This week, we dive into the relevance of sound design in film and media production. Over time, the significance of sound design in films has been subverted but many projects have failed because of poor or disorganized sound.
Here are 5 Reasons why you should never underestimate the power of good sound design.
1. Sound is the honey pot
Fact is that visuals are the first cut, however, the sound is the cherry on top. The sound pulls us closer to people, to the picture, to motion. You ever watched a video or film without sound? Blunt? benumbing, dull right? Sound carries the story and evokes the variations, details & quirks. The sound effects in films whether action or romance always push us to feel more and part of the story told. It elevates the picture and captures the audience. Imagine Godzilla vs Kong without sound. Paints the picture? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dib1pXan_UU&ab_channel=QuadARecords
2. What is film without dialogue?
One of the most important aspects of the film is dialogue. Dialogue carries us through the story helping us understand the script. Dialogue editing is not easy peasy. Having to correspond all the cast’s dialogue perfectly is a hands-on must for film production. You ever play a video and the audio is not at the same pace? The frustration is unbearable. The dialogue editor makes sure we don’t have to go through this. Distinctive dialogue, creative sound effects, and an emotive score all have an important role in adding to and developing characters.
3. Bad Sound = Bad production Value
We have talked about the film without sound and dialogue and now let’s talk about the sound mix. An audience could somewhat forgive an imperfect picture but an obscure or ear-splitting sound will throw them off balance and have them very frustrated.
The story is ultimately lost. The sound mix is very essential especially in the aspect of which environment it is to be played in i.e theatrical, streaming, home, etc.
” There’s a huge difference between watching something on a small screen with a mediocre sound system and watching it on a giant screen in a giant theatre with a huge beautiful sound system. The difference is electric!” – George Lucas
You do not want to play theatrical mix in home entertainment. Find out why here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3zvJO0hVHg&ab_channel=QuadARecords
4. When words fail music speaks.
The power of music is undeniably evident in film production. It carries and emphasizes emotions. The music score does wonders to the feel of the film. You ever watch a movie and the soundtrack gets you crying or it keeps in your head. That’s the power of a music score in designing sound for film. It will get the audience catching feelings whether it is fear, love, sadness, joy, or even contempt. Music moves us. It helps to tell the story in so many ways words could not have.
5. Where is the fun without Foley.
A lot of thought is put into character development using the choice of their footwear. The Foley editor pays a lot of attention to the detail of a character. How they walk, the kind of shoes they are wearing, the surfaces they are stepping on. All of this creates perfect sync and depth of a character’s sonic presence. Imagine a horror movie without foley. It would lose the story and the entirety of the genre. There are keen small details that are paid attention to during foley editing to help build the character and the environment they are in; cloth movements, footsteps & props.
All these elements in sound design combined ensure that 50% of the movie experience is thrilling, remarkable & exciting.
