Chapter 15: The Five-dimensional Field: Sound
I. Sound and Noise
a. Both sound and noise are audible vibrations (oscillations) of the air or other material
b. Distinguishing factor between the two is its communication purpose
i. Sound has purpose; it is organized
ii. Noise is essentially random
iii. The same audible vibrations can be sound at one point and noise at another
1. Example: When you witness a car crash it is noise because of the random and unexpected occurrence. This noise later becomes sound when you are editing the sounds of a car crashing for a soundtrack because the recording now has a function.
II. Video and Film Sound
a. When we have sophisticated digital video and audio postproduction facilities available, we generally record sound and pictures of most routine video productions together.
b. Sweetening of sound: improving the quality of the recorded audio mix
i. Done only in larger video projects as part of the total postproduction activities
c. When sound was first added to film, the visual aspects were already firmly established and highly refined
i. Sound was seen as a detriment by some, rather than an asset
III. Television Sound
a. A common misconception is that television is a predominantly visual medium and that you should avoid “talking heads”, or people talking instead of illustrating what they are talking about
b. Television, like all video, is an audiovisual medium
i. Silent television is inconceivable from an informational and aesthetic perspective
c. Four Major Factors of Television Sound
i. Reflection of Reality
1. In broadcast television, sound is primary and essential in communication
2. Television shows commonly draw on real events, such as news, sports, documentaries, interviews, and talk shows, or fictional events that some aspect of reality
3. It is often the soundtrack that lends authenticity to the creation of a realistic environment
ii. Low-definition Image
1. Even high-definition video is of low definition
2. The size of the standard video screen is relatively small, the picture resolution is relatively low, and the contrast ratio or color palette is somewhat restricted, especially compared with digital cinema
3. Video uses a series of close-ups that need sound to supply important additional information
4. Sound is necessary in creating coherence and structure to the picture series
5. Both the visual and audio aspects of television are interdependent on each other in order for the viewer to understand what is happening
iii. Production Restrictions and Technical Limitations
1. Production limitations keep television sounds from achieving optimal quality
2. Most shows record sound simultaneously with the pictures, regardless of whether the show is done live, live-recorded, or recorded for postproduction editing, which creates low quality
3. Microphones are often located high above actors’ heads in order to keep them from entering the frame
a. This restricts audio pickup
4. Difficult to separate wind noise and ambient sounds in the outdoors
5. Indoors conditions provide poor sound environments
iv. Audio / Video Balance
1. Our aesthetic sensitivity detects – and rejects – an imbalance between the low-definition video portion and the high-definition stereo audio track
2. High-quality sound diminishes quality of image
3. More noticeable imbalance when watched on mobile media displays
4. A high-fidelity surround sound system can help balance the soundtrack with large, high-energy video images of HDTV
a. These digital soundtracks must be carefully constructed, so they are used mostly for large-scale video productions, film, and digital cinema
IV. Film Sound
a. Audiovisual field; but the visual aspect appears to dominate film presentations
b. Landscape views on high-quality film screens are so strong that the sound quality and construction of dialogue is not noticed as much
i. Once this same landscape image is displayed on a smaller screen, the quality diminishes and the imbalance of sound and dialogue is noticed more
V. Literal and Nonliteral Sounds
a. Literal Sounds: referential; they convey a specific literal meaning and, in doing so, refer you to the sound-producing source
i. Example: when two people are talking on screen, you automatically associate the sounds with their screen image, even when one person might move out of the frame
ii. Can distinguish environment
1. Example: see a living room with front door open; hear rush-hour traffic; you know the house is located near a busy road
2. These types of sounds are referential, or diegetic, meaning they tell a story and lead you to the sound-producing source
iii. Source-connected Sounds: on-screen sounds; they emanate from an on-screen event
1. You see the sound-producing source while simultaneously hearing its sound
iv. Source-disconnected Sounds: off-screen sounds; the sound-producing source is located in off-screen space
1. You hear the sound of an object or subject that is not visible on screen
b. Nonliteral / Nondiegetic Sounds: not intended to refer to a particular sound source or to convey literal meaning
i. Deliberately source-connected and not not evoke a visual image of the sound-producing source
ii. Emanate outside the “story space”
iii. Examples: hisses, boings, whams, romantic music, rhythmic theme music
iv. Music is most frequently used nonliteral sound
c. Literal and Nonliteral Sound Combinations
i. Usually we witness a combination of the two
ii. Example: mother and son walking on a beach
1. Literal: dialogue, pounding of the surf, jet plane
2. Nonliteral: background music theme
VI. Information Function of Sound
a. Major information function of sound is to communicate specific information verbally
b. Forms of speech most often used in television are dialogue, direct address, and narration
i. Dialogue: conversation between two or more people
