1. SOUND RESEARCH
PowerPoint Presentation - Different types of Sound Source & Equipment we will possibly use within our short film! - By Sara Avramovska (SA)
A useful Website I have found in regards to sound Equipment:
http://filmschoolonline.com/sample_lessons/sample_lesson_sound.htm
Movie Examples Of Sound Source - By Sara Avramovska & Monisha Roy
(Sara and Monisha) We have decided that it was fundamental for us to look at real movie examples regarding different types of sound in order to benefit our understanding of the importance of it in furthur extent. Below are some real movie examples of certain scenes that use particular type of sound we have looked at:
- Diegetic Sound -
- Non-Diegetic (commentary) Sound
- Synchronous Sound
- Non-simultaneous Sound
- Simultaneous Sound
- Image Flashback
- Sound Flash Forward AND Post-synchronization Dubbing
- Off-screen Sound
- When Choosing camera shots, we are able to have control over of what is within the frame. With sound it is not as simple as it travels everywhere which may not belong into our video/scene examples including dogs barking, TV, cars, laughter etc.While trying to improve our sound quality of our short film, we will be trying to achieve the separation of the sound the audience would want to hear being nice, loud and clear from the sound the audience don’t want to hear as it will crate a distraction and poor sound quality (background noises.) This will help us avoid any disorientation within our short film.
- By using a separate Microphone instead of the built in one within our camera we will be able to establish a clear and sharp sound quality as we will be able to place the separate microphone as close as possible according to what we would wish the sound to be focused on (the script: dialogue of our protagonist speaking)
- Our group will also need a camera into which you can plug a microphone and headphones in, therefore we can Run the test scenes.
- Run a test recording adjusting sound levels at low, middle and high positions before filming the actual scene. By uploading the ‘Test Scenes’ onto the computer and listening back to what you recorded, it will help you to establish at what level/position of volume works best, paying close attention to background noises and volume of the dialogue. If the volume is too low, you are now aware that the microphone should be placed closer to the sound you want to hear or increase the recording level. Be aware that it might be just you headphones volume being ether too high or too low!
- Voice over or none diegetic music. (more on this type of sound within this page under Sound Construction!)
THE ART OF FOLEY - By SARA AVRAMOVSKA (SA)
Google Definition
BRIEF HISTORY - In the 1920's The Art of Foley originated and evolved for live broadcasts (radio drama) in various studios around the world and as no adequate and compelling sound capturing technology existed within the 1920's era, it had to be established on the spot, live during the radio shows!Adaptable to the period of change, Jack Donovan Foley joined the Universal Studios 1914's during the silent movie era and sold and directed a numerous amount of his personal scripts, while also looking after the miss-en-scene props and anything necessary for the film, while Warner studious released their first ever film created to include sound, AL Jolson - The Jazz Singer - Movie Poster Scene's from the film that changed cinematography forever :
....Universal Studios understood that they need to be become apart of this new bandwagon and therefore called forward on any employees who had radio experience .Jack Donovan Foley being a radio experience employee, became apart of the crew who produced a once silent movie, ''Show Boat'' and altered it into a musical! Within that era microphones were unable to pick up more sound then dialogue withing films, therefore Jack Foley and his crew figured that the ''singing'' sound must be combined and edited into the movie post-production.Due to this the crew projected the film,while with the perfect timing synchronizing and recording the sound of footsteps, clapping and singing, closing and opening doors or any motions of characters visible on screen as an single track audio to which was then added into the scenes establish a sense of realism. Jack Donovan Foley along with Warner Studios has therefore changed cinematography forever , and created sound using The Art of Foley until his death in 1967. His basic methods and techniques are still used within the present era, however as technology has progressed, we no longer have to record sounds on single track audios but we can record them on individual, separate tracks which allow further precision.Show Boat Scene:
- Sounds made by objects on-screen (as part of the story)
- Voices of the characters (on-screen dialogue)
- Music represented as stemming from instruments on-screen (music from the source)
- Narrator's commentary
- Sound effects (added post-production)
- Music (which isn't coming from a source on-screen, is often used to evoke a certain mood or set the scene in a film)
- Pleonastic - Sound/music which matches with your visual e.g a dripping tap. This sound is generally exaggerated for dramatic effect.
- Contrapuntal - Sound/music that goes against your visual (the sound doesn't match the images it's accompanying. Contrapuntal music is (occasionally) used in film where the music is opposite to the emotion expected by the narrative. For example, in the film '9' the song '(Somewhere) Over The Rainbow' plays whilst they are celebrating their victory but soon are attacked again, yet the music continues to play. This adds a haunting effect and is used for dramatic irony within the film.
- Continuity - the filming and editing process in which the events or scenes/sequences are arranged as if they occurred continuously.
- Match-on-action - the film editing and video techniques where the editor cuts from one shot to another view which matches the first person's action. For example, a man walking up to a door and reaching for the doorknob.
- Trans-diegetic - A transition involving a crossover of either a diegetic or non-diegetic sound (where either the non-diegetic or diegetic sound continues after the video cuts to a new scene).
- Synchronous is a term used to define sound within title sequences for example, that appears to be matched to certain movements viable on screen for the off-screen viewers.
- Asynchronous is a term used tt define non existent sound, one that does not occur at the same time as the visual kinetic image.
Useful Website I have used to learn more about Foley:
2.Creating Foley Examples: http://www.epicsound.com/sfx/
Below is an Example of Foley, more examples and how we have created them can be found further down this page under our 'Sound Construction'.
