Music, Effects, & Audio

 

Music, Sound Effects, and Audio

As I continued through the production phase, I focused on developing the audio elements of my film, including music, sound effects, and voice recordings. To gather realistic sound effects, I used a YouTube to MP3 converter to download specific iPhone-related sounds such as typing, message notifications, and subtle movement noises. These sounds are examples of diegetic sound, as they originate from within the world of the film and are directly connected to the characters’ actions on screen.

In addition to sound effects, I recorded a voiceover for my male actor to better represent his thoughts and allow the audience to understand his perspective during certain moments. This voiceover helps add depth to his character and can function as either diegetic or non-diegetic sound depending on how it is presented in the final edit.

For the music, I reached out to Selena Gomez to request permission to use her song Lose You to Love Me while also using "Wanna Be Yours" by the Artic Monkies the music will serve as non-diegetic sound, as it is added over the scenes to enhance emotion rather than coming from a source within the film. This will be especially important during the breakup and texting scenes, as the music will help emphasize the emotional tone and connection between the characters.

Overall, combining diegetic sound effects with non-diegetic music allows me to create a more immersive and emotionally engaging experience. This balance helps the audience feel both the realism of the moment and the deeper emotions behind the story.

Along with the dialogue, I had my boy actor send me an audio clip of him repeating the script, in which I overlapped and raised the volume because we couldn't really hear him when filming.

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Challenges & What I Learned

One challenge I faced was making sure all audio elements worked well together without overpowering each other. It was important to balance the diegetic sounds, like typing and footsteps, with the non-diegetic music so that one did not distract from the other. I also had to carefully time each sound effect so it matched the visuals exactly.

Through this process, I learned how essential audio is in shaping the audience’s emotional response. Using both diegetic and non-diegetic sound effectively can completely change how a scene is perceived. Moving forward, I will focus on refining the audio levels and transitions to create a more polished and professional final product.