This presentation is a part of semester presentation.

1. Role Of
‘Sound’ in
Film

2. Personal Information
★ Name :- Aarti Bhupatbhai Sarvaiya
★ Roll No :- 01
★ Enrollment No :- 4069206420220027
★ Sem :- 3(M.A.)
★ Batch :- 2022-2024
★ Paper No. :- 204
★ Paper Code :- 22409
★ Paper Name :- Contemporary Western Theories and Film Studies
★ Submitted to :- Smt. S. B. Gardi, Department of English,M.K.B.U.
★ Dated on :- 2023
★ Email :- aartisarvaiya7010@gmail.com

3. Points To Ponder
Introduction
Importance
Of ‘Sound’ In
Film
Types Of
‘Sound’ In
Film
1 2
3
4
5
Conclusion
References
Essential
elements of
Sound Design

4. Introduction :-
➢ Sound is important in a production. Sound in a movie includes music, dialogue,
sound effects, ambient noise, and/or background noise and soundtracks. Some
sort of sound is always used to enhance the movie experience. (Scorsese et al.)
➢ “Sound design makes your film come to life.” (SIMPSON)
➢ Without sound design, film would be a bland medium. Mood, atmosphere, and
tone are vital components for compelling films, and sound complements the
visual as much as the visual complements the sound. (SIMPSON)

5. Importance Of ‘Sound’ In Film
● Sound design is the craft of combining every piece of audio in a film—including dialogue, sound effects,
ambiance, score, and soundtrack—to create the film’s soundscape. (SIMPSON)
● In a film, music serves several important functions: it can influence a viewer’s interpretation of a scene,
evoke a specific emotion, foreshadow certain events, identify a specific character, or link together
certain scenes or themes of a film. (ATKINS)
● Music plays a crucial role in the film narrative because it is a primary vehicle to convey a wide range of
emotions to the audience and it can be used to establish a mood or highlight a dramatic event.
(BARBOSA,DIZON)

6. Essential elements of Sound Design
● Ambiance: Ambiance refers to an environment’s overall atmosphere. Background noises
like a slight breeze or falling leaves provide information without overloading the audio. It’s
often the most subtle sound element that sets a scene.
● Dialogue: The actors’ words are one of the things that make a movie a movie. Sound
designers record dialogue during principal photography with boom mics or lapel
microphones (placed on the actors), or using automated dialogue replacement (ADR) in the
post production stage.
● Sound effects: Footsteps echoing on pavement, paper tearing, rockets launching,
basketballs dribbling on a court—all of these are audio effects. Often serving as another
layer of ambiance, audio effects can range from sounds we hear daily to UFOs blasting into
space. (SIMPSON)

7. Essential elements of Sound Design
● Foley sounds: Foley sound effects are recorded during post production on a soundstage. Foley artists
watch the film’s footage and use various materials to recreate specific sounds (the sound of an actor’s
hand brushing against a jacket, for example).
● Voiceover: Written in the script as “VO,” a voiceover is the narration from a character you hear
offscreen—usually a commentary of the scene or story. Morgan Freeman, the most recognized
narrator in history, famously pre-records his lines in a studio. The sound designer usually leads the
recording of the voiceover, which is added to the scene during the editing process. “Million Dollar
Baby,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” and “March of the Penguins” are examples of heavily narrated
films.
● Music: This is where the composer and sound designer collaborate. Of course, music is also a sound;
it’s a significant part of filmmaking. The composer’s score and sound designer’s massive audio
compilation (ambiance, dialogue, foley sounds, and everything that makes up the film’s sound design)
are pieced together to produce a harmonious track. (SIMPSON)

8. Types Of ‘Sound’ In Film
1. Diegetic Sound
Diegetic sound, also sometimes referred to as objective sound, consists of the sounds that exist in a scene as a
representation of the acoustic and sonic elements that exist in the fictional world represented as real life, as if
the spectator was tangibly placed in the scene.
Some examples include the sound of cars honking in a city, dogs barking, footsteps, doors closing, dialogue
between people, music from a radio, etc.
1. Non-Diegetic Sound
Non-diegetic sounds, also referred to as extra-diegetic sounds , are any acoustic elements that are added to a
scene for dramatisation purposes, but are not part of the fictional world of the narrative.
Examples of non-diegetic sound may include the use of the narrator’s voice, the music score or special sound
effects. (BARBOSA,DIZON)

9. Types Of ‘Sound’ In Film
3. Meta-Diegetic Sound
One particular case of diegetic sound can occur if there is the need to present a subjective auditory scene from the point of view
of a character. This means that a sound that the audience is actually listening to is a personal perception of the character, and
therefore an altered representation of reality, according to the state of mind of the character, ranging for a minor over reaction to
extreme imagination or even hallucination. This specific concept of sound design is called meta-diegetic and was introduced by
Claudia Gorbman (1976).
4. Oneiric Sound
A very common use of meta-diegetic sound is the representation of a dream-like state from the perspective of a character. This
happens when that character is subject to a shocking event and starts perceiving reality as if it is a dream, very close to the
perception state that one has when one is about to faint. This use of sound is defined as oneiric sound from the ancient Greek
Oneiros, which means dream. This term was first adopted by Vlada Petric using oneiric cinema to describe films that deal with
various kinds of altered states of consciousness.
A typical oneiric moment is triggered by an event in the narrative and slowly takes the character to a dream-like state.
(BARBOSA,DIZON)

10. Conclusion
● The role of sound in film is multifaceted and indispensable, playing a crucial role
in shaping the overall cinematic experience.
● It has the power to engage the senses, evoke emotions, and immerse the
audience in the story.

11. References :-
Atkins, Alexander. “The Importance of Music in Film | Atkins Bookshelf.” Atkins Bookshelf, 3 February 2022,
https://atkinsbookshelf.wordpress.com/2022/02/03/the-importance-of-music-in-film/ . Accessed 21 October 2023.
BARBOSA,DIZON, ÁLVARO,KRISTINE. “THE FILM SOUND ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK: A CONCEPTUAL TOOL TO INTERPRET THE
CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE.” Kristine Dizon, 2020, https://www.kristinedizon.com/uploads/2/4/2/8/24282013/journal-artigo05-2020-
07-08__1_.pdf . Accessed 21 October 2023.
Scorsese, Martin, et al. “8. What Is Sound? – Exploring Movie Construction and Production.” Milne Publishing, 2017,
https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/exploring-movie-construction-and-production/chapter/8-what-is-sound/ . Accessed 21 October
2023.
Simpson, Michael Lee. “What Is Sound Design in Film? Definition & Examples.” Backstage, 11 May 2023,
https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/what-is-sound-design-in-film-75845/ . Accessed 21 October 2023.