- Footsteps: In order to create the sound of footsteps using the art of Foley, you must sync the sound created by the surface that the character is walking on such as wood,concrete etc.) as well as the feeling behind it (is it angry, heavy, fast, slow etc) to the sound visible of the screen. Furthermore, to create the sound of footsteps as realistic as possible, we will need to have well worn shoes and select appropriate shoes similar to the ones the character is wearing on the screen . If the sound is recorded outdoors we must place the microphone 3 feet away, where as if the sound is constructed indoors we will place it roughly 10 feet away from the Foley Artist to provide realistic sound for both locations. As characters enter or exist the scene, the sound levels of the footwork will need to be adjusted from heavy to genre (or the other way around) therefore it appears faded. The Foley Artist must must be standing still rather then actually walking and ether one or two feet can be used to sync the sound; stepping from heel to toe will also create the illusion of forward movement and capture the weight shift of the character .
Sound Research - Ella Ponting (EP)
Saving Private Ryan (1998) - Soundtrack Analysis
For this task I will be carrying out a soundtrack analysis for the Omaha Beach Scene from the film 'Saving Private Ryan' (1998) with this particular scene being renowned for it's use of both diegetic and non-diegetic sound.
The scene opens with the violent wails of the wind and the harsh sounding waves crashing against the coastal defences and boats alongside the beach. This sound could have been created using high tech sound equipment such as a video-microphone that you attach to the camera, that is known for being effective for shooting both indoors and outdoors. Another piece of sound equipment that is renowned for providing high quality sound for outdoor shooting are Windshields; they cut down wind noise through their soft covering around the mic, creating a shield for excess wind noises that aren't wanted in film. Whilst this sound thus could be diegetic, another way in which it could've been recorded could have been through the use of foley by artificially inserting a pre-recorded sound to match the visual in the editing process. Foley artists often use a range of different objects to recreate the sounds we would typically associate with objects and actions. These can be enhanced through this creation of sound. Foley in this circumstance, therefore, is pleonastic despite potentially being from a non-diegetic source. Other sounds in the start of this sequence include primarily diegetic sounds such as the actor swigging some water from his bottle, the whirring sound of the boat and the sound of the soldiers being seasick. The acoustics of this location make the sounds seem slightly muffled, adding to the sense of realism of the scene and making the audience feel more connected, and thus more engaged with the action.
The first piece of dialogue we hear in the scene is the assumed captain of this mission, alerting his crew that there are '30 more seconds' this is effective as it immediately addresses the desperateness of the situation. It also reveals to the audience that something big and potentially threatening is emerging, allowing the sense of suspense to build up over the next few minutes of the scene. The slow build up of the scene, allowing a whole minute to go by before addressing the characters and allows the audience to gain clues about the film through the use of sound suggesting their seaside location. The use of the sounds of the soldiers simultaneously with the sounds of the crashing waves reflects the dismal tone of the film and reinforces the sense of chaos and destruction in their surroundings. The reverberation of the sound of the waves reinforces the sense of a recurring destructive force and acts as a form of pathetic fallacy, indicative of the tense mood of the soldiers. We then begin to hear gunshots, which are quiet at first, but eventually reach a crescendo as the scene progresses. This sound effect most likely would've been non-diegetic to avoid putting any of the actors at risk and is not actually seen on-screen, merely a sound near approaching in the distance at this point in the film. The next two pieces of sound act as extremely significant indicators of the climax of this scene. First we hear one of the soldiers kiss his religious necklace, reflecting himself praying for god to save the lives of himself and the other soldiers amongst him, this piece of diegetic sound evokes empathy from the audience now we know their lives have reached their peril. The sharp sound of a whistle being blown embarks the start of the soldiers attack and is the last sound that some of them hear before tragically a few of them die, almost immediately. This sudden act provides shock-factor for the audience as they are metaphorically (and for some of the soldiers literally) thrown into the deep end of an intense, catastrophic battle.
The continuous blaring sound of the gunshots fills the scene with harsh bullet blows, striking many of the men in the process. This loud, almost deafening sound reflects closely the sound actual soldiers would've heard, adding to the terrible sense of loss and creating empathy from the audience, especially from those who are familiar with hearing these sounds. We can hear the dialogue of the men, a few shouting instructions to one another however over the sound of the gunshots they are extremely difficult to decipher, emphasising just how tumultuous the gunshots are. We also hear the diegetic sound of the splash of waves as a few of the men fall overboard, very clearly dead or severely injured, some attempting to hide from the destruction on land. This once again reinforces the metaphor of the waves as a destructive force who have finally claimed their victims. We then hear the strange sounds from underwater, the sounds of soldiers kicking and breathing through their mouths, a lot of the audience aren't used to hearing these sounds and it creates an eerie ambiance amongst the sounds of the gunshots still continuing, shooting the soldiers underwater as well. This reinforces the lack of escapism from the inevitability of the soldiers' death. It's very likely that this sound would have been created either by using an H2a Hydrophone of possibly created using foley in the editing process. The sound eventually reaches a decrescendo and there are a few moments where al is relatively silent, creating an eerie and chilling atmosphere. The sound continually switches between landing and underwater, providing a stark juxtaposition between the unsettling quietness below and the loud booming gun noises above. This reflects the inescapability for the soldiers who eventually have to face the enemy on the ground above. It also mimics the motions of the characters coming up for breath and momentarily entering the war-zone once more.
As the camera draws in to focus on the man who kissed his necklace before they reached the battle zone, a sharp, clear sounding gunshot is heard adding to the sense of loss and tragedy. We then hear the diegetic sound of a large wave sweeping up his body, as if he is merely a crumb on the floor. This reinforces just how small and insignificant the lives seem to become once they enter this battle zone. The sound of landmines paired with the sharp sounds of the gunshots reinforces the sense of battle and destructiveness occurring from more than one direction and these sounds continue throughout a most of the scene. The desperate sounds of the protagonist scrambling to his feet as he emerges from the blood stained waves adds to the sense of trauma and reinforces the desperateness of the situation. After this everything goes very quiet, the visuals show the soldier, in slow motion, scanning his surroundings, watching as a guy picks up his arm which has just been blown up. The sound paired with this blood-curdling visual is indicative of his life 'flashing before his eyes' on the brink of losing everything. This evokes further empathy from the audience as they begin to discover more about the protagonist and are placed in his position watching the action unfold. From the dialogue that can be heard, it is revealed to the audience that they are retreating back to the boat. One soldier expresses his wish to stay and fight, whilst this may have seen valiant at the time the patriotic nature of many of the soldiers have been brutally wiped out by the harsh realism of war. One of the most poignant
moments towards the end of this scene is where one of the soldiers, struggling to hold his organs into his body is screaming, crying for his 'Mama'. This evokes a great sadness from the audience and makes us hopelessly want to reach out to him.
