Music in Film: A Study of Image and Sound
Kelly Garcia
Dr. Christopher Watts, Faculty Mentor
McNair Summer 2005 Research
Are we listening to sound in film or watching film in sound? Sound and image in cinema have always had a complex, ambiguous relationship. Film sound can be defined as a composition of elements: extra-musical sounds, music, and silence. Film music theorists have said that sound’s manipulation has been standardized. Audiences recognize these standards, and by demanding that to which they are accustomed drive the film industry in one direction. Film now plays tricks on our minds utilizing our visual senses and our preconceived notions of sound to make something completely new. Sound is no longer simply noise to fill awkward silences in the absence of human voices. This study observes the relationship of sound and image through specific films, looks for rules and exceptions, and explores the evolving role of silence.