Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Listen To Some Of The Most Commonly Used Sound-Effects In Cinema
io9.com: Have you ever heard a scream or sound effect in a movie that sounded strangely familiar? There's a good chance you weren't imagining things. Here are some of cinema's most iconic sounds – and where they originated.
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5 comments:
This is super interesting. I never paid close enough attention to reoccurring sound effects in tv/film. The only one I really recognized was the scream which I recognize form SpongeBob SquarePants. I think it's interesting how a certain vocalization can embody a certain feeling or action so well that it is reused throughout centuries in film/tv. It becomes iconic and can carry some weight which is a really interesting historical significance. That sort of gives tv/film a sense of grandfathered which is very touching as an actress. It has weight. For those who don't like the reuse of sound effects I think that's way too like "i want things to always eb hipster and original" get over yourself. No sense in changing a good thing if it works the first time.
This is probably one of the most humorous articles I've ever read. I can mainly relate to this article because of how many of these movies I've actually seen and even though I didn't focus on their scream, it's hilarious to me how common some scream sounds actually are in movies. So my big question is, did they do that on purpose? Did these sound coordinators decide to put the same sound in as many movies as they can? or Is it was because it's the most common and convenient sound. I always thought of sound designer wanting their own sound to be original as possible. It's weird to see that it's not happening in these movies. But they seem to hide it enough where you can't actually relate the sound unless you're really trying to point it out. But thanks to whoever found all of these popular sound because I've heard all of them at least more than once.
I've always noticed that! i think one of the sounds i ever noticed was repeating was an old tarzan film from the 5os or something where they constantly used a very weird yell over and over. This article was very entertaining in the fact that many people don'tot notice or care about it, but it was cool to know anyway. I do know however why they keep using them though. I learned a while back that the laugh recordings used in comedies and tv sitcoms are the same ones used in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. most of the time they are dubbed into the tv,even if there were a live audience there or not. We recognize the sound sequences because they have always been used. if we were to change the sound, people would notice or it wouldn't have the same effect.
Ah yes, the Wilhelm scream. I’ve heard stories of directors asking it be put in just so they can say that it was used in their movie. I’ve seen comedy films where it is used to create a sense of cheesiness to a movie, as it can be incredibly fake if used repetitively and in non realistic circumstances. I will never forget the time I first heard that scream in a movie that wasn’t Star Wars, I was probably 7 and I noticed while watching Indiana Jones how that scream seemed to be the same scream that was used when a clone trooper fell off a bridge in the death star. But since then, I’ve noticed it’s almost harder to find an action movie that doesn’t use it than one that does. Though I find it incredibly amazing and interesting that sound effects can be used over and over again like certain production companies reuse props or scenery, I think that this particular sound effect has become so famous that, at least to me, it is recognizable to the point where it takes me out of the story. I love that it is part of cinematic history, and I in no way wish for it’s demise, but honestly how hard can it be to record a custom scream.
Although I’ve never known its proper name I actually know the Wilhelm scream quite well. Growing up as a little kid who watched Star Wars religiously I first encountered the noise when watching a stormtrooper get blasted off the bridge of the death star plummeting to his death. I didn’t think very much of it at that time, but after hearing it again in Indiana Jones and countless times again in movies, I’ve started to pick up on the fact that it was a trope. Now that I understand that I only have one question, why use it? I can see the appeal in implementing it to become a part of film history and utilize a sound effect that spans the course of cinema’s past, but its so overdone and unrealistic sounding, so why? Like Alex said, is it really all that hard to record an originally scream? If anything I feel like that would add to a character and give more power to a moment rather than throwing it away with an overdone iconic sound effect. Perhaps if a throw away is the effect you want the Wilhelm is perfect for your film, but otherwise I think its time we embrace originality. One thing that truly surprised me was the wide range of genres the iconic scream has been used in; comedy, drama, tragedy, epic, horror, this sound has been used in all and that’s noteworthy and should be preserved, but I think filmmakers should think a little bit more about what they’re doing before they implement it.
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