Comment on the use of music in a scene
Written activity: your own comments
Here is an interesting example of the use of music in the cinema. It is from the film Good Morning, Vietnam, made in 1987 about that terrible war. The actor Robin Williams plays the part of a radio DJ who has the job of boosting the morale of the troops with his programme.
Watch the clip, and then write about the use of the music.
Hint: The name of the song that he plays on the radio is "What a Wonderful World", sung by the very famous jazz singer and trumpet player Louis Armstrong.
THERE IS ONE WORD YOU ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO NEED IN YOUR COMMENTS..........
IRONY.
JOSE MANUEL COLMENARES Good morning, Vietnam Licencia YouTube
Task: class presentation on Louis Armstrong
- Duración:
- 2/3 classes
- Agrupamento:
- Groups of 3/4 students
Let's prepare a class powerpoint presentation on Louis Armstrong.
We will use one class for the preparation, and the next class for the presentation.
CLASS 1: You will need various computers depending on the size of your class.
(Note: if this is not possible, you can do your preparation as homework, getting together and using the resources available: at the school library or computer room during breaks or one afternoon, or maybe at one of your houses if this is possible).
STEP 1: Get into five or six groups according to the size of your class (groups of 3 or 4 people).
STEP 2: Divide the different sections of the presentation among the different groups. Look in feedback to see these sections.
- Be sure to include photos and also short video clips in your presentations.
- Each section should not take longer than about five minutes to present, so each of your should only have to speak for about one or two minutes.
- Don't include a lot of writing on your powerpoint: use it for photos or clips, names, a few dates, etc.
CLASS 2: Presentations.
In the order suggested in "Feedback", present your powerpoints to the rest of the class.
- Make sure each member of your group has a turn speaking.
- Speak confidently! Face the audience and no reading allowed! Use simple English with easy sentence structures that everybody can understand, speak slowly and project your voice! You can point to the photos or the words on your powerpoint as you speak, it helps to keep your audience focussed.
IF YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS ACTIVITY AND YOU LIKE THE PRESENTATION YOU HAVE ALL CREATED TOGETHER ABOUT LOUIS ARMSTRONG, USE ANOTHER CLASS TO PUT ALL THE SECTIONS TOGETHER, MAKE ANY IMPROVEMENTS YOU CAN THINK OF, AND
KEEP IT!!
YOU CAN INCLUDE IT IN YOUR
FILM MUSIC FESTIVAL
at the end of this project.
SECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE COVERED IN THIS PRESENTATION:
- An introduction: pictures of Louis Armstrong, his dates and a brief explanation of why he is famous.
- His childhood: growing up in poverty and how he began to play music. Discrimination against black people.
- At age eleven, he dropped out of school: problems during the following years.
- Playing on riverboats, Chicago and his first recordings. Becoming famous.
- Armstrong as a trumpet player. Technique. His charisma and joyful personality.
- Armstrong as a singer. "Hello, Dolly" is his most famous song. How his personality shines through during his perfomances.
- His personal life: he married four times. All his life he looked after a boy he and his first wife adopted, Clarence Armstrong, who was mentally disabled.
- Other anecdotes and interesting facts.
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