Sound Essay

The movie I will be exploring is ‘007 Quantum Of Solace. I will analyse the sound throughout the scene I have picked from the movie. I have chosen this clip in the film because I feel sound in this scene section is of high importance and helps build a climax to the film.

 

The scene starts off with a diegetic sound of the boat revving up and we are suddenly hit with the crash of the two boats. By using these ambient sounds it creates an impact and suggests to the audience that this scene will be intense and gripping, it also helps set the scene for the audience letting them know where the characters are. We are introduced to two characters in the first 30 seconds of this clip. We are shown close up shots of their faces so we can identify them in further shots. This lets us know who will play a major part in this particular clip. The non-diegetic sound then begins indicating that this action scene has just started. We hear speech for the first time in this particular scene this is a diegetic sound, so the characters react to this as they can hear this. We immediately side with these two characters because they have the main focus of the scene. The non-diegetic sound then begins in the background of the action indicating that this action scene has just started. The music builds up when the boat drives off; the sound is very synchronous to the action going on throughout this clip.

The music in this scene comes to a stop gradually when speech starts so that the audience can really concentrate and focus on the dialogue between the characters instead of the non-diegetic sound in the background. The soundtrack is a low dramatic sound creating tension and suspense, this music complements the action happening on screen.  The duration of the shots at the start of this scene are very short, this increases the intensity of the movement, as the action is fast and frantic this suggests that there is a lot going on at once and it is very chaotic. We are shown the main characters facial expressions throughout the clip and they complement the non-diegetic sound very well. We side with the characters we can see more of as we think we know them better than the other characters.

The non-diegetic soundtrack starts again almost instantly once the characters stop talking, this indicates that the fighting has begun again. Gunshots are fired which is a diegetic sound and while this is happening the non-diegetic sound is reflecting the movement on screen by increasing the volume and power.

We are then concentrating on the boat travelling through the Laguna and the duration of these shots are long to build suspense as we don’t know what is going to happen next. I noticed that when the boats are colliding with one another the soundtrack becomes more dramatic, and the duration of the shots becomes shorter so it builds intensity.

As soon as the action stops the music calms down, suggesting to the audience that both characters are safe and they have won the fight. The use of the soundtrack which rises throughout the action includes a harp and a guitar this signifies a victory. To show the calmness of the scene with the boat in the Laguna, the music starts again but this time it is a gradual relaxing non-diegetic sound. When James reaches the island the famous 'James Bond' theme tune begins slowly and subtly in the background as a non-diegetic. However as soon as dialogue is introduced back into the scene the soundtrack stops and it becomes silent once again.