I would like to recreate a similar background music I have used in this sample scene (maybe using garage band + a tutorial video)
natural lighting
shaky/handheld shots which you find in social realist movies like Tyrannosaur
tracking shot to signify Tanay is the central protagonist
Extreme Long Shot
Close Up
Long Shot
Tilting/Panning shot
it was filmed handheld form a car
the panting is Foley sound found on the website freesound (copyright free) because the noise from the car and wind made the audio form the clips unusable
... FEEDBACK
include titles
there is shading at the top of the frame in the first shot form where the top of the car window is
include more takes of Tanay running (shot variety, static shots etc.)
shots of his feet, POV shots, in front/behind etc.
the image is blurry/pixelated
the drumbeat sounds like muffled ambient sound, not a drum
the patch on the arm of the jacket (the jacket in general) doesn't fit - make the character more clear through costume/set dressing
can create a character that seems careless
person in business clothes, holding briefcase, papers full, fumbling for key, coffee and on phone - busy, stressed and distracted, likely to be in an accident
body language, costume, do not necessarily have to see a face
would add to verisimilitude
be more careful with where/when sad music plays
there's no real buildup to the climactic car crash
get frontal OTS shot of the car coming up
Tanay could be listening to music - explanation as to why he doesn't heat the car (and would add more verisimilitude)
the sound - theres the sound of glass shattering but then theres no damage to the car
we didn't inlaced a shot of Tanay lying on the ground and smoke coming out of thecae because it seemed unrealistic and looked silly
remove glass shattering sound
The bleak deep field of focus for the tilting down shot works to show the trees, but shallow field of focus would work better afterwards (don't want be cutting between shots with different fields of focus too much)
how they record sound in the post-production process
the difference in sound for a slasher genre
purpose of sound
SUMMARY:
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Most sounds in movies are recorded separately which is known as a non-diegetic sound and is then added later on during the Post-Production process. The main purpose of sound in movies is to set the mood/atmosphere and to add verisimilitude. Diegetic sound is also to find in movies. Diegetic sounds are sounds that come from a person or object in the movie. In addition, ambient sound is a very important aspect in movies. It again adds verisimilitude for example if the scene is set in a restaurant you hear the crowd and cars which are driving past. However, for specific genre, there are different types of sound. E.g., in slasher movies, the sound is usually scary and creepy which makes the audience heart beat fast and irregular. Similarly, the sound is able to make the audience hold their breath unconsciously to make them even more scared. The music usually starts with long drawn out notes with a high pitch but as the opening progresses the notes become shorter, more urgent and of a much lower pitch. ...
... Here is an example of how they recorded the sound for A Quiet Place (2018) RESEARCH (MINE): Bride of Chucky (1998):
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Non-diegetic music
Audio Bridge between titles
Sound:
slow high pitch string instruments
slow long drum beats which are several seconds apart. Therefore makes it creepy:
it gives the slow heartbeat feel (messes around with your psychology)
the slow drum beats make you holding your breath which gives a tense feeling.
the single beat kicks slow down your heartbeat which again messes with your heart which impacts the heart (if fast pace music, it speeds up your mood/adrenaline)
later on the non-diegetic sound changes to a faster pace (drum kicks)
(It's very effective to mess with somebody's heart if combining fast/slow notes)
Baby Driver (2017):
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At the beginning, we find an audio bridge which is common in movies (still in the black screen and then the first shot comes)
ambient sound of cars driving past and people talking on the phone to add verisimilitude
the sounds are all non-diegetic which were added later on during the post-production process
00:12 we hear a clear sound of a car pulling up which gets louder and louder
sound of engine, brakes, and handbrake
all this non-diegetic sound (details) of the car anchors that the red Subaru is going to play a bigger role in that scene (before transitioning into the main film)
it's always cutting to the beat
the long drawn out drum beats are several seconds apart
in the background, you hear a fast pace high pitch note which rises in volume
this is going to raise the tension (make the mood tense)
01:00 they have included diegetic sound (central protagonist singing along)
the music they chose is kind of rock genre
the pace of the music changes often it goes from slow then fast then it slows down again and stops (brake) eventually then it picks on the pace again
therefore it messes with the heartbeat
it gives the tense feeling/mood then stops or slows the mood down
when the music goes fast again with the sound of the car (engine, tire/drifting) it makes the viewer more excited again
especially for rock the fast notes, drums, and guitar, it fits well because the fast beat of instruments gives the viewers adrenaline and excitement
also, the fast pace is likely to signify action (whereas, for horror, it is long drawn out slow drum kicks to make it creepy/scary)
Drive (2011):
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audio bridge/ambient sound which overlaps between the title sequence and first shot of the movie
there again we find a slow drawn out bass kick which is several seconds apart
it slows down our heartbeat which gives a tense vibe
the fact that the bass kicks don't change in notes (monotone/change in speed) it makes it mysterious and dramatic
first shot (panning/tilting shot) there are a lot of non-diegetic sounds (flipping the phone, taking the bag, walking noise)
ambient sound is also present (cars driving past)
at 02:11 the music rises in volume which signifies tension, it's about to get serious (action)
at 03:11 you only hear the non-diegetic sound of the watch
it signifies that the time is going to be a major element
at 03:20 the central protagonist turns up the volume of the radio
it signifies that there are important pieces of information to pick up
RESEARCH (HARRIET'S):
My influences
I like the idea of incorporating music into our film opening for more than just creating an ambiance (diegetic or not I'm not sure) - 'choreographing' a film to sound isn't the most common of conventions but it can work
Not using much dialogue for exposition
A voiceover
The use of Foley sound, both for verisimilitude and creativity - a good example of this this BTS video form the 2018 horror film The Quiet Place
...Baby Driver - driven by music
I have decided to split this opening sequence into 2 parts: the opening sequence & titles.
