Case Study - A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place - Original Trailer (Paramount Pictures, 2018)

For this trimester we were tasked with creating a sound replacement track for A Quiet Place II (AQP II). I really liked the challenge since this is the first time that I had scored any music for a trailer and wanted to do a good job. But before I start, I had to understand what makes a movie trailer and what type of sound design is used in industry and what techniques can I learn from a professionally made trailer. That's why for this case study this blog will focus on A Quiet Place the first movie that was released in 2018.

RESEARCH

After importing the video of the trailer into ProTools, I listened carefully for the multiple layers of sound that existed in the trailer into the three main categories: Music, Foley, Sound Effects. Music being any instrument track played at tempo, Foley sounds like footsteps and diegetic sounds from characters and finally SFX for drops, bangs and risers to create tension. Of course not all of the sonic content is mapped since I did not make the trailer but the main structure seemed to follow a similar sequence taught in an online course from a website Evenant:

INTRO – # – BUILDUP – # – CLIMAX I – # – CLIMAX II – # – OUTRO Where the # are breaks in between the music.

(FEGHALI, 2019)

The format suggested in the online tutorial gave a reference for me to look into and after importing the video into ProTools I was able see listen for the different sections. These sections are shown below in the diagram.

Modern day trailers have undergone a great many changes ever since film and cinema was created for viewing. Thus a particular set of audio cues are frequently used and seen in the creation of these cinema trailers. The tightly packaged produce of music, SFX and Foley that go into the design of a trailer is just as important as the film itself and requires just as much attention in the creation process. This is best summed up by a quote found below;

The right trailer can set the success of a film, a video game or a tv show before they are released. It is a major element in the big marketing machine of studios’ release plans and the music that goes along with the visual part of a trailer plays no small part in that.

(Andersen, 2016)

Thus lets begin the analysis:

SONIC CONTENT BREAKDOWN

A Quiet Place - Sonic Content Analysis

After listening carefully to the track multiple times it revealed the following characteristics in the trailer sections:

SOUND TRACK ANALYSIS

A Quiet Place - Musical Breakdown

Below you can solo each section and hear the music sections and the breaks.

Individual sections available for auditioning

For each section I will analyse the Musical, Foley, SFX and Dialogue if present and comment on their creative decision in making the trailer.

The music appear to follow standard 4/4 time and have a tempo of 120 BPM @ 4/4 time, this checks out once I placed the music section into the scene and the music aligned to tempo grid within ProTools.

Hook (5 secs)

Figure 1 - Hook

The Hook (Fig. 1) is loud and highly compressed SFX with no music instrumentation, a large drop and distorted cymbal crash ramps up to a mini climax at the end of the 5 seconds leaving me sort of stunned.

I believe the purposeful creative decision to make the first 5 seconds super loud is critical to pulling the audiences attention early. The audience member in theatre are usually talking, eating popcorn or texting so being able to grab hold of the viewers attention early a loud stimulating intro is needed to draw the viewers attention.

Intro (4 bar)

Figure 2 - Intro

This Intro (Fig. 2) has violin playing a playing a "D" and then slowly pitches up two semitones to an "E". Regarding SFX, a quiet heart beat that is not in time with the music tempo plays intermittently along with the Foley sounds of switching between TV channels that describe the dangerous unknown beasts. The sound matches the visuals of the woman watching the TV channels intently and shows sounds that are diegetic to her environment.

This part primes the viewer via graphic and sound that something is extremely wrong with the world and put me at ill ease. The dead signal at the end of this 4 bar section creates tension

The only intelligible words from the tuning radio channels were "around the world" and "total devastation". By focusing the listener onto these words they have The creators made to use this to droning cello pitch shifting from a D up to a E was made to create an ominous tone.

Build Up 1 (4 bars)

Figure 3 - Build Up 1

A sharp high pitched SFX rings out the beginning as the cello repeats the same "E" in the beginning with the pitch up to "D" while this time the heart beat is rhythmically in sync with the downbeat and 3rd beat of each bar. Notably the heat beat that the listener expects to hear in the 4th bar is absent, thus raising tension.

Build Up 2 (4 bars)

Figure 4 - Build Up 2

The violin repeats the same pattern but this time the sharp high pitch SFX is more prominent at the start of this 4 bar phrase. The heartbeat is now regularly playing at the downbeat and the third beat of each bar. This gives the listener a false sense of security since there seems to be some structure to the music thus releasing tension due to the regularity of the heart beat. But this serves to prime the listener to the next part.

Break (1 bars)

During this break only a high pitch SFX that sounds like a metal grinder rises in pitch and volume for 1 bar and raises incredible tension.

Build Up 3 (4 bars)

Figure 5 - Build Up 3

Build up 3 (Fig. 5) it is basically the same as Build Up 2 (Fig. 4) with 4 bars that play heartbeats and is led by the ominous bowed cello at the beginning. When comparing the wave diagram of Figures 4 and 5, there is little difference in wave structure and reconfirms what I heard.

Break 2 (18.3 secs)

Figure 6 - Break 2

This section is a break in Music where a change in pace and intensity of the piece begins. The first part is led by a soft bass drop that resounds out till almost silence for over over 9 seconds. Since this section is not musical it does not have to conform to musical time structure and SFX and Foley takes priority to create the tension and build up.

Face of horror after hearing the toy shuttle

After 9 seconds the soft click of the power switch on the toy shuttle triggers the SFX risers and monster growls while ramping up in pitch and loudness adds tremendous build up of the tension. Visually we see the small child play with toy shuttle oblivious to the impending danger and fully see the terror scene played before in the first 5 seconds of the trailer during the Hook.

