LESSON 2 MAKING MOVIES: SOUND EFFECTS

1. Preliminary discussion 1. How does sound affect a film? 2. Why are sound effects important in films? 3. What are hard sound effects? 4. What is off-screen sound? 5. The less sound used, the better the film. Is it true or false? 6. Is the quality of film dependent on pure visual elements? 7. What are the different types of sound effects? 8. What are Foley sound effects?

2. What the main features of silent and sound films:

Silent films (1897 to 1927)

Sound films / “talkies” (since 1927)

3. Sound effects and their role

Dialogue

Voice Over / Commentary

Music

Sound Effects

Silence

4. How are important the sound effects in different genres? Genre Dialogue Voice over Music Sound Silence effects Action Adventure Comedy Historical Horror Musical Sci. fiction Crime Drama War film Western Soap opera Documentary Cartoon You can express the necessity with words: very, less and not

5. Watch the video and define sound effects:

6. Read and translate the text Behind-the-scenes of audio movie magic from Star Wars and Lord Of The Rings to The Matrix and Jurassic Park. Sound is a major element of film that can often be taken for granted. It is used to introduce elements of the plot, provide clues and warnings, and even misguide audiences. From something as simple but distinctive as footsteps to the complex creation of a new language, sound has the important role of making us believe what we’re seeing, whether it’s possible or not. Originally used to dramatise radio dialogue, sound effects have quickly developed into an expansive area of production alongside modern recording and editing technology. What has remained the same, however, is the high degree of creative spark required to make profound audio moments resonate in film. Delve into eight iconic movie sound effects, and the processes that helped create them, below. Lightsabers Star Wars (1977) The lightsaber hum is integral to the Star Wars universe. It was the first thing sound designer Ben Burtt made for the films and has remained an exhilarating effect eight entries in. Still a student projectionist at UFC, Burtt was inspired by the wavering pitch of two Simplex projector motors harmonising with each other and recorded it. Paired with the transmission whir of a TV set, the basic lightsaber tone was established. One final step was required to create the illusion of saber movement. By playing back the composite hum on loudspeakers and passing an active microphone in front of the speaker cone, Burtt was able to get the Doppler effect the defines the zipping lightsaber sound The Dinosaurs Jurassic Park (1993) Jurassic Park sound designer Gary Rydstrom was given the creative task of coming up with animal noises no one had ever heard before. Without a dinosaur in existence for over 65 million years, he drew inspiration from living creatures instead. Manipulated hoots from geese proved convincing as brachiosaurus speak. A friendly herd of cows and horses were turned into a stampede of gallimimus. The stitching together of a dolphin shriek and walrus snarl ended up a velociraptor bark. And the fearsome tyrannosaurus rex roar? That’s Rydstrom’s Jack Russell terrier, Buster. The transformation of harmless animals into gigantic prehistoric beats was a success. In 1994, Rydstrom won two Academy Awards for sound editing on Jurassic Park, and has gone on to win five more for other films. The Waterphone Poltergeist (1982), The Matrix (1999) While you may be unfamiliar with its name, you have heard the eerie sounds of the Waterphone in films like Poltergeist, The Matrix, and Alien. Invented by Richard Waters between 1968-1969, the Waterphone consists of a stainless steel pan surrounded by metal rods of various lengths that can be drummed or bowed like a string instrument. Each model is handmade by Waters himself. To produce sound, the instrument requires that water be poured into the basin portion. The amount of water used will influence the overall tonal character by varying the pitch and blend of notes. Its unhinged, resonant sound often crops up in films when something strange and unknown happens, and has also been used to call whales and other aquatic mammals. The Predator Voice Click Predator (1987) Veteran voice actor Peter Cullen based the iconic pur of the titular character in Predator on a dying, upside down crab he came across once on a beach. After being shown the scene where the Predator takes off his mask to reveal his suitably alien face, Cullen quickly recalled the poor crustacean and the crackling sounds it made during its final moments. With a throat burned up from extensive vocal roaring for King Kong, Cullen was reluctant to go full monster and instead came up with the unsettling clicks and gurgles, which announce the Predator’s location before an attack.