2. Sound Construction
Ella Ponting (EP)
Diegetic Sound
Diegetic sound entails the source of the sound either being visible on-screen, or implied to be present by the action of the film.
Examples of diegetic sound include:
Diegetic sound may be any form of sound in which it's source is presented as originating from within the film's world. Depending on whether or not the sound source is within the frame or outside the frame, the diegetic sound can be either on-screen or off-screen (even if it is implied to be on-screen). Sound-effects like footsteps may appear to be on-screen sound originating from the source, yet quite often sound-effects are created to match-the-action on screen such as the use of foley (artists who record sound effects after the shooting of a film) which is used to heighten and emphasise the motions and actions of a film.
Another term used for diegetic sound is actual sound, as it (seemingly) comes from the source rather than artificially inserted in the editing process.
Another term used for diegetic sound is actual sound, as it (seemingly) comes from the source rather than artificially inserted in the editing process.
Our use of diegetic sound:-
Voices of the characters
Diegetic sound of the character's dialogue between the counsellor and our protagonist, Hayle occur at the start and towards the end of our script. We decided to include the diegetic sound of these two characters in this specific order to ensure that the audience feels present within the actions of our film. Whilst we are going to be using a lot of flashbacks in our film which will entail a voiceover (our form of non-diegetic sound) this form of sound will be pleonastic and will match with visuals of our film. Sounds such as the character's sighing or taking a sharp intake of breath will also be used as a form of diegetic sound in our film to match with the character's dialogue and to create dramatic effect.
Sounds made by objects on-screen
Footsteps - the sound of footsteps from the cousellor entering the room will be recorded as diegetic sound and possibly adjusted in the editing process to make this sound louder to add to the intensity of the film. Footsteps may also be used whilst our protagonist describes her episode with sleep paralysis to mimic the motions and actions of our character as she attempts to settle down into sleep.
Tap - the noise of running water will be recorded during our film process as well as the dripping sound of the tap to add to a sense of suspense and to evoke a chilling effect from the audience. These sounds would definitely be adjusted in the editing process to intensify this scene and to heighten the tension displayed on-screen. The sound of the tap may also occur as the character is getting ready to go to sleep by brushing her teeth, washing her face etc, making it a recurring theme in our film. If we cannot obtain a clear, crisp sound using our filming equipment we may possibly use a sound-effect if we can match the sound-effect with the visuals on-screen.
TV - The sound of the television will occur in our piece, a noise that will be recorded during our filming process. This sound may start of silent and gradually increase in volume as our protagonist 'channel surfs' to add to the growth in tension, if we were to portray this change in the sound's volume we would adjust it within the editing phase of our film.
Door - The sound of a closing door will most likely to be captured during our filming process, however the sound effect of a door creating will be inserted within the editing process to heighten the suspense of the scene in which the sleep paralysis demons enter the protagonist's room. The use of diegetic sound for the door closing will add to the sense of realism and will allow the audience to feel more connected to the character and her actions.
Rustling Leaves - The sound of gently rustling leaves in the protagonist's garden will be recorded as diegetic sound in the scene where our protagonist glances outside to make sure that she is alone. We are hoping that we will be able to record this sound at a high quality, however depending on the weather and whether or not the sound can be picked up by the camera we may have to see using a sound effect as a possibility for creating this noise. We would need the sound to be faint, yet loud enough for the audience to clearly hear it to portray the ominous undertones of our scene and to create suspense.
Demons - Our sleep paralysis demons won't be making too much noise as the silence of them creates an eerie, unsettling effect. Despite this, the shuffling of these demons as they edge closer to the protagonist's bed will be portrayed through diegetic sound and the silent moans of the demons will also be recorded in the filming process.
Non-diegetic Sound
Non-diegetic sound is the opposite of Diegetic Sound - the sound is neither visible on-screen, nor implied to be present by the actions shown in the film.
Examples of non-diegetic sound include:
Non-diegetic sound may be any form of sound that exists outside the story space, this can be pre-recorded sound effects that often come as part of editing software such as iMovie and Final Cut Pro or these sounds are created by foley artists whose job it is to create these sounds often for large productions to match the on-screen visuals. Non-diegetic sounds are typically used a lot in films with a horror/ thriller genre to heighten certain actions such as a creaking door to establish a more dramatic and intense mood.
Another term for non-diegetic sound is commentary sound, referring to the narrative displayed in the form of commentary often used in films.
Our use of non-diegetic sound:-
Narrator's Commentary
A key feature of our film is the inclusion of flashbacks - this entails the production of a voiceover to match what is happening on-screen. It is important to create pleonastic sound in these scenes to ensure continuity in our filming and to ensure that it is clear to the audience what is happening on-screen. This may be difficult to create as we also want to add a sense of ambiguity surrounding the plot-line and outcome of our protagonist, however this is a task we wish to accomplish and will hopefully produce successfully. The Narrator's commentary on her episode with sleep paralysis will be recorded post-production through using high-tech sound equipment to create a crisp, sharp sound. This will allow us to be able to watch through our film and view the sections which need the commentary in and adjust the film accordingly.
Sound effects
Creaking of a door - The sound of a door creaking will be added in the editing process to heighten the tension established in the scene and to create an eerie, unsettling effect. To obtain the sound of a creaking door you must have a door which is old and hasn't been oiled - unfortunately we don't have access to this in our setting so we felt as though adding a sound effect would be the most effective in creating dramatic intensity.
