Media Introduction and Sound

Establishing location is where the scene will show a connection between the location and the film and its important figures. This may also set the mood/theme of the film as the area that it is being filmed may make the audience associate it with a particular genre or theme. The first shot of a film is usually quite long to let the audience take in the setting.

Establish Location and Setting

Introducing the main character is important in all films, yet some don’t do it until after the location and setting have been established. The character needs to represent something for the audience to either relate with or admire. They should want this character to succeed in what they want to achieve.

Introduce Main Character

This is where the film will establish what type of mood it wants the audience to fell. For example a comedy will want the audience to laugh so it will want to have some jokes or humorous scenes in it. The film can establish its genre in a lot of ways, with the location, certain actors and music that accompanies it. For example if there is a new film with Rowan Atkinson in it most people will assume that it will be a comedy due to all of the other comical films/TV series’ he has already done.

Establish Genre

A Hook is something that will draw the audience in. They should engage with the film when a hook is introduced. All good films will have a hook, yet they will do it in different way. For example in a romantic comedy, the main character may find out that their crush is leaving the country forever. Or in an action film the main characters love interest may be captured and taken hostage by the antagonist. There is a lot of ways that media can create a hook.

Hook

Diegetic sound is any sound that the character or characters on screen can hear. So for example the sound of one character talking to another would be diegetic. Diegetic sound will create more of an atmosphere for the audience as they will believe it.

Diegetic Sound

Non-diegetic sound is any sound that the audience can hear but the characters on screen cannot. Any appearance of background music is a prime example of non-diegetic sound.

Non-Diegetic Sound

Synchronous sound is sound that is matched with the action and movements being viewed. An oft-used example portrays a character playing the piano, and the viewer hears the sounds of the piano simultaneously.

Synchronous Sound

Asynchronous sounds are sounds that are made by things that we cannot see on screen. This could also be sound that comes from an action but not precisely synchronised with the action.

Asynchronous Sound

Parallel sound is about whether or not the sound fits with the genre of the film or the image being seen on screen. If it does fit and contributes to the mood or theme then it can be called parallel sound.

Parallel Sound

Contrapuntal Sound is about whether or not the sound fits with the genre of the film or the image being seen on screen.  Contrapuntal Sounds are  sounds that don't seem to fit with the genre /image. For example in a fight scene in a film you would not expect to hear classical music.

Contrapuntal Sound

Ambient sound means the background sounds which are present in a scene or location. Common ambient sounds include wind, water, birds, crowds, office noises and traffic if a shot was in a city. The reasons for ambient sound include ;providing audio continuity between shots, preventing an unnatural silence when no other sound is present, or establishing or reinforcing the mood.

Ambient Sound

A sound bridge is when the scene begins with the carry-over sound from the previous scene before the new sound begins. These help the transfer between scenes.

Sound Bridge

A sound effect or combination of sound effects that are associated with a particular character, setting, situation or idea through the film. 

The sound motifs condition the audience emotionally for the intervention, arrival, or actions of a particular character. The sound motifs can be very useful in the rough cut, where they help clarify the narrative functions of the characters and provide a sound association for those characters as we move through the story. 

Sound Motif