Research into sound: Horror films

The importance of music in a horror film is that it helps to set the mood.
During the opening scene of 'The Woman in Black' there is no sound used at all, this is unusual for a horror film to remain completely silent. However, it builds up tension as it works with the camera angles and close ups used and the slow motion of the clip. Non-diegetic music begins to fade into the scene creating an eerie atmosphere, as the music sounds mysterious and high pitched. Non-diegetic sound is key in this scene, as there is no dialogue used, the non-diegetic sound carries the scene. It informs the audience that something isn't right, there is a tension build-up.


Another example of good use of sound is a scene from Insidious.
The scene begins with the diegetic noise of the fan, although until the fan is revealed in the scene this may be hard to identify.  The elderly woman who is the main focus of this scene begins to whisper, the importance of this diegetic dialogue is to show the vulnerability of everyone in the room, she is clearly afraid. The tone of her voice begins to speed up, showing the panic and nervousness this character is feeling. The audience can also see her determination shine through as her pitch begins to raise, she is determined for whatever evil is lurking in the room to leave. The importance of dialogue is to show the characters, thoughts, feelings and authority.
Towards the end of the scene, fast non-diegetic music begins to play. The music used sounds as if it was created through sting instruments, string instruments help to create a high pitched, squeaky, speedy tone which helps to make the audience feel on edge and builds up a sense of fear.

Through using the internet to research into the use of sound and music in a horror film, I discovered an intriguing article featuring on the BBC website.

Noise of panic                                                                                                The simplest examples of this are found in thriller and horror films, which employ dissonant, screeching sounds we unconsciously associate with animals in distress. A 2010 study by the University of California found that human sensitivity to non-linear alarm sounds, such as ones made by groundhogs to warn about predators, is being employed by film composers to unsettle and unnerve. In films like Hitchcock's 1960 classic Psycho, straining strings and overblowing brass are mimicking the noise of panic in nature. For audiences who enjoy a lush romantic score, a 2011 experiment at Canada's McGill University studied the neural mechanics of why humans get goosebumps from great tunes. Far from being a purely aural experience, scans suggested that the regions of the brain that light up with music are those linked to euphoric stimuli such as food, sex and drugs. Blood flow in the brain is responding to areas associated with reward, emotion and arousal. Extreme vibrations Science writer Philip Ball, author of The Music Instinct, says soundtracks can produce the same reaction in us whether the music is good or bad. "Our response to certain kinds of noise is something so profound in us that we can't switch it off," he says. "Film composers know that and use it to shortcut the logical part of our brain and get straight to the emotional centres." Some filmmakers are now using infrasound to induce fear in audiences. These extreme bass waves or vibrations have a frequency below the range of the human ear.