Film sound is carefully designed and added during post-production to emphasize important elements and set the atmosphere. Sound can be either diegetic, existing within the film's world, or non-diegetic, coming from outside the world. Selective sound is used to emphasize key sounds, while ambient sound creates a sense of place. Film sound is also carefully mixed and can be synchronous, matching visuals, or asynchronous and originating outside the story.

1. Sound
Film sound is as important and as carefully controlled as the visual elements of a
text. Although sound is often recorded on set, most film sound is added in post-
production
Film sound will be mixed very carefully to ensure that important sounds are
emphasised and that the correct atmosphere for a sequence is maintained
Selective sound is: Used to emphasis key sound elements within a sequence
Ambient sound is: to create a particular atmosphere or a sense of place
Other elements of sound design to look out for:
 Sound bridges – sound to help transitions between sequences pass more
fluidly
 Sound effects – to create a sense of realism or to create a psychological
impact or effect
Sound can be either:
 Diegetic – that is, it exists within the world of the film or
 Non-diegetic – that is, it emerges from outside the world of the film, eg film
soundtracks
Diegetic Sound Non-Diegetic Sound
 Voices of characters
 Sounds made by objects of the story
 Music represented as coming from
instruments in the story space
 This is the sound coming from within
the films world
 It can be either on screen or off
screen depending on whatever the
films frame is – to create different
meanings for an audience
 Narrators commentary
 Sound effects added for dramatic
effect
 Musical score/ soundtrack
 Non- diagetic sound coming from a
source outside story space
 Depends on understanding of
conventions of film viewing and
listening
Eg a sound effect is added when you
punch someone, they fall over ect..

2. Film sound can be either:
 Synchronous – when a sound effect is matched with another technical event
or action – reinforces the effect
 Asynchronous – originates outside of the diegetic reality of the film
 Contrapuntal – noise of effect that doesn’t match the visuals
Other elements of sound design to look out for:
 Voiceovers – voice of the person on the screen normally coming from their
head
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 Theme music – we know who the good and bad people are from the music
playing around them
 Musical Score – the music that goes underneath
 Silence – normally only moments of silence to provoke a reaction from the
audience