2. Sound in Moving image
The extra dimension that sound adds to film has been acknowledged since the
early days of cinema.
• How was sound added to silent films?
The Birth of a Nation is a well known and top grossing American silent film.
The ability to add a soundtrack was possible from 1911, however...
In 1927, Warner Bros. released the first feature film with a soundtrack -
The Jazz Singer.
• Why do you think there was a delay in adding a
soundtrack to films?
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3. The Birth of a Nation, Directed by D W Griffiths, 1915
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5. Sound in Moving image
In 1928, Lights of New York was so
impressive that it stimulated a rapid
and total conversion to sound
within the entire film industry.
Today soundtracks are
sophisticated and digital, combining
dialogue, music and sound effects.
6. Diegetic & Non-Diegetic
The world of the film/TV programme we see on
the screen is known as the diegetic world.
We can only see a section of this world.
However, the audience accepts that there are things taking place
around the edges of what is seen on the screen.
The edges of what we can see on the cinema screen are extended
by the use of sound.
•What examples of sound ‘on the edges’ can you
think of?
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7. Diegetic & Non-Diegetic
All sounds in film or TV programmes can be classed as diegetic or
non-diegetic.
Diegetic Non-diegetic
Sound which is part of the film/TV Sound which we do not recognise
programme world. Can be as part of the film/TV programme
✦dialogue world. Such as
✦music ✦voice-over
✦sound effects ✦background music
which come from a source within the
film/TV programme world.
Diegetic sound can occur either on
screen or off screen; we can see the
person or object making the sound or
not.
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8. Watch the clip from Eastenders and identify examples of the use of
Diegetic Sounds Non-diegetic Sounds
✦ dialogue ✦ voice-over
✦ music ✦ background music
✦ sound effects
✦ on/off screen of the above
QuickTimeª and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
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9. Parallel & Contrapuntal Sound
Parallel Sound
Contrapuntal Sound
Sound that
compliments the Sound that contrasts with
visual image the visual image
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10. Identifying sound
• Watch the extract from the film Trainspotting.
• Renton is preparing for coming off heroin or
‘relinquishing junk’ as he calls it.
• Watch the extract and answer the following
questions.
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11. Identifying Sound
• Make a list of all the equipment neccessary for coming
off heroin - according to Renton’s commentary.
What can you say about Renton’s voice?
• What sounds do we hear directly before the music
starts?
Is the sound parallel or contrapuntal?
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12. Identifying Sound
• What type of music do we hear accompanying this
extract?
Where would you usually expect to hear this music
played?
• Who would be the expected audience for this type of
music?
What images would you normally expect to see on
screen accompanied by this style of music?
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13. Identifying Sound
• What is the condition and colour of the items you see in the
foreground of the shot?
Where does the background suggest the action is taking
place?
• What effect does this mix of images and sound create?
As this extract is setting the tone of the narrative, why do
you think the filmmaker chose to put this music and these
visuals together?
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14. Sound
• Silence can play an important role in moving image. It
can either diegetic or non-diegetic and be used to
emphasise something or imply something might happen.
• Ambient sounds are background sounds. They are
what we would expect to hear, such as birds outside.
Ambient sounds are used to establish or reinforce the
atmosphere/mood of a scene and also provide
continuity between shots and and prevent unnatural
(and unwanted) silence, when no other sound is
present.
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16. Sound Bridges
• Sound from one scene can continue even though the visual
image has moved on to the next scene.
Sound can begin from the next scene, even though the
visual image is still of the first scene.
• Can be themed to aid continuity and the identity of a
programme.
• Help to create smooth transition from one scene to
another.
Enhances continuity.
Dialogue, music or sound effects
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17. Example of a sound bridge
Is it diegetic or non-diegetic sound?
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18. Diegetic Non-diegetic
Sound Example Sound Example
Dialogue Voice-over
Complete this diagram of
diegetic and non-diegetic sounds
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19. QuickTimeª and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
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20. Camerawork & Mise-en-scene
• Watch the excerpt again and make notes on
examples of camerawork and mise-en-scene.
• Are any used in conjunction with one another?
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21. Writing about media language
• Use the notes you have made on sound, camerawork and
mise-en-scene in the Neighbours excerpt, to write 1 to 2
sides of A4 explaining the use of all 3.
Try to discuss 5 pieces of camerawork, 1 element of each
area of CLAMPS and both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds.
• You do not need to write about the examples in the order
that they happened.
Focus on what affect the media language has on an
audience.
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