Spotlight on Music - Secondary - Hwb

See, think, make. Imagine

intofilm.org

Into Film is a trading name of Film Nation UK. Registered Charity number 1154030.

Our resources are designed to be used with selected film titles, which are available free for clubs at www.intofilm.org

“I used this informative and creative resource with year 8 students. We worked on developing our understanding of Foley, non diegetic and diegetic sound. By the end of it, the students were digging right into film clips and paying attention to all the nuances of the soundtrack, before having a go themselves at composing soundscapes, soundtracks and Foley sounds to accompany film.”

Chris Baldwin, William Allitt School

Spotlight on Music - Secondary

Spotlight on Music - SecondaryTeachers’ notes

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This resource is for teachers of 11-16 year olds and provides a selection of activities to use as a pick and mix to

add into your lessons. The film soundtracks that are featured in the activities have been selected from the current

GCSE Music specifications, and would be ideal activities to support study at GCSE level or provide a taster for

students before they embark on a GCSE Music qualification. The activities can also be used to support GCSE

Media Studies and Music Appreciation as part of a General Studies qualification.

All of the selected films feature rich and accessible pieces that will excite students about the part that music plays

in our enjoyment, understanding and creation of film. The clips are provided in the accompanying Spotlight on Music -Secondary PowerPoint presentation and time codes are provided throughout the resource.

This resource contains a Glossary of musical terms on pages 10-13. Terms in the Glossary are highlighted throughout

these notes. The Glossary can be used as a handout, or can be cut-up to use as a starter or revision sorting and

matching activity.

Into Film

Supported by the BFI and the film industry, Into Film is one of the world’s most extensive and fastest growing film

education programmes for 5 to 19 year olds. It reaches 1 million young people each year through its UK-network

of 12,000 film clubs, providing vibrant learning resources, training opportunities and online content. Using film as a

powerful tool for learning, the organisation offers support and free CPD training to schools, colleges and youth groups,

helping to raise attainment and encourage deep and active learning. The organisation also hosts the UK’s biggest annual

free film festival.

To find out more about our free Music and soundtracking CPD session visit www.intofilm.org/training

Safeguarding

This resource details BBFC classification information for each of the film titles. It is recommended that you view these

films before delivering these activities with your group, to ensure that content is appropriate for your students. We also

recommend that you view content on external links in advance of sharing these with young people, as we are unable to

accept responsibility for content which may change, move or become unavailable without our knowledge.

Contents

Activity title Page number

Riffs – West Side Story 3

Character – Meet Me in St Louis 4

Tempo, volume and leitmotif – Jaws 6

Foley, diegetic and non-diegetic sound – 633 Squadron 7

Soundtracking – 633 Squadron and Fantasia 8

Glossary 10

633 Squadron stills 14

Fantasia stills 16

Sound on/Vision off worksheet 18

Role on the Wall worksheet 19

http://www.intofilm.org/training

Activity outlines


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Activity one - Riffs West Side Story | 1961 | PG | Prologue, Leonard Bernstein

Equipment

• Spotlight on Music – Secondary presentation slides 2-9

• A selection of instruments (optional)

• A copy of the Glossary on pages 10-13 for each student, pair or group.

Activity outline

• Using slide 2 of the accompanying Spotlight on Music – Secondary presentation show the image of the character

Riff from West Side Story.

• Display slide 3 to explain the definition of a riff.

• Explain that you will be playing the clip ‘gangs’ from West Side Story {time code 06.29 – 11.10} on slide 4, and that

during the clip students should try to identify any riffs that they hear using the prompt questions.

• After playing the clip ask students to discuss a riff that they heard. What instruments were used? How would they

describe the rhythm? What story or idea did the riff communicate?

Ideas you may like to consider include:

• The rhythmical clicking communicates the togetherness and power of the gangs.

• The riff of Riff, the character, indicate that he is in charge and the rest of the group follow him.

• The syncopated brass, strings and drums suggest the Latin American origins of the Puerta Rican gang the Sharks.

• Use slide 6 to explain Foley sounds.

• Explain that students will watch the first three minutes of the ‘gangs’ clip again, to identify and analyse Foley sounds,

using the prompt questions on slide 6. Using this clip again will also help to revisit some of the riffs.

• Play the clip ‘Foley’ time code {00:06:29 – 00:09:00} on slide 7 and lead feedback about the Foley sounds used and

how they told the audience about the characters, story and setting.

