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Explain how different sound elements are used

Media Product 1:

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - World of Light (Sell Products)

Video Link: https://youtu.be/WShCN-AYHqA

Within this cinematic trailer, various types of sounds are used to make the animation appear realistic despite it being a 3D animation. This cinematic trailer was created to advertise the story campaign for the famous fighting game including a variety of iconic Nintendo characters to choose from and use in battle.  Because of the amount of action in this media product, a range of audio types were used to achieve the effect of making battles appear realistic.

How it enhances visuals:

The entire trailer uses non-diegetic sound considering that the trailer is 3D animated and sounds needed to be found / created and recorded to be added later during the editing stages of making the trailer. Right from start to end, there are audio types playing: right at the beginning, an audio was used to establish the scenery and continues to play from start to end of the main part of the trailer. This audio was a wind backing track, and there were also intense zoom sound effects when the camera zooms in and out during specific shots. This zoom sound effect is played right at the start after a character speaks: the camera then zooms out with the sound effect playing to show the other characters presented. Furthermore, the first shot is a shot of the character holding a gun up to the enemy and you can clearly hear the noise of a gun moving as the character holds the gun up.

After the establishing shot, the enemy is slowly revealed as the camera pans up: as the camera slowly pans up, an eerie piece of music from the SSBU soundtrack plays to create an intense atmosphere. The disturbing music playing here is important, as it makes it clear to the viewer that the enemy is being shown and that the characters are prepared to fight them. Another shot is used where the hands glide across the screen, and a crystal like audio track is used to show that they are perhaps magic or possessed in a way.

The next shot goes back to the main characters that are shown to be speaking: A technique called voice acting is used here, and several voice actors are recording lines for their assigned character. When the second character appears and starts to talk, you can briefly hear sounds of jewellery moving (along with the wind audio track playing in the background suggesting that the jewellery is being moved by the wind).

After the scene containing the 3 characters talking, there is a shot showing the hands transform (the gloves disintegrate and there is light under them. during this shot, there were sounds being played like glass being shattered or something being torn apart (to emphasize the hands' transformation). Shortly after all of the intense sounds play, the iconic SSBU theme (Lifelight)  plays until the end.

Media Product 2:

Adventure Time - Opening (Entertain)

Video Link: https://youtu.be/kMDaAcfCYow

In Adventure Time, various audio techniques and types are used in the series and especially in the intro. Considering that the show follows a fantasy theme, the show uses a lot of artificial sounds and is completely composed of edited foley sounds. Due to the entire show being 2D animated, every episode produced will need to include a range of different foley sounds, ranging from simpler sounds such as footsteps and wind tracks to more complicated unrealistic sound effects because of the fantasy aspect of the show. Because there are no scenes recorded in real life, only non-diegetic sounds is used.

In the intro of the show, a range of audio techniques are used: at the beginning of the intro, there is a scene showing a desolate place with an abandoned and uncared for atmosphere. Within this scene, there is a rat hiding inside of a broken television. When the rat becomes visible, there is a brief moment of noise before the scene switches to a snowy region. The noise played here was made to sound like it came from the rat: high pitched squeaking noises with a slight echo to emphasize the loneliness and emptiness of the environment it is in. Also, other brief noises are played within this scene to suggest that there is more life there than just the rat (noises that sound like birds / other small creatures). This sound, despite only being a short 2 second audio clip, was most likely made from small objects to create the high pitch effect. In terms of audio techniques, the main technique used in this clip is foley sound, as the sound was most like artificially made by people using objects.

In the next scene that immediately transitions from the first scene via 3D movement, the atmosphere and setting significantly changes to a snowy mountain area surrounded by penguins and creatures made from snow. As the scenes transition from one to another, you cans lightly hear the sound of penguins in the distance; this technique is called a sound bridge. Because of the way the audio clips sound, it is most likely best to assume that the noises that the penguins make were voice acted due to how comedic and unrealistic they sound. Furthermore, because of the amount of penguins seen in that specific shot, the same audio clip of just one penguin is played multiple times, some overlapping each other.

Media Product 3:

Bumblebee (2018) (Inform)

Trailer: https://youtu.be/lcwmDAYt22k

Foley Video: https://youtu.be/RRM--iEWGGo

In Transformers' Bumblebee, a team of foley sound producers were hired to create the sounds that are heard in the movie. These sounds were created to orchestrate the sounds that would come from the transformer's movements and also when it comes into contact with objects and different surfaces. The team of foley sound producers found that it would be most suitable to use car parts as the main component in order to create the metallic sounding effects (as well as this, the character that they are producing sounds for, are also a transforming car so it appeared logical to the team to use car parts).

Metal objects such as helmets and car parts (car hoods, doors, etc.) were used along side other objects that can be seen in the movie to simulate the sound of what Bumblebee would sound against different textures / surfaces. For example, for the screenshot above, he is shown hitting his head on a lamp: The foley artists use a helmet which is knocked onto the ground and a lampshade that is shaken slightly (both played at the same time) to create the sound that would be heard.

Media Product 4:

How to do a Covid-19 Self-Test (rapid antigen test) (Inform)

Video Link: https://youtu.be/S9XR8RZxKNo

This video was posted on March 1st 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic to help educate those that need to take self tests at home. Although self-test kits come with instructions, there have been several videos made (such as this one) created for those who may need a demonstration. This video is beneficial to those that may not own an instruction manual or people that have disabilities and impairments, e.g. deaf, blind etc.

The video lasts for around 7 - 8 minutes, as it also covers the importance and taking self tests and many other extra details that may have been missed. The video contains no background music, so that the presenter can be clearly heard and understood by viewers. The presenter speaks in a clear tone, with subtitles provided at the bottom. No background noises can be heard, apart from the noises coming from the equipment that is demonstrated in the video, such as the spray bottle when cleaning the desk, the tap and water running, etc.

After reviewing this video, I can conclude that all the audio included is diegetic sound (this means that the audio comes from the original clips, meaning that it was recorded in real time along with the video).