The Soundtrack of Othello

English 10 Ms. Donovan The Soundtrack of Othello

For this assignment, you are required to put yourself in the role of music director for the movie version of Othello. You will create and design the CD jacket insert as well as choose the songs. Please choose 5 songs that you feel would be used in the sound track for your version of the film.

You will also write an explanation for each song that you choose, (minimum two paragraphs in length) discussing how it fits for your film. Each song should represent a different form of literary analysis.

Part I Brainstorming… Brainstorm AT LEAST five scenes/events from the play that stand out to you… Why did you choose these scenes? With what do you relate/connect?

Part II Listen to some songs. Keep in mind you are going to choose at least FIVE. I will provide you with a list of websites where we can access and listen to songs. Select five. It does not just have to be the lyrics that make you choose these songs…

Part III Print the lyrics. Be sure to include the artist/band and album. Annotate each NEATLY!

Part IV Write about each song. You must be clear about the connection between the song and the play.

Part V Create cover art for your CD.

Part VI Present your soundtrack to the class.

Part VII – There is no part seven. Tee hee hee.. Part I – Brainstorming…. What are some of the events that really stand out to you from the play? Think in terms of the most dramatic, the most surprising, the most shocking etc. Be sure to choose AT LEAST five….

What SCENE or EVENT STAND OUT to YOU? (include act WHAT ABOUT THIS SCENE STANDS OUT? WHY DID YOU and scene) CHOOSE THIS SCENT? Part II Select your Songs

Go to http://www.songfacts.com/ or http://www.lyricsfreak.com/a_top.html You may also bring in your own songs ON A CD or on your IPOD. You may listen to these songs ON THE COMPUTER or YOU MAY USE YOUR IPODS!!! Search a title or an artist. Mr. Yacullo has earphones, or you can plug in your own earphones. Listen to some songs. Jot down some songs you think you might like to use. Narrow it down to FIVE choices.

Tentative Selections: For each song, write about what you like about it, why you might choose it, if it would work for this project, etc. You should choose at least seven – ten songs/selections. Use the following prompts as an example for each.

Song 1 – Title/Artist What do you like about this song? Why might you choose it? Would it work for this project?

Song 8– Title/Artist What do you like about this song? Why might you choose it? Would it work for this project? Song 9 – Title/Artist What do you like about this song? Why might you choose it? Would it work for this project?

Song 10 – Title/Artist What do you like about this song? Why might you choose it? Would it work for this project? Part III and IV Print Up the Lyrics and Write About the Songs

Be sure to include the artist/band and album on which it is found. For EACH song you will need to write a critical analysis regarding why you chose it. You will need to analyze each song and answer the following:

a. Why did you choose this song? b. What specifically do you find important about the song? c. How is it representative of the scene? d. Why do you like this song? e. Choose at least THREE specific lines, images, or ideas from each song and explain its relation to the play.

While you do not really need to follow the questions exactly, your response to EACH song should be AT LEAST two to three paragraphs.

Part V Create Cover Art for your CD

Either using material we have in class or by creating something on the computer, design a cover for your “CD”.

Part VI Presentations

You are going to present at least three songs to the class. I’d like you to play the song, either from a CD or your IPOD. You’ll briefly introduce the song/songs and why you chose them. For an “A” project:

Liner notes:  The writing is strong, formal, free of errors and shows an excellent understanding of the mechanics of writing.  The analysis shows strong evidence of thought and care in tying the texts to the songs. The analysis is also thorough, considering many aspects of both the song and the text being represented.  There is evidence of careful thought in song selection  Quotes are used from the song and/or the book, and all quotes are introduced and analyzed properly.  Lyrics are provided for all songs, and they are properly referenced.

CD cover:  The CD cover shows excellent care and consideration to both the contents of the CD as well as the book that it is representing.   The CD cover is highly reflective of the time and consideration put into its creation.

For a “B” project:

Liner notes:  The writing is generally free of errors and shows good understanding of the mechanics of writing.  The analysis shows evidence of thought in tying the text to the songs.  The analysis is also thorough, considering several aspects of both the song and the text being represented.  There is evidence of thought in song selection  Quotes are used from the song and/or the book, and all quotes are generally introduced and analyzed properly.  Lyrics are provided for all songs, and they are referenced.

CD cover:  The CD cover shows good care and consideration to both the contents of the CD as well as the book that it is representing.  The CD cover is reflective of the time and consideration put into its creation.

For a “C” project:

Liner notes:  The writing has some errors and shows general understanding of the mechanics of writing.  The analysis shows some evidence of thought and care in tying the text to the songs. There is some evidence of analysis and consideration of several aspects of both the song  There is evidence of some thought in song selection. Some quotes are used from the song and/or the book, and quotes may or may not be introduced and analyzed properly.  Lyrics are provided for all songs, but some may not have been properly referenced. CD cover:  The CD cover shows minimal care and consideration to both the contents of the CD as well as the book that it is representing.  The CD cover evidences minimal time and consideration put into its creation.

For a “D” project:

Liner notes:  The writing has many errors and shows little understanding of the mechanics of writing.  The analysis shows little evidence of thought and care in tying the text to the songs. There is minimal evidence of analysis and consideration of either the song or the chapter being represented.  There is little evidence of thought in song selection  Quotes are not used.  Lyrics may or may not be provided for all songs, but have not been properly referenced.

CD cover:  The CD cover shows no care or consideration to the contents of the CD or the book that it is representing.  The CD cover shows no evidence of time and consideration put into its creation.

Othello Soundtrack Project

Student Name: ______Class Period

4 3 2 1 Writing The writing is The writing is The writing has The writing has strong, formal, free generally free of some errors and many errors and of errors and shows errors and shows shows a general shows little understanding of good understanding understanding of understanding of mechanics of of the mechanics of the mechanics of the mechanics of writing. writing. writing. writing. Analysis Analysis shows The analysis shows The analysis The analysis shows strong evidence of good evidence of shows some little evidence of thought and care in thought in tying the evidence of thought in tying the tying the scenes to scenes to the thought in tying chapters to the the songs. songs. the scenes to songs. the songs. Thought There is evidence There is evidence There is some There is little of careful thought of good thought in evidence of evidence of thought in song selection. song selection. thought in song in song selection. selection. Quotations Quotes are used Quotes are used Some quotes are No quotes are used from the song from the song used from the from the song and/or the play, and/or the play, song and/or the and/or the play, and and all quotes are and all quotes are play, and some no quotes are thoroughly generally quotes are not generally introduced, cited, introduced, cited, introduced, cited, introduced, cited, and analyzed and analyzed and analyzed and analyzed properly. properly. properly. properly. CD Cover The CD cover shows The CD cover shows The CD cover shows The CD cover shows excellent care and good care and some care and little care and consideration to consideration to consideration to consideration to the book that it is the book that it is the book that it the representing. The representing. The is representing. book that it is cover is highly cover is reflective The cover is representing. The reflective of the of the time and reflective of some cover is not time and care that care time and care that reflective of time was put into its that was put into was put into its and care put into its creation. its creation. creation. creation.

SCORE: ______

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