Sound

Sound has the power to create certain moods and can signal events that are about to happen. the power of music to manipulate audiences emotions has always been acknowledge in television and films.

3 essential ingredients

• The human voice (dialogue)
• Sound effects
• music

 The world TV programme we see on screen is called the DIEGESIS ( TV World)

there are two main types of sound in TV drama digetic sound and non diegetic sound.
Diegetic sound contributes to the realism of a TV drama e.g. doorbell

Non diegetic sound is sound that takes place out of the diegesis which is usually placed on later in the post production e.g. music.

Foley Sound - where normal natural sounds are reproduced and edited into the TV drama. e.g. rustling leaves, squeaky doors. this helps to create a sense of versimilitude within the diegesis. without the crucail backgrtound noise movies feel unaturally unconfortable and not real.

Narrative Devices - elements that help explain the narrative (story/plot) e.g. voice over, captions and extended dialogue.

the voice over can also allow us to information about the central character and his/her representation.

they can also allow privileged information so sometimes we  will know more than the characters in the diegesis do.

direct address - when the character on screen talks directly to the audience.

• it is an alternative to the voice over.
• this is rare in TV drama but when used can create humour or can act as a narrative device.

Music is used to help us feel part of the story or know how the characters are feeling wether this is happy, sad, scared or amused.


Incidental Music - this is used to add emotion and rhythm to a drama usually not meant to be noticeable.
it can also indicate a change in mood for example dissonant music may be used in film to indicate an approacing (but not yet visible) menace or disaster.

Sound Motifs - for example a particular peice of music is played that is associated with something in the film e.g. Jaws music.

Parallel Sounds - things you expect to hear. e.g. fast paced loud music in a chase or fight scene.

Contrapuntal Sound - sound that does not fit in the images we see on screen e.g. classical music used over a violent scene.

Stings - either a breif cresendo stab of music used to enhance a drama of the current just before the end of a dramatic scene. e.g. Arthur finishes the fight.

Ambient Sound - also known as natural sound. the sound occuring in the area where they shoot the drama. it is often used or created in dramas to create versimilitude.

Crusendo - A build up in music to show someting is going to happen
 e.g. Jaws Music