Authentic Sounds

Although it makes sense now that I've thought about it, I had never realized how unreal "authentic sounds" in films are. The fact that sounds such as a gun shot or birds chirping — sounds that make a scene in a film as close to real life as can be — are recorded prior to the shooting of the scene and embedded onto the soundtrack seems contradictory. I understand that while filming, authentic sounds may not be picked up as well or may not work in the scene properly, but to me, that would be what makes a scene real.

Now, when I watch a film and hear any sort of sound that's supposed to be authentic, I know I'll be thinking twice about what I hear, wondering whether or not it's a fake "real" sound, or if it's one of the few truly authentic sounds picked up while shooting and kept for the scene.

While I watched The Departed this evening, I couldn't help but think about how all of those gun shots were recorded after shooting was done; how they weren't real at all. I know it's something I can look past, something that doesn't have to bother me, but it may take a bit of time before I let it go.

Noticing Sound Transitions

I spent this past weekend in Guelph with my cousins, where they spent much of the time watching the entire first season of Glee. I joined in for episode five, titled "The Rhodes Not Taken." Throughout the episode I was more attuned to a few concepts we learned in class, such as the different kinds of sound transitions. The one sound transition I picked up on time after time was the 'sound anticipating picture' transition.

The first time I noticed it happen was in the scene where the teacher, Will, was talking to a coworker about meeting up with an old fellow student, April. Right at the end of the scene, a doorbell sounds, and it's only a few seconds later that the scene cuts to Will at the door of April's house, waiting for her to answer.

The second time I noticed the 'sound anticipating picture' transition was later on in the episode, when the scene showed a teacher and a student conversing early in the day. However, before the scene was over, the voice of the principal could be heard introducing the Glee club at the Invitational that was taking place later on in the evening. A few seconds later the scene cuts and we see the principal standing in front of a microphone on stage, introducing the Glee club.

As I continued watching episodes, I noticed this type of transition multiple times. I think it's so great that after one class my ear is already picking up on little details that are unnoticeable to many. I can't wait to learn more, and, in turn, hear more as the semester goes on.

Blog Topics

General: how has / is the course expanding or changing your knowledge of the movie soundtrack in terms of its history and overall scope?

Technical: what technical points regarding soundtrack production have / are you picking up through the lectures and otherwise?

Analytical: how is your deeper understanding of the soundtrack’s functions and contributions to narrative discourse as well as abstract, experimental and performance-based explorations developing over the semester?