Soundtrack

I love a good soundtrack. Its one of the best things to come out of the cinema and have the soundtrack playing through your head as you walk home, like the whole experience of the film is continuing and you are still there, in the fictional world of the movie.

A soundtrack that works is one that when you hear it, out of context of the film, you are immediately brought straight back into the feel and mood of the film and I think that is something really special.

I was recently lucky enough to see Planet Earth Live at the Barbican in London. First off, it was an incredible experience, just to be the wonderful environment of a theatre with a live orchestra, and with the people who made Planet Earth so incredible.

The premise of the evening was that George Fenton, who wrote the music for the series, would be conducting the BBC Concert Orchestra to specially cut montages from the Planet Earth series. I haven't seen a live orchestra before and I wasn't prepared for how much of a different experience it would be to have the same great music played live. It was definitely a lot more powerful and really did add something to the viewing experience.

What I took away from the evening was simply just how crucial the soundtrack to a film or television programme is. It takes you to other places, just as much as the footage in front of you. It informs your imagination, allows you to be transported completely; even if there had been no footage of Dolphins, with this music you can completely imagine them.