Slide 1

AS Film StudiesFM1 Exploring Film Form

Sound

Lesson ObjectivesAllstudentstobeabletoexplaindiegeticandnon-diegeticsoundwithexamples.

Allstudentstobeabletoanalysehowelementsofsoundcreatemeaningfortheaudienceinashort film clip.

Manystudentswillbeabletouseawiderrangeofsoundterminologytodiscusshowsoundisusedincombinationwithothertechnicalelementstocreatemeaningforthe audience.

and somestudentswillbeabletoevaluatehowtheuse of soundhelpsconstruct particularrepresentationsina short film clip.

A soundtrack should really be regarded as being as of equal importance as the visual elements.

Sound can be divided into two main categories:

Diegetic Sound

Sound that has an onscreen source and belongs to the world of the film

e.g.Dialogue

Sound effects

Ambient soundNon-diegetic Sound

Sound that does not have an onscreen source & characters onscreen do NOT hear it

e.g.Added music

Contrapuntal soundVoice over

KEY SOUND TERMINOLOGY

Soundtrack - the recorded sound element of a film.

Theme music/tune - a recurrent melody in the film.

Sound effects - sounds other than dialogue or music made artificially (Often referred to as Foley Sound)

Ambient sound - buzz and/or surrounding sounds.

Dialogue - speech.

KEY SOUND TERMINOLOGY

Voiceover - narration in a film not accompanied by a synchronised image of the speaker forming the words.

Direct address - when characters speak directly to the camera i.e. the audience.

Diegetic sound any sound that has an onscreen source and belongs to the world of the film.

Non-diegetic sound any sound that does not have an onscreen source & characters onscreen do NOT hear it e.g. some voiceovers, music.

KEY SOUND TERMINOLOGY

Sound bridges any sound/s that continue from one shot to another. They help create a smooth transition from one shot to another. In this way the sound is said to be enhancing the continuity of the film.

Parallel sound sound that complements the image track. Sound & image seem to reflect each other.

Contrapuntal sound sound that does not complement or fit with the image track.

Listen to the following sound clips. What do they make you think about? What mood/feelings do you attach to them?Sound clip 1

Sound clip 2

Sound clip 3

Does the meaning you attach to the first clips change now you have heard all 3?

Understanding how music can help create meaningEnhance the audience's emotional experience / providing emotional focus.

Underlining psychological refinements - the unspoken thoughts of a character, or the unseen implications of a situation.

Building a sense of continuity (moving in, out and Bridging scenes).

Underpinning the theatrical build-up of a scene and rounding it off with a sense of finality.

Understanding how music can help create meaningCharacter representation / identification (e.g. good Vs evil in Star Wars, CSI Miami clip)

Setting the location, e.g.

Setting the period

Paralleling the action

Creating a more convincing atmosphere of space and time

Serving as a kind of neutral background filler

Analyse the use of sound in Raiders of the Lost Ark (Spielberg, 1981)Link to clip (watch first 3mins):http://estream/View.aspx?ID=10875~5i~adregWkh8o

Watch the Raiders clip and make notes on the different elements of sound you can identify.

In pairs, compare the notes you have made and consider the meanings created by them.

Using your notes, write a paragraph summarising how sound helps create meaning in the clip. (8 mins)

Stretch & Challenge: Consider how the use of sound helps construct the representation of Indiana Jones in the clip.

Soundtrack ActivityCreate a soundtrack for your new character.

Include: Both Diegetic and Non-diegetic soundAmbient soundFoley sound effectsTheme music

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