Approaches to Cinema 1: Film Language and Form
Lecture 8: Sound and Music
properties of sound
sound
key functions of sound
‘synchronisation of the senses’ (Sergei Eisenstein)
directs our attention within the image
creates expectation
diegetic sound
sound whose source is from the story world of the film (eg dialogue, music the characters can hear)
non-diegetic sound
sound whose sourceis outside the story world of the film(eg narrator’s commentary, sound effects, score)
sound editing
sound bridge (cross fading)
internal diegetic sound
Foley sounds
sound mixing (audio post)
soundscapes
the characteristic types of sound commonly heard in a given location or period
introduction of sound
first synchronisedsound film,Warner Bros, 1927
standardised Classical Hollywood style
created fully ‘psychologised’ characters
sound design and technology
multi-track recorders
(Robert Altman, 1975)
development of complex andrealistic soundscapes
silence
‘the soundtrack invented silence’ (Robert Bresson, cited in A History of Film Music, Mervyn Cooke, 2008: 3)
was silent cinema ever really silent?
key functions of film music
establishes time and place
foreshadows and develops narrative features
creates emotion
Classical Hollywood film music
soundtrack composedby Max Steiner
Central and Eastern Europeanimmigrants
music composed in 19th centuryRomantic tradition
1950s: shift towards more tonaland jazz-inflected scores
pop and rock songs
from 1960s pre-existing musicused to promote film
younger audiences
soundtrack and synergy
influence of music videos
leitmotif
short distinctivemelody associated with theme or character
micky mousing
music matchesmovement(opposite ofcontrapuntalmusic)
Top Related