The podcast Serial uses various sound effects and music to set different moods and illustrate key elements of the story. Incidental music at the beginning and end is upbeat, representing Hae Min Lee's normal life before her death. When discussing sad elements like her disappearance, slow music plays. Interviews include external sounds like a gate swing. Mysterious music builds tension around suspects. The varied soundscape helps listeners understand and follow the complex true crime story. In contrast, radio uses only upbeat music and jingles to keep listeners happy during their morning commute.

1. Task 1
Radio/Podcast

2. Serial- Season 1 Episode 1
Incidental music has been used at the start of the podcast. Which was repeated throughout the podcast In
some segments. The rhythm of the beat is upbeat this could signify the life Hae Min Lee had before getting
killed. Also dialogue is used from someone actually getting information from the prison. They include a
voiceover so the listeners know what is going on. Slow music begins to play when she starts to talk about
someone missing. This symbolises sadness for the viewers. It creates tension. They include more dialogue of
the prisoners having discussions. The present asks a teenager Tyler who got asked if he knew what happened
on the Friday. He quotes "Not at all I can’t remember anything”. “I'm pretty sure I was in school I think". They
include a upbeat music again which could illustrate the agony of finding out who the victim is. The music then
stops and the podcast continues as a detailed voiceover. Aural soundscape is used to illustrate a sad feel it also
included a romance touch to it as she was talking about love and relationships. Hae was supposed to pick up
her little cousin from kinder garden but she didn’t show up. Aural landscape is used as slow music is played to
signify the sadness of how she was found. A worker discovered her body. The music sets a sad mood for the
listener. The voiceover is used deliberately so the listeners can be understanding of what the story is about.
The presenter speaks very well and not fast so the listeners understand and follow the story properly. The
presenter interviews Rabbia”Heyyyy are you Rabbia” They begin to talk about the loose letters and files.
Rabbia responds “Yeah, These have been damaged because the files have been in my car on and off…” Rabbia
is a lawyer so she has a lot of paper work. A sound of the swing of the gate is used deliberately to signify The
presenter entering Rabbia’s house. They have used various interviews so the listeners feel connected to the
story and follow the story properly. It also makes the build up of the story better as the listener wants to find
out how Hae got murdered. Slow incidental music is used again when the presenter talks about the upcoming
events of how Hae was killed. “At the end of this hour you are going to hear the different versions of how Hae
was killed”. The music sounds slow and sets a heart breaking mood as there is various steps of how the
teenage girl sadly died. The music also contradicts an image of how Hae was a normal teenager trying to deal
with school and social activities.

3. Noise is used in a interviewer where everyone is talking over each other, in the Adnan Syed case, they talk about his
personality, Syed quotes “I was homecoming king,” Another lady says “We don’t go to homecoming” Which signifies they
are loud and are a bad influence on teenagers in the college. Which may of led to the bullying of Hae and the murder. Aural
motifs is then used, it is a more mysterious upbeat rhythm, they use this to make the listeners concerned and interested of
what is going to happen next. When the presenter introduces Jay that is when the mysterious music starts, he is the third
suspicion, he was Hae’s friend, The music continues after the presenters questions “Is the murdered Adnan or Jay?” The
sound builds up tension towards the listeners. Music is then played when they are talking about the killer “the psychopath”
Adnan. As Adnan buried poor Hae. The music is then played alone for at least one minute to it sinks in and it also illustrates
the importance of Hae’s death. At 24:18 the same music that was played at the start of the podcast is played when the
Presenter talks about Hae leaving school, and she was killed at 2:46pm. The sound of the music sounds high pitched and is
at a normal pace symbolising her normal lifestyle she had. Incidental music is then played when the story in un covering,
The presenter then says he did not give out any dates of where he was which made it harder for the case to commence. The
sound of the music was fast paced to illustrate the tension and the un folding of the story. When Hae talks about gossip in
school and her letters aural motif music plays. The slow music reinforces a image of Hae and how she was a casual
teenagers having thoughts of typical relationships families etc. There is contrast used in the podcast as the same slow music
is used when Adnan writes a letter to Hae reinforcing the importance of the letters. Sound effects of drums is used when
Rabbi is being questioned “I don’t know why she would be bullied” “I mean i-i-m a tourney”. When the presenter interviews
Dereck the music played is soothing and calming, the instrumental sounds like a jazz piece, it still does come across as
mysterious. At the end the presenter quotes “coming up this series on Serial”… Interviews from the next episode is used so
the listener gets influenced to watch the next episode. Incidental music which was played at the start of the podcast is then
repeated at the end to show contrast.

4. Compared to the breakfast radio show we can see that they are different as the radio illustrates more
upbeat music. It also has a more happier mood as they want all their viewers to wake up in a good
mood. Many people may listen to the radio while getting ready for work, college etc. They use aural
landscape as the radio presenters talk while the latest music is playing, also they include various effects.
For example they use a jiggle “Radio on breakfast show!” making the segment very upbeat and exciting
for the listeners. They normally use jiggles for branding so the viewer knows who they are listening and
where to find the brand on all social networks. Normally on radio stations they have phone ins which
consist of listeners calling in to ask questions or to even select their own song. They include various
sound effects within the intro to create a build up of what songs will be featured. The noise I very upbeat
and loud. There are many announcements for example in the morning show they will announce who is
coming or they will quote “Coming up now is … Rita Ora” to get the listeners entertained. They also have
incidental music so when they talk it is informative “You are now listen to…”The music used in the radio
station is very upbeat this creates a ‘laughter’ ‘happy’ mood for the listeners. The rhythm/beat is usually
fast majority of the time as it is in the morning.