Research into Sound in thrillers - Miss Miller

Sounds in films within the thriller genre are used to create and enhance an intense, creepy or neutral/"safe" atmosphere. In this essay I will evaluate which sound techniques are used, and how they are used, in the above clip of Saw 3D (spike trap).

From the start of the video [0:00] there is creepy, tense music playing in the background while the male character is walking through the building. This is non-diegetic sound, as it was added during the editing stage. This music is to add a tense and frightening atmosphere, foreshadowing the upcoming events of the male character finding the female character trapped in a torture device. It is common for films in the thriller genre to add this mysterious, edgy music to suggest forthcoming danger; this is mostly to make the audience identify with the characters as we feel their fear.

At 0:44, a crashing sound is heard, made by a cage (containing Jigsaw) smashing through a window. This is diegetic on-screen sound, as it is visible in the frame where the sound came from. This is done so the audience is shocked by the sudden loud crash, and also know to focus their attention solely on the window/cage (because Jigsaw is very important to the scene), as the characters are doing. This increases the audience-character relationship as we are hearing and thereby experiencing what the characters are hearing and experiencing. It is typical for thrillers to increase the bond between audience and character by increasing the volume of important sounds in a scene so as to focus the audience's attention.

Jigsaw is in the cage that crashes through the window, and begins a monologue to explain the details of the trap that the two characters have been placed in [0:49]. This dialogue is diegetic sound because it is a natural part of the narrative, and is on screen sound as it is clear where the sound/voice is coming from. The dialogue is of Jigsaw menacingly explaining to the characters how to survive the trap. He is speaking while we see the characters struggling and looking frightened. The frightening tones in Jigsaw's voice add to the tense and chilling atmosphere of the scene. Also it should be noted that Jigsaw speaks the only dialogue in the scene (apart from screams), increasing Jigsaw's importance and dominance over the victims. It's conventional of a thriller to give most or all of the dialogue in a violent scene such as this to the villain, to draw attention to them.

At 3:42, the female character has spikes pushed through her eyes and mouth. There is a loud 'squelching' sound as this happens, which is diegetic sound as we know where the sound is coming from. This is also parallel sound as the audience can see before, during and after the spikes are pushed through her face so we expect the sound - the sound and the images compliment each other. The 'squelching' sound makes the audience cringe, as the image they are seeing becomes more realistic with sound. We also sympathise with the character because of the mental and physical torture she is experiencing. It is conventional for thrillers to include gory sound effects when someone is being injured/killed on screen because it increases the sense of realism in the scene, also creating an emotional bond between the audience and the character who is being injured/killed.

In summary, the use of sound effects, music and other sounds within films of the thriller genre can create a certain mood or atmosphere in a scene. For example, to create a tense atmosphere, 'creepy' music can be added (during editing) to the scene - this is non-diegetic sound. When creating my own thriller, I will consider the usage of the sound techniques discussed in this essay, and how it will affect my opening sequence.