Sound analysis: blog tasks

 1) Find a film clip on YouTube that uses sound in an interesting way. Analyse the use of sound, making sure you use the key language we have learned about sound in film: 

Gravity (2013)

• Diegetic and non-diegetic sound
• Parallel and contrapuntal sound
• Sound bridges

Remember to discuss/analyse all the different types of sound present in the clip:

• Music
• Dialogue
• Voiceover
• Sound effects

You also need to highlight or put in bold any use of media language.

In this clip, there is the use of both non-diegetic sound as well as diegetic sound. Firstly, the use of diagetic sound (the astronauts having a casual conversation) is used to create a calming and entertaining atmosphere as we learn more about them through this normal conversation, as they are talking about stereotypical stories that normal people would talk about, rather than mysterious and frightening things about space. This could be considered contrapuntal to the scene, as the establishing shots of space and earth would be more frightening. However, due to the audio, it's less petrifying and mysterious as there is a sense of familiarity. Furthermore, we can hear music which sounds relatively American, which reinforces the fact that these astronauts are American, along with their accents (diegetic audio). This music works with the diagetic sound to further reinforce this atmosphere of serenity and peacefulness but although we currently have a established equilibrium within the plot, which this idea is anchored by the audio, we still may suspect a shift within this peace due to the connotations and slight eeriness of having music in space as its contrapuntal to the enigmatic setting (even if it is non-diagetic). Although the diagetic audio is contrapuntal, it is also parallel as they also talk about mechanical things to do with the spacecraft within the setting.