Film Sound Techniques and Theory

                  

RHYTHM - beat or pulse, pace or tempo
Rhythm can be recognisable in music, where the pace of music matches the scene to achieve the right effect (e.g suspense or tension), speech, where it is used to hold the viewers attention, and even sound effects can maintain rhythmic qualities. 

FIDELITY - extent to which sound fits with the source in which it came from. 

A matter of what a viewer would expect to hear.

LACK OF FIDELITY - disparity between image and sound

Can make viewer feel discriminated. 

PARALLEL SOUND - sound that matches the theme of the images on screen 

e.g suspense music  in a horror theme

CONTRAPUNTAL SOUND - when we hear sounds that we wouldn’t usually associate with the events on screen

Adds impact to a scene and may influence the viewer to feel uncomfortable

SYNCHRONOUS SOUND - when the viewer hears sound at the same time we see the source produce the sound 

e.g dialogue when the lips of the character move as we hear the appropriate words spoken

ASYNCHRONOUS SOUND - where images and sounds are out of sync.

DIEGETIC SOUNDS - sounds produced in the story space of the film

Sounds which we would expect to hear coming from the action.

NON DIEGETIC SOUNDS -sound that is from a source that is outside of the  narrative space

Often in the form of music a spoken narrative

VOLUME - the intensity of a sound

Alterations in volume can have a dramatic impact on the atmosphere of the scene and can intensify the action - especially if a 

period of quiet is followed by louder elements within the scene.