Mood and atmosphere:
Sound and music can be used to change mood and atmosphere of a film/tv show as it orients around such - below is a selection of different films that use this to their advantage.
Jaws (1975): The classic theme music for Jaws is also a motif for the character of the shark - the use of the cadence in the music creates a terrifying atmosphere.
Blue Planet (2001): Music used in this series is often there to accompany what happens on screen to match the majestic nature of the animal or to show its sinister side.
The Greatest Showman (2017): In the scene at the bar where our two male leads are discussing a deal - the use of the glasses hitting the bar are used instead of percussion in the scene - this is clever as it adds another element of personality to the piece.
Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010): There is a constant motif in this film of nostalgia and retro stylistic content. The constant reference to video games and such mean there is a lot of correlation between the two. This scene at the end has Scott picking up a 'life' and an authentic video game sound plays signifying such.
Star Wars (1977): This movie coined the term 'sound designer' for its influence on pop culture and the world of sound in film - Ben Burtt was responsible for this and there many key sound effects that are still as recognisable today, such as Darth Vader's breathing through a scuba mask. Below is a collection of different sound effects from the series.
Voice Over/Dialogue:
Voice overs are done in film to show narration not just being in the script - sometimes by a characters inner monologue or a dead character and others.
Dynasties (2018): This David Attenborough documentary shows him looking at 50years worth of moments in the wild - the dialogue shown in this is astounding as his way of speaking gives it a calm tone and informative to listen on.
Zombieland (2009): This voice over is done by Jesse Eisenburg's character, Columbus. Having our main protagonist narrate the film gives the movie a key flow for the tone. Given its comedy driven and Columbus's character being scared and not very tough - having him be the one to move the film along is a nice touch.
Trainspotting (1996): Ewan Mcgregor's unforgettable 'Choose Life' narration/speech at the start of this 1996 classic is a key example for voice overs as it shows it as being a positive message in front of the antithesis on screen - backed by Iggy Pop's song, 'Lust for Life'.
Stand By Me (1986): This coming of age story from the 80s has Richard Dreyfuss, future Gordie Lachance (credited as 'The Writer'). He is reminiscent over his last childhood summer as a carefree child. His words are wise but also sombre which adds the tone to the film.
Ambient sound and music:
Back to the Future (1985): During this sci-fi classic - Doc Brown has a revelation and the ambient music behind him shows the positive nature as it is an ascending sequence. Which is done by using synthesizers instead of an orchestra. (below start at 3.03)
Psycho (1960): Hitchcock's use of ambient music during the iconic shower scene where Marion is stabbed by a masked murderer - the music is used to accentuate the sharp stabs that are placed upon Marion and also to hit the ears of the people watching and listening.
Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012): This final scene of this teen coming of age story sees our lead protagonist, Charlie write his last letter to his late best friend. The scene is scored with'Heroes' by David Bowie and is referred to as the 'Tunnel Song' - as this scene happens before, earlier in the movie - it gets louder once they leave the tunnel and are revealed to the city.
Foley Sound:
Foley sound is sound that was not originally recorded on site but is recreated by a Foley artist to replace said sound.
Some key examples would be in Alien, the chest burster being a hand taken out of a thick liquid and in Ghostbusters, the proton pack turning on being the sound of a turbine being turned on. There are so many Foley techniques and they are all innovative and interesting.
Below is a link to an article by Empire Magazine with links to famous uses of Foley.
Synchronous and Asynchronous:
Synchronous sound is sound that is in time with the film playing by it - like the sound of footsteps while walking. Can be recorded on either tape or magnetic film - but it has to be in sync to the film.
Asynchronous Sound is sound that is not in time with the film its accompanying. Often used to hear something happen but not know its source. Being used to build tension in horror movies in particular.
Sound Motif (liet motif):
Motifs have been used in decades of cinema - the act of repeating a sequence or sound to signify a character or recurring theme.
Perhaps the most famous one would be Jaws' music sequence written by John Williams - known throughout the entire world.
Other examples could be:
- Predator's clicking (Predator, 1987)
- Vader's breathing (Star Wars, 1977)
- Guitar sting for Winter Soldier (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 2014)
ADR - Automated Dialogue Replacement:
Automated Dialogue Replacement is the process of re-recording audio for a scene to improve the audio quality and to add inflections and breathes.
Most films use ADR in post to refine the audio quality of the film and it gives the actor/actress a second chance at nailing the character they are playing.
Below is a short video about the ADR for King Kong (2005)
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