THE SOUND AND THE FURY: An overview of terminology to describe Sound Design in Film Music or sound, which belongs 'within the frame' or can be considered to be a natural part of the narrative, is
called diegetic sound (or music). The source of the sound is often but not always visible on screen. When the
sound (usually music) is used without being part of the action, such as the music played whenever Neo is pushed
between the matrix and reality in The Matrix, it is defined as non-diegetic.
Sound codes and motifs are essential to the comprehension of the text. The most commonly cited example is
horror movies, since the horror is usually controlled directly by the use of music and sound effects and the
impact is dramatically reduced if the text is watched with the sound turned down. When creating an epic
action/adventure movie such as Gladiator, Ridley Scott used diegetic and non-diegetic sound to add to the power
of the games for example, running a stadium soundtrack as well as the overlaid music. Without this cacophony
(of both diegetic and non-diegetic sound design) assailing the ears of the audience, a key element in the impact
of the film would have been lost. Equally, the juxtaposition of an image and silence can create tension, frustrate
expectations, intensify our attention, make us apprehensive, or make us feel dissociated from reality as when
waiting for a response from a contestant in a game show.
Music is a key sound code. The type of music used in a text can convey a great deal of information about the
mood and tone of the text. Tension can be established, emotions communicated and the music can be used as a
comment on the action, to set the context for the next sequence or to provide closure, such as at the beginning
and end of a round in a quiz show or the entry of a new guest on a chat show. The music can be very powerful in
shaping in the form of the text. The rhythm of music usually dictates the rhythm of the cuts, such as the way the
drum controls the cuts in the fight sequences in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Conventionally, background
music accelerates for a chase sequence, becomes louder to underscore a dramatically important action. Through
repetition it can also link shots, scenes, characters and sequences.
Sound effects can be used to create a sense of reality, creating a background noise to a scene such as the roaring
of the tigers in the arena in Gladiator and the clashing of the swords during the fights. Sound effects can also
contribute to the mood of a text. In Crouching Dragon, Hidden Tiger, the use of sound effects greatly increases
the credibility of the fight stunts; the 'whoosh' and 'thud' sounds make it almost believable that these characters
can fight in mid air in this way. Without the overlaid 'rustle of leaves' the dramatic impact of the fight between
Jen and Li would have been weaker. Combined with the original cello music created for the film and the simple
use of drums to create tension in the fights, the film is dependent on the soundtrack for its impact on many levels.
Remember, Silence can also be a fundamental code in moving image texts, to create tension in the audience.
Dialogue Delivery can be very significant as a revelation of character, position, attitude or inter-relationships.
The accent and vocabulary used by different characters in a film may help define their roles. The 'gatekeepers' in
The Matrix are differentiated from the humans, not only visually, but also aurally with a clipped and awkward
delivery devoid of emotion. This emphasizes that they are sentient computer programs, not people.
Voice-Over / Narration A commentary can be used to mediate the audience's interpretation of the visuals,
particularly if the tone is moderate, assured and reasoned. In films, it may be the voice of one or the characters,
unheard by the others, but providing a counterpoint to the action.
Sound can be used as a bridge, to maintain continuity in a sequence by running a soundtrack under a series of
images to link them. This can be useful in chase sequences, for example, to both create tension and to link the
parallel stories of chaser and victim. The music in The Matrix acts as an underscore in this way on several
occasions.
Sound which is recorded separately from the visuals is sometimes called wild track sound because it can be
added to any available audio track in a non-linear editing suite and is not confined to the main audio tracks tied
in with the parallel (or synchronous) sound recorded with the visuals - dialogue is the most common type of
parallel sound and where it becomes detached from the visuals it is called a “loss of sync”.
Vocabulary used to describe sound:
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Synchronous Sound: Recorded along with the visuals. Dialogue and the interaction of objects or
people are the most common examples.
Wild Track Sound: Added in post-production, generally for mood. Music, unrealistic drones and sci-fi
stabs, plus very realistic sound bytes like wind, rain, crown noise, applause, laughter are all examples.
Diegetic Sound: Sound that makes sense in “the world of the film” – dialogue, music (if played by
actors in the scene), crowd noise, door slams, screeching tires of a car, etc.
Non-diegetic Sound: Sound that entirely formalistic. Most film scores (music) accompany action and
emotional moments, yet we understand that there are no musicians in the frame, so these inclusions of
music are non-diegetic. Punctuating sound bytes (the “boink” of a slapstick clown hit over the head) are
understood to not be created within the world of the film, and are thus non-diegetic.
Silence can be deafening in film. Ingmar Bergman and Akira Kurosawa were particularly noteworthy in
their use of silence to break the rhythm of the film or force the audience to be more active in reading the
emotions or perceptions of characters. As sound is highly manipulative, the lack of sound, music, and
dialogue (used to great effect in No Country for Old Men) can force a deeper understanding of the
visuals of a film, creating even greater tension by putting more responsibility on the viewer’s perception.
Pitch: Defined by the frequency, high pitch (screeching, screams, violins, telephones, bells) can be short
and shocking, though are often lighter in tone while lower pitches (drone, growls, big drums, rumbles,
vibrations) can suggest anxiety, power, and a grand scale of things. Changes in pitch are particularly
effective to show changes in character state of mind (in The Shining, the music moves quickly from a
worried, anxious low pitch to the high notes of panic as a wife discovers what her crazed husband has
been writing on a typewriter.)
Loudness: obvious, no? Generally suggests importance, or the desire to spook or surprise and audience.
The tonal QUALITY of the sound: Not how CLEAR it is (that is called FIDELITY), but it’s texture,
timbre, and mood. The same way we describe hard and soft light… Is the sound soft and romantic?
Stunningly sharp? Recall how the same “note” played on a piano, a tuba, and a flute might suggest very
different emotions – though technically they are the same pitch and loudness.
Rhythm: Whether movement is present in the scene or not, sound can speed up or slow down the
perceived PACE and ENERGY of a scene.
Audience Expectations: Can be supported or thwarted by sound. For example, when a women opens
her mouth to scream in a the Hitchcock film The 39 Steps, yet we hear the sound of a TRAIN, followed
by a split edit to another scene – the audience is delighted by the unexpected and clever edit. Sounds can
be completely unrealistic in this sense and suggest new meaning.
Characterization: Often certain sounds and musical phrases or scores are linked directly to one
character or another, or perhaps to varying levels of tension within a film. When analyzing film, look for
repetition of sounds or musical melodies and decide whether they are part of the characterization of a
person, a place, or a dramatic situation.