Tap - One of the possibilities for creating the sound of a dripping tap and running water may be to overlay a sound effect with the visual to create a clearer, crisper sound. However after completing a filming exercise on Thriller Conventions ( as seen in blog post: http://saramonishaella.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/genre-codes-and-conventions-ep.html ) in which we filmed a filmed a tap and used the 'dripping tap' sound-effect we found it very difficult to create continuity as there wasn't a match-on-action between the sound and the visuals used. Despite this, we recognised our faults and would use hopefully be able to use better sound-equipment to create this sound and would be filming in a quieter place where it's easier to cut out the background noise and focus solely on the sound of the dripping tap.
Rustling Leaves - Again, depending on the audio quality from filming our production, using a sound effect for the noise of the rustling leaves is a possibility.
Music
Music
GarageBand - Using the GarageBand software application, we wish to create our own soundtrack for our film as we will know what sounds work best to establish the psychological, eerie atmosphere of our film. We aim to produce a piece of music that builds in tempo and inclusion of different instruments and sounds as the song progresses to reflect the build in tension. This software will be useful to our group as it is something available to us on the school's Mac Computers and can also be installed as an app on our phones. However, GarageBand can be complicated for those who haven't used it before, thus I will be receiving assistance in using this piece of software either from my media teacher and assistant or from the staff at the film club I attend weekly.
SoundCloud - One useful website to use to access non copyrighted music is SoundCloud. After searching through this site for a track that creates the perfect ambiance for our film, I found one track the particularly resonated with me that I could visualize being in our film.
This track can be listened to below:
I was especially drawn to this track due to the subtle, yet just about noticeable build-up in intensity created by merging new sounds together and gradually bringing in more sounds to reach a climax, before gradually reducing in tempo and intensity. The title of the track 'Flowing Into The Dark' is indicative of our film's dark undertones and reflects the dark gradually seeping into our story space. This track is definitely a strong contender for the track to use in our final piece and is something I will show to the rest of my group and would be something to reach a decision about potentially after the filming process of our final piece as to test out different tracks and sounds to see what best matches.
After hearing this track I decided to send a message to the user's account confirming that we would be able to use it if we wish, however Sara has also discovered some tracks that would be very effective in our film so this is merely a possibility.
Other sites where you can access free non-copyrighted tracks are freemusicarchive.org and bensound.com however, there have also been non-copyrighted tracks free to download from YouTube YouTube which may also be worth looking at.
KEY TERMS:-
Sara Avramovksa (SA)
SOUND CONSTRUCTION
By Sara Avramovska (SA)
For this task, I have listed all of the sound effects in terms of non-dietetic and dietetic sound which we desire to incorporate within our short film with examples including such as wind, heartbeat sounds, tap water/ water dripping, footsteps,dialogue, doors opening and closing (door creeks) etc. For some of our sound effects such as footsteps we will be useing the art of Foley in order to sync the sound to the visual imagine displayed within our frame (scene) and enhance our audio quality within our post production in order to accomplish a sense of realism. Where as for sounds such as jump cuts , intro and ending of the film sound we may possibly use audio found on the internet available for public usage. (copy-right free)
DIGATIC SOUND CONSTRUCTION - (SA)
1. Dialogue between the counselor and our Protagonist
Dialogue has replaced the silent cards previously used within silent film era and it serves a fundamental function in cinematography today. We have chosen to use dialogue as it delivers the portrayal of our character and the depths of her being (her mental state) setting the plot and moving the story forward while allowing a form of bond to be created between characters. I believe that the dialogue we have used within our script navigates and creates a sympathetic relationship between our protagonist and her dialogue partner (the counselor) as well as the off-screen audiences who are able to witness the reveal of her self-revelations towards her counselor . Furthermore the dialogue identifies the dietetic world, it communicates the everyday casualty of our life as off-screen audiences who desire and do indeed interact with others on the daily basis, furthermore creating a sense of realism within our film as a strong manipulation of sympathy along with the non -diagetic background sound to enhance this experience (I have furthermore addressed the use of background sound on this page).This sense of realism allows the audience to understand and sympathies with Hayle's character psychological complications and decisions allowing them to understand the weight of her actions. For example our protagonists first interacts with her counselor ''What do you want to know? You know my parents are forcing me to be here Mrs Audrey'' at first appears disrespectful however later on she apologizes and as the story progresses into the flashback sequence vividly explaining her complex mental state through the off-screen commentary, the audience are able to understand why Hayle's reaction was disrespectful at first and rather sympathies with her throughout our short film which is a strong promotional method is cinematography (sympathy and connection between characters on screen and off-screen audiences)
(More on my Dialogue/Script and its purpose analysis can be found on this page)
Moreover the dialogue within our movie appears at the begging and at the ending of our film and we have deliberately chosen to present it in this particular order in order to ensure that our audiences feel present within the plot/story line of our film which would be rather difficult to understand without the presence of dialogue due to our flashback sequence (differentiation of time frame- present and past).
Furthermore I believe that is its best to capture/record our Dietetic Dialogue Sound by using a boom pool microphone. The process requires exact precision as it involves many variables that our boom operator needs to be aware of such as:
- the placement of the microphone which requires to be as close as possible to our characters (Hayle and The Counselor) therefore we can achieve a crisp, clear sound, the further away the microphone placement the greater the background noise and echo which we must avoid. (room reverberation)
- The placement of the boom pole microphone will need to positioned according to the camera frame therefore it does not appear in any of our scenes. For this the group member filming and the boom operator will need to cooperate through effective communication therefore this problem can be avoided.