• Using slide 9 brief students to create their own rival gang riffs. Divide the class into groups of six. Each group of six

should divide themselves into two gangs of three. They should decide on the characteristics of their two rival gangs,

and design a riff that plays each time their gang is on screen. They should consider how the riff reflects their gangs

name and ‘look’. Each group can sing or play their riff for the rest of the group and the group can guess what the

characteristics of that gang are.

Property of United Artists © (1961). All rights reserved.

Activity outlines


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Activity two - Character Meet Me in St Louis | 1944 | U | The Trolley Song, Hugh Martin

Equipment


• Role on the Wall sheet on page 19

• Each pair/group should have pens of two different colours


Activity outline

• Using slide 10 explain that students will be watching The Trolley Song from Meet Me in St Louis time code {00.42.37 –

00.46.41}. In this sequence the main character Esther is going to the fair on the trolley, an electric tram. She is hoping

that John Truett will be coming on the trip, but as the trolley sets off he is not there.

• Divide students into groups of three and give each group a copy of the Role on the Wall sheet on page 19.

• Explain that they will watch the first minute of The Trolley Song, after which students should use one coloured pen

to write what they think Esther is feeling on the inside of the figure, and to write words to describe the mood of

the scene around her around the outside of the figure. Ask participants to include detail to support their ideas, for

example the instruments they can hear, the tempo of the music, diegetic sounds in the scene and visual clues like the

character’s facial expressions.

• Play the clip ‘Trolley Song part one’ on slide 11 of the accompanying Spotlight on Music – Secondary presentation

and give students approximately three minutes to complete the task.

• Explain that they will now watch the remainder of the song. After this clip students should use a different colour to

write Esther’s feelings on the inside on the figure and the mood of the scene around the outside of the figure.

• Play the clip ‘Trolley Song part two’ on slide 13 and give students approximately three minutes to complete the task.

• Use slide 14 lead discussion to discuss how and why Esther’s mood changes and how this is communicated through

the soundtrack, and how the soundtrack reflects or contrasts with Esther’s feelings. The complete Trolley Song is

available to watch on slide 15 to consolidate students’ ideas after discussion.

Property of MGM © (1944). All rights reserved.

Activity outlines


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Points you may like to discuss:

In the overture rapid notes give excitement, a break from the norm.

The repetitive vocals juxtaposed with the ringing of a bell is instantly memorable. Heart ‘strings’ directly referenced

with string countermelody building on the main theme and heightening comedic feel.

At 1 minute 49 seconds the instrumental passage departing from main trolley ‘theme’ indicates we are on a journey and

are travelling somewhere new.

At 2 minutes Judy Garland’s solo gives the song an added storytelling dimension, her voice is mimicked by a clang of

percussion at 2 minutes 30 seconds.

At 2 minutes 35 seconds three repeated fermata emulating the horn sound of the trolley.

A 2-note pedal underscores/soundtracks the whole clip, barely audible at times, but it is vital in giving impression of

movement, suggesting a larger object (ie the trolley) careering along on its way.

The whole scene elevates an everyday journey to the level of high drama.

Activity outlines


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Activity three - Tempo, volume and leitmotif Jaws | 1975 | 12 | The Theme from Jaws, John Williams

Equipment


• A selection of musical instruments


Activity outline

• Explain that students are going to watch one of the most famous pieces of soundtracking from twentieth century

cinema, from a film which had the tagline ‘You’ll never go in the water again’. Ask the students if anyone would like to

perform the leitmotif for the rest of the group. Alternatively use the musical score for the leitmotif provided on slide 16

and ask students if they can identify the film from the score.

• Using slide 17 explain that students will watch a sequence from Jaws time code {00.03.06 - 00.04.56}. Each time the

shark appeared in the film it was accompanied by a distinctive leitmotif on the soundtrack.

• Ask students to watch the clip and see if they can identify the instruments that are present and what techniques are

being used on the soundtrack to tell the story of the shark attack.

• Watch the clip ‘shark attack’ on slide 18 and lead a discussion to analyse the instruments, volume and tempo of the

music.

Ideas you may like to consider include:

• The bass note of a tuba communicates our primal fear of the shark and indicates it is coming.

• Strings increase in volume and tempo as the shark comes closer.

• The high pitch strings mimic the shock of the character Brody.

• The repeating two note pattern tells the audience that the attack is inevitable or inescapable.

• The tempo and repetitive pattern of the music mimics the quickening of breath and raised heart rate of the

audience and the victim on screen.

