Summary of film language (Sound)

Sounds play a huge role within the film. It comes in many forms that all contribute to the film, aiding certain techniques used,creating sounds that otherwise you will not be able to hear otherwise or add to the overall experience of the film. There are two types of sounds used in films: Diegetic and non-Diegetic. Diegetic sounds are sounds that belong to the films world. (e.g. The sound of the floorboards creaking, as the character walks along it) Non-Diegetic sounds that do not belong in the world of the film and are deliberately placed within the film. (e.g. The Music playing over a scene) Sounds can be used in a variety of different ways within a film, to create certain effects and add to the overall experience. The ways in which sound is used are; A sound bridge. This is a sound that starts in one scene and continues into the next, to bridge the gap between the two scenes creating a smooth transition and enhancing continuity. (e.g. Music playing over the transition of two different scenes) Parallel sounds, used to complement the image. (e.g. 'happy' music used in a 'happy' scene) Contrapuntal sounds, Conflicting/contrasting sounds with the image, creating juxtaposition. (e.g. 'happy' music playing over a 'sad' or 'chaotic' scene) Dialogue, conversations between characters, monologues used to help the viewer understand what is going on in the scene. Sound effects (sfx), used to create sounds that would not be possible without the sound effects, to enhance the experience of the film. Sound effects also include voices and accents of the characters, and they can be either diegetic or non-diegetic. (e.g. The sound of an explosion)