Opening Sequence
Baby Driver OST on vinyl
Sound is one of the most important aspects of Baby Driver, with large sections of the visuals being “choreographed” to fit the soundtrack, sometimes more reminiscent of a music video than a film.In this example it has been stated by the director that the scene is built around the song, rather than vice versa.
The attention to detail is a part of the auteur director, Edgar Wright’s, style, but also has huge marketing potential
a line used in a lot of the promotional material was "all you need is one killer track" (OST available on apple music, spotify & vinyl).
The opening sequence begins on a fade from black, and before the first shot we can hear a high pitched sound which turns into a musical note (an audio bridge)
the sound is unsettling and has a foreboding nature, signifying a somewhat serious genre.
This is also a part of the narrative, as the audience will come to know that the protagonist suffers from tinnitus (a ringing in the ears).
As the screen fades from black and we see a city street, the ambient sound of cars driving past can be heard - high level of verisimilitude.
As the car which the protagonist is in pulls up a louder sound can be heard - also for verisimilitude.
In the second shot we see the protagonist pull out an iPod classic and begin a song, which then plays over the remainder of the opening sequence.
The follow 4 cuts happen to the beat of the song, and even the chewing of gum is on tempo, although it does not make any sound.
Just before the protagonist watches the rest of his ‘crew’ fire guns in the bank they are robbing, the music becomes quieter and police sirens can be heard as a police car drives past
this anchors the genre as action, as this takes precedent over the music.
This is also somewhat expositional to the narrative as we learn the protagonist’s central conflict is that of his commitment to a life of crime, and music is one of the ways in which he can hide form the immorality of criminality.
The sound of gunfire is also heard through the bank window, although the sound is muffled - this is most likely Foley sound
Sounds of the tyres screeching can be heard, and there are some close ups of the tyres making sharp turns/quick stops
The only dialogue in the opening sequence is over the walkie-talkie of a police car (also diegetic). This is a part of the director’s style - focusing on film as a visual medium, using sound and visuals for exposition rather than dialogue as often as possible.
Titles
Also created very much like a music video, the title sequence is lead by audio, with diegetic aspects adding to the song (car horns, bike bells, scuffling of feet, ATM beeps), and the visuals being made in conjuncture to the lyrics
the protagonist miming playing the trumpet in a shop window as is it heard in the song, and lyrics being written in graffiti on the street which change as the protagonist walks back from getting coffee.
Baby Driver on the way there vs. on the way back screenshot
Unlike in the opening sequence the title sequence is a 2:45 long steady-cam tracking shot, with elements of the street timing in with the music rather than cutting to the beat.
The song used in the titles is Harlem Shuffle - Bob & Early
R&B rather than a rock song
Appeals to an older audience
When the protagonist removes one earphone to order coffee the music becomes quieter
sound editing done in post
assures the protagonist is properly anchored as the audience is experiences the diegesis through his eyes and ears
Then only exposition done throughout dialogue here is the main characters name ('Baby')
... Submarine
The first sound that can be heard in Submarine is unclear: it could be wind or waves
it is made clear that it is the diegetic sound of waves when seagulls can be heard. This is expository as it signifies that the film takes place by the sea.
After 30 seconds a voiceover begins
this is non-diegetic and purely for exposition, but also builds narrative enigma as the voiceover begins before we see the protagonist’s face, but is very quickly resolved as the protagonist comes into the shot.
The accent tells us that the protagonist is from Wales, and from the sound of waves we can infer that the film is also set there.
The sound of waves is quiet and not overpowering as if it were a storm, creating a calm atmosphere.
As a mellow song begins to play the camera cuts closer to the protagonist’s face twice - both times to the beat - and on the third beat the protagonist looks into the camera.
Similar to Baby Driver there is conjuncture between the music and the visuals, however the music is non-diegetic within the opening scene of Submarine.
As the music starts a brief montage consisting of wide shots of the Welsh coast is shown (9 shots in total, only the last 2 of which have Oliver in them).
With the music this creates a calm atmosphere/ambiance, but is also iconography, as it shows the character's awareness of himself as just a small part of the surrounding world, that he accepts he is not ‘an individual’ and does not need to think of himself as unique in order to motivate himself to ‘get out of bed, eat food and walk around like nothing’s wrong’, as he states other people do in the voiceover.
This is similar to in The Wicker Man - which was filmed on location at Hebridean, and during the opening credits has many wide shots of the countryside as the protagonist arrives by helicopter
The acoustic music adds to the calming atmosphere, and similar to Baby Driver hasmarketing potential for an OST, as it is by the lead singer from the alt band Arctic Monkeys (star billing).
when you look up a poster for the film, the second image which comes up is for the soundtrack
