FS10040 Introduction to Film Sound Aesthetics

Academic Year 2020/2021

From the moment of birth to that of death, sound is our ever present sense. It anchors us and gives us a vital sense of physical location in the world around us. Yet, the importance of sound in the most popular art form of our time remains immensely underestimated. Film sound does much more than simply accompany the image. It amplifies it. It gives it a third dimension. In short, it brings the image to life.

Film sound has its own distinct set of aesthetic conventions. This module examines them in detail - from the literal sounds that encourage us to believe what we see on screen, to the emotive sounds which influence our emotional and psychological responses to what we see on screen.

As an introduction to the fundamental structural concepts of motion picture sound, the module develops students' understanding of how sound functions as a vital creative element of narrative construction. Specifically, the module addresses: dialogue, nuance and the human voice as expression of character; sound effects and their role in story building; volume and silence as narrative instruments; frame space boundaries and offscreen sound; music as a universal language of emotion.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

An understanding and appreciation of the capacity of sound to bypass our cognitive processes and to fundamentally shape our interpretation of film action and character.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

18

Specified Learning Activities

20

Autonomous Student Learning

60

Total

98

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The module is delivered via online lectures. There is no small group teaching (SGT) on the module. Audio visual segment presentation and analysis is a standard, integral part of lectures. This immersive experience enhances in a practical, industry relevant manner, the student learning experience.

Students are expected to view a number of recommended films autonomously as part of their own individual learning effort during the semester.
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Essay: Short essay (1,000 words) Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded No

50

Essay: Short Essay (1,000 words) Unspecified n/a Graded No

50


Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Post assessment feedback via oral, written, e mail, and / or meetings is the norm for the written essay component. Students may also submit essay component draft material for feedback prior to summative assessment.

Academic Year: 2020-2021. FS10040 (Film Sound).

Student Library Research Reading & Films Lists.



Key Texts:


David Bordwell & Kristen Thompson.
Film Art, An Introduction, (12th Edition) McGraw Hill, 2019.

Joe Boggs & Dennis W. Petrie.
Art of Watching Films, (8th or 9th Editions) McGraw Hill, 2011 or 2018.



Additional Reading:


Larry Sider, Diane Freeman & Jerry Sider (eds). Soundscape: The School of Sound Lectures 1998-2001 (2nd edition). The School of Sound (UK), 2010.

Rick Altman. Sound Theory / Sound Practice. British Film Institute, 1992.

Trevor Cox. Sonic Wonderland: A Scientific Odyssey of Sound. Bodley Head, 2014.

Seth Horowitz. The Universal Sense: How Hearing Shapes the Mind. Bloomsbury, 2013.

Michel Chion. Film: A Sound Art. Colombia University Press, 2009.

David Hendy. Noise: A Human History of Sound and Listening. Profile Books, 2013.

R Murray Schafer. The Soundscape: Our Environment and the Tuning of the World. Destiny Books, 1993.

Walter Murch. In the Blink of an Eye; A Perspective on Film Editing, (2nd Edition). Silman James, 2001.

Steven Ascher (with Edward Pincus). The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age (5th Edition). Penguin Puttnam, 2019.




Recommended Films (curriculum based):


The Artist. Michael Hazanavicius. Warner Bros. 2011.

Cape Fear. Martin Scorsese. Universal Pictures. 1991.

City Lights. Charlie Chaplin. United Artists. 1931.

Distant Voices, Still Lives. Terence Davies. British Film Institute. 1988.

Hukkle. György Pálfi. Arsenal. 2002.

Into Great Silence. Philip Groning. Zeitgeist Films. 2005.

The Jazz Singer. Alan Crosland. Warner Bros. 1927.

Lost in La Mancha. Keith Fulton & Louis Pepe. IFC Films. 2002.

Midnight Express. Alan Parker. Columbia Pictures. 1978.

Once upon a Time in America. Sergio Leone. Warner Bros. 1984.

Once upon a Time in the West. Sergio Leone. Euro Int’l Film. 1968.

Osama. Siddiq Barmak. ICA Film Distribution (UK & Irl). 2003.

Powaqqatsi. Godfrey Reggio. Cannon Group. 1988.

Saving Private Ryan. Steven Spielberg. Paramount Pictures.1998.

Schindler’s List. Steven Spielberg. Universal Pictures. 1983.

The Shining. Stanley Kubrick. Warner Bros. 1980.

Silence of the Lambs. Jonathan Demme. Orion Pictures. 1991.

Singin’ in the Rain. Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen. MGM / Loew’s Inc. 1952.

The Third Man. Carol Reed. British Lion Corporation. 1949.

The Time of the Gypsies. Emir Kusturica. Columbia Pictures. 1990.

The Tribe. Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi. Arthouse Traffic (Ukraine) 2014.

Up. Pete Docter. Walt Disney. 2009.





Recommended Films (ex curriculum):



All Is Lost. JC Chandor. 2015.

Amour. Michael Haneke. 2012.

Apocalypto. Mel Gibson. 2006.

Apocalypse Now. Francis Ford Coppola. 1979.

Barry Lyndon. Stanley Kubrick. Warner Bros. 1975.

The Bear. Jean Jacques Annaud. 1988.

Blue Velvet. David Lynch. 1986.

The Birds. Alfred Hitchcock. 1963.

Braveheart. Mel Gibson. 1995.

Caché (Hidden). Michael Haneke. 2005.

Citizen Kane. Orson Welles. 1941.

The Conversation. Francis Ford Coppola. 1974.

Das Boot. Wolfgang Petersen. 1981.

The Exorcist. William Friedkin. Warner Bros. 1973.

Good Will Hunting. Director: Gus Van Sant. Miramax Films.1997.

The Guilty (Den Skyldige). Gustav Möller. 2018.

In the Land of the Deaf. Nicholas Philibert. 1992.

Jaws. Steven Spielberg. Universal Pictures. 1975.

Koyaanisqatsi. Godfrey Reggio. Island Alive New Cinema. 1983.

Locke. Stephen Knight. 2014.

The Long Day Closes. Terence Davies. British Film Institute. 1992.

Lost Highway. David Lynch. 1997.

The Naked Island. Kaneto Shindo 1960.

The Passion of the Christ. Mel Gibson. 2004.

Prisoner of the Mountain. Sergei Bodrov. 1996.

Psycho. Alfred Hitchcock. 1960.

Raging Bull. Martin Scorsese. 1980.

Rear Window. Alfred Hitchcock. 1954.

The Red Balloon. Albert Lamorisse. 1956.

Requiem for a Dream. Darren Aronofsky. Artisan Entertainment. 2000.

The Revenant. Alejandro González Inárritu. 2015.

2001: A Space Odyssey. Stanley Kubrick. 1968.

Taxi Driver. Martin Scorsese. 1976.

The Untouchables. Brian de Palma. Paramount Pictures. 1987.

Wall-E. Andrew Stanton. 2008.

The White Ribbon. Michael Haneke. 2009.



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