Immersive Continuity: Long Takes, 3-D Sound, and the Impression of Reality in the Cinema of Alfonso Cuarón

This PhD thesis provides a sound-driven analysis of Alfonso Cuarón’s approach to filmmaking, arguing that his film style, which the author calls immersive continuity, stands out as the most effective method for transporting the spectator into the film’s narrative world. Grounded on the spatiotemporal continuity of the long take, Cuarón was able to exploit the three-dimensional capabilities of Dolby’s most advanced sonic platform, Dolby Atmos; thereby, making the most of the cinematic apparatus, his immersive film style facilitates the occurrence of highly affective ‘out of body’ audio-visual experiences, the closest that for now we can get to the mythical total cinema.

Moreover, apart from analysing Cuarón’s audio-visual aesthetics and their potential spectatorial effects, this thesis investigates the creative practice behind the sound design of Roma, whose soundtrack was conceived as a Dolby Atmos mix from the very beginning. Based on information provided by some of the key practitioners involved on the creation of the soundtrack, the author determines the creative strategies and workflows that were put in practice for the creation of what is perhaps the most realistic audio work in cinema history, undoubtedly the quintessential example of an object-based Atmos mix.

Furthermore, based on an extensive observation of present-day cinema, the author argues that there is an ongoing stylistic turn towards a broader application of 3-D sound, which is evidenced not only in Gravity and Roma, but in a number of recent mainstream productions, among which stand out highly regarded directors such as Alejandro González Iñárritu, Bong Joon-ho, Darren Aronofsky, among others.

Finally, aiming to offer insights on how to create films with 3-D sound, this thesis concludes with a practical proposal in the form of guidelines and suggestions that could lead filmmakers to plan and design their films with three-dimensional sound in mind. A 3-D storyboarding methodology is presented, which is put in practice to visualise the distribution of images and sounds in the space of exhibition.