Film Quiz 9

With regard to sound, what is the crucial difference between sound and silent films?

A sound film can emphasize silence, but a silent film has no option.

What is the effect of hearing the Mass for the Dead during the opening of The Shining (1980)?

The music signals that things will not end well for these characters.

Which film won Oscars for both its richly textured sound design and its multilayered sound mixing?

Inception (2010).

Most film sounds are constructed _____.

during postproduction

The group responsible for the sound in movies is called the _____.

sound crew

Why is the digital format fast becoming the standard for recording movie sound?

It offers greater flexibility in recording, editing, and mixing.

Which of the following film sounds are typically recorded during production?

Dialogue.

Which of the following does NOT describe what happens during the process of sound mixing?

Dialogue is recorded.

Which of the following does NOT describe a perceptual characteristic of sound?

Amplitude.

How is sound pitch (or level) defined?

By the frequency (or speed) with which it is produced.

Why would filmmakers use the extremes of near silence or shocking loudness in a scene?

To signal something important.

Which of the following is NOT a way in which sound volume shapes an audience’s interpretation of a scene?

Medium loudness may suggest something important.

What is the difference between diegetic and nondiegetic sound?

Diegetic sound originates from a source within a film’s world; nondiegetic sound comes from outside that world.

In the opening sequence of The Shining (1980), the electronic music, which does not emanate from an onscreen location, is:

nondiegetic.

Which of the following is NOT a function of asynchronous sound?

It produces spatial awareness.

Which of the following is NOT an example of asynchronous sound?

A bottle of champagne is opened, and the audience hears a pop as the cork flies across the room.

Which of the following sounds are typically used to draw the attention of an audience?

Nondiegetic, offscreen sound to the exclusion of all else.

Which type of film sound tends to dominate most films?

Vocal sounds.

While dialogue in most movies represents ordinary speech, the screwball comedies of the 1930s invented:

a fast, witty style that called attention to itself.

Which of the following is NOT true of dialogue?

It is the speech of characters who must be visible onscreen.

How do environmental sounds typically function in a film?

They provide information about a film’s setting and action.

What is the principal difference between traditional sound effects and Foley sounds?

Traditional sound effects are created and recorded "wild"; Foley sounds are recorded in sync with the picture.

When is nondiegetic music recorded?

It is recorded at the very end of the editing process so that it can be accurately matched to the images.

Which of the following is NOT a function of silence?

It may help an audience anticipate what might happen next in the plot.