SoundWhat you hear is not always what you heard

Sound

Sound is the sub-conscious part of the film process

If it sounds right, most of the time, the audience won’t notice

When it is wrong, the audience immediately knows

Early movies

The first movies had music that was played along with them... no on scene recorded sound

The first “talkies” were visually very boring because the shots had to be continuous due to the sound recording technology of the time.

Synchronous vs non synchronous sound

synchronous sound means the sound is recorded with the action as it happens

non synchronous sound is sound recorded separate from the filming and can be effects, music, voice-over, or replace dialogue recorded during filming

Synchronous vs non synchronous soundEarly formalists remained hostile to synchronous sound, while realists embraced it

Musicals, until very recently, relied upon non synchronous sound for filming. Essentially, the singing done on stage would be recorded months in advance and then dubbed over the music in the movie

Sound vs Camera

Sound in a shot should mirror the shot

Close-ups are used with whispers and low conversations

Wider shots are used for sweeping addresses

Sound Effects

Sound editors take several tracks and combine them into one cohesive sound track

Most of the effects that you hear are not designed to be heard... consciously at least

squeaky doors, foot falls, dog barking, etc... your brain expects them to be there

Sound Effects cont.

Most sub-conscious effects are prerecorded

Other effects are created by sound engineers and are designed to be heard

Some effects are designed to be symbolic

Formalist directors use sound effects to symbolize things like emotions

Music

Music can be used to tell the audience how to feel, to build emotion

Music can be used as background to the dialogue or replace the dialogue altogether.

Music can also be used to establish a location, even if the establishing shot is vague

Use of music example

Reservoir Dogs

http://youtu.be/TqRHjYl955s

Braveheart

http://youtu.be/ASIrlDeP000

Musicals

Two types of musicals:

Realistic, where music is used as the dialogue and dancing and choreography is kept to a minimum ex: Rent and Les Mis

Formalistic, where the actors seem to burst into song and dance ex The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady

Musicals

The old way: Actors went into a sound studio and recorded the music well in advance

The new way: Actors recorded on stage, truly acting the music

Musicals

Les Miserables

http://youtu.be/e_lFp6nZkq0

Spoken Language

The last component of sound spoken language

How the spoken word is delivered is just as important as what is spoken

Subtext... or the meaning of the words beyond the literal is one of the most important things to get across to the audience

Example of subtext

Woman: “May I have a cigarette, please?”

Man: “Yes, of course. (lights her cigarette)

Woman: “Thank you. You’re very kind.”

Man: “Don’t mention it.”

Accent

Most film actors learn to speak in an accent that does not exist called “transatlantic”

Accents are used to give location or to imply something about a character

For example, if you want to imply someone is stupid, give them a Southern, hick-ish accent

Voice-over

Voice-overs serve a couple of functions:

Narration

Expressing hidden thoughts

Voice-over examples

A River Runs Through It

http://youtu.be/VxzDgfVI9H0

Dune (1984)

http://youtu.be/yIDtN8CDQmk