
Music in film
Music is extremely important in movies … it has the task of emotionally “empowering” them.
For the purposes of our new film, we hired music experts led by Dane Persic, our friend and collaborator on this project. We started recording footage in our video studio, but it was preceded by recording audio backgrounds in the studio Branimir Jovanovac Bani – Studio MAK.
Since we are producing this documentary-fiction series on scientific-historical facts, we also try to create the music in the way that was created in the prehistory and history of this area.
In the recording, we used one of the oldest instruments, the West African djembe drum. Due to traditions and stories, experts believe that the djembe existed long before the new era which certainly marks it as one of the oldest known instruments.
Djembe is said to be the child of a blacksmith. The ancient blacksmiths came up with the idea to make a drum out of a grain crushing container (which still strongly resembles djembe) and crucified animal skin with a metal hoop over the container and got a natural, pleasant and resonant sound.
Thus the djembe, in connection with the purpose and nature of the instrument itself, has an interesting etymology of its name. In the language of the Bambara people, the name “djembe” is composed of two words, “dje” which means gathering and “be” which means peace. Djembe is still called the “drum of peace and tolerance”.
The cradle of the djembe is the West African people of Malinka, Bambara, and Dioula, who call it the “Mandeng Cultural Circle”. This is certainly a link to the instruments played in the Vučedol period. We are also recording the background on bagpipes and doubles.
Thanks to the music team Dane Persic, Branimir Jovanovac Bani, Franjo Šokić, Mario Baotić, Damir Cvitanović, Matija Bajtal