Wed 5 & Wed 12 July, 10.30am-1.30pm
FREE
Trainspotting: Sound, Sensation & the Politics of the Soundtrack
The workshop centers on a simple question: What does this film actually sound like without its iconic soundtrack, and what does that reveal? Trainspotting’s music choices are so embedded in its cultural legacy that students rarely interrogate them. The workshop will actively address this.
Students work in small groups, each assigned a key sequence from the film with the original soundtrack stripped. Their task is to rescore it using a provided toolkit of audio options drawn from different genres, eras, and emotional registers — and then present their version to the room with a short rationale: what does their choice do to the meaning of the scene? Does it glamorise, critique, ironise, or destabilise? The contrast between versions becomes the discussion.
The outcome is an understanding of how sound design and music curation are not decorative but argumentative. That the film’s attitude to heroin culture is substantially constructed through its playlist, which is possibly both a political and aesthetic choice. Students leave with a practical experience in editorial decision-making and a critical vocabulary for discussing it.
Trainspotting: Outcomes
- Practical experience of editorial and sound design decision-making
- Understanding of how music and sound construct meaning, attitude, and moral framing in film
- Ability to articulate the relationship between aesthetic choices and political or ethical positions
- Collaborative creative skills and the capacity to defend and discuss creative decisions
About the tutor
Matthew Harris is an accomplished filmmaker and educator with 25 years of award-winning experience in video production and media. As the founder of The Blah Blah Company, he combines creative vision with practical expertise to deliver results.
Matthew holds a BA Hons in Video Production and more recently an MPhil in Screen Media and Culture from the University of Cambridge. His extensive teaching background spans multiple positions in Further and Higher Education, where he has provided students with both technical skills and artistic insight.
His recent film, “A Kaleidoscope of Butterflies,” has garnered international recognition, showcasing at festivals worldwide and earning an official selection at the Norwich Film Festival 2024. This practical industry experience informs his teaching approach, offering students relevant, current perspectives on filmmaking craft.
With a passion for innovation and a commitment to nurturing emerging talent, Matthew brings both academic rigor and real-world production knowledge to his role as a practical filmmaking tutor.
Programmed in partnership with the Sir John Hurt Film Trust.
These workshops have been funded by the BFI Film Audience Network and the National Lottery.
CONTENT & SUPPORT NOTE
These sessions engage honestly with difficult material. They include drug use and addiction, grief and loss, radicalisation, bullying and belonging. Some students may find aspects of the films or discussion personally affecting.
Any student affected is encouraged to speak to their school’s pastoral team or designated safeguarding lead in the first instance. Independent, confidential support is also available from:
– Drugs & addiction: FRANK: 0300 123 6600, talktofrank.com (24/7)
– Grief & bereavement: Cruse Bereavement Support: 0808 808 1677, cruse.org.uk
– Radicalisation & extremism: ACT Early: actearly.uk or Educate Against Hate: educateagainsthate.com
– Bullying, wellbeing & anything else on their mind: Childline: 0800 1111, childline.org.uk (24/7)