THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SHEPARD TONES TO SUPPORT DRAMATIC TENSION IN THE FILM BICARA

Abstract

Sound, in general, is one of the two major component in films as an audio visual experience. The construction of both diegetic and nondiegetic sounds is critical in films made after the end of the Silent Movie Era, marked by the first feature-length film featuring synchronized dialogue, “The Jazz Singer”(1927). Since the dawn of the modern film industry in 1977 marked by the release of the first true blockbuster movie Star Wars, technological advancements allowed the integration of more complex computer-generated visual and audio special effects. One example of sound FX is the audio phenomenon known as the shepard tone, a continuous tone that seems to rise continuously but never seems to get higher, creating a sense of suspense and anticipation. Therefore, the author is interested in applying this sound phenomenon to a film titled “Bicara” to increase the sense of dramatic tension in some of the film’s scenes