There are three important elements of sound in film and television. The first of these three elements is dialect. Dialect is the speech/dialogue the characters are using to put across what is happening to the audience. Without dialect, film and television would be extremely confusing, as the character's would not be able to explain what is going on or contribute to the narrative of the film. Dialect is a diegetic sound - meaning that everything we hear connects to the visuals. The second element of sound is sound effects. These can be anything from atmospheric sounds such as the wind blowing or rain, but can also be sounds which cannot be made in filming. These sounds are then made by Foley artists, who create noises from different objects and in some cases, their own voices. For instance, the sound of a dinosaur could not be made as there no legitimate sound recording, but Foley artists can create this by layering sounds made by objects on top of each other then later edited to sound more realistic. Sound effects can be either diegetic or non-diegetic. As mentioned before, if the sound is atmospheric, it would be classed as a non-diegetic as we may not be able to see the actual weather but we can hear it. The exact same goes for diegetic, as we are able to connect sounds to the visuals whether they are created at the time of filming or made by a Foley artist.
Difference between diegetic non - diegetic, give examples of each:
Diegetic and non-diegetic are the two types of sound we are able to distinguish within film and television. Diegetic sounds are what we are able to link the visuals we see with, creating a better understanding for us. They can also create the mood and evoke the correct emotions within the audience, as diegetic sounds cover a wide range - the largest being dialogue, in which the character can then express themselves in the tone and manner they want to. An example of a diegetic sound is a chair being pulled across a hall floor. This would be easy for us to link the visuals to the sound as we can see what is happening and also hear the noise it is creating. Unlike diegetic, non-diegetic sounds are what we cannot see. Although we cannot see them, they contribute to story line as they are mostly used feedback so the characters can then talk about what they have just heard and prolong the story. Diegetic sounds also create an atmosphere and a sense of space, as when a sound is made which we detect is further away, it contrasts against the diegetic sounds which we hear, helping us distinguish what element is which. An example of non-diegetic sound is an narrator's commentary. This non-diegetic sound is present to explain the story and feed information to the audience without being in the picture. This way, we have two pieces of evidence which we can summarize and conclude what is going on, as we have both the narrator and the visuals to concentrate on.
Synchronous and non-synchronous sounds, give examples of each:
Synchronous and non synchronous are sounds which sum up everything we can hear within a movie. Synchronous sounds can be categorized in two sections - ambient and sound effect. Ambient sound are recordings which have caught during the filming and retained to be used throughout the movie if needed. Sound effects, which are generally created by a Foley artist or by ADR technicians, are sounds which can be created by different objects or dubbing. In other words, what you hear is either dubbed or have been recorded live, depending on the quality and standards the director has set for their movie. An example of a Synchronous sound is footsteps corresponding to feet stepping in front of each other. Non-synchronous sound can also be ambient, but in most cases is left for sound technicians so they can determine what sounds can be used for a particular scene which can determine the audience's feelings at that given time. An example of Non-synchronous sound is a violin being played gently whilst someone has just lost someone important to them, holding them closely whilst their eyes shut and the last string of the violin is played and comes to a sustained end.
Three types of spoken word in film audio, give example of each:
The first type of spoken word which is used within sound is ADR. ADR, otherwise known as Automatic Dialogue Placement, is used when a piece of ambient sound, or sound which cannot be picked up through filming, dubbed over to create a more professional standard. This is usually done by creating sounds digitally or in a studio by a Foley artist and then edited to make it sound more realistic. Director's generally commission for this to be done as sounds are not created to the standard he/she expects. ADR can also be used to cover up atmospheric sounds which can disrupt the scene, such as traffic going by outside - which would not be suitable if the film in question was set in a different period in time. This is usually covered up by dialogue or for example, crowds cheering, so that we can no longer hear the sounds. An example of ADR is dialogue which the director feels was not recording to the standard they expect. The actor/narrator is then asked to come back into the studio and re-record their lines - but to create the feeling that they have actually spoken their lines in the time and place of the filming, atmospheric sound which is recorded for cases like this is layered underneath, so the sound overall matches the entire scene we are being shown and we can't tell any difference from any other dialogue.
The second type of spoken word I am going to talk about is the characters dialect. This being the most occurring form of spoken word, we can clearly see the connection between the character's vocals to the visuals. Everything word we see leaving the character's mouth is reflected in the visuals. This is called Micky mousing, deriving from Walt Disney and their animations, where Micky mouse was seen to mimic every piece of sound, from music to dialogue. An example of character's dialect is True Blood where Godric (who made Eric a vampire) says his goodbyes to Eric, as Eric pleads him not to let himself burn to ashes in the sun. >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9iljuGxEOg
The third and final type of spoken word is narration. This form is an non-diegetic sound as we cannot see it present but can hear it, which differs from dialogue as usually narration is not a communication between characters, but rather giving a narrative or anchoring facts that we are being fed. An example of narration within television series Planet Earth, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. In each episode, he observes the creatures and the way in which our planet thrives, commenting on how and why this happens. This form of spoken word is a spoken observation - which gives us an in-depth description of what is happening, giving us two forms of information; visual and audio.
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