-According to the source of lighting and direction. We must avoid any unwanted shadows therefore the boom operator, the lighting source operator and the group member filming will also need to cooperate through effective communication in order to adjust our equipment and camera angles slightly avoiding unwanted shadows as having the shadow of the boom pole microphone within our scene is a sign of poor film-making. (example of this can be found in Rudy Ray Moore's film ''Dolemite'')
-Reflections can also be a massive problem which we may need to avoid according to our location.
BOOM MICROPHONE LOCATION TECHNIQUES - (Continued by SA)
For recording the non-diagetic dialogue I believe it is best if we use the Overhead Booming or the Booming from Underneath technique, however as a group we have not yet discussed which technique we prefer to use. Due to this below I have constructed both of these techniques:
- Overhead Booming technique (place above the actors head) technique allows the dietetic dialogue sound to dominate, emphasize the voices of the actors within the scene resulting in greater presence due to its close placement while furthermore providing a natural dialogue sound favorable withing cinematography. This particular location only requires a single boom pole microphone we will be using, however the boom operator (anyone of our group members) will need to be truthfully familiarized with our script as they will need to tilt or move the microphone towards/according to the character speaking and as close as physically possible in the direction of their lips without being apart of the camera frame hence avoiding shadows. We will also need to get rid of any environmental noises competing with our dialogue sound including the sound of electronics and any possible footsteps created by our group or the boom operator ,we must avoid any movement as much as we possibly can as well as any reflections.
2. - Reading a book/Turing pages
The sound has been recorded on set simply by using the built in microphone with our filming camera.
3. Tap Water
We will need to record the sound of the tap water running within the scene where out protagonist gets ready for bed. I believe that for this it is best to ether try and capture the sound using the built in microphone on our camera at first however if this does not work the I believe it is reasonable to use a boom pole microphone,
1. Dialogue between the counselor and our Protagonist
Dialogue has replaced the silent cards previously used within silent film era and it serves a fundamental function in cinematography today. We have chosen to use dialogue as it delivers the portrayal of our character and the depths of her being (her mental state) setting the plot and moving the story forward while allowing a form of bond to be created between characters. I believe that the dialogue we have used within our script navigates and creates a sympathetic relationship between our protagonist and her dialogue partner (the counselor) as well as the off-screen audiences who are able to witness the reveal of her self-revelations towards her counselor . Furthermore the dialogue identifies the dietetic world, it communicates the everyday casualty of our life as off-screen audiences who desire and do indeed interact with others on the daily basis, furthermore creating a sense of realism within our film as a strong manipulation of sympathy along with the non -diagetic background sound to enhance this experience (I have furthermore addressed the use of background sound on this page).This sense of realism allows the audience to understand and sympathies with Hayle's character psychological complications and decisions allowing them to understand the weight of her actions. For example our protagonists first interacts with her counselor ''What do you want to know? You know my parents are forcing me to be here Mrs Audrey'' at first appears disrespectful however later on she apologizes and as the story progresses into the flashback sequence vividly explaining her complex mental state through the off-screen commentary, the audience are able to understand why Hayle's reaction was disrespectful at first and rather sympathies with her throughout our short film which is a strong promotional method is cinematography (sympathy and connection between characters on screen and off-screen audiences)
(More on my Dialogue/Script and its purpose analysis can be found on this page)
Moreover the dialogue within our movie appears at the begging and at the ending of our film and we have deliberately chosen to present it in this particular order in order to ensure that our audiences feel present within the plot/story line of our film which would be rather difficult to understand without the presence of dialogue due to our flashback sequence (differentiation of time frame- present and past).
(More on my Dialogue/Script and its purpose analysis can be found on this page)
Furthermore I believe that is its best to capture/record our Dietetic Dialogue Sound by using a boom pool microphone. The process requires exact precision as it involves many variables that our boom operator needs to be aware of such as:
- the placement of the microphone which requires to be as close as possible to our characters (Hayle and The Counselor) therefore we can achieve a crisp, clear sound, the further away the microphone placement the greater the background noise and echo which we must avoid. (room reverberation)
- The placement of the boom pole microphone will need to positioned according to the camera frame therefore it does not appear in any of our scenes. For this the group member filming and the boom operator will need to cooperate through effective communication therefore this problem can be avoided.
-According to the source of lighting and direction. We must avoid any unwanted shadows therefore the boom operator, the lighting source operator and the group member filming will also need to cooperate through effective communication in order to adjust our equipment and camera angles slightly avoiding unwanted shadows as having the shadow of the boom pole microphone within our scene is a sign of poor film-making. (example of this can be found in Rudy Ray Moore's film ''Dolemite'')
-Reflections can also be a massive problem which we may need to avoid according to our location.
-Reflections can also be a massive problem which we may need to avoid according to our location.
BOOM MICROPHONE LOCATION TECHNIQUES - (Continued by SA)
For recording the non-diagetic dialogue I believe it is best if we use the Overhead Booming or the Booming from Underneath technique, however as a group we have not yet discussed which technique we prefer to use. Due to this below I have constructed both of these techniques:
- Overhead Booming technique (place above the actors head) technique allows the dietetic dialogue sound to dominate, emphasize the voices of the actors within the scene resulting in greater presence due to its close placement while furthermore providing a natural dialogue sound favorable withing cinematography. This particular location only requires a single boom pole microphone we will be using, however the boom operator (anyone of our group members) will need to be truthfully familiarized with our script as they will need to tilt or move the microphone towards/according to the character speaking and as close as physically possible in the direction of their lips without being apart of the camera frame hence avoiding shadows. We will also need to get rid of any environmental noises competing with our dialogue sound including the sound of electronics and any possible footsteps created by our group or the boom operator ,we must avoid any movement as much as we possibly can as well as any reflections.
2. - Reading a book/Turing pages
The sound has been recorded on set simply by using the built in microphone with our filming camera.
The sound has been recorded on set simply by using the built in microphone with our filming camera.
