Investigating Audio Production

The importance of sound and audio in film is often underappreciated and it's been recently that it has been recognized as an essential part of filmmaking. When sound is taken into consideration then it can be used to enhance the potential of a film by using unique elements of sound design so that the audience is immersed in the story of the film.

Diegetic and Non-Diegetic sound

Most sounds that are recorded in the scene, such as dialogue and scene music, are all diegetic sounds. So if you see a radio playing or a person talking on screen then that is diegetic. The only exception to the on-screen rule with diegetic sounds is when another actor is in the scene but not in the frame and is having a conversation within the action then that is also diegetic.

Therefore non-diegetic sounds are any post-production details such as background music and sound effects to build tension. One way that this is used effectively is when a tense scene is built up in the film and so the editors use music to add to the tension as well as dramatic sound effects like high pitched ringing or crashes and bangs that fit with the scene.

Ambience

When thinking about ambience in a film you can decide to use it in a way to help the audience feel like they are in the same scene as the actor and to feel like they are surrounded by the setting. In films such as "Lost in Translation", "Spirited Away" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" the ambient sound is used to immerse you into that world and feel as if you are in the same room as the characters shown on screen. This is very powerful as the ambience for the latter two examples are sounds that either wouldn't have been heard before by the audience or help bring an animated feature to life and make them feel like the characters are real and in a genuine setting that they have seen before. However, ambience is also used in another way to mimic or accentuate other areas of a film. Some of the best films that use this technique include "Baby Driver" and "Star Dust" as they have used the ambient noises that may just add a bit of personality and familiarity for the audience have been manipulated and used as extra beats and music notes for the score of the scene. The opening shot of Baby Driver compiles many different sounds that one would hear when walking down the road on a trip to a shop but syncs them up to the beat of the music that the main character uses creating a very clever effect of everyday noises coming together to create a beat. Similarly, in Star Dust the fight scene on the pirate deck syncs up to the music the Captain is listening to below deck to add to the scene as well as creating comedy.

I also recorded several ambient noises on the 24/1/20 of several different sources and compiled them into an audition file. It includes cars, a building site, birds and food establishment. This was a simple task that I enjoyed thoroughly and believe was completed to a high quality.

Dialogue/ADR

On film sets, it can be difficult to record dialogue due to large open rooms/areas especially with moving actors and background noise interfering. This can affect the quality of the final product as a consequence but the solutions are varied and simple to carry out. On set changes include adding a wind shield (also referred to as a Dead-cat Microphone) can be applied to reduce the feedback or background noise found on film sets to add to the professionalism and help with gaining a clearer sound with the dialogue. However due to some shots being shot at further distances that mean the boom has to be kept and a greater distance to the subject can mean that the speech isn't as clear so other methods have to be employed. The best solution to this is through the use of ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement). This is recorded outside of the film set in a soundproof room to reduce white noise or background sounds and means that the lines are crisp and clear in all scenes. This is useful as then the editors just sync up the previous audio recorded on set and link it up to the re-recorded lines to produce better sound quality for the overall project.

Sound FX

The basics of sound effects in movies consist of recording the sounds on the set or using a sound gallery that has been established by the sound effects department of a company to build a realistic soundscape with sounds for everything in the scene. It can be used to simulate reality or to add/create something off scene that is not really there or to finally, create a mood that the director wants. A lot of blockbuster movies use sound effects to create sounds that don't currently exist to help immerse the audience in a world that is different from our own. Intergalactic battles would, to our knowledge of space and the void, would be silent but to create the atmosphere, sound effects are added to demonstrate the battle commencing. Also in musicals, more often than not, the main stars don't sing the heartwarming melody, but some other singer that is put in over the top to seem as if the actor is singing the song for the entertainment of the audience.

Score/Music

One element of sound design that brings the final film together is the score as it can add to the atmosphere created by the actors and editors working on the film. I can juxtapose the action on stage to create a further depth to the scene performed on screen or it can coincide with what is going on and help develop the plot further with the atmosphere it creates. A lot of the time, the music is created specifically for the film and is mainly instrumental so it doesn't take away from the film but does feel like it fits with the aesthetic of the production. However, sometimes the lack of music and score can play into the vibe that the film wants to exhibit so it can be manipulated to be used whatever way the director wants to create a smooth and finished product.

Sound Alterations in post-production

Sometimes, audio isn't always perfect the first time around due to static and white-noise having been recorded alongside the actor's voice or ambiance to benefit the film. This will then be altered to improve sound quality or replaced to ensure the sound isn't holding back the final product. Also, overtones and other sound effects can be altered in post to add to the production and help the artistic vision that the director saw when filming. ADR, sound effects and music are all part of sound alterations that may be added to the film to change what was originally shown.

Scene Analysis - Sound

Saving Private Ryan

In the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan, the sound is used in such a unique way that it has been critically acclaimed for its sound design.

Sound FX/Foley

The smallest of details are included to immerse the audience in the nuances of war such as the sound of bullets on a helmet or the opening of a water bottle. This was vital to the scene as very little other sounds were used due to the artistic choice of the director wanting to have the battle seem as realistic as possible and as close to what it would have been like for the men going into war. The explosions and machine gun firing could be a mix of sound FX and foley due to the sounds not being present on set or not picked up to the extent that the director was happy with. From the men falling into the water to the running footsteps and crashing waves would have come from these methods to add to the final scene produced.

