FlickThink/Music & Sound Design

Film Techniques

Music & Sound Design

Use this tool to: 
  • Increase awareness of music & sound
  • Reflect on how music & sound influences how a scene is perceived
  • Reflect on how music & sound frame the argument made in the clip

What is it?

Sound in film is added very consciously. When a film is building up to a big reveal, it might use suspenseful music. When it wants to appeal to your emotions, you might get sad music. Sometimes a voice-over is used with certain images, even though the person whose voice it is was also filmed for a talking-head shot. Why? What made the filmmaker decide that a voice-over would be more effective? What are they trying to achieve? And what other sounds are added to the documentary for impact? 

Music & Sound Design

  • 1 file

Download the Film Activity Plan to incorporate the activity into your classes

Extras

 
A nice Dutch example how music and sound can utterly change the story is Dutch example of MindF*ck: Zo word jij gemindf*ckt tijdens het film kijken! | MINDF*CK - YouTube. The visual storytelling is the same but the soundscape is entirely different. 

You could try the following variations when applying this activity:

1.

Have students listen to a voice-over and imagine what kind of film they will see - and then show it.

2.

Show a clip without sound first.
 

3.

Show the same clip with opposite types of soundscapes.

Related activities

Fishbowl

Level 2 to 3 ✱ In this dialogue, students seated inside the “fishbowl” actively participate by asking questions and sharing their opinions connected to a statement, while students standing outside listen carefully to the ideas presented.

Cliffhanger Clip

Level 1 ✱ This activity is designed to engage students in critical thinking and speculation about film scenes. By pausing the clips just before unexpected events occur, students are prompted to craft ideas and predictions about what might happen next.

Keep me in the loop!

Are you interested in bringing critical thinking into your classroom?
Join our email list to get regular updates on new materials and resources.

You're signing up to receive emails from FlickThink.