Casting the voiceover

I have asked two people if they would be willing to speak in the voiceover who I feel fit the part. The character's voice needs to be deep because the character is mid 20s and I want my character to have a strong masculine presence because he is not on screen. I have asked people who's sounds close to this. The first person, who was closely to the age sounded good and dramatic but the character is coming from a working class background and has a rough voice. But the voiceover sounded more like upper class.

So I decided to use the other person his voice fit really well with the character. I was able to edit it the crackle and static of the radio straight after recording using the voice recording software, also I added a echo so it seems to be coming out a radio and isn't completely clear.

Analysing Soundtrack

Horror
Music is used to build up tension, it normally starts of rather quiet with long pauses between the sounds. The use of staccato helps create an atmosphere which can escalate and increase in suspension as the mu gets louder, quicker and more dramatic. Some soundtrack use a piano to create an eerie feel to the listener. They are distinct, cold sounds which fit with the generic features of horror, its important the music creates suspense so the watcher anticipates something scary is to come.

Western
All western soundtracks have a similar sound to classify that genre. There's typical a use of traditional instruments like cowbells or a acoustic guitar. They traditional have lyrics and are rather upbeat linking to the action in the genre.

Sci-Fi
All the soundtracks were bold, dramatic and loud. They use a orchestra to make the music seem to surround us a create a new world, which is important for sci-fi is set normally on a different planet. The music is very large scale to empathise the importance of the setting.

Romcom
This genre has typically used popular songs that are upbeat and have lyrics. To create a happy mood and make the watchers feel good. The use of famous, known songs is important as it makes it relatable and they are normally pop songs because everyone knows the words.

Sound - Ratcatcher opening sequence

 

At the start of Ratcatcher we see an abstract image which is hard to understand and distorted. The sound is a main influence on this effect. We hear a distant noise of what could be children on a playground but because it's in the background a faint it doesn't seem important to the boy or is outside the room. We also hear a diagetic sound which could be in his head. This makes us question whether we are hearing sound as him or as an outsider watching him. There's a real abrupt change when it moves on to the next shot, there is a harsh short sound of the slap which brings us out of a sort of trance and into reality. This is a clear foreground and ambient sound contrasting to the previous distorted sound and has been exaggerated. Sound is used to tell  us whether we are watching something from a distance as in Ratcatcher we see the boys playing from a window and the outside sound is muffled and faint and we hear noises from inside the room. This contrast to when we see a close up because the sound is clear and louder. Certain sounds can be exaggerated to empathise the importance of what's happening for example in Ratcatcher when the boy pulls out his trousers as an act of defiance against the mother and the splashing in the water which hints at the boys deaths. 

Anaylsis of Sound - Hunger

 



Diagetic sound - Is sound that is in the story for example dialogue and ambient sound.
Non-diagetic - Is put in during editing for example the soundtrack or a voiceover

 

 

In the clip from hunger we experience the last hours of Bobby Sands life in prison. Throughout the clip we hear little dialogue meaning their are several long scenes in silence, these are only interrupted by sounds within the story, diagetic, which have been artificially exaggerated becoming more noticeable and symbolic. For instance the sound of the doors and keys is very distinct reminding us he's in a prison which also seems very ironic because he can't escape and has imprisoned himself in his body. Also they can symbolise him going through stages towards death. The harsh, metallic sound combined with the close angle shots creates the mood of enclosure and him being caged.
The flashback is the only part which has non-diagetic sound and is used to connect the scenes of past and present as well as his breathing. The non-diagetic sound is very intense and reminds us this is in his mind. The fact it focuses on him running suggests he feels free and this is also hinted at by the birds we hear throughout the scene outside the window and in the woods. This also symbolises that death is his freedom, this is also shown by the camera shots as he is carried away from the camera when he's dead, leaving the prison and towards the camera when he's alive. His breathing through the clip is often heighten and exaggerated, but when we hear his last breath it's faint and long representing him letting go of life because it's deliberately different it is more noticeable.