A new sound mixing framework for enhanced emotive sound design within contemporary moving-picture audio production and post-production.

This study comprises of an investigation into the relationship between the creative process of mixing moving-picture soundtracks and the emotions elicited by the final film. As research shows that listeners are able to infer a speaker’s emotion from auditory cues, independently from the meaning of the words uttered, it is possible that moving-picture soundtracks may be designed in such a way as to intentionally influence the emotional state and attitude of its listening-viewers, independently from the story and visuals of the film. This study sets out to determine whether certain aspects of audience emotions can be enhanced through specific ways of mix-balancing the soundtrack of a moving-picture production, primarily to intensify the viewing experience. Central to this thesis is the proposal that within a film soundtrack there are four distinct ‘sound areas’, described as the Narrative, Abstract, Temporal and Spatial; and these form a useful framework for both the consideration and the creation of emotional sound design. This research work evaluates to what extent the exploration of the Narrative, Abstract, Temporal and Spatial sound areas offers a new and useful framework for academics to better understand, and more easily communicate, emotive sound design theory and analysis; whilst providing practitioners with a framework to explore a new sound design approach within the bounds of contemporary workflow and methodology, to encourage an enhanced emotional engagement by the audience to the soundtrack. By analysing the work of sound theorists and practitioners, developing a new sound design framework and critically reflecting on personal creative practice, this research suggests that different ways of balancing a soundtrack can influence an audience’s emotional response to a film; and that the proposed Four Sound Areas framework is a useful way to look at the soundtrack when approaching a mix from the point of view of its emotional outcome.