Saving Private Ryan

1. Sound Design

2. Last week we learnt about sound design
What different types of sound are there?

3. What is ambient noise (or atmosphere)?
All the sounds that make up the background noise of the films world (eg. a
street, the woods, a hotel lobby)

4. What is dialogue?

5. What are sound effects (SFX)?
Specific sounds that are synced to the video in post-production.

6. Diagetic Vs Non-diagetic: what’s the difference?

7. What is external diagetic sound?

8. What is internal diagetic sound?

9. Parallel Vs. Contrapuntal sound: what is the
difference?

10. How do we use silence in films?

11. This week
You are going to apply what you learnt last week
to analyse the sound design of a scene from a
film.

12. Spielberg & sound

13. Task 1: scene analysis
Go to the Sound Design section of moodle, Week 2: scene
analysis
Watch the embedded video “Saving Private Ryan - Omaha Beach”
and analyse it's sound design. Write a detailed essay-style
evaluation which answers all questions. Use specific examples
from the scene, including screenshots, and explain what these
examples prove / show.

14. Task 1: scene analysis
1. How is sound used to build tension?
2. How is sound used to create realism?
3. How important is sound in telling the story?
4. How are sound effects used in the scene?
5. What mood is the sound design trying to create for the audience?
How have they achieved this?
6. What different diagetic, internal diagetic, external diagetic & non-
diagetic sounds are there in the scene? How are they all used?
7. How does the scene use contrapuntal and parallel sound.
8. How is silence used in the scene?

15. Task 1: scene analysis

16. Feedback: how has Spielberg used sound in Saving
Private Ryan?

17. Extension / Task 2:
Compare the sound design in Saving Private Ryan to the sound design in this film.
Which is more effective, and why?