Revision notes on sound

1. MEDIA STUDIES
Sound
Filmsoundisan importantand as carefullycontrolledasthe visual elementsof atext.Although
soundisoftenrecordedonset,mostfilmsoundisaddedinpost-production.
Filmsoundwill be mixedverycarefullytoensure thatimportantsoundsare emphasisedandthat
the correct atmosphere fora sequence ismaintained.
SELECTIVE SOUNDis usedtoemphasise keysoundelementswithinasequence
AMBIENT SOUND isusedto create a particularatmosphere ora sense of place
Otherelementsof sounddesigntolookoutfor:
 SOUND BRIDGES – the use of soundtohelptransitionsbetweensequencespassmore
fluidly.
 SOUND EFFECTS – these are usedto create a sense of realismortocreate some
psychological impactoreffect
Soundcan be either:
 DIEGETIC – itis existswithin the worldof the film, the sounds source isvisibleonthe screen
or is impliedtobe presentbythe actionof the film.
1. Voice of characters
2. Soundmade by objectsinthe story
3. Music representedascomingfrominstrumentsinthe storyspace
Diegeticsoundisanysoundpresentedasoriginatedfromthe source withinthe films
world
 NON-DIEGETIC– it emergesfromoutside the worldof the film, e.g.filmsoundtracks Non-
diegeticsoundisrepresentedascomingfroma source outside the storyspace.
The distinctionbetweendiegeticornon-diegeticsounddependsonour
understandingof the conventionsof filmviewingandlistening.
1. Narrators commentary
2. Soundeffects whichare addedfordramaticeffect
3. Musical score/soundtrack
Filmsoundcan be either:
 SYNCHRONOUS–Whena sound effectismatchedwithanothertechnical eventoraction –
thisreinforcesthe effect
 ASYNCHRONOUS– Whena soundoriginatesfromoutsidethe diegeticrealityof the film;
musical soundtrack
 CONTRAPUNTAL – Noise orsoundeffectwhichdoesn’tmatchthe visuals,oftenjuxtaposed
to create alternative meaning
Otherelementsof sounddesigntolookoutfor:

2. MEDIA STUDIES
 VOICEOVERS – This isthe ‘voice’of a character. Thisvoice oftenguidesorinformsthe
external audience butcanbe usedto pushthemin wrongnarrative direction
 THEME MUSIC– Thisis the musicthat introduces,developsthroughoutandendsthe film.It
oftenindicatesthe ‘personality’ andmode of addressof the movie.Characterscanhave
theirowntheme music– thisisusedto indicate theirpresenceor‘emotional journey’.
 MUSICALSCORE – usedto create atmosphere,tolinkshotsorsequences,tohelpcreate the
narrative or to offerinformationaboutcharacters
 SILENCE – film/TV are veryrarelycompletelysilent,butthiseffectisoccasionallyusedto
provoke a reactionfromthe audience