The Music that Children Listen to in Movies, Series and TV Documentaries. An Empirical Study on its Meaning

Abstract

Numerous authors find that music in audiovisuals has a major impact, but little research has explored its repercussions for children. This article reports research on musical interpretations in children’s films, series, and TV documentaries. It describes an observational experience based on 11 year-old children’s favourite audiovisuals, the design and application of questionnaires, and the quantitative and qualitative results of the case study obtained from the audiovisual experience of sequences edited in three versions and applied in two public schools. The results reveal the meaning and sense of music in the selected audiovisuals, and also demonstrate how meaning is lost when the soundtrack is removed. The results confirm that music provides elements related to space, time, emotions and context that persuasively configure scenarios, characters and values. The study prepares the basis for educational interventions to foster understanding of the sound habitat through general education and musical education in particular