Assignment


4.5 Symbols and Songs (Steps 1-5)


In this task, you will do some research to deepen your understanding of one character from the film you studied.  In this assignment, you will select lyrics from a song on the film’s soundtrack to illustrate the character you have chosen.   Then, you will select a visual that symbolizes your character.   Finally, you will find a way to creatively present this information.


Follow each of these steps, in order, on the following pages to complete your assignment.

Step 1:  Before you begin, review the rubric again to see how you will be assessed on this assignment.

Step 2:  Read Lola’s 4.5 Symbols and Songs to see an example of this assignment.  Lola’s example is just one way of presenting your information.  You have many options.

NOTE:  Lola’s assignment focuses on The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, but you must focus on the film you chose from the Approved Film List.  You’ll also notice her response has three characters for you to view.  You only have to complete the task for one character.
Step 3:  Download this optional planning document (in Word , Google doc, or PDF) to organize your research of your lyrics and visuals.  You will not be required to submit this plan, but it will help ensure you have all of the information you need to complete the assignment.

Step 4:  Choose a character to analyze for this assignment.  You are encouraged to choose someone other than the main character.  By choosing a different character, you develop your understanding of another character you can use on your film essay and diploma exam.

Step 5:  Research the film’s soundtrack.  The soundtrack is the list of music that is used in the movie.
  • Find one song from the film’s soundtrack that best represents the character you chose and his or her development.
  • In that song, find specific lyrics that relate to the character.
NOTE:  If the soundtrack is instrumental (no lyrics), find other songs (not on the soundtrack) and relate their lyrics to the character.

  • Be sure to copy and paste the URL from the website where you found the lyrics for each song. Also include the name(s) of the songwriter(s).

Research Tips


You’ll need the song titles from the soundtrack to find the song lyrics.  You can find the soundtrack song titles in different places.

  • The DVD itself:  You can fast forward through the credits at the end of the film. Songs are always listed there.  Record the title, the songwriter, and who performed it in the film, and use these keywords for your online search.

  • IMDb.com:  This online database has information about all of the films on the Approved Film List in the course.  Go to the IMDb.com website, search for your film title, and select it from the list of results.  Scroll down to the Soundtrack section and click “See More” to view the entire list.  Then, you can do a new Google search using the word “lyrics,” the song title, and the songwriter’s name.

  • The official movie websites may also have the soundtracks listed.  Once you have the song titles and the songwriters’ names, you can search for the lyrics of the song you chose.