One important aspect of film is sound. The three basic categories of sound are dialogue, sound effects and music. These sounds are also split into either diegetic sounds or non-diegetic sounds. According to Goodykoontz & Jacobs (2014), diegetic sounds are sounds that are coming from inside the world of the film; whereas, non-diegetic sounds are sounds that come from outside the movie space. Dialogue is a diegetic sound and is defined as when characters are talking and interacting with each other (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2014). Sound effects are generally non-diegetic sounds. Sound effects are sounds that are placed into a film in order to heighten the audio experience of the audience. For example, if in a film a building explodes the sound of the explosion is most likely a sound effect (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2014). Music on the other hand can be either diegetic or non-diegetic; it all depends on where it is coming from. If the music is coming from inside the movie (i.e. a character is playing an instrument or listening to a band) than it is diegetic. If the music is superimposed onto the scene, however, it is non-diegetic.
Sound is very important to every theatrical experience. Sound has the ability to enhance an audiences experience by demonstrating the mood and theme of a film. Sound and cinematography work together to create a specific mood in films and their scenes. For example, in the film “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” many sounds are used in each scene, specifically for this post I will be focusing on the extended edition of “The Shire” scene (EgalmothofGondolin01, 2012).
This scene is set in the Shire, a small, rural, and peaceful area of Middle Earth where small humanoid creatures called “Hobbits” live. In this scene, there are many sounds used. At the beginning of the scene we can hear birds chirping and wind blowing through the trees; these are all diegetic sounds.Specifically, the wind blowing through the trees adds to the peaceful mood of the scene. Also superimposed into this scene is music, which is non-diegetic. The song is very upbeat and legato (legato means smooth in Italian), which adds an even more peaceful and happy feel to the scene. Some other examples of diegetic sounds in this scene are the dialogue between Frodo and Gandalf, the clattering of the horse-drawn wagon, and the patter of little Hobbit feet as Gandalf passes their house. Also, the narration by Bilbo in the middle of this scene is considered diegetic because it is one of the characters who is doing the narrating (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2014). In terms of sound, the theme of the movie is demonstrated during the opening titles of the film, which can be seen below (retrieved from ivSNIPESchannel, 2012).
The music used during the opening titles and scenes are very mysterious, dark, and ominous sounding. Moreover, the narration, performed by Lady Galadriel (one of the few female characters in the series), is extremely dramatic and solemn sounding. This scene is what “sets-up” one of the main themes of the story which is “good versus evil”. The louder and “choppier” parts of the sequence show who is evil; the smoother music, on the other hand, depicts who is good.
This film is a fantasy and action/adventure film. The sounds that are characteristic of fantasy films, in my opinion, are swords clashing, horses neighing, and monsters and beasts snarling. Since many fantastical films take place in medieval type settings, the sounds of swords and other weapons are very characteristic of those settings.
If the background music was removed from the opening scene of the movie, the audience would not understand as fully who the “good guys” are and who the “bad guys” are. While they may be able to infer who is good based upon character movement and aesthetics (i.e. costuming and coloration), the music in this scene is like the glue which holds everything together.
References
EgalmothofGondolin01. (2012, December 14). LOTR The Fellowship of the Ring – Extended Edition – The Shire. Retrieved May 12, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meK0G3o9mPw
Goodykoontz, B. & Jacobs, C. P. (2014) Film: From watching to seeing (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
ivSNIPESchannel (2012, March 19). Lord of the Rings Opening!. Retrieved May 12, 2015 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhjDnrw34QA
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