Planning Sound- Miss Miller

Planning Sound

Sound is crucial to any genre of film as it creates a fitting atmosphere, in relation to the scene, with the use of a soundtrack, it helps convey important information with dialogue and to build a realistic or effective view with parallel sound effects that help to emphasize the narrative. Planning sound will enable me to distinguish the different types of sound and where such techniques can be applied to my thriller film. It is important I plan sound and expand my knowledge of each technique because, if I fail to do so, my thriller film will not achieve all of the classic thriller conventions such as, shock, suspense, surprise. The types of sound I will be analysis fall under the four categories explain below.

Diegetic Sound

This style refers to sound with a visible source on screen or a source implied to be present. This can be immediately linked to when, in my thriller, the two female protagonists are walking home and talking throughout. The diegetic dialogue is important for this scene as the two protagonists provide a basic context to the film. The naturalistic use of only dialogue forebodes an anomalous, sinister event is going to take place, as all the thriller films aim to shock an audience. This will provide a heightened sense of tension as the viewer anticipates the sudden break away from the normality. The dialogue's focal purpose is, to provide the audience with information which helps build their understanding of the narrative. Diegetic sounds such as dialogue also helps the audience accumulate an immediate judgment of character, in this case the two female protagonists. As well as this, another example of diegetic sound can be applied to my thriller, specifically when one of the protagonists are speaking on the phone. The conversation between the caller and protagonist also accentuates the familiarity of the situation. In turn, this provides the idea of something malicious taking place and creates a typical situation that an audience can easily relate to.

Non-Diegetic

Non diegetic sound is essentially the opposite to the diegetic sound ; soundtracks/music are a form of non diegetic sound, orchestra based music is typically conventional of thriller films. I have decided that an orchestral or classic style of music would be effective for the final chase scene, between the remaining protagonist and the antagonist. An orchestral style of music would create an intense tension and suspense ; the vast variety of instruments and elements are used to bombard the audience's senses, leaving them baffled, and vulnerable to sudden changes in the music, subsequently scaring the viewer.  I aim to use a piece of music with a prevalent call and response style to it. Meaning, there will be a consistent base and a high pitch tonality provided, typically by violins. This will create a metaphor for the antagonist, deep dark base notes, and the protagonist, high pitched shrills of a violin, mirroring the action within the scene, the protagonist trying to escape but always being caught by the antagonist. This emphasizes the protagonists desperation and struggle, causing the audience to build a stronger relationship with her character, as they sympathies for her futile attempts of escaping. In addition, I wish to include a sudden miscellaneous crashing and shock provoking sound. The particular moment I would include this would be, just as the antagonist suddenly opens his eyes and wakes from his flashback. I feel the unexpected sharp, crescendo style of sound will work to shock the audience, whilst bringing them abruptly into the action, enticing them as they anticipate the next sharp burst of sound. Also the unpleasant sound linked to the waking of the antagonist means the audience build a negative relationship with the antagonist, as they associate him with shock and fear. These sounds are highly conventional of a thriller film. This is due to their ability to make the audience fearful, but also intrigued into what will shock them next.

Parallel Sound

Parallel sound refers to sound that are expected to appear in the scene and they relate to the action. The first example of this in my thriller film will be the street noises, for example, cars, distant voices. This inclusion of these sound emphasize the setting the characters are currently featured. These noises help to build a clear and realistic street scene, making it extremely relateble for the audience and in turn, builds a close relationship between viewer and the two protagonists on screen. Building a relationship as a viewer is essential as it provokes a greater, emotive response, because they feel in some way connected to the protagonist. Another example of parallel sound in my thriller regarding setting would be the noise of footsteps, leaves crunching and twigs snapping during the chase scene. The forest hold connotations of hope and freedom as its grandeur offers the protagonist a safe haven and various places to escape through. However, the destruction of branches, under the protagonists feet represents how her previous hope of escaping is broken, much like the fragmented pieces of tree that lay on the ground. This sense of hopelessness portrayed by the protagonist leaves the audience extremely tense, something all thrillers conventionally achieve, as the audience realise much like the protagonist that, her outlook is not good, and witness her heightened vulnerability. In addition an instinctive response from the protagonist could be a parallel sound. For example, when one of the female protagonists are murdered and her friend witnesses the body, a parallel sound would be the screaming and crying that followed this moment. 

Off Screen Sound

Off screen sound simply refers to sound with a source outside of the frame. The first example of this technique in my thriller film is at the very beginning, during the flash back; a female calls, from out of the frame, for the supposed young antagonist, sitting on a swing set. This provides a brief insight into the childhood of the antagonist, without using a visual representation. This allows the audience to accumulate their own variety of opinions that aren't influence by the sue of imagery. By only including sound of the female voice it leaves a great sense of ambiguity as to what she looks like and what purpose she provides. As well as this, suspense and tension are created through the audience trying to figure out the identity of the women, is she a mother figure to the young antagonist. Another example in my thriller film of off screen sound is, a scream from one of the female protagonists as she is murdered. The scream off screen will prove effective because the audience wont be able to immediately see the reason behind the guttering out burst, this will cause them to create the reason in their own minds. The pain inferred by the scream leaves the audience picturing the protagonist expressing this, through her body language and facial features. This will promote a fearful tension from the viewer as they build an image of the pretense in their heads. A scream is highly conventional of a thriller film as it holds connotations of pain, despair, anger, subsequently creating apprehension for the viewer. Off screen dialogue is generally highly conventional of a thriller film. This is because it conveys the prevalent them of hidden identity. A hidden identity is usually sustained by an antagonist, therefore the viewer is left questioning the intentions of the unidentified speaker with the idea that, they are likely to be evil, highlighting the suspense for the audience. 

Planning sound helped me gather a clearer image of my thriller film as I focused on the little details, i.e, the sound of twigs breaking. It also helped me focus upon each sound that we planned to introduce and how they were effective for the audience. Distinguishing the reactions from the audience towards each style of sound allowed me and my group to confirm whether this is what we wanted the audience to feel and how effective it would be, leaving us with close to our end product. Whilst editing my thriller film I will refer back to this plan, making sure that we have checked all of elements  that will create and exciting and intriguing view for the audience.