Download Film Form, Part V: Sound in the Cinema

Film Form, Part V:
Sound in the Cinema
The Powers of Sound
• Though we may not always notice
the score or sounds emanating
from a film, we are deeply affected
by them
• Sounds can cue our emotions or
responses
• They can reinforce or counter
themes in a movie
•They can heighten obviously the
visual and make more dramatic or
fantastic or real-seeming an action
on the screen
•As with any other stylistic element,
sound can function in collaboration
with cinematography and editing, for
instance
Fundamentals of Film Sound
• Perceptual Properties
• Loudness: can vary depending on
spatial relations
• Pitch: perceived highness or
lowness
• Timbre: the “color” or tone
quality
• Sound in the movies comes in three
forms: speech, music, and noise (aka,
sound effects and foley sounds)
• Sounds are usually manipulated so as
to seem more real or dramatic (for
effect)
• Dynamic sound is achieved when the
filmmaker(s) employ a full range of
sound volume and type
Dimensions of Film Sound
• Rhythm: beat or pulse, tempo or pace,
and the pattern of accents (i.e.,
stronger or weaker beats)
Coordinating sound rhythms with
visual rhythms is common; matching
movement to music is called Mickey
Mousing
Sound as counterpoint
•
•
•Space: sounds have a spatial
dimension in that they originate
from a source
diegetic sound vs. nondiegetic
sound
internal diegetic sound
sound perspective
•
•
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• Time: sounds happen with respect to
temporal events
• synchronous sound vs. asynchronous
•
•
sound: Is the sound synchronized
with the image/action? Do we see
the diegetic source at the same
time as we hear it?
sound bridge
sonic flashback or sonic flashforward
Key Personnel in Sound
• Sound Designer -- In charge of post-production
sound of a movie
• Dialogue Editor -- In charge of assembling/editing
dialogue in a soundtrack
• Sound Editor -- Assembles and edits all sound
effects in soundtrack
• Music Supervisor -- Works to choose and integrate
songs in the soundtrack
• Composer -- Writes musical score
• Foley Artist -- Records ambient sound effects