Audio Dissection: Movie Trailer

Audio Levels in Movie Trailers

Movie trailers use audio levels and volume to create an emotional impact on viewers and to draw their attention to key moments in the trailer:

Dynamics: Creating contrast between quiet and loud moments
- example: a quiet moment is followed by a loud explosion to create a sense of shock and impact
Build-ups and Payoffs: Building tension and suspense, leading to key moments
- example: the volume of the music may gradually increase leading to a key moment
Focus: Controlling the viewer's focus by directing attention to specific parts of the trailer
- example: the volume of a character's dialogue may be increased to highlight a key line
Emotion: Evoking specific emotions through volume
- example: a soft and haunting score can create a sense of sadness or unease

Movie trailers use different categories of audio to create an impactful and memorable experience for the audience.

Voice tracks: Voice tracks, such as narration or dialogue, are used to convey information about the film's story and characters.
Environmental sounds: Environmental sounds, such as sound effects, are used to create a sense of atmosphere and to highlight key moments in the trailer. They can include sounds like explosions, gunfire, wind, rain, or the sounds of a bustling city.
Music: Trailers often use music that is not included in the film, or music that has been specially composed for the trailer. Music can be used to build tension, create suspense, or evoke emotion.

Using either your iPad or iMac:

Borrow headphones/earbuds or connect your own
Get the "Audio Dissection: Movie Trailer" paper from Mrs. Hodges or use the PDF version on your iPad.
Choose a movie trailer from the options below, which include the past three years of the winners and nominees for Best Sound, according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Oscars).
- Click the full-screen button so you can see the timecodes on the trailer while it is playing.
Watch and listen to your chosen trailer 4 times.
- Audio Level: first, listen to the volume level throughout the trailer. Mark on the sheet with dots what level the audio is at. Then connect the dots.
- Music: second, listen to the music throughout the trailer. Mark on the sheet when there the instrumentals/songs start and stop. Note down what type of instrumentals you hear.
- Voice Tracks: third, listen to the voice tracks throughout the trailer. Mark on the sheet when there is dialogue and voiceover audio.
- Environmental: fourth, listen to the natural and background environmental sounds throughout the trailer. Mark on the sheet what kinds of sounds there are.

Example

NOMINEES

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (R)
- Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel and Stefan Korte
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (PG-13)
- Julian Howarth, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Dick Bernstein, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers and Michael Hedges
THE BATMAN (PG-13)
- Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray and Andy Nelson
ELVIS (PG-13)
- David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson and Michael Keller
TOP GUN: MAVERICK (PG-13)
- Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor

WINNER

DUNE (PG-13) --- Mrs. Hodges' example (can't use)
- Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett

NOMINEES

BELFAST (PG-13)
- Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather and Niv Adiri
NO TIME TO DIE (PG-13)
- Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey and Mark Taylor
THE POWER OF THE DOG (R)
- Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie and Tara Webb
WEST SIDE STORY (PG-13)
- Tod A. Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy

WINNER

SOUND OF METAL (R)
- Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michellee Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh

NOMINEES

GREYHOUND (PG-13)
- Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman
MANK (R)
- Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance and Drew Kunin
NEWS OF THE WORLD (PG-13)
- Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller and John Pritchett
SOUL (PG)
- Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott and David Parker