OUAN503 - Collaborative, Sound

The sound for the animation was the topic of constant discussion throughout the course of the project, and is something I thought a lot about while simultaneously undertaking other tasks and sections of the brief. From doing a multitude of other briefs I'm quite familiar with what kinds of sounds and music work well and resonate together given the context and type of certain projects. At the early stages of this project when thinking about the sounds and music that would suit and compliment the visuals, I decided that it could work to have a combination of both sound effects relating to the onscreen visuals and also some music laid over the top. As a group we did have several conversations that touched on our ideas for sound and it was quite productive overall, but we came away with an agreement that we would tackle the sound once everything else was complete so that it could be tailored to the correct timings and fit with the transitions between scenes and what's depicted in specific scenes.

Of course the style of the sound design had to correspond to the visual style in order for them to compliment each other. A lot of our sound was simply sourced from free sound effects websites that feature royalty free sounds that anyone can use for personal projects for example. As well as this, music was sourced and mixed from places online. 'Overcoming the Monster' the animation set in America featured quite generic 'rock and roll' music that you could expect in a 50's diner, with the intention to immediately bring the audience into the environment the narrative is set. As well as this, the sound effects throughout scenes were matched to fit specific actions, so for example we used very cartoon like sound effects when characters expressions changed or there was a dramatic moment for example. A similar method to this is used in the other two narratives. They both have an overlaying soundtrack that runs through it fitting the location the story is set. In accompaniment to this, special detail was paid to the effects illustrating actions. The sound of a busy market or restaurant is always present during these scenes and I feel like even if the movement is quite minimal in scenes like this the sound counters this and brings the overall viewing experience up to a new standard.

In regards to sound I think the discussions we had paid off and Ian did a great job at implementing the sound effects and music that was sourced by him and Tilly. I definitely feel that the music and sound effects combined with the visuals made the animations a lot stronger in terms of quality.