Sound
This page aims to examine the use of sound used in 2 thriller films: Let The Right One In and Michael. I will also be focussing on how the use of sound in these films has shaped my own film.
1. Aim
This page aims to examine the use of sound used in 2 thriller films: Let The Right One In and Michael. I will also be focussing on how the use of sound in these films has shaped my own film.
2. Objectives
This page will:
This page aims to examine the use of sound used in 2 thriller films: Let The Right One In and Michael. I will also be focussing on how the use of sound in these films has shaped my own film.
2. Objectives
This page will:
- Define what is meant by sound
- Explain what is meant by sound
- Identify/denotate the conventions of the sound in 2 thriller films
- Analyse/connotate the conventions of the sound in 2 thriller films
- Explain how the sound of these 2 films have influenced the sound design of my own short film
3. Defining sound
Sound is everything that can be heard in the film - it can be captured during the filming of a scene or added in later. |
4. Explaining sound
There are two types of sound generally found in media - diegetic and non-diegetic sound. Diegetic sound means anything that is captured from the scene itself and is part of the storyline. This could be speech, the sounds of objects, and any other sound that is involved in the action. Non-diegetic sound is anything that is added by editors in order to make the film more interesing, like music or narration. It is not actually part of the story line but is added for effect. |
5. Identifying and analysing the sound of 2 films
Let The Right One In
In Let The Right One In, there is a lot of diegetic sound that creates tension - such as breathing and footsteps. Non-diegetic music is used sparingly so that the emphasis is on the sound that the characters are creating which provides the tension. In the pool scene, for example, when Oskar is being held underwater, there is no music at all, and only the sound of the characters speaking, and the water in the pool. When we see Oskar underwater, there is the muffled sound of people on the surface, and the non-diegetic addition of water sounds to help immerse the audience into Oskar's position. This all increases the terror in the scene. Similarly, in Michael, the opening scene is made up of natural diegetic domestic sounds, like the clink of the cutlery and the sound of the radio in the background. Also we hear the forboding sound of the door where Wolfgang is kept being unlocked and opened, which increases tension. Non-diegetic music tends to be used very sparsely in these type of thrillers because silence is sometimes the best way to attract an audience's attention and make them feel like part of the scene. |
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Michael
In the first opening scene of Michael there is only diegetic sound. This is because the opening scenes are indoors and our only using diegetic because of sounds like the frying pan cooking or the sound of Michael putting down cutlery and plates and cups and so on. This is only needed because it draws the veiwers in by starting off quiet because it means they have to really concentrate and the small sounds means that when the first spoken line is said the audience are horrified because of whats happening. |