Sound and Music in Film

Sound and music play a key role in the media especially within films and TV shows. They set the mood, inform and engage the audience with the media piece. Sounds are essential in all genres and there are various terms associated with sound:

Voice over:
Gone Girl (2014)
Narrative or commentary given over the film heard by audiences and not characters in the film
It informs the audience on the context of the story and it delves the audience on another view point.
It shows audiences into the mind of the character and it creates an opinion of either shock or sympathy
There are constant sound effects that are quite asynchronous sounds during the scene before and after. It helps to keep the audience linked to the film and it generates tension in the audience.
We focus on the story of the character and how and why she frames her husband for her murder.

Sound Bridge: 

Rocky IV (1985)

Sound that carry on from one scene to the next scene

It inspires the audience and shows the audience the a summarised version of moments, particularly with this video it shows the character’s struggle.

The audience would feel inspired and cheer Rocky on to beat Ivan Drago.
It shows a comparison of training between Rocky and Ivan Drago. Before Rocky is seen, looking back on the past and regretting his mistakes. Trying to get inspired for the future match. Our focus is on Rocky and how he works hard and naturally to retain his honour while Ivan cheats with drugs and advanced technology.

Sound Effects: 

Jurassic Park (1993)

Sounds added to the film post-production to enhance meaning

For this clip, it helped to create the sounds for the dinosaurs that were imagined to have. The sound mixers used the sound of a baby elephant which was edited to sound like a T-Rex. It creates an aura of fear within the audience when they hear a T-Rex roar.

There are ambient sounds of the rain before and after to show how bad the T-Rex attack was.

Our audience then focus on the T-Rex and would feel fear as well as excitement in hearing what an ‘actual’ T-Rex sounds like

Character Theme: 

Beverly Hills Cops (1984)

Part of soundtrack that associates to particular character

This theme song is instantly recognisable and the audience would recognise the theme song and attach it to a particular character, Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) in this case. The theme song starts at 0:18 and loops in the background.

Before is a lot of dialogue, noises and a different kind of music score because this is to slowly tease the audience into what the character does. After is dialogue and silence, this is because the theme song introduces what Axel Foley does. Our audience then focus on the theme song because it relays Axel's character as jovial and sneaky.

Pitch: 

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

Determined by frequency of either high or low

The sounds in this trailer have varying pitches in order to captivate the audiences and keep them constantly interested in the trailer.

It generates interest and shock as the mixture of high and low pitches catch the attention of the viewer, especially the part of the train sound halting and a man screaming very loudly in agony.

Before is a lot of noise and action because this trailer is giving the audience a brief teaser to what the movie is very low pitch sounds of a rhythmic train sounds, people talking and the train travelling. After the spike of sound, there is a slow build up of a song to interest the viewer even further. 

The audience then focus on the scream of the man which leads the audience to speculate who is killed, why and who the suspects are.

Contrapuntal Sounds: 

The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)

An effect that occurs when sound is out of sync to image

The sounds, particularly the music is contrapuntal/is unusual to the image as it uses Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You for an action comedy movie. There are two links of the song. The only reason why this song fits is because it adds comedic humour for it is a love song that is not to be expected in a action comedy movie. It is also an intertextual reference to the 1992 movie The Bodyguard.

It generates interest within the audience as it adds comedy. The audience will laugh and appreciate the trailer and go watch the film to see if it has the same comedic value as the trailer.

Before the song is dialogue as it tries to come across as a serious action movie but after the song is just silent for the trailer credits have arrived and so it marks the end of the trailer. 

The audience mainly focus on the song because it is unusual to have a love song within an action movie and it diverts the audiences attention from the trailer to the song.

Ambient Sounds: 

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Ambient sounds are present within a scene

These are sounds that can be heard within the video clip. The sounds in this clip have trees rustling and birds sing to signify that it is early morning and that they are outside. There is a clanging sound which signifies the Bear Jew hitting his baseball bat and it adds tension and suspicion to the audience.

The audience are brought into a real environment as they are exposed the reality of the environment, men, dressed in army clothes. The audience will believe the realistic setting and enjoy the following scene of the Bear Jew.

Before the sounds is silence there is then a musical score that highlights and matches the beat of the baseball bat to slowly build to the revelation of the appearance of the Bear Jew.

The audience mainly focus on the clanging sound because the other ambient sounds are meant to be the background to provide awareness to the audience.