Blog posting: Sound
During our sound lessons and the assigned videos I learned a lot about how sound can tell a story and create a mood. I learned that sound is not just background noise but an important part of storytelling that can make scenes feel real and exciting. We explored different types of sounds including natural sounds like wind or birds, Foley effects which are sounds we create using objects, and digital sound effects. I learned how to layer these sounds so they work together and how to record and edit sounds so that they match the action and emotion of a scene. The lessons also taught me how important timing and volume are and how small sound details can really affect how the audience feels.
For our sound projects we had two assignments. The first project focused on creating a scene using only sound with no visuals. We were asked to brainstorm a short 1-2 minute scene, create a detailed outline, record or source sounds, and make at least four Foley sounds using everyday objects. We could only use seven spoken words in the scene. The second project involved adding sound to a silent film to enhance the story and create a feeling or mood. We were given a word to focus on and had to think about what sounds would normally happen, what sounds could be added to create tone, and how to layer sounds to make the scene feel realistic. Both projects required planning, creativity, and careful editing to tell a story through audio.
For Sound Project One my scene was about an explorer in a jungle trying to escape a volcano eruption while a helicopter came to rescue him. During brainstorming I thought about all the sounds that would happen naturally in the scene including footsteps on dirt, rustling leaves, the rumble of the volcano, rocks falling, and the helicopter blades. I also considered how to create tension and excitement using sound alone. I completed a brainstorming sheet to list all these sounds and ideas. This helped me figure out which sounds I would need to record and which I could find online.
After brainstorming I created a detailed outline for my soundscape. The outline helped me organize the sounds in the order they would happen, decide the timing, and plan how I would layer multiple sounds at the same time. It also helped me make sure I stayed under the limit of seven spoken words while still telling a clear story. The outline served as a roadmap during recording and editing so I knew exactly when each sound should start and end.
For editing I used Clip Champ. This allowed me to adjust volumes, layer sounds, and clean up any background noise. I also recorded video of making my Foley sounds with everyday objects like shaking a box of rocks to simulate falling debris. I edited the Foley video together with the rest of the audio to make one complete project.
I think I did a good job making the scene feel exciting and realistic. The layered sounds made the volcano eruption and the helicopter rescue feel intense. I am proud of how I balanced different sounds and created tension. Next time I would like to work on making the transitions between sounds smoother and the timing more precise so the action feels even more natural.
For Sound Project Two my task was to add sound to a silent film for the One Word Film project. My word was anxious and the film showed a student taking a test and feeling nervous. During brainstorming I thought about all the sounds that would naturally happen in the scene including pencil scratching, papers rustling, chair movements, and the clock ticking. I also thought about adding sounds to show the student’s anxiety more strongly such as a faint heartbeat. I decided to use background music to help create tension and enhance the feeling of nervousness. This helped me make a full list of sounds I would need to record or find online.
I then created an outline for the soundscape. The outline helped me organize the timing and layering of all the sounds so the student’s nervousness would be felt by the audience. It helped me plan which sounds would happen at the same time, when to make them louder or softer, and how to use music, heartbeats, and clock ticking to enhance tension. I used Clip Champ to layer and edit the sounds carefully into the video so they matched the student’s actions and emotions.
I think the strongest part of this project was how the sound made the student’s anxiety feel real and engaging. The combination of background music, subtle sound effects, and Foley noises added depth to the scene and helped the audience understand how the student was feeling. Next time I want to experiment with even more creative Foley sounds and refine the balance of sound layers to make it even more immersive.
Overall these two projects taught me how powerful sound can be in storytelling. The first project showed me how to create an adventure scene using only audio while the second project showed me how to add sound to a silent film to make the audience feel emotion and tension. Both projects improved my planning, recording, and editing skills. I am excited to continue practicing and experimenting with sound in future projects.
Project Links:
Sound Project One:
Sound Project Two:
Genre Research Blog Activity
Genre: Horror
Horror movies are made to scare and shock the audience while keeping them excited and curious about what will happen next. They are designed to make people feel nervous, tense, or surprised by showing frightening events, strange creatures, or dark secrets. These movies often explore human fears like death, loneliness, and the unknown. Some horror films focus on the supernatural, while others show real world dangers such as killers or psychological fear. The main characters are often regular people who find themselves in terrifying situations where they must survive or face their worst nightmares. Many horror stories take place in dark or lonely places such as haunted houses, forests, graveyards, or small towns. The plots usually involve people trying to escape danger, uncover a mystery, or fight an evil presence that is beyond their control. Horror is one of the oldest and most popular genres because it allows people to feel fear in a safe and thrilling way.
Genre Conventions: Production Techniques
Horror movies use many creative techniques to build fear and tension. The lighting is often dark or dim to make shadows and give a creepy atmosphere. The sound design plays a huge role by using scary music, sudden loud noises, and long moments of silence to make the audience feel uneasy. Camera shots are chosen carefully, using close ups to show fear on a person’s face or shaky movements to make the viewer feel like they are inside the scene. Editing helps create rhythm and emotion. Some scenes use slow cuts to build suspense, while others use fast cuts during attacks or chase scenes to make the action more intense. Special effects such as makeup, fake blood, and digital editing bring ghosts, monsters, and other frightening images to life. The use of color can also make a big difference. Dark reds, blacks, and grays are often used to create an uncomfortable or dangerous mood. All these techniques work together to make the viewer feel fear, excitement, and curiosity.
