Beyond the Frame: Textural Realisation in Cinema Sounds

Worldbuilding using audio is a key aspect of cinema, particularly in expanding the mise-en-scene and the narrative beyond the frame (Bresson, 1975; O’Brien, 2009; Skjerseth, 2020). At the same time, audio is still underrepresented as a key contextualising component in the transfer of production design to the conceptualised paracosm of the film’s world (Shone, 2022). This paper will discuss the textural qualities of cinema sound and the ways in which audio concerns can develop upon and extend the work to bring about a sonic mirroring of the visual design. These approaches are then extended to consider ways in which they can be communicated to those beginning careers in sound design and encourage them to think creatively as well as causally within the narrative. The paper closes by thinking about the possibilities for expansion of these ideas to the UK video games industry, especially through cinematics and playable areas.