Sound

As mentioned in the section about post-production editing, sound is very important in short films and like good editing it is an invisible element. The purpose of sound is to set the mood or atmosphere in a scene. It also has the power to emphasise reality.

Diegetic- this is any type of sound that the characters on screen can hear

Non-diegetic- this is any sound that the characters on screen cannot hear but the audience can

Synchronous- this is sound that is synchronised with the object of person giving off the sound

Asynchronous- this is when the sound is deliberately out of sync with what we see on screen. The sound comes from the action but is is not precisely synchronised with it. Asynchronous sounds create tension, curiosity or provide information.

Sound effects- these are sounds added to the visual editing

Sound motif- this is a repeated symbolic sound/music to create meaning. They are used to indicate a narrative turning point.

Sound bridge- a type of sound editing when sound carries on over a visual transition.

Dialogue- what the characters say on screen. When planning dialogue it is important to look at language, tone, accent and volume in order to have a particular effect on the audience.

Voice over- when we can hear the voice of a character and/or narrator speaking but they are not speaking on the screen. The purpose of them is to reveal thoughts/feelings, narrative development, background on characters or the plot.

Mode of address- this is the manner in which the narrative comes across to the audience and the choice in the style of language used by the character or narrator.

Direct address- when a director speaks directly to the audience an breaks the fourth wall through acknowledgment of presence of the audience.

Sound mixing- when mixes of sound from various sources is made through a multi-track mixing desk. Most of the dialogue in a short film can be remixed afterwards in the process of post-production.

Sound perspective- this is when the distance of a sound source is evidenced from the volume and timbre. It is referring specifically to edited sound.

Soundtrack- sound added entirely in post-production, done most often with a mixed music track.

Score- the purpose of a score is to set the mood and atmosphere of a scene. It is music composed, arranged and played specifically for the product, e.g. Adele- Skyfall.

Incidental music- non-diegetic music that accompanies events or changes of scene.

Themes- music that always accompanies this particular programme, film, or even a particular character to suit the mood or theme.

Stings- Musical stings are short bursts of music and they were originally used in TV and radio to bump together different chapters or sections of a show. They are used to highlight moments of significance or create tension.

Ambient sound- background sound that does not necessarily have to be in the field of vision as it can be recorded on location or added in post production.

After close evaluation of all of these different sound elements I have a good idea of the purpose of sound in short films and when exactly it has to be edited in. This is important research as it has opened my eyes to more techniques I was unaware of but can now use in the production of my short film.