words that you can associate with sound are mp3, hearing, volume, audio
Ambient sounds
Ambient sound is the background sounds that are present in a location or scene. Examples of ambient sounds are wind, water, birds, crowds, and traffic.
Music
Music is used to heighten the emotion and drama of a scene. The audience can decode the style of the music to interpret the mood or genre of the media. For example, scary music is when something happens in a horror movie.
Music can determine the mood or genre of a film, build up or release tension, change the emotional or physical status, or highlight or code a theme or message.
Dialogue
Dialogue is used to establish character and relationships and to provide plot information or back-stories. Both the content and the delivery of discussion are essential for the development of the narrative or character.
Diegetic/non-diegetic
Diegetic sound is the sound that the characters can hear. Character dialogue is an obvious example of this. Object sounds can make a film more realistic. If a character walks in the snow, we should hear the crunching sound of the snow coming from their footsteps. If a character is standing on a busy street, we hear the ambience of the city. Music coming from within the film helps the audience become absorbed into a scene. Music playing loudly in someone’s headphones or the pounding dance music at a bar are diegetic sounds.
Non-Diegetic is any sound that does not originate from within the film’s world. Characters cannot hear this sound. Sound editors add non-diegetic sound in post-production.
A film’s music track is used to set the film’s tone, manipulate emotions, add drama, or provide elements of surprise. We add sound effects for a dramatic impact. A record scratch sound added for comic relief isn’t something the characters can hear in a film. Narration can help explain the plot.
Types of sound
Types of sound include sound effects and narration.
Sound effects
They record sounds other than speech or music, which is added to the soundtrack to enhance the narrative. Sound effects and background noises are crucial to creating a sense of reality in the world depicted in a film. The sound of footsteps and rain falling are examples of sound effects. Sound effects can also increase mystery, suspense, and disorientation for the viewer.
Narration
Narration is a sound device where one hears the voice of a character or narrator speaking, but the character in question is not saying the words on the screen. This is often used to show the thoughts of a character through first-person narration. Third-person narration is a common voice-over used to provide a background of characters/events or enhance the plot.
Exaggerated sound
Exaggerated sound is used to heighten emotion or meaning in a scene. Using this sound can suggest an incoming threat before the audience can see it. It can reinforce a character’s threatening nature when they are present on the screen. It can also help to emphasize the emotional impact of a specific action taking place on the screen.
We described the sounds in a film clip. We looked at Dunkirk’s sounds:
The scene is eerily quiet. You can hear paper falling and footsteps, but they are silent. There is non-diegetic thoughtful music, calm, frozen in time. There are excessive hose noises. The clashing of the helmet on the ground shows he feels safe. There are almost deafening gun sounds, which are a total contrast to the silence. The music stops once the guns shoot. The character’s footsteps are now hurried. You can hear jumping noises and guns being loaded. The character speaking English is childlike, with quiet footsteps, but they are silent behind the barracks. He feels safe, but again, more loud shooting. There is a lack of dialogue, which shows helplessness.