• Breaking through the repetitive pattern there is piano and sudden blast of brass. This soundscape mimics the rapid

disorientating movement and strength of what a shark attack might be like.

• Using slide 19 introduce the activity ‘Creating sympathy for the shark’. Show the short silent clip on slide 20 that students

will accompany.

• Divide students into groups of 3-5 and give them a maximum of seven minutes to compose a leitmotif for the shark,

which would make the audience feel sympathy towards him, rather than the fear created by John Williams’ soundtrack.

• Ask each group to perform their leitmotif to the silent clip on slide 20. You may like to hold an anonymous vote and

award a prize to the group who produce the most effective leitmotif, or invite a special guest to judge the soundtracks.

Property of Universal © (1975). All rights reserved.

Activity outlines


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Activity four - Foley, diegetic and non-diegetic sound 633 Squadron | 1964 | PG | 633 Squadron Theme, Ron Goodwin

Equipment


• Sound on/vision off sheet on page 18

• Each pair/group should have pens of three different colours


Activity outline

• Using slide 21 explain that students will listen to the sound from a film sequence. Give each student a copy of the

Sound on/vision off sheet on page 18.

• Play the sound clip ‘sound on/vision off’ on slide 22. Give students 5-10 minutes to complete the Sound on/vision off sheet and discuss the sound clip.

• Now play the clip ‘633 squadron’ on slide 24. Discuss how accurate student’s predictions were.

• Use slide 25 to introduce the three sound types; Foley, diegetic and non-diegetic.

• Play the clip ‘633 squadron’ again. This time students should be adding to the list of sounds and music they hear on

their Sound on/vision off sheet.• Ask students to now use three different colours to annotate their notes to indicate which sounds were examples of

Foley, diegetic and non-diegetic. Lead discussion to analyse how diegetic sounds cross over with Foley sounds, and

what effect the use of these sounds and music had on the audience, thinking about their emotional response and

understanding of the story. This sequence is from the first three minutes of the film, what did the sounds and music

tell them about what would happen next?

• Examples of Foley sound in the clip are: the explosions, breaking glass, machine gun fire and plane engines.

• Examples of diegetic sound in the clip are: car engine, car doors slamming, dialogue of German soldiers and

plane engines.

• Examples of non-diegetic sounds are: woodwind (flute and clarinet), brass (prominent trombone, saxophone, cornets,

trumpets and tuba) and percussion (prominent glockenspiel). The Gung-ho fanfare rhythmically echoes the film

title, six notes question and three notes answer (flugelhorn). The pulse, tempo and crescendo of the music mirror

the freedom and soaring feeling of flight. From this opening title sequence we know that our heroes are going to be

triumphant, through the modulation of the brass. However, we are aware of the danger in their mission and the threat

of the German army from the minor tone and thick texture of strings and brass earlier in the sequence.

Property of United Artists © (1964). All rights reserved.

Activity outlines


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Activity five – Soundtracking

Equipment


• Slips of paper for each student

• A flipchart

• A selection of musical instruments and/or access to Garageband for each group

• A copy of the relevant stills sheets for each group on pages 14-17


Activity outline

The accompanying Spotlight on Music - Secondary presentation contains two silent clips:

633 Squadron (1964, U) ‘ambush’ time code {00:46:16 – 00:48:25} on slide 28.

Fantasia (1940) ‘A Night on Bald Mountain’ time code {00:01:46 – 00:01:52} on slide 30.

You may wish to work with one clip with the whole class and compare responses or assign one of the two clips to

different groups for different levels of challenge.

The activity below can be applied to either clip. Soundtracks can be achieved by using instruments and accompanying

the clip live, or recording or creating the soundtrack on Garageband and playing the recording to accompany the clip.

• Play the clip twice for the whole group.

• Ask each student to write down one adjective to describe the clip and place them in a bowl or hat. While students

are organising themselves into groups and experimenting with the instruments, write the words on a flipchart or

whiteboard.

• Divide students into groups of 4-6, and provide them with a selection of instruments and materials to create sounds

for example trays of gravel, metal foil or a selection of household objects. Remind students that they may also want to

use their voice to create appropriate sounds.

• Give students ten minutes to create one sound using their chosen instrument that they feel is reflected in the clip and

the adjectives on the flipchart/whiteboard. Support students by encouraging them to think about the diegetic and

non-diegetic sounds that they would expect to find in the clip.

