film 1010 Introduction to Film

Answer the questions below in a Word document and submit them in the drop box OR copy and paste the assignment into the 'comments box' by the due date. Your response should be roughly 2 pages.
1. Describe at least three dimensions of film sound (i.e., fidelity, rhythm, perspective, time, etc.) Provide an example of each from "Singin' in the Rain" or "Film Art."
2. Differentiate between diegetic and nondiegetic sound. Provide an example of each from "Singin' in the Rain."
3. Explain the functions of sound in "Singin' in the Rain's" plot. Discuss how the film uses sound to add meaning. Provide specific examples to back up your claims.

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Rhythm is one of the most powerful aspects of sound. Rhythm works in our human bodies and brain in deep levels. We can find rhythmic qualities in all sounds. It may be a sound of a gun sot or a sound of rain falling; it can be in the songs or in the speeches of the people. Not only sounds, the movement of the images also creates rhythm. The tapping of the toes in different songs while dancing in the movie singing in the rain had a rhythm. It had a pattern and the audiences could feel it.

Fidelity refers to the extent to which the sound is faithful to its source. If a film shows a bell swinging in the air and we hear the tolling sound; the sound is faithful to its source. In other words it maintains fidelity. But if the swinging of a bell is accompanied by the sound of rolling drum, there is difference between the sound and the image. In this case there is no fidelity. Fidelity is what viewer expects to hear by seeing certain image. The sound might or might not be original but if it viewers expectation is fulfilled then fidelity is supposed to be maintained. Fidelity can also be manipulated by bringing change in the volume. If the sound is too loud or too slow relative to the image then the something must be fixed to maintain fidelity.  Kathy giving the audio from behind the curtain on Lea’s acting is the example of maintaining fidelity. Although the sound and the image came from the different source, it maintained Fidelity as the viewer trusted the source.

Time is also one of the components of editing sound on the movies. Timing synchronizes the movement on the screen with sound at the same time. For example the voice of the actor is substituted by the voice of another person synchronizing the movement of the lips and matching the exact timing is called time synchronizing.

Diegetic sound is a sound that has a source in the story world. The words spoken by the characters, sounds made by objects in the story and music represented as coming from instruments in the story space are all diegetic sound. Whereas, non-diegetic sound which is represented as coming from a source outside the story world. Music added to enhance the film’s action is the most common type of non-diegetic sound. To sum up the sounds spoken by the characters and those sound emitted from the story is called the diegetic sound whereas the external sound added to embellish and enhance the sound is called as the non-diegetic sound. Sound of the tapping of the feet while they are dancing is the digetic sound whereas the other sound effects added in the movie singing in the rain is the example of non-diegetic sound.

The matching of the sound with the image in projection creates synchronous sound. When the sound is synchronized the timing between the source of sound and the sound is matched making things look more real. When the sound and the image are not synchronized the result is distracting. Had there been no foot tapping sound coming while they are dancing, the dance would not look real but sound makes it feel real.