Sounds are what make a movie. Having a good soundtrack as well as good sound effects are crucial to making a good movie. If your soundtrack doesn’t live up to the scenes in the movie, then the atmosphere of the scene can be lost. Sound effects are equally important as a poor sounds can drastically reduce the viewing experience of the film. One genre that is the most dependant on proper sound structure is the Science Fiction genre. Because Sci-Fi movies often deal with futuristic elements and settings, most sound artists have to be able design sounds that enhance the futuristic setting, without making them seem overly unrealistic or silly. The common tropes of these sounds usually involve harsher synths which are usually very unique, sometimes weird sounds in order to push an idea of futurism. A good example of sound effects used designed in a way that isn’t over the top is in the sci-fi movie “Minority Report”. For the rest of the article I will be referencing this movie in order to show my point. Minority Report isn’t a movie set in the far future, but rather one set in a near future, only about 40 years ahead. There are some elements in the movie that seem over the top, but for the most part, the futurism is reasonable, with some of the technologies in the movie, like self-driving cars and motion controlled screens, becoming more of a reality today. The sounds of movie are, at least for the most part, grounded in reality. The “spider-crew” scene near the middle of the film is special because it the drones used in the scene don’t sound overly futuristic, sure their movements seem a bit overdone, but the sounds they made were only that of the clinks when their legs hit the ground, likewise, the use of conventional weaponry and not some futuristic elctro-gun-lazer-thing, as seen in most sci-fi films are a nice touch, as the sound of a gunshot is much more recognizable and iconic than that of a more futuristic gun. The sounds of the screens and computers in the movie also sound more like real computers today, they don’t make any weird noise, and don’t even look all that different. My one criticism is how the cars are portrayed in the movie. Transportation vehicle, be it spaceships or cars in sci-fi films are always given some outlandish noise that is supposed to show some sort of super-efficient engine that runs on unobtanium or whatever futuristic propulsion system exist in 3023 or whatever year the film takes place, it’s a shame to see Minority Report follow a similar trend, as, even 15-ish years ago, electric cars were looking more and more like the future of transportation at the time, especially with the fairly popular GM EV-1 existing around the same time. There also nicer touches when it comes to the sound effects in the film, mainly revolving around the police’s gear in the film. There is always the sound of a small “charge up” sound that exists whenever the police forces in the film always take out a part of their gear in the movie, the sounds are more muted and subtle than in other sci-fi films, but it allows for greater impact in some scenes, especially near the end of the movie, where our main protagonist gets arrested. The scene is also quite impactful as it takes place whilst the audio in the film is almost muted, with only the slight ringing in the background as if someone has either been near an explosion or has been shot. When used right, this effect adds so much more impact and suspense to a scene (The confrontation scene between Carnegie and Eli in “The Book of Eli”, a personal favourite of mine, is a good example of this effect being used). Minority Report is a good example of a movie that uses its sound effects to its full advantage. Its sounds are effective without being over-the-top or cliché, while at the same time it has an excellent story with good pacing. As stated before, sound effects are crucial to a movie, especially a movie like Minority Report. Sci-Fi films often suffer from outlandish and often downright silly sounds that detract from the viewing experience, but when done right, it can create a film that’s engaging, action packed, immersive, and even make a normal film a classic.
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About Me:Welcome to my blog! Here you'll find various articles about all sorts of topics. Politics, Music, Video Games, eSports, and many other topics I feel the need to write about. Archives
February 2018
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