(SA 161) Audio: Vision Sound on Screen. Michel Chion “Projection of sound on image”

In this text Michel Chion focuses on the idea of audiovisual illusion. Through a series of examples, we explore how the relationship between the sound one hears and the image they see can greatly influence what one perceives front the image or the sound.

Sound can affect the perception of time. The same scene with different sounds over may be perceived as chaotic; if there is rushing sound or calm and serene if accompanied by sound of that mood.

Another technique discussed in the text that drew my attention is how sound can be used to sustain or intensify the mood of a scene. Continuous sounds from the scene do this very well. I feel that these sounds excel in this by showing the passing of time without adding new meaning to the scene. For instance, the sound of a fan or water from a shower.

I agree that sounds and images can create quite the illusion. Seeing a picture accompanied by sound and seeing them separately can result in a different understanding of the scene. Pictures and sounds can also be unrelated in that, what you see is not what you hear. Until now this occurred to me as someone’s mistake or just an error. This text shines a new light on such situations. I have learnt that this is in fact a technique that an editor can in fact use to augment a scene or bring out a desired effect.