• At this stage students can be creating something as simple as one note repeated in a particular rhythm or at a varied

volume, there is no need to try to harmonise with other people in the group, it is their own interpretation of the clip.

• After approximately ten minutes ask students to put down the instruments.

Activity outlines


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• Explain that you will play the clip, several times, if the group is large. Each person will play their instrument, or provide

accompaniment using their voice, in turn as the clip plays. Participants who are not playing their instrument should

watch the screen and listen to the sounds, rather than focussing on the performer.

• It is important to stress that it doesn’t matter if this is a bit messy, this is to help us all get ideas about the types of

sounds that we can create.

• Facilitate each participant playing in turn.

• Now read out some of the adjectives on the flipchart, and ask participants to identify which sounds they heard that fit

these descriptions, and if there were any particular pieces that would work well at a particular point of the film clip.

• Using slide 27 explain that at the end of 30 minutes students should be ready to perform their soundtrack live to

accompany the silent clip.

• Give students the relevant stills sheet from pages 14-17 to remind them of the key moments of the clip they are

soundtracking and make notes about who is playing at which point.

• As students work with their instruments and/or the Garageband app, play the silent clip on repeat on the large screen.

You may wish to provide the silent clip on a tablet or shared online space, so that students can access it and practice

their soundtrack away from the main learning space.

• Support groups to organise their ideas by recording or creating sounds using Garageband and documenting their

soundtrack using the stills sheet.• Play the silent clip for each group to perform their soundtrack.

• After each performance lead discussion to identify the techniques and approaches used by the group. This should of

course be a supportive and positive experience. Encourage students to use language and terms in the Glossary.

• Using slide 29 or 31 play the clip you have been working with and use the Glossary to discuss how the group’s

soundtracks compared to the composer’s interpretation.

Glossary

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Glossary

Riff/leitmotif/motif/ostinato

A short, memorable and catchy musical idea, often repeated.

Mini-riff/scherzo A short burst of repeated sound.

Diegetic sound Sounds within the world of the film eg a door slamming or

footsteps on gravel.

Non-diegetic sound

Sound outside the world of the film that the characters cannot

hear.

Foley sounds Sounds added to the film to enhance or produce sound effects

eg the sound of a gunshot or a squeaky gate.

Dynamics The volume or intensity of the sounds or music.

Tempo The speed of the music.

Rubato A sudden change of pace, speeding up or slowing down.

Rhythm and meter The regularity of the beats, can be solid and repetitive or may be

off beat.

Syncopation Loose, playful or quirky ‘off beat

Allegro

Adante

Largo

Presto

Moderato

Glossary

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Pulse A toe tapping beat.

Simple time A regular 4/4 beat.

March time Two strong beats per bar – ‘one-two, one-two.

Free meter No identifiable time signature. May be used for dreamlike, chaotic

or action sequences.

Cross-rhythm Two conflicting rhythms producing a jarring or disturbing effect.

Melody A selection of notes put together to make a tune.

Harmony Two or more notes played at the same time.

Crescendo Increase in volume

Diminuendo Decrease in volume

Accent Emphasis on one sound or note, can be surprising or jarring.

Glossary

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Doubling The same part scored (written) for more than one instrument.

Sequencing/modulation

Moving from one key to another, often used to build drama.

Trills Rapid switch between two notes, one higher or lower.

Tone The pitched sound of the musical note.

Timbre The quality of the note eg muffled, grainy, clear, bright, noisy.

Tonality A series of tones heard together in a structure eg a C major scale.

Major Bright, upbeat or happy tones

Minor Sad, downbeat or troubling tones

Diatonic Only notes in the home key – no sharp or flat notes.

Texture (thin or thick)

How the melody, harmony and rhythm of a piece fit together for

the overall listening experience.

Major

Major Major

Minor

Minor

Major

Diatonic

Atonal

Modal

C G

Glossary

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Cadence A harmonic ‘cadence’ is two chords that conclude (end) a

piece. How a piece of music resolves- a ‘perfect’ cadence is

a satisfying, melodic ending to a musical piece or phrase. The

music sounds ‘finished’. Other types include, interrupted (jarring

and unexpected, unfinished), plagal (church-like, also satisfying

though and often heard in trailers and in wedding scenes). They

can be weak or strong depending on their sense of finality.

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Spotlight on Music - SecondaryCharacterisation - Roles on the wall

Characterisation - Role on the wall

Spotlight on Music - Secondary - Hwb

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