Sound and Voiceover

Sound in a Trailer

• Sound can help tell the story along with the actual moving images – it can create atmosphere and realism (sound effects)

• Sound can either be a soundtrack or sound effects (part of the mise-en-scene; music playing, birds chirping, leaves rustling)

Types of Sound

Non diegetic – the soundtrack will be used to add to the aesthetic of the trailer; a horror movie trailer may have heavy metal rock, or string instruments if it’s a thriller.

Diegetic – sound which is in the mise-en-scene; this could include dialogue or the general sound of where the scene has been shot (people talking, birds, cars). However, this may be removed in post production if it isn’t want the director wanted. Sounds effects are also used, for example in a horror movie, the sound of somebody getting killed with a knife is made by melons being cut with knives. Also, animation films heavily rely on sound effects as they have no original sounds.

Voiceover in Trailers

A voice over is used to help portray the story of the film to the audience. The voice over can either be of a character telling a story* or of someone else who specifies in voiceovers.

A voiceover does the following:- gives information about the film, enough to draw the audience in, but not

enough to ruin the film- Provides extra information like the director/producer/actors- creates a hype involving the film, e.g ‘On March 5th, ‘The must see film of

2011’

*(Friday 13th Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MiJzZ7FQX0)