Sound What 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 sound Early 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 Braveheart

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

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 Dune (1984)