How Good Sound Design Could Drastically Improve Multimedia in Film

Created by Adobe Firefly, prompt: movie theater watching big screen, surprised, emerald colors

According to Score A Score, “Sound design is the process of recording, editing, and mixing various sound elements and musical pieces for all types of visual media, including in a feature film, television, advertisements, video games, and live performances, like theater.”

It is a crucial element of multimedia design that has the capability of telling powerful stories, deepening emotional impact, and enhancing audience immersion. Memorable sound design can drastically affect the audience's perception of the multimedia they are viewing. Whether it is the cinematic music that plays before an epic battle, corporate background music, or ambient noise of children playing at a park, every sound serves a purpose.

In this blog, the three prominent ways that sound design impacts multimedia will be discussed, along with a movie scene that shows each component.

Enhanced Immersion

As explained by HeavyM, “Immersive audio, also known as spatial sound or 3D audio, is an advanced sound design technique that simulates the way we perceive sound in real life.” Immersive sound design can transport audiences straight into the experience they are trying to emulate. By accurately representing environmental sounds and using editing techniques to make it sound like it is coming from a specific location, it creates a more believable and engaging world for the audience to inhabit.

Enhanced Immersion In Action - Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

The movie Spider-Man: No Way Home uses immersive sound design to enhance the audience's experience of swinging through the streets of New York City alongside Spider-Man. I felt like I was right next to Peter Parker while watching! This movie captured this experience with the whoosh of Peter’s web-slinging, the noises of the busy city, and the cinematic music and sounds used in his battles. This final battle scene felt as if I was on top of the building with them, and the lowering of all audio and slow motion effects used when MJ was falling made the audience hone in on that moment and the suspense on whether or not she was about to die.

Emotional Impact

The right combination of music, sound effects, and dialogue can evoke a wide range of emotions, from tension and excitement to sadness and joy. Different sound effects and music can have different emotional associations. In fact, as summarized by Science Daily when discussing a study done by The Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital at McGill University, pleasurable music and the anticipation of it can induce dopamine.

By carefully crafting soundscapes to complement the narrative and visuals, creators can intensify the audience's emotional connection to the story or experience.

Emotional Impact In Action - Soul (2020) 

Soul demonstrates how sound design can enhance emotional impact through its choices in audio. Sound designers used the film's jazz touch, subtle sound effects and ambient sounds to effectively convey the emotional depth of the characters' journeys. The sound elevates the emotional resonance of the narrative throughout the movie, touching viewers (especially myself) on a profound level. The music chosen in the following scene and emphasis on the dialogue helped make this scene one of the most emotional in the entire film.

Clarity And Communication 

Clear and effective sound design can improve communication and comprehension within multimedia content. Whether it's conveying important information through dialogue, signaling events with sound effects, or guiding the audience's attention through audio cues, well-designed sound can help ensure that the intended message is received and understood by the audience. This is especially crucial in multimedia formats where audio plays a central role, such as podcasts or audio dramas.

Clarity And Communication In Action - Knives Out (2019)

The film Knives Out shows how sound design can enhance clarity and communication in a dialogue-driven story. Sound effects in this film are used sparingly but effectively to punctuate key moments and emphasize important plot points without overshadowing the dialogue. By maintaining clarity in both audio and storytelling, Knives Out keeps viewers engaged and allows them to follow the intricate web of clues and revelations throughout the film. In this scene where the family finds out who their assets go to, by fluctuating the sound in post-production and experimenting with where the sound is coming from, it adds so much more to the scene.

The impact of exceptional sound design cannot be overstated. As seen in these examples, every sound, big or small, serves a distinct purpose, shaping the audience's perception and engagement with each film. Now for future reference, it is essential that every decision regarding sound in a multimedia project is carefully considered.