Unit 24 - Sound Editing

Can you find examples of all of the following post them on your blog with a description of the effect (in your own words)

Mood and atmosphere (how is this created and for what purpose give examples in different genres fiction and non fiction use Romantic/sad/action/ non fiction film making emphasis on reality)
Audio fade (purpose)
Dialogue(examples of different types of dialogue think mood atmosphere settings and genre)
Voice over (different settings/genres/narration ie fiction film/news/documentary)
Ambient sound (film/tv)
Soundbridge examples again different genres think Yasmin
Foley sounds (what does the foley artist do?)
Synchronous/Asynchronous
Sound Motif (TV/Film)
ADR what is it?

Mood and Atmosphere
Sound is used very often in films and TV to alter the mood and atmosphere within a scene. The sound in the background or the music in a scene can be used to create an effect which brings sadness to the audience. This is used in The Lion King, when Simba finds his father dead.

However it is not just used to create a feeling of sadness. It can be used to do the opposite, and make the audience feel happy, just as the characters do. The use of sound can also add the themes of romance or tension to something. For example, the sound in this clip is used to heighten the tension:

Audio Fades

An audio fade is the (usually gradual) increase or decrease of the level of an audio track, so that it changes from being within the scene to the scene being silent, or from a silent scene to one filled with music.

Audio fades can be particularly useful to bring a piece of audio to its end, when the actual piece may not have an obvious ending. For example, an audio fade can be used at the end of a song if the raw audio seems to be randomly cut off.
Early audio fades were used in songs for simulating real-world events. In this example, George Olsen has used the sounds of a passing train fading into the audio sequence.

Having an audio fade is crucial in circumstances where you are going to play another audio track after the current one is done. For this reason, some artificial fades are added to the music which means that the audio can be balanced out. It means that whatever the next audio track may be, it can be played without the risk of sounding messy, or distorting the other audio track that is playing.
Audio fades are further important for the professionalism of an audio or visual piece. One example of this can be seen in this short video, made for/about an e-Sports organisation. The piece is called "Clockwork 4" and is very well done and professionally made, however this can be easily forgotten by the outro to the video, in which the audio abruptly stops along with the video track. This seemingly random cut off of audio can greatly alter the experience of viewing or listening to something, making it seem rushed and unnatural.

Dialogue

Dialogue in media terms can be defined as "a conversation or exchange between two or more characters as part of a book, play or film.

In film the way that dialogue is presented can greatly alter the original meaning of a scene. One brilliant example of this is in the sentence:

"I never said he stole your bag!"

Placing emphasis on different words within the sentence can give it an entirely new meaning. You can emphasize each word along the sequence, each will make the sentence have a slightly different connotation.

"I never said he stole your bag"

Emphasis on the "I" in this sentence can imply to the listener or viewer that the person speaking didn't say the statement, however someone else might have

"I never said he stole your bag!"
This implies that the character has at no point said or even considered saying such a statement.

"I never said he stole your bag!"
This gives the idea that the character hadn't explicitly stated that he stole the bag, but could have made implications and given small hints about the matter

"I never said he stole your bag!"
Emphasis on "he" can imply that the character might have said that another person had stolen the bag, but not the person who is currently under interrogation

"I never said he stole your bag!"
This sentence now tells the reader that the character might have said previously that the person in question has misplaced or borrowed the bag, but never stole it.

"I never said he stole your bag!"
Placing emphasis on another character in the sentence can tell the listener that the speaker had said previously that "he" had stolen someone else's bag, but not the bag belonging to the character.

"I never said he stole your bag!"
Finally, this emphasis can imply that the thief had stolen other property from the character, like phone, keys or jacket, but not the bag.

ADR (Automatic Dialogue Replacement)
Automatic dialogue replacement is when audio from a scene is re-recorded, and then placed over the existing audio.
ADR is usually carried out over clips where the audio from the microphones on set is different to how it was supposed to sound, or if the microphones simply forgot how to do their job, and hardly picked up the voice of the characters.
ADR can also be used if a take is shot which was almost perfect except for one line. Instead of re-shooting the entire scene again, they would just dub the voice of the character saying the sentence correctly over what is already there. ADR is tricky to perform, as the characters speech in the re-recorded audio must perfectly match what is going on throughout the clip, with the speech matching the mouth movement exactly, which can be very difficult and tedious.
Below is an example in The Great Gatsby where ADR has been used for the lines whilst driving. It is clear that the audio doesn't match the movement of the mouths, and makes for a confusing looking piece, with the audience possibly wondering who is actually talking.

Foley Sounds

Foley sounds are a reproduction of normal, everyday sounds which are added to a film in post production. Foley sounds are performed by people called Foley artists, who work in a studio, using different objects to create a more enhanced audio experience. The reproduced sounds can be things like footsteps of a character, doors shutting behind characters or the sound of breaking glass.

Foley sounds are generally used to enhance the sounds in a scene, if the sounds recorded during the scene don't suffice, or give the intended effect. For example, if in a scene, the closing of a door is important, a Foley may need to be added afterwards, so that more emphasis can be placed on the closure.

Synchronous and Asynchronous sound
Synchronous sound can be defined as "sound that is matched to the action that is happening on screen". It means that the sound we hear is linked to what we're seeing, like footsteps or speaking. It matches in timing, and generally matches in atmosphere too.

Asynchronous sound on the other hand is sound that is either out of sync with whats happening on screen, or does not match the tone or atmosphere. Another term for this is "contrapuntal sound". The mood changes based on the music, for example when a serial killer enters, and "Walking on Sunshine" is playing, it is Asynchronous. Asynchronous can also be used if the audio is playing in one scene, whilst a shot from another scene is visually displayed. For example, if a character has a long monologue, you could use asynchronous sound to cut to other shots, as to not bore the viewer whilst constantly on the same shot.

Ambient sound
Ambiance within films and TV can help immerse the audience, and believe that they are within the scene. For example, a scene in a factory may have the clanking of metal and whirring of machines in the background, used to create a more realistic atmosphere within the scene. This can also be used for example in a coffee shop, with people talking to each other, footsteps and the baristas serving customers.

Sound Motifs

A sound motif is a sound effect or combination of sound effects which signal the entry of a certain character in a film or TV show. Sound motifs can be used to prepare the audience for the coming events after the arrival of the character.

In this case, the whistling is used as a sound motif to signal to the viewer that the killer is about to make an attack on his victim, this being the one who happens to be in the scene with him.

Sound bridging

A sound bridge is when the sound or dialogue from one scene carries over into the next. One good example of this is in Silence if the Lambs, where the phrase "Your Self Storage Facility" carries itself over to the next scene.