We often downplay the importance of sound when we tell stories. In reality, audio plays an essential role in determining the overall tone of a piece of work. That’s because for the hearing enabled, it’s a huge part of our experience. Try closing your eyes for a moment and thinking about all what you hear. What you just heard, from the subtle tick of the clock to the ringing phone, adds to they way you experience your environment. The same goes for the sound used in video.
The Brain Connection
Our minds are stimulated by the various senses. Sound, in particular, has the unique ability to evoke emotion, release stress chemicals, and create new development pathways in the brain. According to the National Institutes of Health, music particularly affects our prefrontal cortex. This is the part of the brain that controls the link between sound, memories and emotion. Disney understands this relationship and exploits the connection for an emotional reaction in the first 4 minutes of their 2009 movie, Up.
Audio Beyond Voices
In corporate video production, sometimes dialogue isn’t necessary. Though masterfully crafted shots are critical to video (duh!), it’s equally important to choose the right sound bites, audio clips, and sound effects when telling a story. The link that audio has to memory and emotion means a video can conjure up feelings without using any words.
Media students are sometimes asked to create sound stories. These are a completely auditory experience devoid of visuals. This audio-only format augments our ability to create our own interpretations. Think of the early days of radio and how the many sound effects helped listeners paint a picture. We’re using our minds to fill in the visual blanks, which are cued by the sounds we hear.
Soundscaping
Another form of sound storytelling is soundscaping. Soundscaping combines various sounds to create an immersive audible environment. Acoustic ecologists use audio from natural landscapes (e.g. animals, weather etc.) and layer them with audio composed by humans. The result is a complex combination of overt and subtle noises that tell a story.
Sound Design Matters
Here at Key West Video, sound design is part of the work done by our editors. Using the raw video and audio recorded by our camera operators, the editors are weaving your story. Adding background music helps set the tone. But they may also add sound effects that heighten the impact of the entire video, immersing viewers in the moment. Call us today and hear what we can do for your video.
