Summary of the Sound Design in Caribbean 3

Written by Mery, Vivian


Movie title: Caribbean 3: At World's End
Year of release: 2007

Director: Gore Verbinski
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Sound designer: Christopher Boyes
Sound mixer: Lee Orloff
Music editor: Katie Greathouse
Sound re-recording mixer: Christopher Boyes
Supervising sound editor: Christopher Boyes
Foley mixer: Richard Duarte
Sound effects editor: Ken Fischer
ADR mixer: Doc Kane

Sound/music awards:

Best Sound Editing - Dialogue and ADR for Feature Film,
Best Sound Editing - Music in a Feature Film,
Best Sound Editing - Sound Effects and Foley for Feature Film,
Nominated by Golden Reel Award, 2008

Best Sound (Mixing & Editing),
Nominated by Satellite Award, 2007


Summary of the sound and music style:

Our emotional reaction:
1. We would have an immersed sense, simulated experience;
2. It holds our breaths;
3. We feel cliffhanging, soul-stirring, have a fever of excitement.

Typical characteristics for Action Genre:
1. Orchestra, abundant, fruitful, splendid representation;
2. Low frequency;
(Using low frequency can be felt by our muscles as a way of emotional impact.)
3. Rhythm;
4. Variable, diversified.

Effects of every element:
BG
It tells the audience the atmosphere, location, mood, time.
It can affect the emotion of audience unconsciously.
At the beginning of this episode, the background music along with the overcast and stormy picture has already established a depressive environment, the irresistible super nature.
It holds our breaths to focus on every movement of the characters. We would have a fever of excitement. The background music has control of the psychological changes of the audience.

DX
The dialog between Jack and David implies the trend of development of this whole story.
In addition, it also reveals the personalities of the characters.
For example, it was quite tactful for Jack to tempt David to say out where the key is and then grasp it so that he could keep the key away from David.
Of course through the dialog between Will and the monkey, we can also see the relationship. From the simple words "Thank you", we can implicate that the little monkey has already been treated as a member of their crew. The harmonious relationship as a family among the whole crew is revealed.
Besides, the voices of characters are also exact in performance, which includes tone, timbre, and pitch. Especially, David's voice is very proper for his play as an octopus monster.
The dialog happened in the storm has been added some effects that made the timbre reasonable. And it made the audience feel like being there together with the two characters in the storm. It sounds like that their voice is absorbed by the wind, the rain and of course, the sound of the sea.

FX


MX
The purpose of music in films is "to help realize the meaning of a movie".
This episode is the climax part of the whole plot. Since it is the most exciting and intense part, the music is coordinated with the development of the plot. It helps recreate a magnificent battle scene.

The music style:
Variations on a theme through out the movie;
Ups and downs, complicated and volatile;
Music of tremendous vigor, sensuous appeal, mighty harmonies

How does it work?
1. The function of narrative has been contained in the original music which was composed by the professions. The changes of melody and the development of plot are closely related.
2. There is good coordination of the rhythm in sound and images. Every movement is synchronic with the music as well as sound effects. It's very apparent in their fighting, crashing.
3. It gives audience some psychological expectations. Frequently, music can imply a psychological element far better than dialog can. When the old man was steering...
4. It guides audience all the way.