Music

and
Sound

Todays Objectives
What is a film score?
How can music impact a film or scene?
What is the difference between music and sound?
Describe a range of different types of music scores
Describe how a music score can create atmosphere
and heighten tension.
Discuss and use terminology to differentiate
between music and sound.

Starter
What is the most memorable piece of music you
can remember from film?
What is it about the music that is memorable?

Mine is Indiana Jones and the

Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Music scores
Can you identify the genres of the films from the
pieces of music being played?
Can you name the films?

Sound in Film
This is divided into two forms for film:
Diegetic
Non Diegetic

DIEGETIC SOUND
Sounds that can be heard in the diegesis (the world) of the film.
Dialogue, explosions, music on a car radio etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH-r4HXHcCk&feature=relmfu
Ten minutes describe the various diegetic sounds used within the
scene
Sound within this category can not be added, it is worth noting
however that even if the sound was created in post production
like a gun shot if it belongs in the world of the movie then it
remains diegetic sound.

NON-DIEGETIC SOUND
Sounds that are outside the diegesis (the world) of the film.
Soundtrack, External voiceover

Many films will use narrators like Stand By Me or

the Shawshank Redemption
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1Lic4ueSmY&feature=rel
mfu

Ten minutes identify the use of non-diegetic

sound.

SYNCHRONOUS SOUND
Sounds that reflect what can be seen on screen.
e.g. A shot of a door closing and the sound of the slam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdBO3uQcHgI

Name the synchronous sounds within this scene

ASYNCHRONOUS SOUND
Sounds that dont reflect the images on screen.
e.g. a police siren in the distance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW4tjKzDEDU

Identify the sounds.

CONTRAPUNTAL SOUND
Sounds that are juxtaposed with images that are displayed on
screen.
e.g. violence on screen supported by happy music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-zRtT5jPLA
What do you think the impact is of using classical music with
the violence in the scene.

Music and Sound

Four main areas of meaning that can be created through
sound either diegetic or non-diegetic:
Character use of a musical motif can help suggest the
type of character either good or bad.
Genre the type of music can help to identify the genre of
the film, can you give an example.
Setting The style of music or ambiance can suggest the
place. Westerns the use of emptiness wind for the
tumbleweeds etc.
Narrative the story and event being shown, it can often
create atmosphere and tension.

Impact of Musical Scores

Watch the scenes and identify the diegetic and
non diegetic sounds
Analyse how tension and atmosphere is created in
the scene?
How does the music change as the scene
progresses?
What does the use of music suggest about the
character?
Discuss any points of interest of the music relating
to setting, or genre where relevant?

Scene 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
8VP5jEAP3K4