1. Usually chief means of conveying a theme, developing characters, describing the setting, and developing the story progression or plot
2. Good dialogue seems to flow naturally, when in reality, writers meticulously construct script to sound and feel natural while communicating information
ii. Direct Address: the performer speaks directly to the viewers from his or her on-screen position
1. Viewers become active dialogue partners as opposed to passive observers
2. Provides optimal information exchange
3. Ideally suited for the small video screen because of the intimate environment and sense of immediacy
4. Film is less interpersonal; we go to a theater to observe anonymously as opposed to getting involved in the program
iii. Narration: method of supplying additional information by describing a screen event or bridging various gaps in the continuity of an event
1. Can be on- or off-camera
2. Most video documentaries rely heavily on narration
VII. Outer Orientation Functions of Sound
a. Space: specific sounds can help up define the location of an event, its spatial environment, and even off-screen space
i. Location
1. Must make sure that the off-screen sounds are coming from the screen position of the sound-producing source
2. Stereo sound makes it possible to move the sound anywhere along the on- and off-screen x-axis (horizontal)
3. This positioning along the x-axis becomes more important as the screen size increases because locational discrepancies become more noticeable
ii. Environment
1. Use various sounds to indicate the specific spatial characteristics of an environment
a. Example: determine whether someone is in a closed-in space (phone booth) or a wide open space (empty warehouse)
2. Can also determine the quality of the environment
a. Examples: in one restaurant, you can hear the loud yelling, clanging dishes, squeaking doors, etc.; in the other, you hear soft classical piano music and laughter
iii. Off-screen Space
1. You can suggest the spatial environment of the restaurant through those aforementioned sounds even if you show only a tight close-up of two people sitting at a corner table
2. To mix the various soundtracks convincingly, you can occasionally have the ambient soundtracks compete with the major soundtrack of the main conversation
b. Time: sound can be a good indicator of clock time and seasons
i. Associate typical sounds with morning, noon, evening, night, summer, or winter
ii. Morning: alarm clock, shower, coffee maker, birds chirping, garbage truck, buses
iii. Night: crickets, rustling of trees, barking dogs, owl
iv. Snow acts as an acoustic dampener; everything in the winter sounds lighter and subdued
c. Situation
i. Literal sounds are especially helpful in describing a situation
ii. Example: accompany a close-up of a doctor’s stoic face with the sound of a patient’s irregular breathing
iii. Predictive Sound: operates much like predictive lighting to signal an occurrence or a situational change
1. Can use literal and nonliteral sounds to forecast an upcoming event
2. Example: indicate imminent danger of forest fire by gradually and softly sneaking in the sounds of fire engines with the video remains on the carefree campers
iv. Leitmotiv: German for “leading motif”; a short musical phrase or specific sound effect that portends the appearance of a person, action, or situation
1. Basic dramatic function is that of an allusion or reference
2. Example: if you hear heavy breathing of a killer, you will expect to see the killer whenever you hear breathing throughout the rest of the film
VIII. Inner Orientation Functions of Sound
a. Mood
i. Music is most direct way to establish mood
b. Internal Condition
i. Sounds can express a variety of internal conditions, such as an unstable environment
c. Energy
i. Music and other nonliteral sounds can provide or increase the aesthetic energy of a scene
ii. Example: cartoons rely heavily on music and sound effects as an energy source; crime shows rely on suspenseful or rhythmic music to show that there is an impending crisis and to keep our anxiety level high
IX. Structural Functions of Sound
a. Rhythm
i. A highly rhythmic soundtrack will help establish a precise tertiary motion beat even if the visual editing is rhythmically uneven
ii. When the sound and picture rhythms parallel each other, the total structure become unified and stable
1. Must be careful that the beat does not become too regular for too long because this can become monotonous and boring
b. Figure / Ground Principle: choose the important sounds to be the figure while relegating the other sounds to the background
i. Example: in a news report, the reporter’s voice takes precedence over the ambient sounds of fire engines and rescue equipment
ii. Only really possible if you have separated individual sounds into different tracks so they can be rearranged according to your preference during postproduction
c. Sound Perspective: match close-up pictures with “close” sounds, and long shots with sounds that seem to come from farther away
i. Presence: sound quality that makes you feel as though you are close to the sound source
1. Close sounds have more sound presence than far away sounds
ii. Distance, location, and sound quality must be balanced in order for the perspective to be unified and authentic
d. Sound Continuity: sound maintains its intended volume and quality over a series of edits
i. Example: if you cross-cut between close-ups of two people talking, their voices should not change perceptibly in either volume or presence during the cutting sequence
ii. Must keep background sounds as even and continuous as possible
iii. Same principle applies to lighting and color
1. You can achieve visual continuity by keeping the background evenly illuminated and lowly saturated
e. Many of the basic principles apply to all aesthetic fields and are depended on
