Sonic hyperrealism: illusions of a non-existent aural reality

Abstract

If the practical definition of the process of painting can be reduced to the liberating action of freely applying colour to a surface – a process that is not a manipulation of existing photographs (as in photomontage) – then motion picture sound is, more often than not, a hostage of pre-recorded sounds limited to layering and processing. Despite recent technological advancements, some of the most liberating sound design techniques to date are the early mechanical sound generation devices employed by Disney, as well as the worldising concept developed by Walter Murch. For many years, motion picture sound designers have employed de-contextualised post-sync sound (Foley sound effects) in order to provide a sense of elevated realism. Ironically, elevated realism is achieved by removing real recordings, (as reality is often found to be sonically underwhelming), and re-constructing a fabricated illusion of reality. The audience, however, accepts this illusion as more real than reality itself. Founded on the aesthetic principles of Photorealism, Hyperrealism questions the existence of objective reality by taking into account photographic artefacts and treating them as objects. In this article, the philosophy ‘as seen by the lens’ is compared to ‘as heard by the microphone’. This article focuses on the issue of simulation of realism in motion picture sound. By highlighting some key concepts in the visual arts it stimulates thinking on the current state of sound design. It is a discussion on the power of blank canvas and paint, and on how these concepts relate to sound.