Analysis of Sound in Previous Student Work: EMBERS

As we have just finished our final sequence, I am now able to appreciate the difficulties of editing sound. With that in mind, I am now going to analyse the use of sound in a previous student's work, using "EMBERS" as the example.

Opening moments:
The titles crackle, loudly. This is jarring, startling the audience, which sets a precedent for the rest of the sequence and the tone of the whole film.

Introduction of the character:
Loud droning in the background juxtaposed by unrealistically loud weeping and breathing from the lead character creates a sense of claustrophobia and distress. It's immediately clear to the audience that something has happened and it has placed the character into a situation of fear and confusion, as well as shock. He's unable to think clearly.

Running through the forest:
Adding very quiet sound effects of the enivornment (twigs snapping, brushing past leaves, etc.) only adds to the above atmosphere - the character is in an environment but seems oddly disconnected from it in his mind.

The fight:
The boy who is attacking the main character is shouting at the top of his voice, yet the audience (who is viewing the moment subjectively through the eyes of the main character) doesn't hear it like that. Instead the shouts are muffled, and echoing in the background, suggesting that our main character is unfocussed, shocked, struggling to think.