Sound (continued)

Sound effects are sounds created to specifically enhance a scene. For example, in a horror film, the director might want to create the sound of loud footsteps behind a girl walking by herself down a dark road. In reality, the footsteps might not be loud, but the director is attempting to create suspense and instill fear in the viewer.

Music is another type of sound in a film. It would be difficult to imagine a film such as "Step Up" without music; however, it would also be unusual for "Star Wars" to be void of music. It enhances the film and stirs up emotion. Music can be composed specifically for a film or rights can be acquired for music that has already been released—a much less expensive option. A collection of music from a film is known as a soundtrack.

Finally, the spoken word is a type of sound. Dialogue occurs between two or more characters in a film, while a monologue is spoken by just one person. It can appear in the form of a voiceover, when the narrator cannot be seen speaking, but can be heard. Or monologue can also appear as a character speaking directly to the camera.