Building a one-minute sound collage
A short listening exercise adapted from the National Film Board's Listen, built around recording a minute of ordinary sound before you try to describe a short film's soundtrack.
4 min read
SISound and Image
Sound and Image
Plain ways to describe what a film does with sound, framing and cutaways.
All guides
7
When sound and image disagree
A calm method for noticing moments where what you hear does not match what you see, and describing that mismatch clearly instead of guessing at intent.
5 min read
Framing and what it leaves out
A calm guide to describing a frame's edges so you can talk about a short film without guessing at the filmmaker's intent.
4 min read
What a cutaway is doing
Learn how a cutaway steers attention in short films: spotting when it happens, what it adds, and what it removes from the main subject.
6 min read
Music, noise and silence in a short film
A calm method for separating the three audio layers of a short film: scored music, ambient noise and deliberate silence. Practical viewing questions.
6 min read
Listening for a soundscape in short films
A calm, practical way to describe a film's sound environment using the soundscape idea, without specialist vocabulary. Covers listening categories and.
5 min read
Two viewings, one question
Rewatching a short with your question held steady turns passive seeing into a method. A practical guide to the second viewing, with a decision table.
5 min read