Abby Nagle Garne
This study explores the way in which sound design can drive the narrative of a film. Four different sound conditions were created and applied to the same piece of visual footage in order to isolate the effects that sound, void of dialogue and music, has on film. This project investigates methods by which sound design can affect an audience’s narrative understanding, perception of emotional tone, and ability to identify sources of conflict and danger within a film.
The four sound conditions were designed as follows: Version A was designed to be set in a civil war, Version B was designed to be set in a zombie apocalypse, Version C was designed to be about a woman on the run from the law, and Version D was kept silent in order to act as a control during the investigation. Versions A and B were designed using identifiable sounds and causal listening cues, whereas Version C was designed using more abstract and subtle sound cues. These versions were tested by presenting them to separate groups of participants and having them complete a survey after viewing the film. In total, 44 participants took part, with eleven responses being gathered for each version. Results were collected through both qualitative and quantitative methods.
The participants interpreted the same visuals differently depending on the soundscape presented to them. Those who watched versions A and B reported high levels of narrative clarity, whereas those who watched versions C and D reported low levels of narrative clarity. This shows that audiences can use sound sources to construct narratives when the sounds are identifiable. More abstract sounds result in less narrative clarity but are effective in portraying emotions and psychological states of characters. These results support the thesis argument that sound can influence narrative interpretations rather than just accompany an image.
Abby is a musician and post-production sound editor from Cork. She has experience working in post-production sound for Pictor Productions as seen on FLIX! on RTÉ 2, and has worked as an assistant for Avant Music Port, a music supervision company in Cork. Her latest venture is as a member of the band Aniar, an Irish vocal trio whose viral success online has led them to perform on several stages across Ireland
