the voices... THE VOICES

    Guys.... we emailed Willem Dafoe. The rumors are true. Willem Dafoe may be in the project. I even have proof. 

    

    If we were to get Mr. Dafoe on our project, we would simply have him voice the mysterious phone caller that keep trying to contact our protagonist. he would simply be the perfect fit and we know he would nail it. 

    In all seriousness, we know we probably are not going to get Willem Dafoe on the project, but you never know. If he does do it though, I expect a payment of $10 from every single person who doubted me. 

    But now I will digress from the potential of having an Academy Award Nominated Actor in our film opening and get to the real meet of this blog post: SOUND. 

    I imagine that if our film was feature length, sound would be a vital part of the plot, so it makes sense that our introduction would be reflective of that. Since our film is about a time loop, it is important that throughout the film, and especially the opening that there are sound motifs. With that, we also want to ensure that non-diegetic music that we are using is reflective of that mysterious/eerie tone we are trying to evoke. 

What Programs?

    To find the sounds that will be included, I will be utilizing a variety of sound libraries that allow users to download music and sounds that are royalty free and free of charge (because I am cheap). 

    Pixabay (pixabay.com) is a library that I have used for several of my other projects and it has come in clutch time and time again. This one is really great for music just because it has such a variety available. This one is more for music choices I would say rather than sound effect, but it still has some minor sound effect options. 

    Freesound (freesound.org) is another library that I have used before and has gotten me through many a project. This one is more for sound effects which perfectly balances out with Pixabay. This is what I will be using for any sound effects that I cannot create through foley. Hold on. Maybe I should talk about foley. 

FOLEY

    In this household, we are all about the practical effects. So, there is quite literally no other option but foley. For most of the sounds in the opening I will try to use foley methods. Some examples that I might use some foley for is door noises, the clock ticking, rattling of a pill bottle, phone vibrations, footsteps, and a lot of other things that I cannot think of it the moment. I think that the best thing to do will be to rewatch the footage and see what sounds I need to input to see whether we need to enhance the environment or if any of the sounds were too low. 

The Soundscape

    What I image for the opening scene is that there is a stiffling amount of small sounds. I want the audience to feel what Alice is feeling, which is being trapped. Even before the time loop starts, Alice feels trapped within her circumstances, and she feels even moreso trapped after the time loop starts. I want the sound to be reflective of this.

    How I will achieve this is by ensuring that there is always a sound happening, whether that be the tapping of a foot or the rumbling of the AC turning on or a subliminal ticking of an internal clock. Whatever it is , it must be absolutely stifling. Even when she leaves the therapist's office, the sound of the outdoor traffic will just be whirling in the back. I don't really even want to to be silent. There will also be some music in the background. I am not exactly sure what that music will be, but I want to ensure that it is consistent and fits with the footage that we have. 

    We are filming tomorrow and I must say I am nervous. Right now I am praying to Steven Spielberg and E.T. that everything will go well. I mean we might have Willem Dafoe on the team. So it will definitely work out.  

And now for the movie quote of the day...

"I have to believe in a world outside my own mind. I have to believe that my actions still have meaning, even if I can't remember them." - Leonard Shelby, Memento (2000)