Below is a one-min edit made last semester. I roughly explored the significance of sound preceding a cut and the impact of music. It was not previously uploaded on this site and now seems like an opportunity:

The above video is not what this post is about. I am writing to explain why I am confused:

For our third exercise, we had been assigned to film our individual “expertise” on the condition we record sound effects before recording videos on a later date. I did not understand the reason for the specific task sequence.

Paul explained that films usually have their original soundtracks and background music prepared before shooting scenes. I was quite surprised but immediately comprehended. In most cases directors and music composers are not performed by one person. Both leaders need to orchestrate a different group of people. Both the visual and music of a film can feed off and affect each other. Furthermore, the director/editor may want to compose the visual action in relation to the beats of, or change in music because sound is a powerful manipulator of emotions.

The purpose of our exercise is “so that the sound leads the images. When you record sound after vision, it’s often an afterthought. When you record it first you concentrate solely on the sound.”

However I do not understand how sound can lead. It seemed impossible because I visualise the shot before imagining possible sounds present in the scene. So isn’t the film still being led by the image?

Then Paul advised us to “shoot to edit” and “it’s just another way of doing things, good to disrupt, do things differently”. Something clicked in place, albeit softly.

Perhaps, I had been regarding sound effects as unimportant. To “shoot to edit” gives me the idea to imagine, creating rhythm with sound effects and the moods it could evoke. In this way, sounds effects would lead the editing process. Ahhhh, ok typing this right now I finally understand what he means by “sound (leading) the image.” I had misunderstood. I was overcomplicating things and did not see the bigger picture. Something just clicked in place, loudly.

Unfortunately, at 0457 in the morning, I am unable to illustrate my finding with appropriate vocabulary and grammar. So allow me to present somebody else’s work and words. The video below has rhythm and harmony between action, sound effects and narration. Meet Sonia.

My completed exercise is uploaded on About Sound (Part II). Stay tuned, the fog is lifting.