Contextual Studies L5- Texts, Contexts and Culture

Objectives:

  • Importance and function of sounds

  • Elements of sound


How important is sound?
Can add to a piece and create more feeling/atmosphere
Can you have sound without pictures?
yes
Can you have pictures without sound?
yes

Derek Jarman's Blue (voices over a blue screen)
Even silent cinema was never really silent, it would usually have music from the piano etc. If they wanted to project th sound of thunder they would get a slate of metal and flex it.

Function of Sound
It provides an aural narrative (dialogue, voiceover)
Sonic ambience (mood, atmosphere, sound effects)
Emotional or intellectual resonance or dissonance (music).

Key elements

 
-Speech (dialogue or narration)
-Ambient or natural sound
-Sound effects
-Musical score or soundtrack

Sound cane used to heighten drama-abstract or enhanced effects designed to affect audience perception or emotional state (e.g. audible, heartbeats in horror films). They can simulate reality as it underscores and reinforces unity of mine en scene and editing (e.g. traffic noises, chatter, room tone).

Aesthetic uses
Impressionistic- Harmonious sound that evokes a mood, atmosphere or tone


Expressionistic- Discordant sound that evokes abstract or dark psychological states
Asynchronous- Sound and visuals are mismatched (e.g. there is a scene in Hitchcock's 39 Steps where there is the sound of a woman screaming and the sound of the whistle of a train which continues to play)
Diegetic Intrinsic to the film space or implied by action (e.g. music, dialogue). Digetic sound can be either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source is within the frame or outside the frame. 

Non-Diegetic- Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action (e.g. narrator's commentary, sound effects which is added for the dramatic effect, mood music). Non-diegetic sound is represented as coming from the a source outside story space. 

Looking for Langston (1989)

slow motion but sound is normal with birds singing. 

The classic Red Room scenes demonstrate Lynch's love of sound that reflects psychological states...
Note the low background industrial hum and reversed dialogue.

David lynch 
"films are 50% visual and 50% sound. Sometimes sound even overplays the visual"

What mood/narrative does this sound convey? 
The imperial march by John Williams for the film Star Wars creates all kinds of connotations. It underscores or accentuates visual narrative, emotion or drama. Creates resonance or dissonance.

Music can be also used as a narrative device 
its all about choosing the right music. For example, in order to market the movie Suicide Squad  they used the use of music to promote the film and reach a global audience. 
Can use any music regardless of dramatic context
Successful soundtracks would often have successful films so the trailers would play music to the pieces of action. However, when the films came out they realised the films weren't as good. They started trying to apple trailer ethos to the actual films but it didn't work very well for most films.

Legend (1985)
The electronic soundtrack would take 4-6 weeks depending on the budget. Often they use synthesiser music because its easier and cheaper.

The alienation technique provides a contrast between the grim reality of the characters real lives, and their romantic aspirations as expressed in music and dance.
in some older films if they had actors that couldn't sing they would dub their voices with professional singers.

Modernism vs Postmodernism
Modernism- an aesthetic and cultural reaction to classicism, relying on innovations in form, material and techniques to create new modes rational and progressive expression and representation
Broadly ideologically utopian (e.g. Soviet montage)
Postmodernism- Reaction to failure of modernisms objective rationalism. Rationally deconstructs from fusing disparate elements of high and low culture.

Use of narration
Usually first person subjective (monologue or contributors voice)
'Voice of God' Objective commentary
Conventions of male Vs female voices- the associations we have with them. (e.g. a military documentary is most likely to have a male voice).




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Story Telling Unit-Camera Workshop 3: 180 degree rule

Image
In today's workshop we were split up into groups and given a one page script and asked to film two characters discussing the 180 degree rule . The key to this task was understanding this rule and applying it. The script was a very basic duologue; the two characters come together, sit down across from each other and have a small conversation until one leaves at the end after understanding the 180degree rule. I chose to have my version with an entrance of one of the characters who is late for a meeting regarding this rule. The dialogue then starts as he begins to explain the 180 degree rule. My idea was to have them both on 'oppersite' sides of the  table, which could have appeared more tense, until the character understands the rule, the tension is broken when the first character leaves. I also wanted to test this rule with the entrance of the first character. I really enjoyed this worksop and found it useful in learning and understanding the 180 degree rule. I di...
Read more

Pre-Production: Professional Practice Interviews

Image
During the summer, I was lucky enough to be asked to take part in a work experience programme being offered to by production company 'Bareska'. In this, myself and three others were given free rein of a professional client project. I was the Co-Producer/Director/editor. I agree to do this project as it was ad-hoc- so a project I was able to work around uni and work and was also a fantastic opportunity for me to practice for my third-year major project, even if I didn't end up doing a documentary. This was fantastic practice in pre-production, directing and just speaking with contributors about a secretive subject. The Symbolism Behind the Chair I wanted to make the chair the focal point t of this piece. I feel it adds story watching Ben walk into frame and the wide shot makes it seem as though he feels alone now he doesn't have his brother, The sun is beaming in which is very atmospheric and quite angelic.  With my roles for the major project, I am going to u...
Read more

News Production: DIY Tech

Image
I am working in a group with Jack, Gavin and Simon and today we had a brainstorm after our unit briefing to find out what we could make a news channel on. We really liked one of the examples of the work of previous students who's target audience was students. We found this something that we could relate to ourselves so would be something we would be passionate about and take an interest in. Our first idea was to base it on university courses where students are made to pay for their own materials rather than the universities providing it. It was also about students taking courses in nursing and how there has been a significant drop in people choosing such courses as a result of the rise in uni fees and having their funds cut (previously the government would fund those degrees). For a segment of each episode I though it would be a good idea to do something more light-hearted too. We want it to engage our target audience of students by keeping it humorous and interesting without ...
Read more