A Study On The Forms And Functions Of Film Sound

Current film studies focusing on audios lag far behind research on visuals in films. On the understanding, it is a common fallacy that visuals are the primary part of a film while audios only play a subsidiary role. On the comprehension,compared with the visual system in films, the audio system is more abstract, complex and difficult to discriminate and understand.In reality, most recent film studies display a tendency for consumerism. Functional studies and film reviews abound, but discussions on the essence of sound in films are scarce.The creation of sounds, the audios holding most connotations in a film, is extremely difficult. At present, there haven’t been clear criteria for "sound" in films. Hence, we are far from adept at understanding and using sound. Compared with dialogue and music in films, we have paid much less attention to sounds, the most typical attributes of a film.Therefore, this study will use semiotics and psychology to explore the discrimination between sounds and describe the complex system of film sound in the aspects of meaning, form and usage. It will give a clear definition of sound, which is a concept poorly explained in film textbooks. "The mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools". Only after we clearly understand the features and forms of sound, can we better use it in the creation of films.