Research: Sound Ms Begum

Sound

Sounds are used in films to create understanding for the audience and to create more meaning about the character and their emotions. Sounds are also used to create a response from the audience. In my opinion sound is the most important convention when it comes to making a successful thriller film as sound does not just emphasises a characters emotion but also it psychologically determines the audiences view on the situation in the film and make use fell emotion as well.

Examples of sounds include:

·         Diegetic Sound

Diegetic sound is sound which is part of the film world in other words it is sound that other characters would be able to hear in the film for example a scream or the radio or the television

·         Non-diegetic Sound

Non-diegetic sound is sound which is not part of the film world in other words sound that the characters cannot hear and is not part of the imaginary world of the story for example a soundtrack that has been added to the scene. Non-diegetic sounds are used mainly to move from one scene to another or more specifically it is used to create tension in a thriller film to get the audience scared.

 

Trailers always use both of these types of sounds to intrigue the audience for example Dream House. The diegetic sounds are the characters talking and screaming and the non-diegetic sound is the piano being played in the background.

 

·         On Screen Sound

On screen sound is similar to diegetic sound. It is sound you can see what character or object it is coming from for example in quantum of solace chase scene you can see that the reeving and the skid noises are coming from the cars and the bullet shots are coming from the guns.

 

 

·         Off Screen Sound

Off screen sound is the opposite. It is sound that is there but you cannot see where it is coming from. It is existing or occurring sounds outside the frame of a movie or television screen for example if the camera is on you and you are downstairs and someone is calling you from upstairs or if there is a scream in the background.

 

·         Parallel Sound

Parallel sound is when the sound you hear in a film is what is expect in other words it describes the condition where audio and visual effects match for example you would for example you would expect to hear children playing in a park engines reeving at formula 1.

 

·         Contrapuntal sound

Contrapuntal sound is when the sound does not match the expectations of what you are viewing therefore creating confusion and arousing curiosity among the audience for example in the classic thriller Jaws the sound of the children playing at the beach is suddenly interrupted by the non-diegetic, increasing pace sound to alert the audience that something is not right.

 

 

 

Conclusion

The research on sound has really helped to decide how to portray the sound in the thriller opener. It has given an insight on what types of sound would work and in what places to put them.