This document discusses elements of sound design in film. It identifies different types of sounds that could be heard in a film clip provided in the form of a list. It then explains key concepts in film sound including diegetic vs non-diegetic sound, synchronous vs asynchronous sound, and other techniques like selective sound, ambient sound, sound bridges, and voiceovers. The document aims to provide terminology to describe different types of sounds that can be used and their purposes in film sound design and mixing.

1. Sound
What noises can you hear in the clip?
 Ambient sounds ND
 Sad honky tonk piano ND
 Collapsing structure ND
 Screaming D
 Drums ND
 Loading something D
 Twist thing D
 Rattling D
 Explosion
 Bird squawking D
 Glass break D
 Gunshot D
 Talking D
 Slash sfx ND
 Impact sfx ND
 Whoosh.mp3 ND
 Groan D
 Whispering D
 Horn instruments ND
 Violins ND
 Sniff D
 Tupleware being put down D
 Punch sfx D
 Knife draw ND
 High freq/ high pitch sound ND
 Slow motion altering ND
 Sharp sounding obj ND
 Shard broken D
 Handcuffs/chains D
 Footsteps D
 Theme song ND
 Horse galloping D
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: It is used to emphasise an important sound.
Ambient sound is: Sound to set the atmosphere. i.e. In a café, you would hear
mugs, people talking, people putting things down etc.
Other elements of sound design to look out for:

2.  Sound bridges – Using sound to make transitions.
 Sound effects – Noises that are added.
Sound can be either:
 Diegetic – that is, it exists within the world of the film (Sounds that come from
the scene.) or
 Non-diegetic – that is, it emerges from outside the world of the film, eg film
soundtracks (Exists not from the scene. like soundtracks made by a famous
band.)
Diegetic Sound Non-Diegetic Sound
 Voices of characters
 Sounds made by objects in the
scene.
 Music coming from the scene like an
instrument.
 Sound effects
 Narrator talking over
 Music that doesn’t come from the
scene.
Film sound can be either:
 Synchronous – Literally selective sound. Sound effects added to another
sound to enhance the sound.
 Asynchronous – A musical soundtrack that doesn’t exist inside the scene
(Kinda like Non-diegetic sound but kind of restrictive)
 Contrapuntal – Could be a sfx that doesn’t match the context of the scene.
Same with music.
Other elements of sound design to look out for:
 Voiceovers – This is the voice of the character but added on top of the
scene.
 Theme music – Tiny piece of music that comes up when a specific character
enters the scene. (Superhero movies like Superman or something)
 Musical Score – Say this instead of soundtrack or music.
 Silence – Not even sound, used in horror movies because jumpscares ._.

3. Identifying sound in Sherlock Holmes