3. Tap Water
We will need to record the sound of the tap water running within the scene where out protagonist gets ready for bed. I believe that for this it is best to ether try and capture the sound using the built in microphone on our camera at first however if this does not work the I believe it is reasonable to use a boom pole microphone,
We will need to record the sound of the tap water running within the scene where out protagonist gets ready for bed. I believe that for this it is best to ether try and capture the sound using the built in microphone on our camera at first however if this does not work the I believe it is reasonable to use a boom pole microphone,
NONE DIAGETIC SOUND CONSTRUCTION - (SA)
1. Non-Diagetic Sound - TITLE SEQUENCE THEME MUSIC (Brief Research (History) and Construction)
1. Non-Diagetic Sound - TITLE SEQUENCE THEME MUSIC (Brief Research (History) and Construction)
Examples of Titles (Inspiration I have found for myself and my group members): http://www.artofthetitle.com/titles/
The title sequence, ''A title sequence is the method by which films or television programs present their title, key production and cast members, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound.[1] It typically includes (or begins) the text of the opening credits, and helps establish the setting and tone of the program. It may consist of live action, animation, music, still images, and/or graphics.'' (WIKIPEDIA)
(Brief History): Since the invention of cinematography, title sequences have been used within the beginnings and endings of silent films in order to present the production of the film, the title of course,and cast members while also establishing a signal for the off screen audience that the film has started and ended.Inter-titles were created by a lettering artist who collaborated with the director and the script writer of the silent film in order to indicate the narrative continuity (dialogue and plot) therefore the audience were able to follow the story, however in many silent films inter-titles (title cards) were also used for title sequences while accompanied by an instrumental sound (theme music). Saul Bass (May 8th 1920- April 25th 1996) as a film, cooperate logos and film poster creator, however best known for his graphic designs, the inventor of title sequences who has worked along with the most famous filmmakers of the silent era such as Alfred Hitchcook's North by Northwest where he invented kinetic typography (moving text), Martin Scorsese, Billy Wilder and Stanley Kubrick. Bass's popularity within the media industry was established through the creation of the title sequence for Otto Preminger's ''The Man with the Golden Arm'' in 1995:
WHY ARE TITLE SEQUENCES IMPORTANT?
WHY IS SOUND IMPORTANT WITHIN TITLE SEQUENCES?
portrayal of emotions
audotorial insign of the plot line
determine the genre of the film
initial preconceptions
the speed indications of sound fat pase quick cutting sound action
slow and soft tones love
initial preceptions
The 2 Different types of sound used within title sequences are:
Title Sequence history: http://www.fromform.nl/a-history-of-the-title-sequence/
is used within radio shows, television and film which is both played during the intro title sequences and within ending credits.
key to sucessful film promotion audio tracks are released prior to the films realease
convention
BEGINNING AND END OF FILM
Examples of Titles (Inspiration I have found for myself and my group members): http://www.artofthetitle.com/titles/
WHY ARE TITLE SEQUENCES IMPORTANT?
WHY IS SOUND IMPORTANT WITHIN TITLE SEQUENCES?
portrayal of emotions
audotorial insign of the plot line
determine the genre of the film
initial preconceptions
the speed indications of sound fat pase quick cutting sound action
slow and soft tones love
initial preceptions
The 2 Different types of sound used within title sequences are:
is used within radio shows, television and film which is both played during the intro title sequences and within ending credits.
convention
BEGINNING AND END OF FILM
BEGINNING AND END OF FILM
2. Non-Diegetic - Background Sound/ UNDERSCORE MUSIC (Taking place at the Beginning and Ending of Film, as well as throughout chosen scenes)
We intend to use background sound to add an emotional impact within the off-screen audience as this type of sound is usually not meant to be noticeable, while it provides a tone and sets the atmosphere created by the film makers and triggered within the spectators. The same theme sound within our title sequence will continue into our first scene taking place in the counselors office however in a lower frequency (lower tonal variation) therefore acting as a background music, playing upon our unconscious mind as a non-intellectual, non-verbal communication method,acting as a hidden persuader towards the off-screen audience's emotions. Because we will be using the same music from our title sequence, I believe it builds a sense of continuity throughout, it holds the film together, however we will adjust the tonal ranges/ frequency between scenes. Within the Title Sequence this sound will be at a louder tonal frequency whilst during the Counselors Office Diagetic Dialogue and Off-Screen Commentary the tonal frequency will be very low volume, acting as a background noise (Tonal silence seems almost unnatural in film) therefore allowing the non-diagetic off-screen commentary and diagetic dialogue to be the center of attention. This sound will fade out as the demon scenes commence and the menacing sound progresses into the non-diagetic jump cut. The background music will once again enter at the ending of the film,
3. Non-Diegetic Voice-over / Our Protagonists Off-Screen Commentary
The Narrators Commentary also known as an off-stage commentary is a production technique key within our film flash back sequence as it reveals our protagonists perspective, inner emotions, manipulating and evoking sympathy within our audience while the sound technique also blends the narrative story-telling within our film. This establishes an improved understanding within our off-screen audience of what has taken place in between our counselor on-screen dialogue and the start of the flashback sequence where Hayle is located in her home. The continuity created through the voice-over is extremely important to our film in order to avoid any possible confusion; if the voice-over was not present, the change in locations on-screen from the counselors office to Hayle's home would have evoked disorientation and bewilderment within our audience acting as a distraction preventing our audiences from being totally emerged within the film. Moreover, We will be using a voice recorder in order to produce a clear and crisp sound along with a quite location, possibly our school's sophisticated sound studio therefore any environmental distractions such as a ticking of a clock, or younger students passing through our school's facilities,doors opening and closing,wind etc. can be successfully avoided.The off-screen commentary of our narrator will be recorded post production. The film will be displayed during this process therefore our protagonist is able to follow the on screen actions, speaking at a effective, carefully timed pace which our group requires. Within the off-screen commentary process itself, we must have our protagonist portray a specific tone (the way feelings are expressed) and mood (the overall atmosphere created) therefore the same emotion is entailed, manipulated in the audience to establish a common ground between the two furthermore evoking sympathy towards our protagonist. Within our non-dietetic dialogue between Mrs Audrey and Hayle, I have personally previously stated within Mrs Audrey's mood board ''She appears to be gentle, calm and relaxed towards the seventeen year old protagonist (Hayle) as she approaches her psychological complications with a soothing tone of voice.'' and this is the tone of voice we wish our protagonist to entail at the start of the voice-over while it progresses into a more frightened, psychologically traumatized tone until she says '' And thats when it started'' (our script quote) and the demon scenes take place.Throughout our off-screen commentary we must be careful and cautious of our protagonists tone of voice as we do not want to switch the tome drastically, but progress as the visual image progresses as well.This way we are enabled to covey the overall mood and tone, signify the emotional state of our character, and enhans ethe emotional response of our spectators/viewers. I believe this task with me extremely difficult to complete perfectly, however I do wish that myself and my group along with our protagonist to try our hardest to succeed.
