Explain how pitch, volume, and tempo are used by filmmakers to manipulate audiences. Give one example from a film to illustrate this

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: The ideal answer should include:
1. The pitch, volume, and tempo of sound effects can strongly affect our responses to any given noise.
2. High-pitched sounds are generally strident and produce a sense of tension in the listener. Especially if these types of noises are prolonged, the shrillness can be totally unnerving. For this reason, high-pitched sounds (including music) are often used in suspense sequences, particularly just before and during the climax.
3. Low-frequency sounds, on the other hand, are heavy, full, and less tense. Often, they are used to emphasize the dignity or solemnity of a scene, like the male humming chorus in The Seven Samurai.
4. Low-pitched sounds can also suggest anxiety and mystery: Frequently a suspense sequence begins with such sounds, which then gradually increase in frequency as the scene moves toward its climax.
5. Sound volume works in much the same way. Loud sounds tend to be forceful, intense, and threatening, whereas quiet sounds strike us as delicate, hesitant, and often weak.
6. These same principles apply to tempo. The faster the tempo of sound, the greater the tension produced in the listener.
7. In the chase sequence of William Friedkin’s The French Connection, all of these principles are used masterfully. As the chase reaches its climax, the screeching wheels of the pursuing auto and the crashing sound of the runaway train grow louder, faster, and higher pitched.