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Sound Analysis - Önder Köyel

Altered States
Directed by Ken Russell
Released Date - 1980



I think this video is an interesting one to describe because both diegetic and non-diegetic sound intertwines with each other and yet still conflict together. In this title sequence, Russell used only the diegetic in the first half of the video. The sound consisted of metal creaking inside the water which is related to ships creaking under the water (i.e. the scene in Titanic when the ship was being investigated near the end of the film), there were the occasional sounds of machines beeping and printing paper. This part of the video lets the audience understand the agenda of the professor who is also seen along that scene. The diegetic sound altogether seem like an all elaborate and just plan that the doctor or professor is investigating something as part of his project.

With the non-diegetic sounds starting, all diegetic sounds end for the time being until the end of the video. We then hear a man, in his formal voice commentating of the meaning of the video. This man talks about how this is a peaceful investigation, a majority of the students have tested the hardware and the professor himself wanted to try it. This indicates to the audience that the characters are fine and the atmosphere of the scene shows that it is just an ordinary day at work. After the narrating ends, this is when the eerie sounds start. The dramatic and tense sound, it starts with a slow paced tempo which gradually grows and eventually gets louder. So the audience understand that the storyline has turned from an ordinary life into a complicated one where anything mysterious is going to happen.

The contradiction between the diegetic and non-diegetic, and I mentioned this earlier, is that the diegetic sound shows what a normal day this scene is set at, where everything is peaceful. The non-diegetic sound starts with the narrating to prolong the feeling that everything is fine until the mystery starts with the music. That their is a major flaw with the atmosphere and something dark is going to take over, which as you know contributes to a thriller.

Mise en scène analysis - Önder Köyel

Catch me if you can
Directed by: Steven Speilburg
Released in 2002



During this title sequence, we understand a relationship between the two main characters. The Mise on scene in this film describes how the first characters has a flawed personality. Every time there is a scene associated with him we see this effect of a line going up or down across the scene. And even in the scene he is associated in consists of him changing clothes in order to start escaping from the second character. This also indicates his personality is flawed because his previous personality he chooses seems to come with it's very own weakness which he cannot muster. This in term makes him weak and he then has the need to find a new personality.

Even with the second character, the mise on scene represents how much of a calm but unlucky man he is. He seems to be a man built in with patience as he waits on his target to show his flaw but is always late to pounce.

Basically this is an excellent title sequence which displays the characters strengths and weaknesses just by watching the mise on scene.

Camerawork analysis

Editing analysis - Önder Köyel

Waking the dead
Created by Barbara Machin



The title sequence for Waking the Dead has a unique way of displaying their editing skills. Throughout this clip you see a water effect, either through the background or on the credits and the use of colors add a suspenseful atmosphere. Primarily because the entire video is based on a black and dark color with the occasional twist or flash of yellow or the glimpse where the video's colors are inverted. With the credits, there is a constant movement where the audience react to.

This is the kind of editing we want to relate to within our thriller project. We want to have the perfect color contrast with the background and credits, so it is major-ly important that we emphasize the use of our credits with our editing.