thesis includes timely investigations into some of the more significant challenges to the so-called progressive distinction of the nation, and asks questions surrounding how documentary score creation serves the perpetuation of contemporary Canadian identity. Within this scope, the research highlights both areas of strength and opportunity within the documentary music industry of the country.

As a practical component of this research, this project also offers a portfolio containing original scores from four Canadian documentary films. These compositions, and the process of creating them, have been influenced by the findings of this dissertation. Moreover, this research and the creation of this musical portfolio have necessitated critical reflections on current scoring practices in Canada, and the development of a suggestive practical model for future ethical Canadian documentary score creation and production.

The discussions contained within this research provide a platform for meaningful dialogue amongst those who seek to bolster the documentary screen-music industry—a discourse relevant for national and international audiences alike. Parties interested in this research may include filmmakers and composers, music educators, commercial and educational institutions, politicians, and policymakers.