This content originally appeared on Envato Tuts+ Tutorials and was authored by Marie Gardiner
The phrase “sound design” is used a lot when talking about film production, but what exactly is sound design in film? What does it include, and how can sound design be used well in films? Let’s take a look.
What is Sound Design in Film? Definitions.
Definitions of sound design will vary and some will argue that sound design is done in post-production, not in recording. There’s definitely some merit in this, but also the old adage of Garbage In, Garbage Out still applies, you can’t get great sound in post-production if you’ve got missing elements or poor quality recordings in the production phase. So for the purposes of this article, we’re looking at an overview - going into the job of a sound engineer or mixer is an article in itself! Sound design in film is all of the auditory (everything you hear) elements that make up the whole sound experience of the production. This includes…
1. Music (Score)
Also known as the ‘score’, this is the music that goes alongside the film written by a composer specifically for the movie based on the scenes filmed and what atmosphere or emotion it needs to reflect. The score is usually instrumental.
2. Soundtrack (OST)
The soundtrack (or Original Sound Track) is different to the score in that it can include tracks that already exist and are just licensed for use in the film. The soundtrack also refers to the wider sound of the movie as a whole, but isn’t the same as the sound design because it doesn’t include effects, ambient noise, or dialogue.
3. Sound Effects
Sound effects could be things like footsteps, creaking doors, cars starting up, to more elaborate things like explosions or animal roars. Sound effects should help whatever is on-screen feel more real. They can also help to emphasise or add impact actions or events that are happening, give information to the audience (a phone ringing, for example), and of course generally add to the mood and atmosphere.
4. Ambient Noise
Ambient noise in film is sound that would occur naturally in the place being shown; things like city noise (traffic, sirens etc), birdsong, wind blowing, the hum of a refrigerator indoors, background chatter in a public place… you get the idea.
4.5 Sidebar: What is Foley?
Foley is the reproduction of the effects just mentioned (rather than recording the genuine thing), named after sound-effects artist Jack Foley. It started in the early ‘20s for radio plays, where specifically created sounds accompanied voice actors to make plays seem more realistic. Jack started to work in film during the time of silent movies, and later, worked on The Jazz Singer (1927), where he and a team watched the produced film and recorded sounds live, scene by scene, which were then layered over the top – so it had to be perfect!
5. Dialogue / Narration
It seems obvious but it’s worth mentioning anyway, that the dialogue and narration are part of the soundscape, though they’re two very different things. Dialogue is the words spoken between characters and narration is a voice-over commentary delivered by someone who (usually) isn’t seen. Narration can be objective: providing factual or useful information, or subjective: reflecting a character’s thoughts or experience.
The quality and placement of the sounds in the film are part of the design too, so not just the audio itself but how it’s used and how good it is!
What is the Purpose of Sound Design?
In essence, it’s about improving the viewing experience. The sound should complement the visuals and help with storytelling, and it shouldn’t jar or feel uncomfortable, unless that’s on purpose. Audio plays a really important role in the pacing and rhythm of a film and good sound should be as compelling and engaging as good footage; if it’s done well you may not even particularly notice it, but if it was taken away or changed then you might notice its absence!
What is Sound Mixing?
Everything that comes after the recording of the audio, in the post-production phase is the sound mixing. It’s putting together everything that’s been captured in a way that ties everything seamlessly together so it sounds polished and clear.
If you think about sound being recorded, it can be all sorts of different volumes, so part of the job of the sound mixer is to bring everything to a similar level with the exception of those things that need to be louder or quieter. Sound mixing can be done by a team of people or by one person, but it's a really important job to get right.
Some of the Best Sound Design in Film Examples
Inception (2010)
Inception by Christopher Nolan appears in a lot of round-ups when talking about sound design in films. It’s a bit of a love/hate split kind of movie, but there’s no arguing that its sound is fantastic, particularly that wonderful score by Hans Zimmer, who managed to make every piece have a nod to the tempo of Non, je ne regrette rien by Édith Piaf.
Such was the success of the use of sound, that the noise, BRAAAM (no, we’re not kidding, it’s a real thing) a loud, low sound, has actually become associated with the film, even though it didn’t originate there. The layered sounds are also worth mentioning, how through the layers of worlds similar sounds might become different things, and there’s a great use of pitch shifting to give the audience a feeling of something being off, like through the dream sequences.
Birdman (2014)
Birdman is shot as if it’s one long take, so visually it’s already quite unusual, and the sound design complements that beautifully. Birdman was nominated for quite a few sound awards including an Oscar and BAFTA, and won the CAS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing.
On a technical level, Birdman was really hard to record, and if you’re a bit of a sound-tech-whiz then you’ll enjoy this interview with Thomas Varga (the sound designer) from Local 695, who sheds some light on how they managed to pull it all together.
