Some more terminology!

This week we'll investigate how sound can be used to...

♦ establish environment

♦ support narrative

♦ create or support transition

♦ set the mood

♦ establish character

♦ convey emotions

Your task will then be to find examples of each of these.

establish environment

Here is an example of the sound used to establish environment in the computer game Darkfall 

support narrative

Here is the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan. The director is trying to convey how disorientating and chaotic the battle is. Sound is used to reinforce this. Pay particular attention to the change that occurs at 4:37. Note how the sound changes, as if our character played by Tom Hanks has lost his hearing. This emphasizes the confusion and disorientation he would have felt.

Here is another example this time from the cartoon Wonder Jungle. This time the job of supporting the story is done purely by the music.

create or support transition

In this example we will return to an old favourite of ours Shawshank Redemption. Keep in mind that we have gone from a noisy court room scene complete with lots of music to a very different scene that feels claustrophobic. The opening of the creaky doors supports this transition.

set the mood

Here is a short piece about the sound setting the mood on the batman film the dark night

establish character

In Jaws a powerful piece of music is used to tell us when the shark is around!  

convey emotions

Here is the famous shower scene from the film Psyco. Listen to how the dissonant music conveys the horror during the attack.