Jurassic Park Trailer (youtube.com)
In the film Jurassic Park sound effects plays an integral part to the overall impact of the film. Whilst the visual imagery is extremely powerful, and certainly helps to entertain the audience, I don’t feel the drama and suspense would be the same without the audio effects. For example, the footsteps of a dinosaur in the distance slowly getting ever nearer, the fear growing as the sound builds as the audience are compelled to imagine what unworldly monster is about to arrive!
The use of music controls the atmosphere and mood for the audience through the pace, rhythm, chords etc. Depending on these variables and the type of song it can create things such tension excitement, sadness and so on. In Jurassic park the soundtrack creates a feeling of mystery and excitement however switches later to a more intense feeling as the helicopter becomes unstable and then when they see the first dinosaur the music becomes more suspenseful, this constant change of emotion keeps the audience engaged and wanting to see more.
The use of such sound effects not only entertains the audience by increasing the anticipation and tension, but also helps to convince them that these ancient creatures have seemingly come alive before their eyes.
The sound effects used to replicate the terrifying cries of the various dinosaurs certainly make them seem more realistic, and to convey a believable image that draws the audience in and keeps them gripped. The types of sound used in the film, (not only the dinosaur cries), but also the dramatic music alongside the visual effects all combine to create the overall atmosphere and environment which keeps the audience entertained, interested and on the edge of their seats.
Ironically in the movie “A Quiet Place” where sound, or the lack of it, is effectively central to the entire movie, we can see how powerful sound can be in storytelling, entertaining, creating mood and adding drama .
In the movie the silence is almost deafening, where anyone making a noise places themselves in perilous danger, should it attract the attention of the deadly creatures.
There is a scene, for example, where the mother is trying to silently creep down a flight of stairs into the cellar of the house, desperately trying not to make a sound. Even when she steps on a sharp nail with her bare foot, she must remain silent, to escape the beast. All that can be heard are her muffled whimpers as she tries to contain her agony. In other scenes only the soft sound of rustling leaves can be heard or the creak of a floorboard, but these faint sounds become profoundly noisy in an otherwise silent world. These voiceless sounds with no background audio, in turn help to build the tension in the film, drawing the audience in, as they become utterly focussed on every single sound.
This form of entertainment helps to maintain the suspense and drama in what would otherwise be normal everyday surroundings, with little or no vocal contributions from the cast. These almost silent scenes underpin the movie, helping to build the feeling of dread and suspense and form the backbone of the movies popularity. At times the silence is abruptly interrupted by the deafening cries of the killer creatures, as they detect and seek out any source of noise. This stark contrast between complete silence and then the eruption of sound from the monsters, make it even more powerful.
The way in which the characters are forced to almost silently communicate with each other throughout the film, with little or no dialogue, further helps the audience to connect with the characters in a shared experience. So, in this example the very absence of sound, not only creates mood but also focuses the audience’s attention as they almost walk side by side through the trauma with the characters.
In a similar way radio uses sounds as the central element to its broadcasts, depending almost entirely on sound to entertain the audience, but also to draws them in enough to ensure they keep listening. Where there is no visual images to support sound, the quality of what is verbally or audibly presented is integral.
Radio, was one of the earliest forms of entertainment and of sharing information, and so by its very nature is almost entirely reliant on sound alone. Should there be long periods of silence or prolonged periods of inactively, listeners would soon lose interest, particularly in a world where we have become used to fast paced social media feeds. There may be occasions for example, during an emotive podcast where firsthand accounts of a traumatic events are being told, where short pauses or periods of silence are appropriate and help to convey sentiment and emotion, but this wouldn’t work in other scenarios, such as a comedy sketch, listeners would likely turn off.
Radio and audio only based types of entertainment, need to flow and be continuous, as it were. Where a broadcast is entirely reliant on sound, nonverbal communication wouldn’t be effective, therefore the presenter needs to constantly engage with the audience, giving almost a running commentary of everything that is happening, or about to happen.
Such media outlets, whilst relying predominately on verbal communication, can also use music and sound effects to support broadcasts, adding interest and keeping listeners engaged, allowing them to visualise events for themselves.
A good example of this would be the use of sound to evoke certain emotions, by incorporating different types of background music, voice overs or sounds effects to enhance the listeners experience, whilst making it more immersive. A radio quiz for example, might use a loud catchy theme song as an intro, this could help to build excitement and grab listeners attention.
Another example of sound being used to make a powerful impact was the Cadburys Chocolate advert, which features a massive, quite obviously fake looking gorilla. First the audience sees a close up of the gorilla looking quite contemplating, as he takes long deep breathes and blinks slowly, the camera then pans out as the track builds up to the main section. Its then as the drums begin to ring out we see they are actually being played by the gorilla himself. Clearly a drum playing gorilla has little to do with chocolate, but it is different enough to be memorable and to leave a lasting impression on the audience. This clever use of an iconic soundtrack alongside quite a humorous visual was presumably intended to make consumers like the Cadburys brand more, to change the image from a global corporation to one that one more fun and relatable. The ultimate intention was obviously to sell more products but also to change people’s perceptions and to entertain.
A final example of how effective sound can be at drawing an audience in and conveying a message, would be the use of “sonic branding”, a method used by millions of companies to attract attention not only by using visual media productions but sounds too. Mc’Donald’s for one, use their “bada ba ba ba ba”, I’m loving it" in many of their adverts. So without even realising, this tune is stored in our mind somewhere and from our subconscious we maybe begin to think of food, specifically McDonald’s, with the aim of this then translating to us buying one and therefore increased sales.
So, when we think we are just going about our usual daily tasks, we are actually being exposed to these influences all the time without even realising. It not only draws customers in by making the brand familiar and recognisable, but also adds to the whole product experience, it makes it seem exciting, entertaining and fun too. The type of music used is specifically chosen to trigger an emotional response and to appeal to the target market, and to instantly initiate a connection to the brand.
Lloyds TSB rebranding to Lloyds is another good example of how powerful sound can be in creating a positive product image. In their TV adverts they use striking visual presentations alongside emotive and memorable audios. One in particular would be where the song “epic journey” is used alongside the visual of a mother horse, (their logo being a black horse) and her foal making a treacherous journey across vast fields, across fast flowing rivers, and across an ice lake, with the soundtrack playing, with wording such as “whatever you are going through”, “I will look after you”.
The aim being to evoke a sense of trust and nurturing, a brand that you can rely on whatever is happening in your life. The advert ends with the tagline “ Lloyds Bank, by your side”. This is extremely emotive and draws the audience in, leaving them feeling that they can rely on and connect with the multibillion corporation on a more personal and relatable level, like a member of your family. The use of this track alone would be less effective, but alongside the visual footage is both powerful and memorable. The advert is not only entertaining to the degree that viewers remain engaged, but at the same time sends a clear and direct message to the consumer, one of trust.
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