“We can only record what is in the room; if the room is noisy, our recordings include that noise. It doesn’t make a difference what mics you use.” - Thomas Varga in Local 695.
The Birds (1963)
Hitchcock is known for his finesse when it comes to building tension, and his innovative use of sound has been well-written about through the course of his film-making.
When it comes to The Birds, there’s no score, though Hitchcock’s long time collaborator Bernard Herrmann, who had created the score for a variety of Hitchcock films like Psycho and Vertigo, was brought in as a sound consultant. This means the film’s whole soundtrack is structured and carried by the sound effects, predominantly bird sounds. It’s been argued that this paved the way for the subgenre: Quiet Horror. Herrmann and Remi Glassmann, an electronic composer, recreated the sound of birds electronically
How to Master Sound Design in Film
Getting your sound production right is a balance of technical know-how, attention to detail, and a bit of artistry thrown in too. Here are some tips on how you can get the best sound design in your film.
Use Quality Equipment
The first step is probably making sure you have the best sound recording equipment that’s within your budget. Different microphones will be better for particular jobs, so you might want a variety of shotgun microphones for directional audio capture, lav mics when you need to be hands free (essential if it’s a one-person tech team!), condenser mics for in-studio narration and performances… making sure you get the best gear for your particular needs is an important first step.
Reduce Unwanted Noise
You want your audio to be as clean as possible, which means trying your best to get rid of any external noises that may creep in. If you can, recording dialogue and sound effects separately to the visuals can help in that a) you can hopefully record a cleaner sound without movement or background noise and b) it will give you more options in post-production. If you’re recording outside make sure to use a dead cat (a fluffy wind shield) to reduce noise, and a pop shield to reduce plosives (puh and buh sounds) for dialogue or narration recording.
Get Lots of Foley, Sound Effects, Ambient Sound
It depends how many people are in your filming crew, but having someone dedicated to picking up ambient sound in the places you’re filming, as well as recreating those sounds you’re not able to get, later, can be really useful.
If all else fails and you can’t do it yourself, then there are tons of pre-made sound effects available. Remember to always get some room tone (the natural sound of the environment you’re in) so that any dialogue you record isn’t weirdly isolated, it’ll sound jarring.
Choose the Right Music
It’s unlikely that most of us are going to have the budget to have an original score written for our productions, so how do you find music? There’s a ton of great library music and stock music available if you know where to look, it’s just choosing from the many options that might have you stuck!
Licensing and budget are likely to be your biggest factors, and that’s why subscriptions sites like Envato Elements can be really useful. You can search for audio tracks by the mood you want, the genre of your production, and even sort by instrument and tempo, whether you want vocals… it’s a great way to narrow down your choices so you can select something that works well for you.
Learn How to Edit and Produce Audio
If you don’t have a dedicated sound editor and you’re doing it yourself, learn how to produce audio, specifically. Although there are similarities, it’s a very different skill in its own right with many different facets like
- Tidying up and editing dialogue. Things like removing unwanted noise, adjusting the levels, and make sure everything is clear and consistent.
- Sound Effects editing. Adding and manipulating sound effects and synchronising them with action on the screen.
- Track selection and editing. Making sure the music fits the film well and is edited to help with tone, impact, and narrative flow.
- Mixing. Blending all the audio elements together and fine tuning everything to a perfect balance.
- Spatial Audio and Surround Sound. For certain types of distribution a specific format might be required (like Dolby Atmos etc) so that the mix works properly in theatres with that setup.
Conclusion
All the sounds collected during production, and many that are created or enhanced post-production, go towards making up the sound design of a film. To really nail your sound, you need to have a clear idea of what you want, and make sure you get as good a quality recording of that as possible and have someone who can bring it all together in post-production. It can be a big ask, but start slowly and concentrate on learning the basics first before you build up your skills to greater things. Remember that the sound isn’t just about what you hear, it’s how what you’re hearing makes you feel and how it fits with what we’re seeing. Bad sound will become obvious quickly, if it’s done properly, the only reasons for it to be noticed is that it sounds fantastic, and that’s job well done!
Envato Elements
If you’re a film maker, or sound designer (or both!) then you’ll love and evolving your own style, Envato Elements, where you can find tons of useful tools like stock video, templates, audio tracks, sound effects, and more more. Once you subscribe you can download and use as much as you like!
Every month, there are some free files to choose from too.
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About This Page
This page was written by Marie Gardiner. Marie is a writer, author, and photographer. It was edited by Andrew Blackman. Andrew is a freelance writer and editor, and is a copy editor for Envato Tuts+.
This content originally appeared on Envato Tuts+ Tutorials and was authored by Marie Gardiner
Marie Gardiner | Sciencx (2024-04-29T17:38:38+00:00) What is Sound Design in Film? Definitions and Examples. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2024/04/29/what-is-sound-design-in-film-definitions-and-examples/
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