Short Film: "The Desk"

"The Desk - Short Film"

 By: Albert Gonzalez

"The Desk": In this short film we were asked to consider the sound techniques. The two sound techniques used were diegetic and non-diegetic sounds. 

Within this short film, the main character, Peter, experienced many diegetic sounds. Some of these sounds include his alarm clock when he first wakes up, the school bell that starts and ends his classes, conversations that other classmates are having and various other things. The diegetic sounds used in this short film are to put emphasis on the fact that it is "actual sound" ("Diegetic Sound") and that Peter is living in the present, and can comprehend/hear things. It allows us to make connections between what is actually going on around him and what we see and hear. 

This short film also used a continuous non-diegetic sound (the piano/music). Another term for non-diegetic sound is "mood music" ("Non-diegetic sound"), this is very accurate as the non-diegetic music changed with Peter's emotions. In the beginning Peter seemed alone, and a bit hopeful that maybe someone might want tot talk to him, so the music was slower and quieter. This changed when Peter saw a girl that he liked, this was a giver as the music picked up and became just a bit faster but more light hearted and louder. It changed again when he began to write on the desk, it became even faster at this point as he became almost hopeful in the thought that someone may reply to his introduction on the desk. After this scene Peter is listening to a voice mail (a diegetic sound) and the music has become very quite and much slower, this gives the impression of sadness or loneliness, maybe the main character misses whoever left the voice mail? In the next scene the music picks up as Peter see's that there has been a response to what he had written, when he sees "Hi my name is Julie" on the desk he becomes happier, hence the pick up in the music to emphasize his emotion. The next morning the music becomes more light, and quite eager sounding (it becomes faster sounding, but it flows more), this also emphasizes Peter's emotions as he is eager to see if the person had replied again. Once Peter see's an almost immediate reply of "English, and you?" after returning to the desk, the music becomes more conspicuous, this is because he did not see anyone reply, and the fact that he sat there all through out class. Peter sits back down and writes back to the mysterious replier. After a reply fades in on the desk the music hits a sharp note and Peter drops to the floor in shock. This is not because of the music, as he can't hear it, this is because of the sudden-ness of the note appearing without reason, the music is there to emphasize his shock. Peter sits back down and the music picks up, it is more happier and upbeat the more they talk to one another. The mysterious Julie then has to go to her next class so they bid adieu for another day, the next day the class is relocated and the music becomes sadder and slower as he is disappointed that he cannot access the desk. But once in the other class a new student joins, her name just happens to be Julie, the music picks up almost like a heartbeat as Peter notices her. It ends on a happy note as they finally talk to one another. As one can see, the film maker used non-diegetic sound to emphasis the emotions of the main character which allowed for a more realistic short film.