Video Sound Objectives Most important functions of audio

Video Sound

Objectives • Most important functions of audio • Major contributions that sound makes to video programs • Describe component parts of a typical sound track

About Video Sound communicates so powerfully that you can create successful programs without video (radio) Video without sound creates an eerie feeling Even silent movies had sound

Audio Delivers Information through: • Dialogue • Narration • Sound effects

Dialogue: • The way a line is written and delivers conveys certain emotions and feelings. “You’re not going to the zoo again? ”

Narration • Voiceover- original footage replaced by footage that illustrates what the person is talking about, while the voice continues on the sound track • Using a brief narration can give the audience essential information • Professional narrators know how to use inflection in their voice to point out interesting and important information

Sound Effects • Implies Existence and Locale (environment) • Heighten sense of reality • Tells the audience about things that are not in the frame

Implies Existence • Example: We see a mother say goodbye to her daughter and watches her ride away. We know that the daughter is driving away in a car because we hear the engine start and a honk. Change the transportation by changing the sound: boat, train, plane

Implies Locale (environment) • Examples: ▫ Crackle and roar of a forest fire ▫ Hiss of rain and rattle of thunder ▫ Deafening roar of a steel mill

Creates Relationships • Brings together program components that were originally shot separately

Strengthening Continuity • Ties separate sequences together through Split Editing • Split editing: transition from one shot to another in which video and audio do not change simultaneously.

Strengthening Continuity cont. • Straight cut version- The picture and sound conclude together

Strengthening Continuity cont. • Split edit, video leading- video changes to the new shot ahead of the audio Ex: cut to a scene with the actor sitting in the dark while the dialogue from the last shot is completed with a voiceover

Strengthening Continuity cont. • Split edit, audio leading- opposite of split edit. • Ex: sound comes first so that the audience can anticipate what will happen next.

Strengthening Continuity cont. • Two-way Split edit- The sound effects for the incoming sequence begin off-screen over the outgoing sequence

Evoking Feelings • Sound conveys and enhances feelings and moods. • Music is the most powerful mood setter • Sound effects/background noises stimulate emotions

Sound and Mood • Certain background sounds are useful for setting the overall mood or tone of a sequence • Ex: ▫ ▫ Steady rain- peaceful and soothing Howling wind- emptiness/alone Busy city streets- energy Crackling of logs- coziness/safety

Sound and Emotional Response • Sounds associated with specific action • Ex: ▫ Echoing footsteps- suspense ▫ Fireworks- triumph ▫ Distorted sounds- disorientation and insanity

The Role of Music • The most powerful tool for evoking emoti 0 n is music • Joy, sorrow, excitement, dread, etc. • Builds suspense • Commercials • Documentaries