According to an article titled "Sound in Filmmaking", there are two categories of sound in film: Diegetic and Non-Diegetic. Diegetic Sound refers to all those audio elements that come from sources inside the world we see on the screen and non-Diegetic Sound refers to all those audio elements that come from outside of the fictional world we see on screen, including the musical score and sound effects. This film relies on Diegetic sound to tell the story, excluding any non-diegetic sound to elict a personal response. I think the trailer linked above does a phenomenal job of conveying the use of diegetic sound in the film. One scene I particulary think does a great job acknowledging this is when Wendy is arrested and in booking. You hear the clicks of the camera and the whirring of the machinery, mimicking the anxiousness the character feels being locked in a room wondering what her beloved pet would be doing. Even though you cannot hear what the character is thinking, it can be inferred by the camera angles of the scene that the sounds from the room are interfering with the thoughts in her mind. She seems annoyed by the little ticks and sounds that fill the room. Prior to this scene, Wendy had Lucy with her to counteract the loneliness inside her, but this scene is pivotal to the plot because she is completley alone. The volume of the sounds seem louder than they normally would be because the volume mimics how Wendy is feeling now that Lucy is gone.
When she takes the cellphone from the guard, her tone of voice is slightly higher, something we haven't heard from her before. In a way, this tone could be a result of the security guard, as he sort of takes the role of Lucy in a way. Wendy finally has someone to talk to, where before her only escape was her dog. I'm amazed at how various types of sounds in this film can reveal inner emotions of characters, and something as simple as a change of tone gives insight into a character. Sound also has the ability to further the plot, in this case, foreshadow the character's future.
This scene ends with a sequence of important settings in the film; the parking lot and trains. After Wendy's planning, the director shows us Lucy, Wendy, the parking lot, and trains. Implementing the horn of the train acknowledges a transition within the movie as well as Wendy's life. The audience is shown a wide shot of the Walgreens parking lot, birds, and then the train. I believe this could be foreshadowing the end of the film - Wendy leaves the parking lot, free from the confinements that restricted her (Her broken car and Lucy) as if she were a bird, to finally take a train boxcar to get her to her destination. An article from Little White Lies mentions that "Reichardt even forgoes a musical score in favour of the sound of passing trains." Reichardt even said she "used them wherever I would have used a musical score.". Instead of layering music in this sequence, the director opted to use raw sounds to make the experience more natural, making it easier for the audience to take this journey with Wendy by hearing the things she hears.
1 Comment
Brian
2/1/2018 07:41:32 am
Hi, Savannah! It's a pleasure to be reading your work again. I loved your deep dive into the movie's use of sound, which is one of its most distinctive qualities, and characteristic of Reichardt's filmography more broadly. You've done a good job of applying general research about sound to this analysis of the film's audio strategies, and made some really insightful points about the movie's construction. She creates identification with Wendy through the natural sounds in her environment, and you do a good job of tracking that throughout. Nicely done!
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