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Film Sound: Powers, Fundamentals, Dimensions

This document discusses the history and techniques of film sound from its origins to modern advances. It covers early technological limitations giving way to synchronization in 1927 and multi-track recording in the 1970s. Key concepts covered include sound cues, diegetic vs. non-diegetic sound, sound perspective, rhythm, dialogue characteristics, and the expressive role of sound in film. The document also lists film credits and provides assignments related to analyzing films.

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143 views32 pages

Film Sound: Powers, Fundamentals, Dimensions

This document discusses the history and techniques of film sound from its origins to modern advances. It covers early technological limitations giving way to synchronization in 1927 and multi-track recording in the 1970s. Key concepts covered include sound cues, diegetic vs. non-diegetic sound, sound perspective, rhythm, dialogue characteristics, and the expressive role of sound in film. The document also lists film credits and provides assignments related to analyzing films.

Uploaded by

cakeballsrule
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Film Sound

Powers, Fundamentals, Dimensions

Audio visual patterning


Connecting something seen with the accompanying noise

Sound cue to introduce a visual


Sound o.s. to represent simultaneous reality

Film Sound - history


Never silent Synchronization of pre-recorded sound and images 1927 - Big Five Agreement

1930 sound-on-film system

Early sound

Technological clumsiness

Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen, 52

Ren Clair, 32
Single track sound

Sound technology breakthroughs

Post-synchronization
Dubbing

Sound editing
Sound mixing

Sound technology advances


Greater fidelity Heightened sense of audio-realism

1950s multi-channel soundtracks

Classical Hollywood Sound


Rhythm of sound, music same as the beat of people moving in the frame

Mickey Mousing
Musical themes to cue emotions for the audience Dialogue or sound overlaps to compress time

Sound editing

J-cuts using the visual from the shot and the sound from the reverse shot

Emphasizes temporal continuity

Film tracks
Audio track 1: dialogue Audio track 2: dialogue Audio track 3: extra dialogue and narration Audio track 4: music

Audio track 5: additional music if necessary


Audio tracks 6 10: sound effects Audio track 11: ambience Audio track 12: additional ambience if necessary

Sound technology advances

1970s

Multi-track recording
Dolby sound

Perceptual properties fidelity to the source Loudness - volume Pitch high or low Timbre tone quality

Walter Murch
06 Awarded a Doctorate of Letters at Emily Carr U.

Sound
Sound perspective - as you get closer the sound gets louder Simultaneous sound happening the same time as the image

Rhythm
Usually produced by music but can be footsteps, gunfire, dialogue

Mickey Mousing

Sergio Leone, 67
Sound Editors Vittorio de Sisti

Elio Pacella

Original Music Ennio Morricone

Dialogue
Text and subtext Dialogue vs voice

Volume
Pitch

Speech characteristics
Accent and dialect Diction

Vocal tics

Girls Night Out


Joanna Quinn, 86

Joanna Quinn

filmmography
Body Beautiful Britannia

The Canterbury Tales


Elles Famous Fred Dreams and Desires Family Ties

Film sound

An expressive element

An aesthetic experience

Narrators voice & mood


Grard Genette
Intra diegetic: narrator is inside the temporal structure of the film Extra-diegetic: narrator is outside the temporal structure of the film

Homo-diegetic: narrator is a character in the film

Hetero-diegetic: narrator is not a character in the film

Internally focalised narration: information is given through the p.o.v. of a character Externally focalised narration: narrat0r says less than a character knows

Tragic Story with a Happy Ending


Regina Pessoa, 05

Christopher Nolan 2008


Sound Designer: Richard King

Term paper due Friday, November 18, 25%


One page outline due Friday, Oct 28, 5%

With your astonishing example and your more conventional example, discuss our topics in your analysis:
1. Ideology

2. Image
3. Narrative structure 4. Genre 5. Production 6. Editing

7. Sound

In addition
Text pages 137-165 Camera

Lighting
Composition Colour Production design Acting styles

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