Sound Design

Diagetic Sound

Sound that emerged from the story (created during filming)

Synchronous Sound

Sound that matches the action being viewed

Ambient Sound

Background sounds present in a scene (wind, chatter, traffic)

Dialogue

2 or more characters talking

Non-diagetic Sound

Sounds without source, characters cannot hear (music, narrator)

Asynchronous Sound

Sound is separate from visuals

Score

Music made for a movie

Incidental Sound

Sound made to enhance atmosphere

Soundtrack

Preexisting songs chosen for movie

Sound Motif

Sound associated with a specific character/idea (jaws)

VoiceOver

Unseen narrator speaking

Sound Mixing

Layering sounds

Sound Bridge

Sound continued across one or more scenes.

L-Cut: Beginning of scene has audio from previous scene

J-Cut: End of scene has audio from next scene

Sound perspective

Apparent distance of sound source

Single System

Audio captured directly from camera

Double system

Audio captured independently of camera (like a mic) and then added onto clip

Unwanted Noise Typed

Controllable- Can be controlled/fixed easily (phone going off)

Uncontrollable- Cannot be controlled (Plane nearby suddenly)

Shot Gun Microphone

Picks up sound without environment noise, big mic held over person

Lavalier Microphone

Clip-on that is helpful when actor moves, battery needs to be changed frequently, placement is key, can lead to nasal qualities

Dynamic Microphone

Handheld mic, used often times in singing. Lacks directional capacity but good for capturing sounds in loud spaces.

Types of Sound

Melodic- Positive

Discordant- Unpleasant

Contrapuctual- Doesn’t match scene’s emotion (upbeat music during murder scene)