In film production, there are seven basic elements in sound design.
Although being an audio-visual medium, films are generally perceived through only its visual elements. However, without the sound design, those visuals cannot even hold much value in the real sense. In some cases, a good sound matters even a lot more in evoking the mood, tone and emotions of the film. Now, let's understand what sound design is. In filmmaking, it is the process of generating sound tracks during the post-production section. The film sound involves some crucial elements which are written below.
Dialogues are surely one of the most important aspects of a film. It helps develop the characters, establish the relationship between them and most importantly, drive the plot. Some filmmakers prefer using the dialogues recorded on set, while others re-record the dialogues separately in a dubbing studio.
Ambient sound is the inherent noise which is there in the background. This element is very important as it informs a lot about the location and makes the viewers more attached to the film. For example, while watching a scene set in a beach, we get to hear the sound of sea waves, breeze and birds chirping in a near distance.
Sound effects are a special type of sound element which do not exist in the real world. Some common examples are the military sound in a war, the sound of non-existent creatures or the sound of a crowd at a stadium. The designers create these using their imagination and creativity.
Foley refers to the recreation of the everyday sounds in sync with all the movements on the screen. It can be absolutely anything such as the sounds of footsteps, drinking, chewing etc. The Foley artists create such sounds in studios, using a variety of tools.
Voice overs, an example of non-diegetic sound, refers to the background narration which guides us through the story of a film. Example: The narration of Amitabh Bachchan in 'Lagaan' (where the narrator is never seen in the film) or the narration of R. Madhavan in '3 idiots' (where the narrator is a character of the film).
Music, including both songs and instrumental pieces, is a powerful tool to set up the mood of a scene. Also, it manipulates the viewers how to feel about the actions being shown on the screen. For example, in a horror film, we are likely to hear some spine-chilling tune.
Silence is a highly crucial element which, if used properly, can evoke a lot which would not be possible otherwise. In particular, it creates a certain sense of tension in the scene. To understand it better, watch 'The Rains of Castamere' episode of 'Game of Thrones'.
So, the next time you watch a film, pay more attention to the designing of sound.
