Sound

·         Human voice dialogue

·         Sounds

·         Music

These are all used to create realism.

Types of sound:

DIEGESIS – the world of TV

Diegetic sound – any sound or music that happens inside the world of the story; dialogue/speech, footsteps and sound effects with a source. This helps to create a particular atmosphere.

Non-diegetic sound – is sound that takes place outside the world of the story; music and soundtrack. It is used to provide an appropriate emotion or mood which may also add to the realism of the drama.

FOLEY is the reproduction of everyday sounds for use in filmmaking, like the swishing of clothing and squeaky doors. It is unnoticed by the audience. This helps to create verisimilitude in the diegesis.

Voice over – this is like a narrator, could be central character. It is normally first person narrative. This helps us understand the story and give the audience privileged information (the bomb theory).  

Direct address – when the characters on the screen directly address the audience. This is normally comical (like in Hustle). Not good for verisimilitude because it takes away realism.

Music – helps the audience feel part of the story and helps us feel what the characters are feeling. This use of music is a convention of TV drama.

Incidental music - this is used to add emotion and rhythm to a drama. usually meant to go unnoticed. Background music often foreshadows a change in mood. for example, DISSONANT music may be used in a film to indicate an approaching (but not yet visible) menace or disaster.

Sound motifs - can represent different characters. like when you hear indina jones music you know he's come to save the day.

Parallel sound - when we watch a TV drama we expect to hear upbeat fast paced music when watching a fight scene or chase scene. meeting audience expectation.

Contrapuntal sound - sound that does not fit the images on screen. e.g. comical or classical music over violent scenes.

Ambietn sound - there to create verisimilitude - it is natural sound.

*VERISIMILITUDE – the believable logic of the texts world (which appears real)