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