1. Ideas For Use Of Sound
Within Our Trailer
The Human Carvery
Ollie, Jamie, Scarlett & Matthew
2. Introduction…
Sound is fundamental within film, for further reasons other than the obvious, being to deliver
dialogue.
Sound, or more specifically, non-diegetic sound, it crucial within a trailer, it can help add suspense
and tension, or it can help make a scene even scarier, it can also indicate to the audience that a crucial
part of the film is about to take place, while as well as this is can signify the end or start of a new or
old scene. Ensuring that you have the correct use of non-diegetic sound is essential in producing a
successful and professional looking trailer.
In the presentation, I will speak about way in which we wish to use sound, as well as exploring and
analysing the use of sound within existing media texts.
3. Why We Feel Sound Choice is so Important...
Sound is one of the most important features within a horror film when making it scary, especially
non-diegetic sound which is added later in post production. This is why we as a group understand the
importance of exploring many different non-diegetic sounds that could potentially be used within
our trailer to make it even more frightening for the audience.
Non-Diegetic sounds are sounds that are added, for example music and diegetic or ambient sounds
are sounds that occur when shooting the film, however these can be made louder in poster
production to make them seem scarier. Music can be used to foreshadow upcoming events, it can be
used to indicate to the audience that something sinister is going to occur, creating suspense and
keeping the audience engaged.
4. Where will we Use Music within Our Trailer?
In our trailer we plan to include a slow build up of music (non-diegetic sound) during the equilibrium
and the establishing shots, beginning with slow peaceful music. This will gradually speed up and
become menacing as the butcher first appears on our screens, giving the audience that the butcher is
our villain and the source of evil activity.
During the murders, there will be no non-diegetic sound in an attempt to create suspense however in
the building up there will be eerie music to indicate to the audience what is about to happen and keep
them engaged. Then after the murder has taken place the music will begin again and this time will be
slow sad music.
5. Other Uses Of Music...
There will be other scenes shot outside where the butcher is attempting to catch the teens (I can
assure you it won't be as cringe as it sounds) for this scene we will include fast pace music, something
similar to what you may expect to hear as the main track within an action film.
This is to complement the activity happening on screen and adding to the tension. As the scene gets
really tense and the butcher is looking for the teens in the abandoned building, the music will go
silent to represent that the teen is staying as quiet as they can to prevent the butcher from hear
them. Also sometimes no music adds to suspense.
Once the teen is caught, slow eerie music will be played again t signify the brutal and sinister events
that will be coming up, once the butcher has taken the victim back to his lab like room.
6. Analysis Of Existing Media Text… Scream
Our horror trailer will be a slasher, so I am going to analyse the sound within one of the most
successful slasher film, Wes Craven's Scream released in 1996.
Sound plays a crucial part within the trailer from the beginning, the first thing we hear is the phone
ring, nothing sinister about this. When our character picks the phone up she engages in a
conversation with someone she doesn't know, the person speaking to her is a man, speaking in a very
slow and monotone voice. The person she is speaking to is the villain and this becomes gradually
more obvious by the way he begins to speak to her as the phone call goes on.
In the background of the phone call we can hear the use of non-diegetic music. The music is
conventional of a horror film and it seems to be leading up to something, it indicates to the audience
that something big is going to happen. When the line “because I want to know who I'm looking at is
delivered” the music stops for roughly half a second and then a sort of soft wind noise is heard,
perhaps reflecting the chilling lie the villain has just delivered.
7. Scream Sound Analysis...
There is a voice over used throughout the trailer, narrating the story, this is conventional of slasher
films released in the 90s. There is a persistent use of the word ‘someone’ at the beginning of the
trailer by the narrator when talking about the villain, suggesting he doesn't know who the villain is
and giving anything information away about who it may be.
Sinister music plays in the background of every phone call the villain has with a girl, and every piece
of music sounds a though it is leading up to something, keeping the audience engaged and wanting to
see what happens next.
There are no visual killings that actually happen within the trailer, during some parts there is a sort of
hacking noise in the background, giving the impression someone is swinging an axe or a hammer. This
then evolves into a noise that is a loud banging and fades out into eerier music. Towards the end of
the trailer all the noises are played together along with the eerie music as this is the most important
and scariest part o the trailer.
