Music as an art form predates history. It has been involved in the art of filmmaking before sound was even introduced when music accompanied the great silent films of masters such as Eisenstein, Chaplin and Keaton. Music can enliven every motion and emotion captured by the camera as film composers have come to master this particular craft.

There are actually two music awards given out by the Academy. One of these, Best Original Song, awards – you guessed it - songs. That is a strange category year to year and it will be the last one I deal with in depth this season, once it clears itself up somewhat. The other category, and one of the most interesting and most noted craft races, is the Best Original Score category, which awards the original music compositions that accompany the visuals we watch on the screen.

Music that is loud and present throughout the movie is often seen in this category. Scores such as those of Philip Glass and John Williams are examples. The category also tends to lean toward exotic, foreign-sounding work with reasonable frequency. It is a category that is not unkind to foreign-language films, such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Malena,” “The Passion of the Christ” and “Pan’s Labyrinth,” and films that are very foreign in culture, such as “Frida” and “Memoirs of a Geisha.”

A memorable theme can also really help. “Brokeback Mountain” and “Pan’s Labyrinth” immediately jump to mind as nominees in that respect from recent years. And, like in virtually all crafts categories, being a Best Picture nominee helps, with at least one or two Best Picture-cited films showing up every year.

This is also a category that has been notoriously internal in the past. From 2000 to 2003, only two of the twenty nominated composers were new nominees. This has changed somewhat in the past three years, as seven first-time nominees have been cited. But being a veteran is still tremendously helpful. One need only look to the record of John Williams in this category – he has been nominated in every year in which he has been eligible for over 20 years! Then again, he has no films in 2007 for the second year in a row.

If advance word is any indication of reality, the favorite in this category this year is Dario Marianelli for his compositions in “Atonement.” The film has already emerged as a frontrunner in the Best Picture category. Being epic, intimate and romantic, this seems to have everything the original score category usually goes for. And Marianelli, who earned a somewhat surprising nomination for Joe Wright’s “Pride and Prejudice,” is said to have delivered in spades. This should be an easy get.

Alexandre Desplat is my favorite composer of this decade. His run since 2003 is outstanding, including endeavors such as “Girl With a Pearl Earring,” “Birth,” “Syriana,” “The Painted Veil” (for which he won the Golden Globe) and “The Queen” (for which he received his first Oscar nomination). Desplat is busy yet again this year, being the man behind the music on Zach Helm’s “Mr. Margorium’s Wonder Emporium,” Ang Lee’s “Lust, Caution” and Chris Weitz’s “The Golden Compass.” The latter two films both seem like potential nominees to me. Lee’s films often do well in this category and the work in “Lust, Caution” is soft but memorable, exotic but not experimental. Weitz’s film will be fantastical and epic and could be a chance to put forward iconic music as was seen earlier this decade on the “Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter” franchises. I’m leaning towards “The Golden Compass” now, but a double nod wouldn’t surprise me. Then again, neither would a shut-out.

Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood has already received very fine notice for his compositions in “There Will Be Blood.” This film could be a major player and its epic, period flavor naturally lends itself to consideration here. Greenwood is, however, making his feature film debut. Then again, John Corigliano immediately pops to mind as an individual who has made his career in disciplines other than film but has been nominated for two of his three film compositions. Perhaps Greenwood can follow a similar route? We’ll see. Paramount Vantage, which did a great job for its musicians last year, will surely push hard.

Michael Giacchino received immense acclaim for his musical contributions to “The Incredibles” three years ago and was expected in many circles to earn a nomination for his efforts. Alas, it was not to be. It remains the only Pixar endeavor to have failed to garner a music nomination. This year, he again was a key part of an acclaimed Brad Bird Pixar film – “Ratatouille.” The fact of that matter is that Giacchino remains a relative newcomer. But the French-inspired music is in many ways more up the Academy’s alley than what Giacchino did for “The Incredibles” and he now has a snub to his credit. Perhaps they’ll make it up to him?

Alberto Iglesias’ work in Spanish films, most notably those of Pedro Almodovar, has been prominent for over two decades. Two years ago, his rangy score for Fernando Meirelles’s “The Constant Gardener” earned him his first Oscar nomination. This year, he lends his talents to Marc Forster’s take on the popular novel “The Kite Runner.” Despite mixed advance word on the film, I’d keep my eye on Iglesias’s score. This seems like the sort of film the music branch might embrace. [EDITOR’S NOTE: Great opening credits, Middle Eastern flavor, but throughout the film, kind of lacking. Still a possibility if people love that opening track.]

Alan Silvestri has had a long career in Hollywood, stretching back for well over 20 years. But he’s only ever been nominated twice by AMPAS – for Best Original Score for “Forrest Gump” and Best Original Song for “The Polar Express,” both films from Robert Zemeckis, who employs Silvestri as his composer of choice. Silvestri is tackling scoring duties this year on Zemeckis’ “Beowulf,” the director’s latest experimental animated feature. A classic story which will have its epic and eerie moments, music could be a huge factor in conveying the film’s mood. Let’s see if Silvestri, and the film, deliver.

James Newton Howard had had a curious past with Oscar. He earned five nominations from 1991 through 1997. He then had a seven year absence from the race before returning for “The Village” of all things! He then failed to be nominated the following year for “King Kong.” Very odd. While his work on “Michael Clayton” does not scream nomination, it could potentially help him towards a notice for “The Great Debaters,” which has been moved up for a Christmas release. Howard is the only person who strikes me as a real contender who has received a career tally of more than three nominations.

That said, it would be remiss not to mention Alan Menken in passing. During the classic Disney run from 1989 to 1995, Menken’s achievements in this category were nothing short of phenomenal, as he earned four nominations and four wins – to go with eight nominations and four wins in the original song category. But after “only” earning one nomination each for “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Hercules,” Menken has largely disappeared from the awards scene. He is lending his talents once again to a Disney title this year – “Enchanted.” I think this film looks like a hoot and will be Menken’s best chance at returning to the Oscar race he once dominated. However, my suspicion is that the Best Original Song category is where it is more likely to be remembered.

Marco Beltrami’s themes in James Mangold’s “3:10 to Yuma” were exciting, memorable and film-serving from the opening title to the finale. Beltrami has been doing solid work in the industry for over a decade but has never had a project to really give him a big break into the A-list of composers. As I’ve mentioned in past columns, this is a film I expect is lurking just below the top five in several categories. I ultimately expect, or at least hope, that it won’t be totally forgotten.

“Into the Wild” is the sort of film that often would emerge in this category – in tune with nature and heavily reliant on music. Torontonian musician Michael Brook does not usually lend his talents to feature films but does so very well here. I admittedly can’t help but wonder if this will be more remembered by the music branch for its songs but Paramount Vantage will surely campaign (having done wonders last year for Gustavo Santaolalla’s “Babel” score).

Another Toronto native is Howard Shore, working with yet another Toronto native, David Cronenberg, on “Eastern Promises.” The duo frequently collaborates and Shore’s Russian-influenced score had a very memorable theme. But like his very memorable theme on “A History of Violence,” I’m not sure if the score will be enough to earn a nod. Shore has experienced major Oscar success this decade, winning three statuettes for Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” films. But those three wins are the only three nods of his career, and came for an iconic achievement in film composition, which suggest to me that the music branch may not be as loving of Shore as the title “three-time Oscar winner” may suggest.

But Best Original Score is a tremendously difficult category to predict. There is usually something that comes up and surprises. Any suggestions on omitted titles? We’ll see what happens.