4. (FOLEY/ Non-Diegetic) Doors Opening and closing/ Door Creeks
For this sound I believe it is best if we simply capture the sound of an old chair or an old door as a controllable non-diegetic door creek sound. For this we will simply use the built in microphone within our camera or a boom microphone.We will display the scene where our protagonist opens and closes the door in order to sync the sound to the visual image displayed.
5. (FOLEY - pleonanstic sound) Footsteps
I have personally researched how to create the sound of footsteps previously on The Art of Foley research page linked above (''In order to create the sound of footsteps using the art of Foley, you must sync the sound created by the surface that the character is walking on such as wood,concrete etc.) as well as the feeling behind it (is it angry, heavy, fast, slow etc) to the sound visible of the screen. Furthermore, to create the sound of footsteps as realistic as possible, we will need to have well worn shoes and select appropriate shoes similar to the ones the character is wearing on the screen . If the sound is recorded outdoors we must place the microphone 3 feet away, where as if the sound is constructed indoors we will place it roughly 10 feet away from the Foley Artist to provide realistic sound for both locations. As characters enter or exist the scene, the sound levels of the footwork will need to be adjusted from heavy to genre (or the other way around) therefore it appears faded. The Foley Artist must must be standing still rather then actually walking and ether one or two feet can be used to sync the sound; stepping from heel to toe will also create the illusion of forward movement and capture the weight shift of the character.'' We will be using this technique to record the sound of footsteps present within our short film (eg. as our protagonist walks down and up the stairs as well as within our counselor scene as she walks in)
- The sound of Keys:
2. Non-Diegetic - Background Sound/ UNDERSCORE MUSIC (Taking place at the Beginning and Ending of Film, as well as throughout chosen scenes)
3. Non-Diegetic Voice-over / Our Protagonists Off-Screen Commentary
The Narrators Commentary also known as an off-stage commentary is a production technique key within our film flash back sequence as it reveals our protagonists perspective, inner emotions, manipulating and evoking sympathy within our audience while the sound technique also blends the narrative story-telling within our film. This establishes an improved understanding within our off-screen audience of what has taken place in between our counselor on-screen dialogue and the start of the flashback sequence where Hayle is located in her home. The continuity created through the voice-over is extremely important to our film in order to avoid any possible confusion; if the voice-over was not present, the change in locations on-screen from the counselors office to Hayle's home would have evoked disorientation and bewilderment within our audience acting as a distraction preventing our audiences from being totally emerged within the film. Moreover, We will be using a voice recorder in order to produce a clear and crisp sound along with a quite location, possibly our school's sophisticated sound studio therefore any environmental distractions such as a ticking of a clock, or younger students passing through our school's facilities,doors opening and closing,wind etc. can be successfully avoided.The off-screen commentary of our narrator will be recorded post production. The film will be displayed during this process therefore our protagonist is able to follow the on screen actions, speaking at a effective, carefully timed pace which our group requires. Within the off-screen commentary process itself, we must have our protagonist portray a specific tone (the way feelings are expressed) and mood (the overall atmosphere created) therefore the same emotion is entailed, manipulated in the audience to establish a common ground between the two furthermore evoking sympathy towards our protagonist. Within our non-dietetic dialogue between Mrs Audrey and Hayle, I have personally previously stated within Mrs Audrey's mood board ''She appears to be gentle, calm and relaxed towards the seventeen year old protagonist (Hayle) as she approaches her psychological complications with a soothing tone of voice.'' and this is the tone of voice we wish our protagonist to entail at the start of the voice-over while it progresses into a more frightened, psychologically traumatized tone until she says '' And thats when it started'' (our script quote) and the demon scenes take place.Throughout our off-screen commentary we must be careful and cautious of our protagonists tone of voice as we do not want to switch the tome drastically, but progress as the visual image progresses as well.This way we are enabled to covey the overall mood and tone, signify the emotional state of our character, and enhans ethe emotional response of our spectators/viewers. I believe this task with me extremely difficult to complete perfectly, however I do wish that myself and my group along with our protagonist to try our hardest to succeed.
4. (FOLEY/ Non-Diegetic) Doors Opening and closing/ Door Creeks
For this sound I believe it is best if we simply capture the sound of an old chair or an old door as a controllable non-diegetic door creek sound. For this we will simply use the built in microphone within our camera or a boom microphone.We will display the scene where our protagonist opens and closes the door in order to sync the sound to the visual image displayed.
