44. Developing an Affective Audio Toolbox for Audio Post-production

This research aims to understand how soundtrack elements can stimulate an emotional response in viewers whilst watching film and how sound professionals utilise sound for this purpose. The article reviews research on affective audio in film and informs ten semi-structured interviews with film sound professionals. These interviews cover a variety of topics, all with a focus on sound design. The interview transcripts were thematically analysed, and six themes were drawn from them and are discussed in detail and explored through case-study examples. A workflow for sound design is synthesised using each theme as a step in the post-production process, intended as a way of visualising how this research can aid the film-sound profession and inform future research in the field. It is concluded that sound is currently used to bring about affective responses in specific instances, when other emotional devices are not already in use. The use of sound as a narrative aid is found to be more prevalent, and indeed currently seen as more important within the industry than for specific affective use. Further research is suggested to enhance understanding of affective audio and to develop a framework for its widespread effective implementation in film.