New Hardball Sound Design Learning Resource

The ACTF has collaborated with ACMI to bring you a new learning resource exploring sound design in the award-winning children’s television program, Hardball. 

This free sound design learning resource is suitable for Years 4 – 6. It features video interviews with creatives and behind-the-scenes footage.  

By working through the learning tasks and videos, students can discover the importance of sound design first-hand from Hardball sound designers Serge Lacroix and Liam Whiting.  

We asked Serge and Liam what advice they have for budding sound designers and they both agreed it is a fun job and said students can start developing their skills now.  

Liam said: “Start recording things now. Get yourself used to the idea of using your ears and listening when you’re going down the street, when you’re going to the shops, and when you’re by the sea... Use your ears to listen to all the sounds you might not necessarily hear.” 
 
Serge also recommends recording sounds in your everyday life and listening to them back to, “hear the difference between what you heard and what actually is recorded... it’s going to sound very different.” 

Our resource supports teachers to take on this advice and incorporate the recording and mixing of sound into their classroom. After students have worked through the tasks and watched Serge and Liam in action, they can download our free Foley Kit which supports the creation of a sound designed scene.  

This Foley Kit includes: 

• Scenes from Hardball, Round the Twist and Li'l Elvis and the Truckstoppers with the sound removed, encouraging students to choose a clip and create the soundscape from scratch following a similar sound design process to Serge and Liam
• Planning tools including an audio spotting sheet to help students plan their sound design process and a step-by-step iMovie tutorial supporting students to use the Foley kit in their sound design journey, including how to capture and record their own Foley sounds 
• Foley sounds used in the ACMI Foley Room which students can use in their sound design edit as well as a range of free sound effects sourced online

Alongside this learning resource, the ACTF and ACMI ran a live virtual workshop with students joining from across Australia. This virtual workshop included interactive activities with students as well as pre-recorded videos with Serge and Liam.

This virtual workshop is now available to watch online.

We are collaborating with ACMI to create multiple virtual workshops throughout the year. Keep an eye on our eNews to know when registrations open for our next session. 

Durack Primary School, NT students engaged in the Sound Design Virtual Workshop 

This virtual workshop and learning resource are supported by the Strategic Partnerships Program through the Victorian Department of Education and Training.