5. (FOLEY - pleonanstic sound) Footsteps
I have personally researched how to create the sound of footsteps previously on The Art of Foley research page linked above (''In order to create the sound of footsteps using the art of Foley, you must sync the sound created by the surface that the character is walking on such as wood,concrete etc.) as well as the feeling behind it (is it angry, heavy, fast, slow etc) to the sound visible of the screen. Furthermore, to create the sound of footsteps as realistic as possible, we will need to have well worn shoes and select appropriate shoes similar to the ones the character is wearing on the screen . If the sound is recorded outdoors we must place the microphone 3 feet away, where as if the sound is constructed indoors we will place it roughly 10 feet away from the Foley Artist to provide realistic sound for both locations. As characters enter or exist the scene, the sound levels of the footwork will need to be adjusted from heavy to genre (or the other way around) therefore it appears faded. The Foley Artist must must be standing still rather then actually walking and ether one or two feet can be used to sync the sound; stepping from heel to toe will also create the illusion of forward movement and capture the weight shift of the character.'' We will be using this technique to record the sound of footsteps present within our short film (eg. as our protagonist walks down and up the stairs as well as within our counselor scene as she walks in)
- The sound of Keys:
SOUND EFFECTS - (SA)
An interesting article I have read on Sound and its effectiveness:
An interesting article I have read on Sound and its effectiveness:
The sound of wind and rain/thunder are the most common within Psychological Thrillers to highlight and enhance the feeling of fear and terror. As our brains have evolved to be afraid of non-linear sounds the sound of weather conditions can sometimes cause the viewer a sensible level of anxiety which is rather useful for precautions, audio narrative in cinematography. As the composer of experimental music Michel Chion (Born 1947) says, ''Sound has a precise function, propelling us through the film, giving us the sense of being inside it, wrapped within its timespan'' therefore it conveys the idea that you are inside the mind of our protagonist and you are emotionally able to connect with them and the situation you are facing. For example, within our scene Hayle feels rather unpleasant due to the sounds of wind and rain, she feels as if there is someone outside watching her
The use of sound is important as it supports and reflets upon the visual image displayed
enhanse dense atmosphere
- WIND (Using The Voice Recorder Pro App)
I have used my IPhone 6 along with the app ''Voice Record Pro'' by Dayana Networks Ltd to record the sound of wind. By simply mouthing I have managed to create the sound of wind.
For some of our Sound Effects, as a group we had decided to use a website I have found online, http://soundbible.com/ which is licensed under Creative Commons and Royalty Free and it provides copyright free sound clips for download and usage without having to create an account/login. Due to this reason, I personally find the Sound Bible website favorable and straightforward in terms of usage while it is incredibly beneficial to our short film by virtue of the professional manner of sound I was able to discover within it. We do not intend to use the sound effects from the sound bible to redistribute for profit such as selling them to costumers, we only intend to use them within our short Psychological Thriller as apart of our coursework.
Unfortunately I was unable to screenshot due to my poor laptop conditions, however below is a picture of the http://soundbible.com/ policy:
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- HEARTBEAT and Heavy Breathing- The Sound Bible Sound Effect
The audibility of the our character Hayle will also be involved within our short film through the sound effect of heartbeats and heavy breathing as she wakes up following from the demon sequence scenes to indicate her nervous breakdown. The optical, visual image and audibility sound will be identical/in sync therefore the viewer will be able to experience the situation at the same time as our protagonist developing a sense of realism within our film. The sound of a heartbeat and heavy breathing are automatic bodily functions which we hear only after stressful and traumatizing situations resulting in pulsing blood in our veins indicating the rhythm and speed of our heartbeat to be quicker and louder then usual. Due to this, I believe that the audio of Hayle's heartbeat beginning from viciously rapid heartbeats as she wakes up progressing towards the normal human heart rate will help the audience to experience the situation as she does. As she wakes up she is traumatized, distressed and severe anxiety is experienced due to her psychologically supernatural complications; this mental state of our protagonist is captured through the rapid heart rate along with the heavy breathing sound effect and as she slowly calms down, relaxes the heart rate adjusts to a slower pacing and normal,regular breathing, the audience are able to experience her self-revelations and emotional as well as psychical state which I personally believe it will create a professional outcome as well as manipulating sympathy and a stronger bond in our target audience.
- Movie Freaky Scene - The Sound Bible
-Suspense/ Menacing Music - The Sound Bible
As Alfred Hitchcock has stated, ''There is no fear in the bang, only in the anticipation of it'' and this is exactly what suspense sound creates.
The suspense building audio will take place throughout out flash back sequence and I believe that the suspense, menacing film sound effect will guide our audiences to engage, revel and pay close attention within our film content which is what psychological thrillers aim for.It will guide the atmosphere we would like to create within our audience through manipulating the situation on screen through suspense building sound. As Alfred Hitchcock has stated, ''The dramatic music comes along prior to the important filmic sequence.It becomes the cue for the audience to pay close attention and generates expectancies about what is to occur'' Therefore within our short film we intend to include sound which progresses from a slow to a quicker pace, gradually building up to louder and high pitched frequencies. The long suspenseful tones will be built throughout this progress which will help us as the filmmakers to shock the audience as the demon scene takes place along with the jump cuts camera angles accompanied by menacing sound as well.The suspenseful menacing music will stop just before the jump cuts begin, a moment, rather a second of silence will occur before the jump cut sound begins accompanied by its visual image to hopefully enhance the shock and tension within our audience furthermore, Moreover the sound of our suspense will reinforce the story, its message and the situation taking place on screen therefore it must be instrumental with no lyrics as it will act distraction for our audiences. Most films, especially those apart of the horror and thriller genre are mostly devoted to sound effects especially suspenseful audio, if you turn off the sound of your TV during a film, the horror aspect and emotional as well as psychological aspect is complacently taken away even if the scene consists of supernatural figures such as demons or blood and gore! Therefore it is extremely important that we use the suspense sound correctly and effectively, even if it will be rather difficult, myself along with my group members aim to achieve the best we possibly can however we must be careful we do not overdue particular sounds on the point of creating a problematic situation for our group post-production.
An Example of Suspense Building Sound within Hitchcock's iconic shower scene:
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