P1: Understanding how sound elements are used
Animation
The purpose of this animation is primarily to entertain. The sound is used in order to give the inanimate objects a feel that they are something other than what they appear and the sound is used to trick our minds into interpreting what we see differently. The sounds that can mainly be heard are those which are imitating what the character is meant to be doing. For example when cutting the grenade in half the sound we hear is that of cutting a fruit or a vegetable and due to the resemblance that is created between the two we, as an audience, are able to understand that certain objects are meant to represent certain foods and ingredients. The sound creates a different meaning for the audience and transforms random objects resembling certain foods into that food. There is only one sound element however all the sound is diegetic however it is heightened. All the sound used can also be considered a sound effect as the objects which are supposed to be creating the noises wouldn't actually make those noises in reality because they are made up of different materials which in this video are just manipulated to sound and look like they have the texture of food. The visuals distract from the sound but it's easy to see that it was intended for the sound and the visuals to be clashing as that was the whole purpose of the video. |
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TV Advert
The purpose of this TV Advert is to persuade you to buy a Coffee at McDonald's and to inform you about it. The sound is used effectively in this advert to create an upbeat and a positive atmosphere for the audience to have positive connotations with their coffee and so that they buy it. The main sound that can be heard is upbeat music which is played throughout the advert, however there are other sounds included such as the actors speaking, sounds of the coffee beans being grind and lastly a narrator describing the coffee. These sounds all put together create a very persuasive and an optimistic atmosphere. The atmosphere is effectively conveyed through the upbeat music which sets a positive tone for the visuals. The narrator describing the coffee effectively informs the audience in a way which is enticing about the product details which aren't conveyed in the advert visually. There are various sound elements in this TV advert. They include: music, dialogue, narration and sound effects. These all add to the visuals by giving them a context as without it the advert wouldn't be serving its primary purpose which is persuade and inform. The narration for example is used to inform the audience of the specifics about McDonald's coffee, whereas the music is used more to persuade by making the feeling of the advert more positive and inviting. The sound effects are used to enhance the advert by making the coffee beans feel more dynamic, real and enticing as the sound of grinding beans can be described as satisfying. |
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Radio Drama
The purpose of this radio drama is to entertain. The sound is used in it to completely tell a story from start to finish as there are no visual aids to help tell the story. Because of this the sound has to be used very effectively in order to help move a story forward in the way which it was intended to be perceived. The sound is used not only to set the scene but also to communicate the actions of the characters to the audience. This means that the sounds used feature sound effects which would consist of, in this case, dialling a number on the phone or footsteps. In this radio drama there is also dialogue which is used to tell the story as it is one of the easiest and most effective ways to do so without any visual elements. In this radio drama the dialogue is used to create the effect of a radio show as one of the characters explicitly states the premise of the story. The sound effects, such as dialling the phone, create the effect of a separate location where a different character is now involved which is different from the character heard on the radio. The various sound elements in the soundscape of this radio drama include: dialogue, radio tuning and sound effects. These are all used simultaneously to tell the story as there are visual aids to help tell the story so the audience is completely focused on the sound. However the sound created imagery by itself through very specific and heightened sound effects. For example when a sound effect of footsteps is heard the audience would visualise the character walking. And the radio tuning sound effect helps the audience envision someone tuning a radio which also effectively sets the scene. |
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Computer Game
The purpose of this media product is solely to entertain as it is a computer game. The sound in it is used to help create a virtual world which is both convincing and immersive for the audience who plays it. The sound is supposed to work together with the visual aspects of the game to help create and atmosphere which matches and compliments the stage or situation the audience is in when playing. In this case the sounds which can be heard consist of two categories; music and sound effects. The music used is menacing and ominous which compliments the situation the audience finds itself at this point which is a fight. The music creates an exciting yet intimidating atmosphere which helps put the audience on edge and immerse them in the game. The sound effects used also compliment and work together with the visual elements that the audience see. For example there is a sound effect of a grunt when the character is attacked by the opponent, this helps the audience feel that they are in danger and also signifies to them explicitly that they have been hit. The other sound effects used include walking sounds, weapons being used and weather sound effects. All of these work together to help make this product as immersive and entertaining for the audience as possible. The sound elements in the soundscape is music and sound effects which work together with the visual to add to the atmosphere and the impressiveness of the video game. The sound effects and visuals compliment each other by playing in sync depending on the actions of the user which helps create a believable world and experience for the player. For example the sound of the bow being drawn back adds to the emersion and realism as the audience sees the bow being drawn back. |
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