SOUND

ISABELLE POLLOCK

What is Sound? How is it used in movies and to what purpose?

Sound within a film is comprised of three essential ingredients: the human voice, sound effects and music. With these 3 key ingredients, a sound editor can select and balance audio from hundreds of different sources to create a desired effect, anywhere from strict realism to an otherworldly fantasy.

Sound is often used to help compliment the use of editing and effects used in various scenes of a film. For example:

In a trailer for a horror film, the use of fast continuity shots or the use of black or white dissolving effects, with the contrast of sound thrown together in the mix; will help create the feeling of suspense and tension- bouncing the tracks from very quiet to very loud volume in a matter of a few seconds and use of stringed instruments and drums helping to identify to the target demographic what type of genre the film is.

Key Terms: Diegetic – Sound that is directly coming from the shot when it is filmed live.

Non-Diegetic - Non-diegetic sound is represented as coming from a source outside the story space and is added in post-production when film is being edited.

Parallel sound – Sound which compliments the visual image shown.

Contrapuntal sound – It doesn’t match the visual image but helps to create new alternative meanings.

On/Off screen sound - Sound that is part of a scene but originating from a source outside of the visible frame.

Sound Effects (SFX) - Used to create a sense of realism or to create some psychological impact or effect.

Sound Bridges - The use of sound to help transitions between sequences pass more fluidly.

Analysis of Sound in Sherlock Holmes (Opening Scene)The scene begins with slow piano based music to help create an intense

atmosphere. It then contrasts with diegetic sound of horse and carriage driving along a cobble street set. The use of parallel sound is effective because we see

the camera zoom from wide shot to then close up shot inside of the carriage. The use of fast beating non-diegetic music with a similar momentum helps to

compliment this. Within the short opening scene we begin to hear a consistent use of diegetic sound amongst the non-diegetic music in background, including preparation of guns, footsteps along cobble street setting and opening of doors and also the use of a SFX of a crow, which helps to create a sense of realism but

also a sense of danger and suspicion for target demographic.