Diegetic/Non-Diegetic

The scene uses only diegetic sounds mostly due to the fact that they want the film to be immersive and every aspect is taken into account that is in the frame to create a believable scene, and this choice aids in this artistic decision. With all the background sounds needed to be taken into account, the sound designers had a lot on their plate when asked to add in the diegetic sounds required for the massive scene. Everything for machine guns, to bombs, to footsteps and shouts had to be included in the thought process of putting this piece together as well as the choices to make certain sounds to stand out in comparison to others. Finally, the use of non-diegetic sounds such as music and voice-overs would have ruined the immersion of this scene and the creation of atmosphere for the audience when entering the battlefield on D-day.

Dialogue/ADR

Throughout the scene, very little dialogue is used but most of it was probably adjusted or re-recorded through ADR due to difficulty of recording sound on set. Also, the shouts and screams were probably done onset but more were added again due to maybe not being able to pick them up due to the large set to work on.

Ambience

Ambience begins with the waves crashing against the side of the boats heading towards the beach as well as the movements and fear from the soldiers crouched and stuffed inside the vessels. Little details were taken into account alongside the diegetic sounds to make the atmosphere as it would have been on this tragic day as to immerse and captivate the audience. Wind, sea and sand where all different elements of the set that had to have an ambient sound attached to them as well as the many soldiers and ships captured in the scene.

Score/Soundtrack

With no music to help the audience feel as though they are in the scene with the soldiers as well as helping them understand what it as like to be stuck on the beach on D-day. This lack of soundtrack was a really well placed artistic choice due to the scene that they were showing and the emotions they wanted to evoke out of the audience. The silence is eerie and makes the scene more realistic and accurate to the original D-day.

Alterations in post

Then when a bomb goes off near the main character, they use a ringing tone over the top of the other sounds and make everything else sound distant and broken. This shows how loud the battlefield was and the damage the soldiers had to their eardrums from explosions. Also, the way they managed to sync up the machine guns to their rhythm and used sound to show the distance between the characters and certain objects was ingenious.

Wall-E

Dialogue/ADR

This isn't used at all in the opening sequence of the film and even throughout the majority of the film. The lack of people accounts to this as we now know we are following a robot that doesn't speak but is curious and intelligent. The lack of dialogue also shows how lonely the robot is and how empty and barren the world is in this futuristic setting with the only thing you can see for miles around are piles and piles of rubbish.

Ambience

This plays a huge role throughout the film due to the choice and storyline of following a robot that, to our knowledge, doesn't or can't speak. In the opening shot, they use artistic choices to show the ambience in passing the debris surrounding the atmosphere in space. Also, whenever Wall-E interacts with any objects you hear them crunch against each other and the falling and moving of objects is always heard. Finally, the eerie silence plays a part to the ambience as little other noise is heard in this post-apocalyptic world where garbage surrounds and overwhelms man-made structures leaves little room for sounds of life or background noise to be present. Even the simple sound of the wind is minimal and used for effect every time it is implemented.

Sound FX/Foley

In this scene, there were copious examples of sound effects used as it is a cartoon they would need to record all the sounds after the filming of the animated characters. Foley was also prominent in the film as some of the sounds of the robot had to be made up and creating a realistic character required the sound team to build a certain dialect that could be understood by the audience without using any words and just strange sounds to represent emotions. The way the achieved this was incredible so much so that throughout the film the audience feels a connection and empathy for Wall-E. Each sound from the rubbish piles moving to the rolling of the wheels of the robot over the tough ground had to be made through foley or sound FX, so it was a massive job to complete.

Diegetic/Non-Diegetic

The majority of the film uses diegetic sounds from following the robot around on Earth and later on in the ship and specifically in the first scene you see and hear all the sounds of Wall-E doing his job of cleaning up the rubbish and packing it away whilst also finding little trinkets for him to collect. However, the scene does begin using non-diegetic sound with the music correlating to the images shown on the screen to add effect to the emptiness of the planet but ends up being diegetic as the sound begins to play out of the tape player that is installed inside Wall-E.

Score/Soundtrack

When opening the film in this scene the sound team used the song "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" which originates from the 1969 musical film, 'Hello, Dolly!' and shows you the limited resources that Wall-E can use to play music from. This also juxtaposes the setting that the film is in as Earth is now a futuristic barren wasteland that is filled with robots trying to clear it up. He carries around the VHS tape of the film and obviously listens and watches it a lot due to his knowledge of the dance moves and soundtrack. Wall-E very clearly treasures this item and also uses it often even if he found it years ago. In addition to this character introduction music, you hear instrumental music at Main Street, USA as Area-Music, so even though you don't recognize the place due to the dystopian future design to the city, you know whereabouts it is in our world.

Alterations in post

Due to this being an animated movie, most of the sound had to be added or altered in post but some parts stand out in the opening scene. For example, the moving of Wall-E's treads from the right of the screen to the left was edited in post to give the illusion of movement through the screen. Also, the adjustment of the sound levels in the soundtrack when moving from background music to diagetic music must have been changed in post.