Importance Of Sound In Film Essay Sample

Stemming from one of our major biological senses, auditory perceptions stimulate our brain by encoding certain ideas, concepts, or associations that allow for a greater understanding of the perceived event. Movies reflect this sentiment, as the embedment of particular soundscapes and music prove to be an effective integral component to the movie-making process. In enhancing the experience of the film, I believe that the utilization of such sounds often induce certain emotional responses for the audience, intentionally gravitating viewers towards the movie more. Through the different scholarly articles, my prime question concerns how soundscapes and music within movies are able to serve as a compelling component in conveying certain emotions within the audience. In delving into unique perspectives on musical integration within movies, the differing scholars demonstrate how alternative tones, ambience of sounds, and musical compositional choices may be more suitable and advantageous in enhancing certain qualities and genres of film. Subsequently, I analyzed the impact of various auditory facets within movies: ambience of soundscapes, choices within musical composition, and incorporation of movie scores.

The first important aspect is how ambient soundscapes are vital in detailing the atmosphere of a particular movie scene, while also setting certain conditions of realism throughout the film. The creation of soundscapes of ambient noises ultimately serve as background noise that does not detract from film nor distract the audience. Rather, the integrated sounds accompany the visual film being presented within the movie. As explained by John Mariana, “an overdose [of sounds] can destroy the credibility or a whole picture”, emphasizing the rule of “less is more” (Mariana, 37). Excessive and extraneous ambient noises that are striking inevitably create a false understanding of what is occurring within the film, while also possibly deterring from the focus on visual footage within the film. Thus, the best approach to the enhancement of the film is the rule of “less is more”, in which utilizing less sounds within the ambience allows for a greater focus on the visual scene. Through a correct dosage of sounds, the ambient soundscapes may ultimately serve the purpose of creating a sensation of realism through the use of diegetic sounds, in which it is “crucial in providing semantic information about characters and in establishing time and place” (Wilkins, 45). The strict focus on utilizing diegetic sounds incorporates elements of the setting that characters would know, while eliminating sounds that would thus be inaudible for the characters within the movie. Subsequently, these noises and sounds create a sentiment of realism within the world of the movie, and thus inadvertently allows audiences to grasp a greater understanding of the content of the movie and feel more attracted to the film.

Alternatively, another element of ambient soundscapes is how specific soundscape moods induce certain emotions within the audience. Horror movies greatly represent this idea as they aim to induce fear and uneasiness among viewers. Jack Sullivan explains it best in his article “Psycho: The Music of Terror” in which he examines the creation of the horror film Psycho, and asserts that terror is linked with “the sublime, a sense that the world is inifinitely dangerous” and that the sounds “fill the mind with that sort of delightful horror, which is the most genuine and truest effect of the sublime” (Sullivan, 21). In accompanying the footage, the intense dissonance and eerie sounds that are portrayed within the film create a frightening atmosphere for the film, while successfully evoking the anxious emotions. Molding a specific soundscape to reflect the genre of the film further amplifies the psychological significance that music and sounds can have on an individual’s emotions. Consequently, different genres of movies will utilize different ambient soundscapes to create a musical tone that reflects and accompanies the movie footage, enhancing the visual experience with the curated audible experience.

Moreover, another facet is the specific choices made within the musical composition of the movie score, and how they further contribute to its influence on the audience through intended emotional evokations. With music being a diverse element that is subject to develop differently depending on specific scenes or genres of film, musical scores are integral in portraying key qualities of movies. As described by Micheal Fink, musical scores exhibit five major functions: “1) creating a convincing atmosphere of time and place, 2) showing a character’s unspoken thoughts, 3) serving as a neutral background filler, 4) creating a sense of continuity, and 5) evoking a theatrical buildup” (Fink, 24). Its significance goes beyond being a source of audible entertainment, but rather serves a purpose in enhancing the movie through utilitarian means. Subsequently, the choices made within the musical composition reflect the movie to create particular emotional expressions. The direct connection between musical compositional elements and its subsequent emotional effect is described by Gordon Bruner, stating that “there are three main structural factors on which music is based” in which “emotional expressions are ascribed to various components” (Bruner, 95). These three categories are time-related expressions, pitch-related expressions, and texture-related expressions. The relationship between specific music compositional notes and their intended response allows for score composers to write music that is fitting for the movie. With this understanding, composers are able to formulate music in a manner that becomes memorable, such as movie themes. This is represented with Schwartz’s article on “Movie Tunes”, in which he explains how famous theme songs and tunes become memorable as it evokes a certain emotion and understanding that the audience associates with the movie (Schwartz, 211). In creating a memorable movie score, score composers intentionally combine musical components that are unique enough to be distinguishable and easily recognizable, while being audibly sensational and pleasing to the listeners. Ultimately, the incorporation of a musical score is very effective in enhancing the movie’s understanding and memorability that audiences can truly enjoy and remember.

The production and utilization of sounds will continue to serve as a vital facet for entertainment, stimulating our auditory senses and providing us with a stronger understanding of our world. From evoking intended emotional responses, to creating a sense of realism, audible elements that range from soundscapes to musical scores offer a formidable aspect to the enhancement of movie-watching. Further research revolving around this idea within the future may include understanding how various musical elements may appeal to certain demographics of individuals, and the psychological reasons as to why. This understanding can be further be applicable to our future as studies explore how sounds and music are strategically incorporated within various media and entertainment to attract viewers and garner their attention. Thus, within the next 30 years or so, future implications include the development of new various sounds and music, resulting in new genres of movies and entertainment.