Climax 1 (8 Bars)

Figure 7 - Climax 1

All the tension that was built up during the break explodes in the first climax where Foley, SFX drops and the ominous violin is louder. The 8th bar the heart beat is omitted on the 3rd count thus leaving the listener hanging and waiting for it. Thus adding tension.

As a high pitched bell is struck a red light switches on in scene signifying danger

A bell strike plays exactly on beat as the visual showing a scene house lights turning red on screen conveying danger. This is exceptional story telling and from here on as the whole trailer seems to transition from one of relative order to chaos.

Break 3 (9.1 secs)

Figure 8 - Break 3

After the chaotic sequence of Climax 1(Figure 7), the viewer is treated to a short break that does not follow musical timing. The break happens with the onscreen image of two children hiding in a grain silo. The silence that ensured became a catalyst of pure tension. At the end of this Break a reverse snare hit (Figure 8) combined with a SFX bass drop is perfectly timed to the visual of the monster landing next to the children. This was a huge "jump scare" and launches into the next Climax.

Climax 2 (6 bars)

Figure 9 - Climax 2

As with the first Climax, Climax 2 repeats a similar frantic string section playing but this section ends after playing for 6 bars.

Danger in the house!

The ending note also uses the bell strike as the main character runs into a room showing the Red lights again signifying that danger is close.

Break 4 (5.3 secs)

Figure 10 - Break 4

During this break a small piece of dialogue from the film is heard while the characters are apparently in a safe place (Figure 10). The need of whispering infers that making any louder noises is fatal in their position. The lack of any other sounds while this happens builds up incredible tension again for the upcoming Build Up.

Build Up 4 (4 bars)

Figure 11 - Build Up

In this 2 bar Build Up (Figure 11) we hear non-diegetic sounds like risers coupled with violins rising in pitch packs in even more tension to the scene. The heart beats are in time but at a louder volume that punches through the cacophony of sound which compounds the tension. This suited the quick shots of the heavily pregnant female protagonist trying to evade the monster.

Break 5 (4.79 sec)

Figure 12 - Break

This break only has the sound of the female protagonist whimpering in pain as she tries to hide in the bathroom. The sound of the monster walking up the stairs serves to build up even more tension. The lack of music here serves to focus attention to the monster noise which we can see above in Figure 12 sweeping left to right as if searching, the female whimper at the end was perfect in matching the onscreen scene where the female protagonist was hiding in the bathtub.

Climax 3 (2 bars)

Figure 13 -

The entire trailer finally ends with the antagonist letting out a scream while the monster is

Outro

Figure 14 - The end silence

KEY OBSERVATIONS

If there were musical instruments it followed a tried and proven method of using a string section bowing high pitch and bending notes. This technique is seen in films like Aliens and many other horror genre films. Thus its use here in this trailer can be considered suitable.

The most obvious musical structure that is noticed is that Climax length gets shorter as they progress from 1,2 and 3. The bar length of Climax 1 was 8 bars then subsequently 6 then 2 and can be seen in Figures 7,9,13. The Breaks on the other hand get progressively longer in time after Break 2 (Figure 15).

Figure 15 - Climax length reduces as Break length increases after Break 2

Breaks were placed in to show parts of the film to tell the story and did not adhere to musical timing to allow for the full scene to play through. Each break was designed to add incredible tension by allowing a certain amount of silence and could snap back into action like it did in Break 3 (Figure 8). With the exception of Break 2 (Figure 6) each break became longer After the Climax 1 (Figure 6).

The loudest section of the entire Trailer was the last 2 Climatic bars, A combination of SFX, Foley, Dialogue (Screaming) and Violin risers. This wave form in Figure 13 confirms this observation.

Key high notes occur perfectly in time with key frame change to a red lights turning on suggesting danger is imminent.

CONCLUSION

In this case study I could see that there is every single sound was purposefully chosen and exists in the trailer for a reason, either to add tension or release tension. Breaks are used to move the story along or to load the scene with more tension in anticipation for a climax.

Quick succession of screen cuts suggest faster movement and is a great way for incorporating a musical section to give a sense of movement within the trailer. This was demonstrated in the Climax's with fast visual cuts or characters running as seen in the Hook of the trailer.

The steady increase of time in Breaks after the first climax suggests this is purposefully done to load more tension in for each Climax. There seems to be a pattern of Break - Build Up - Climax which gets broken at the end with Break - Build Up - Break - Climax at the end. The Break near the end of the trailer leaves the viewer almost gasping with anticipation for the last 2 bar Climax. This pattern is extremely effect when writing music for loading tension and releasing it through the Climax.

Musical signposts can be placed to remind the audience of a particular clue or trigger a emotional state like being in being in danger. This was done extremely well with the high pitched bell strike that plays as the red lights turn on in the trailer.

As much as there is a lot of sound there is a great deal of silence which in the end adds to the effect of building tension or allow space for a dialogue sequence as heard during the bathroom scene. This technique can be employed when writing music for the future film trailers to allow for the story to come out.

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Reference:

Paramount Pictures. (2018). A Quiet Place (2018) - Official Trailer - Paramount Pictures [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR7cc5t7tv8

Andersen, A. (2016). The 10 Signature Sound Elements of Modern Movie Trailers: | A Sound Effect. Retrieved 28 February 2020, from https://www.asoundeffect.com/modern-trailer-sound/

FEGHALI, W. (2019). 10 Essential Trailer Music Tips - Evenant Music. Retrieved 28 February 2020, from https://www.evenant.com/music/10-essential-trailer-music-tips