Sound

what is sound in a film and why is it important?

Sound in a movie includes music, dialogues, sound effects, ambient sound etc. Sound helps to enhance the movie experience./ Sound is important as it tells the audience a lot about the character, the setting of the scene, the time. As we know sound does enhance an audience experience but it also informs the audience and moves them in ways visuals can't. for example in a horror movie sound plays a big role in scaring the audience along with the visuals. 

The different types of sounds:-

Diegetic 

Diegetic sounds are which occurs within the world of the film or when the source of the sound is visible in the frame. 

The ironic intro of the Bond movies has a diegetic sound effect
 as we hear the gunshot sound as it appears on the screen 

Non Diegetic 

Non Diegetic sounds are which does not occur in the world of the film or the source of the sound is not visible. 

Any voice over or narration which the character can't hear is
 a non diegetic sound effect as we can't see the person narrating it

Synchronous Sound 

As the name suggest 'synchronous' it means the sound that is matched to certain movements in the scene.

Example- In the film Game night there was a scene of a bullet removing scene where there is muffled scream covered by a sound of the squishy toy between his teeth  when alcohol is poured in the bullet wound. The scream and the sound of pouring liquid is in sync with the scene. 

Asynchronous Sound 

   

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This sound is which does not match or sync with action on the screen in terms of both timing and atmosphere.

Example- In the film 39 Steps 1985 there is a scene where the a woman discovers a dead body in a room, instead of the scream there a steam engine train sound when she starts to scream. It is a matched asynchronous sound.

Ambient Sounds 

Ambient sounds means the background sound which are present in a scene or location. The most common ambient sounds are the sounds of wind, the water, traffic, birds etc

Example- In the film Kissing Booth, this scene is of a beach where two people are talking. As the setting of the scene is beach the ambient sound is the people in the blurred background talking and also the sound of the wood burning and the people playing with the sand.

Sound Effects

Sound effects are noise or incidental sounds to make the action believable and add more dept in the scene. 

Marvel movies uses a lot of sound effects
to enhance their scene 

Foley Sounds

Foley sounds is the reproduction of every day sounds effects which are added in post production to enhance the quality of audio for films, television, video and video games. 

Example- Foley artist add foley sounds in post production to enhance the movie scene.

Sound Motifs -

A motif is a sound effect or combined of sound effects that are associated with a particular character, setting, situation or idea through the film. The sound motifs condition the audience emotionally for the intervention ,arrival, or action of a particular character. 

There is a drum beat that occur every time the
 game 'Jumanji' appears on the screen.

Sound Bridge 

A sound bridge is a type of sound editing that occurs when the sound carries over a visual transition in a film. This type of editing provides a common transition in the continuity editing style because of the way in which it connects the mood, as suggested by the music.

Sound Mixing 

Audio mixing is the process by which multiple sounds are combined into one or more channels. In the process, source's volume level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated or enhanced. 

Sound Perspective 

Sound perspective refers to the apparent distance of a sound source, evidenced by its volume, timbre and the pitch.

Sound Track 

A soundtrack, also written sound track,m can be recorded  music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion pictures

Example- In the movie The Fault In Our Stars in the last scene which is a funeral scene. The main male character, Augustus dies so his funeral is the ending scene. The music played in the background matches the emotion of the scene. The music played is a soft and a slow paced. The music is continued till the end of the scene where the main female character, Hazel reads the eulogy which is written by Augustus for Hazel .

Background Score 

A film score also sometimes called background score, background music, film soundtrack, film music, or incidental music is original music written specifically to accompany in a film. The score forms part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually pre-existing music, dialogue and sound effects. 

Example- Interstellar is brilliant movie and is directed by one of my favorite director, Christopher Nolan. The background score is composed by Hans Zimmer. Hans Zimmer has composed a lot of Christopher Nolan movies like Inception, Dark Knight etc.  

Themes and Stings 

A theme is music that is played when a program or film or character in a series comes on. A sting is a short burst of random music. 

 

Example- The example for theme sounds would the the Marvel intro. Every Marvel movie in the start have the same the theme song or tune. So the audience know that they are watching a Marvel movie. 

Pitch 

The sensation of frequency of sound.

Contrast Music 

When the situation in the scene and music don't match. 

Dialogues 

A conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play or film. 

Voiceover 

A voiceover is also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary. This is a technique where a voice that is not a part of the narrative (non-diegetic) is used to enhance the scenes. 

Subtext/Undertone 

An undertone is any content f a creative work which is not announced explicitly by the characters or the author, but is implicit or becomes something understood by the observer of the work as the production unfolds. 

Volume 

The perception of sound loudness from the intensity of a sound wave. 

Tempo 

The speed at which music should be played. 

Rhythm 

A regular repeated pattern of  movement or sound. 

Beat 

Inference pattern between 2 sounds of slightly different frequencies.