Sound in Thrillers

Sound used in Thrillers

From the opening sequences we analysed the sound used was mostly non diegetic with music playing in the background.  The music used was eerie and high pitched; this creates a dysfunctional atmosphere alerting the audience that the film is a thriller. The music also builds suspense within in the audience building up to the climax. In the opening sequence the music will start off at a slow pace and speed up more into the opening sequence with the volume also increasing. Once the film starts the music starts to fade off. The volume increases to create tension and build suspense, the volume then reduces to alert the audience that the film is starting. The opening sequence for Shutter Island starts off at a low pitch creating a shivering atmosphere as if something is about to approach. The music even fades out completely to create a shock and suspense when a sudden exaggeration of music approaches. Before the gates open in the opening sequence of Shutter Island the music volume increase to build suspense before the camera enters the gates.

Diegetic sound is commonly used in Thrillers, diegetic sounds in thrillers are often sudden and brutal such as bangs and screaming. The sound exaggerates the atmosphere building suspense and tension. The sounds can be heard by us and the characters usually causing the audience to jump.

A dialogue is sometimes used in opening sequences of thrillers; this gives an insight to the characters motives or their relationships with other characters in the film. It can also make the audience support certain characters as they see the opening sequence between two characters.  In the opening sequence of American Psycho the antagonist introduces himself giving the audience an idea of what his role is in the film.

Silence and sonic exaggeration is commonly used in thrillers. An example is in The Butterfly effect which builds suspense and is thought provoking. The silence allows the audience to think about the scenario of the film.

Definitions

Non diegetic: Sounds, such as music or a narrator’s voices that come from outside the space of the narrative.

• Non-diegetic sound is represented as coming from a source outside story space.

Diegetic: Any sound, voice or piece of music that comes from within the world of the narrative.

• Diegetic sound can be either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source is within the frame or outside the frame.

Dialogue: A conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, or film.