Unit 1 – Media Representations Lesson 14 – Sound C4 Sound
Unit 1 – Media Representations
Lesson 14 – SoundC4 Sound
Diegetic
• Diegetic sound refers to sounds that can be heard in the filmic universe
• For example, the characters talking to one another, a character playing a piano, or the sound of a car driving past
Non Diegetic Sound
• Non Diegetic sound refers to sounds that cannot be heard in the filmic universe
• Examples include the film’s soundtrack, narration and sound effects added for effect
Ambient Sound
• All the background sounds that are present in the filming location
• Examples: Birds singing, plane overhead, traffic etc.
Synchronous Sound
• Synchronous sound refers to sounds that are matched to the action of the film, i.e. are in sync
• An example would be the sound of a character’s footsteps as seen on screen
Asynchronous Sound
• Are sounds that do not match the action on screen
• For example, a scene set inside a New York apartment with sirens going past
Music
• Soundtrack – A collection of music put together for a film (i.e. Twilight soundtrack)
• Score – Music (often orchestral) composed specifically for the film
Music
• Incidental music – music written to accompany or create the action or mood of film, radio or televison; to serve as a transition between parts of the action; or to introduce or close the performance
Music
• Theme music – Music directly associated with a production, typically played at the beginning and/or end of a show/film
• Sound/music motifs – a typically short piece of music/sound effect(s) relating to a character/object/setting/situation.The sound motifs condition the audience emotionally for the intervention, arrival, or actions of a particular character.
Sound Effects
• Foley – the reproduction of everyday sounds for moving image productions
• For example, the recording of footsteps, doors closing, rain etc.
• This is completed by a foley artist
Dialogue• Voice-over – a voice outside of the action
narrates the proceedings to the audience
• Mode of address/direct address – how the audience are been spoken to. Direct address means being spoken to as ‘you’. Could be formal, informal etc.
• Overlapping dialogue – can be used to create chaos, or suggest a character is unimportant
Dialogue
• Accent – regional accents can help locate the drama
• Tone – is the speech conversational, or pre-planned and rigid?
• Rhythm – does the character speak quickly, or with regular pauses for suspense?
Sound Editing Transitions
• fade in/out
• edit on the beat
• edit on the cut
Sound Editing Transitions
• Sound bridges – where sound continues over a video transition
• Examples include music continuing through a scene change or a montage sequence to tie the scenes together
• Another form of a sound bridge is at the start or end of a scene, where the dialogue or music starts before or after the speaking character is seen by the audience
Audio Effects• Reverberation – Can be used to express the
mental state of the character. Can be contrasted to the normal sound outside of that character’s mind
• Delay – Repetition of an original sound, as with an echo
• Distortion – A deliberately affected sound – could be used to show disorientation, for example after a plane crash
Task
• Analyse the provided clips (6-8)
• How has sound been used to create meaning for the audience? (5 marks)
• Think about diegetic and non diegetic sound, sound effects, sound transitions and music