Film Isn’t That Big of a Visual Media
I’ve always had the belief that film is something like 60% sound. Drastic, I know – but think for a moment about what a huge role sound plays in movies. The reason I say film is 60% sound (and not 50%) is because sound often lends itself to provide visual queues as well as setting dramatic atmosphere.
An action movie with poor sound design is almost impossible to watch. If you can’t hear the sound of a punch then you assume that punch hasn’t landed. If a gun is fired and has a muzzle flash but no gunshot sound, you simply won’t believe it. Remove the muzzle flash and add the sound effect of the gun firing and it’s a different story. Sound plays a pivotal role in film, and it’s the first thing you’ll notice once it’s gone.
You can watch a shaky short film shot on a handycam, but if the sound is good – the dialogue crisp and the sound effects clear – then it’s 100% bearable. The reverse, however, is intolerable – and assuming the film is not intended to be silent (or inaudible) the audience is guaranteed to lose interest quickly.
Try going out and shooting some sort of action film, or something that would typically require lots of visual effects. Then – without adding any visual effects whatsoever (no muzzle flashes, no blood splatters, bullet hits, or 3D monsters) add the sound you would expect to hear and mix it well. Don’t be afraid to think completely outside the box. Freddiew on youtube did an excellent tutorial on sound design in which he shows how to make a completely convincing gunshot sound… without ever using a gunshot sound effect.
If you do try the above exercise, upload it and send us the link through our contact form, and we’ll stick it on the site!
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