Audio

A discussion on audio:  

Before I describe/plan out the audio for my opening. I wanted to discuss how much I appreciate audio in film ever since I learned how complicated it is. Because only dialogue is recorded on set, EVERY OTHER sound must be made and recorded in post-production. Every creak, step, wind, or touch needs to be accounted for. It can also add so much to the scene when you put specific sounds throughout the scene. For example, In the titanic the scene where Jack and Rose are running off the ship you can feel the ship breaking with every creak and groan that was added in post. Those sounds heighten the feeling of anxiety to the moment. Another important element of sound is music; music can completely change the emotion of a scene. One example is Jaws. Jaws has a famous motif that warns the audience that the shark is coming. It makes you tense up every time you hear it.  The interesting thing about this motif though is the fact that it's not used during the third act of the movie when the shark surprises the crew. The repeated use of the music throughout the music makes its absence during the jump scare that much more surprising. Because I’ve studied this invisible element in movies, it makes me conscious of it and appreciate it a lot more when I watch things.  

 

Audio in my opening:  

In my opening I want there to be a lot of silence in the beginning, just the occasional dialogue and noises Carmen makes. When she has the disturbing encounter with the technology in her home is when I want there to be a lot of noise, so much so that it disorients her and the audience. But leading up to that moment I do want to have moments where this intentional focus on sudden sounds in the middle of silence. Like the blender going off suddenly, or mechanical locking of her door. And when it comes to music, I think it would be good to have instrumental sounds paired with actions, not a consecutive song. Like a a sharp violin when she thinks she hears something.