Becoming aware of sound events in radio plays, radio packages, and films, TV
Compare the choice of sounds in fictional narrative (radio plays & films) and in actuality (radio and TV news, and radio packages)
| Discover the choice of sounds for these different purposes. |
| Compare the opening of fictional scenes (radio plays & films) - the trigger sounds and the task of Signposting Signposting is a combination of sound effects (spot or FX pre-recorded), and sometimes backed by description. |
| Listeners understand the sounds are information and they trigger emotions. |
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| Make use of terms from film sound See http://classes.yale.edu/film-analysis/ - Part 5 Sound |
| Make use of film terms from REALITY FILM |
| Also Taking the best shots for your film at |
| Cinematic Terms - A Film-Making Glossary |
| Television - critical methods and applications |
| Yale - Part 4: Editing |
Take the beginning of this play:
FX: (MARRIED COUPLE ARE HEARD DURING MASSAGE, WIFE MASSAGING HUSBAND. WE DO NOT YET KNOW THAT THIS IS MASSAGE.)
PHIL: (uncomfortable) Is that the sandlewood incense?
PAULINE: (intent on her task and in weird meditation) Pursue with me the quest for inner excellence.
PHIL: It's just - you know - I'm allergic - (sneezes)
PAULINE: (vigorously massaging) What puts the smile on the face of the dolphin? What makes the eagle soar towards the sun?
PHIL: (grunting and more uncomfortable) Aaahh! Enough .... massage - please..................
You are directing this radio comedy. What music and effects will you choose? You need to signal that this is a livingroom, and you need to get at the ambiguous situation.
You need
| MASSAGE MOOD MUSIC PLAYED IN SITTINGROOM. |
| WIND CHIMES INSIDE ROOM |
How do the sound effects and the dialogue work together?
Types of sounds in radio plays:
Sound effects
Simply, these are sounds and noises which occur 'naturally' along with
the vocal. When we hear such sounds we can clearly and unproblematically
relate them to our experience of a similar reality (e.g. traffic rumble
when we see cars; running water when we see a forest river; etc.).
These sounds can happen within the 'frame' of the radio drama scene picture
or outside it.
Very often we don't have to SEE what is making the sound - the sound source.
If we do not see the sound source, though we hear the sound event, we call
this sound an acousmatic sound.
Sound effects are also usually SINGULAR in some way - like a door bang,
gun shot, etc.. If someone has to go out and record such sounds, they usually
can do so without knowing the radio drama dialogue they must match.
Later, these sound effects are then editing into place in the radio play.
Atmospheres or soundscapes for a radio play scene
You build up this from chosen sound effects. You balance this below the
dialogue - foreground-background.
See Stearns, Jerry, 1995, 'Radio Sound Effects: An assembly of elementary
tips about the use of sound effects in the creation of radio theater' at
http://www.greatnorthernaudio.com/audio_theater/Sound_Effects.html
