Activities to help you explore the soundtrack of cinema and our lives
- Music is all around us, adding emotion to beloved films like ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Indiana Jones’ and ringing in the background of our days
An epic movie needs a soundtrack to match. Many iconic Hollywood film franchises can thank American composer John Williams for their unique sound. Williams is responsible for the music in classic film series such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park and more.
The Star Wars franchise has gripping plots, stunning visuals, and an impressive soundtrack. Williams created the recognisable music in the original films. One of his most famous pieces is the “Main Title” theme. It is a heroic tune that opens each film with a triumphant feeling.
Many years later, he expressed interest in working on the new Star Wars films. He scored 2015’s The Force Awakens and 2017’s The Last Jedi.
Williams holds the record for the most nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Score. He has been nominated 48 times. He has won five thanks to his work on Star Wars, Jaws, E.T., Fiddler on the Roof, and Schindler’s List.
The music of daily life
Materials
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Pen or pencil
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A small notepad that you can easily carry with you
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Optional: smartphone with an audio recording function
Instructions
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Carry a pen and notepad and write down the repetitive sounds you hear throughout the day. This could be the ring of your alarm clock, the hum of a car engine, the click of a keyboard, the scratching of pencils, the noises of the MTR, the sound of rain, or anything else you come across!
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If you have a smartphone, you can try to record a few seconds of each sound as you hear it.
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If you do this with a friend, you can compare the sounds you heard at the end of the day. What would life be like without these noises? Have you paid much attention to them before?
Understanding film soundtracks
Materials
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pen or pencil
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notepad
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age-appropriate movie
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someone to watch the film with
Instructions
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Choose a film to watch with a friend or family member.
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Pay attention to the music in the background. Each time you hear music in a scene, answer the questions below. Some movies have a lot of music, so you can choose to write about the most interesting songs.
Questions
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Use three adjectives to describe this music (such as joyful, hopeful, spooky, suspenseful, or chaotic)
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Do these adjectives align with what is happening in the film? How so?
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Why might the filmmakers have chosen this music for this scene?
3. At the end of the film, compare your responses with a friend or family member doing the activity with you. Did any of your adjectives or responses overlap? How did you view the music differently?