Institutional Conventions: How It’s Marketed
Horror movies are marketed in a way that catches the audience’s attention right away. The posters and trailers often use dark colors, shadows, and blood to make the movie look scary and mysterious. They usually show the main monster or villain only for a short moment to make people wonder what will happen. Taglines are short and memorable, daring people to watch the movie or suggesting that it is based on real events. Horror films are usually released close to Halloween or in the fall season because that is when people most enjoy scary entertainment. The main audience for horror is usually teenagers and young adults who like the thrill and adrenaline of being scared. However, some psychological horror films also attract older audiences who enjoy deeper or more meaningful stories. Many studios use social media to promote horror movies through short clips, hidden messages, or viral challenges that make people share the film online. Sometimes, movie companies even use fake news stories or creepy websites to make their marketing more realistic and exciting.
Film Sample #1: The Conjuring
The Conjuring, made in 2013, is about a family who moves into a farmhouse that turns out to be haunted by an evil spirit. Two ghost hunters, Ed and Lorraine Warren, try to help them remove the dark presence. The movie uses many traditional horror elements such as ghosts, loud noises, and strange movements in the dark. The lighting is soft and shadowy, creating an old fashioned and realistic look that makes the haunting feel believable. The movie depends on real acting, practical effects, and clever camera work instead of heavy computer graphics. This helps the story feel more real and grounded. The Conjuring was advertised as being based on a true story, which made it even scarier for viewers. Its marketing used images of the haunted house and warnings that the film was not for the faint of heart. The movie was a huge success and started a whole series of similar films known as The Conjuring Universe.
Film Sample #2: Get Out
Get Out, made in 2017, is a horror movie that also deals with real social issues such as race and identity. It starts with a man visiting his girlfriend’s family for the weekend, but things slowly become strange and frightening as he discovers a dark secret about them. The movie builds fear through quiet tension and psychological pressure rather than constant jump scares. The lighting and music change as the story goes on, matching the feeling of confusion and danger. The camera focuses on close facial expressions to show the growing fear of the main character. Get Out was marketed as a social thriller, meaning it mixed horror with real world problems to make a powerful message. This helped it stand out as something new and smart while still being scary. It appealed to both horror fans and general audiences who wanted a movie that made them think as well as jump.
Other Film Examples:
Other well-known horror movies include Hereditary, made in 2018, A Nightmare on Elm Street, made in 1984, The Exorcist, made in 1973, It, made in 2017, Scream, made in 1996, and The Babadook, made in 2014. Each of these movies shows a different side of the horror genre. Some focus on psychological fear, others on supernatural ghosts, and some on violent killers. Even though their styles are different, they all share the same goal of creating fear and excitement. Horror continues to change with new technology and ideas, but the feeling it gives the audience has stayed the same for generations. It is a genre that makes people face their fears and keeps them watching until the very end.
Mise-en-scene Blog Post
For our Multimedia Mise-en-scene project, our group’s goal was to bring a fictional character to life through different visual, audio, and tactile elements. The main objective was to make audiences truly experience our character to understand not just what he looks like but who he is beneath the surface. We wanted every detail in our station to tell part of his story, from his hobbies and achievements to the emotions he hides behind them.
Our character, Noah Cook, is a high school athlete who hides a secret passion for poetry. On the surface, Noah fits the mold of the classic football star confident, disciplined, and admired. But beneath that image, he wrestles with expectations and his need for self-expression. Torn between his public identity and private creativity, Noah’s story explores the tension between ambition and authenticity. Through our project, we aimed to represent this duality showing how appearance and personal truth often collide.
To illustrate Noah, we created several multimedia elements. We built a mood board that included images of football fields, notebooks, scribbled poems, medals, and muted tones that represented his internal conflict. We also presented a box of personal items including his football, cleats, medals, and a small diary filled with poems and torn pages symbolizing his struggles and vulnerability. The centerpiece of our station was a shoebox diorama of Noah’s room, decorated with his jersey, helmet, and scattered books, showing the intersection of his athletic and artistic worlds. We even created a fake Instagram profile for Noah to represent his public persona versus his private one. One of our members also voice-acted as Noah, narrating his thoughts and experiences to visitors through an audio recording, adding depth to his character’s voice and emotional tone.
In organizing our character station, we made sure each element connected back to Noah’s story and themes of representation. His football gear and medals represented denotation, the clear, literal signs of his identity as an athlete, while the torn poems and diary acted as connotations of his hidden, emotional side. The shoebox room served as mise-en-scène, where every object, color, lighting, and placement was intentional and meaningful. The audio element worked as anchorage, guiding the audience’s understanding of how Noah sees himself and how others perceive him.
Our group process was collaborative and creative from start to finish. Each member contributed to a different aspect, from building the shoebox room to recording Noah’s monologue and designing the Instagram profile. The final presentation came together smoothly, and visitors responded really well to our setup. Many liked how the room model and diary made Noah feel like a real person. Overall, our group was proud of how we balanced physical creativity with emotional storytelling to build a believable, multidimensional character.
Below is the link to our project materials including Noah Cook’s mood board, Instagram profile, and room diagram.
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