Among Us — Stephan Eigenmann, 2020
From 9 years old, Anna has focused on nothing but her place within a prestigious music school and working towards a scholarship. Years later, Anna’s ambition is under threat when she discovers that she is losing her hearing. How can she play the piano when she can no longer hear her own music?
Classroom Activities
Print All- Critical
- Cultural
- Creative
- Clip Details
Critical
- Watch the film from the start to 01:40. The use of music here is non-diegetic, even when Anna is playing. Why is this?
- How does the use of sound from 01:40 to 02:07 convey Anna’s hearing issues?
- Look at the use of colour from 02:50 to 03:50. What mood is created?
- Watch the sequence from 03:40 to 05:03. Is this a flashback? Or is Anna imagining her teacher’s response?
- Watch the sequence from 05:40 to 05:49. How do sound and focus work together here to convey Ana’s situation?
- Watch the scene in the car, from 06:18 to 06:48. Why does the filmmaker use a handheld camera here?
- Watch the shot from 07:44 to 07:49. Why is there an extreme close up on this part of the piano?
- How does the montage (running from 07:44 to 08:56) convey the intensity of Anna’s practice? What techniques are used?
- The ending of the film is ambiguous. Do you think Anna has succeeded in earning her scholarship? Why (not)?
Cultural
- What other films, TV shows, books, etc. can you think of that feature deaf or hard of hearing characters? How are they represented? Are they treated differently to other characters?
- What challenges might be faced in day-to-day life by those with hearing difficulties?
- Do you think lip-reading is easy? Try this lip-reading quiz and find out. What can make lip-reading challenging?
- Research Deaf culture and history. Present your key findings in a visual format.
- How can deafness impact on mental health?
Creative
WRITE
- Write a short story about someone who triumphs over adversity.
- Sit silently as a class and listen closely to the smallest sounds you can hear. Write a poem that focuses on these sounds.
FILMMAKING
- Make a short film intended for a deafened/hard of hearing audience.
MODERN LANGUAGES
- Learn how to say some basic phrases using BSL.
MUSIC
- Find out about musicians who are deaf or have a hearing loss, such as Dame Evelyn Glennie. How do they create their music? Can you try creating music using their methods?
SCIENCE
How does the human ear work? What can cause hearing loss? Are there any cures or aids available?
Clip Details
| Year of Production | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama |
| Curriculum Areas | Expressive Arts, Health and Wellbeing, Modern Languages, Literacy and English, Religious and Moral Education |
| Director | Stephan Eigenmann |
| Country of Origin | USA |
| Medium / Content | Live Action, Fiction, Colour, Sound, Subtitles |
| Themes | Feelings, Loss / Memories, Health, Work / Ambition, Identity / Self, Communication, Creative Expression |
| Clip Length | 11:28 |
| Clip Length | 11:28 |
| Age Group | S1-S3, S4-S6 |
