Sounds in space/space battles!

peter noble · March 15th, 2003, 02:17 PM

What does eveyone think of the depiction of sounds and battles in space on your TV/cinema screen?

Should they have sound/or not?

If not sound should any EVA action be punctuated by music cues or silence or com chatter/astronaut breathing?

What looks better visually? Battle choreography on a 2D or 3D plain?

The weapons of conflict, should the be rays or missiles or spent unranium bullets?

I was just thinking I'm so use to seeing space with sound, even though it's totally bogus, on a dramatic level it works. It's a totally visceral experience. I love things blowing up in a ball of glowing gas, and in the old model shot days bits of debris flying alll over the place (thanks Gerry Anderson!).

I like the speed of FX shots in BSG and Buck Rogers, sometimes the shots in Babylon 5 were too fast and everything was a blur.

I've only seen two instances I can think of where space was silent, that was in 2001 and Solaris (the remake) and that totally worked. But for a space combat scenario I'm not sure.

What does everyone think?

Regards,

Peter

March 15th, 2003, 03:04 PM

In 1977 the once great George Lucas established the rule that there is sound in space. The thought of having silent space ships flying around seems incredibly stupid even though reality dictates otherwise. But it IS called science FICTION.

Fëanor · March 15th, 2003, 03:09 PM

wanna know a good solution?

watch Deep Impact

inside the suits? you don't hear anything from space..
outside the suits? you get the full range

I love that way of doing it

peter noble · March 15th, 2003, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kai
wanna know a good solution?

watch Deep Impact

inside the suits? you don't hear anything from space..
outside the suits? you get the full range I love that way of doing it

I saw that at the flicks but can't remember much about it. I'll try to watch it when it's on TV again.

What did they do in Apollo 13, I can't remember or From the Earth to the Moon?

Cheers,

Peter

Flamingo Girl · March 15th, 2003, 03:34 PM

Try watching some sci-fi shows with the TV muted. It's kinda boring. For an entertainment program, we need the sounds. If you want it silent, call it a documentary.

thomas7g · March 15th, 2003, 04:20 PM

Actually watch reruns of Firefly if you can find them.

The silence in space, the hand held camera shooting style and more more ideas Moore suggested were done on Firefly. Maybe that's where he got the idea?

March 15th, 2003, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by guittarjedi
In 1977 the once great George Lucas established the rule that there is sound in space. The thought of having silent space ships flying around seems incredibly stupid even though reality dictates otherwise. But it IS called science FICTION.

You are so right.
The most incredible thing is that most people forget that.

Fëanor · March 15th, 2003, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lusitan

You are so right.
The most incredible thing is that most people forget that.

erm.. I thought it was established long before that..

Star Trek, Fireball XL5, Space 1999, Thunderbirds, UFO, Lost in Space, Forbidden Planet, Dr Who..... etc etc etc etc

remember.. Lucas is a new comer...

thomas7g · March 15th, 2003, 07:02 PM

Actually, the first scifi movie ever made La Voyage Dans La Luna (A Trip to the Moon) made in 1904. And by nature of the technology there was SILENCE in space. Though there were some frenetic words appearing on the screen.

Just joking.

Dawg · March 15th, 2003, 08:21 PM

LOL, Thomas7g.

Guittarjedi's reference to Lucas is good, because the opening sequence in Star Wars is perfect illustration of the topic. Without the rumble and 'laser fire' as the Star Destroyer passed overhead the scene would have lost most of its impact. Just like if the sound of laser fire were missing from the battle scenes of BSG - boring and without a lot of interest.

Soundtrack music is the same way. And they knew that even during the silent era.

Humans prefer some kind of audio accompanyment in their entertainment - whether the sounds would really be there or not.

I am
Dawg

ojai22 · March 15th, 2003, 08:30 PM

Gene Roddenberry made a comment about this years ago. He said there isn't supposed to be sound in space because there's no atmosphere but they tried moving the Enterprise through the stars without sound and the audiences didn't like it. They needed something to identify with, a touchstone, so to speak. That's why they added the Whoosh sound as the Enterprise rolled by on it's tracks.

Hito · March 15th, 2003, 09:22 PM

As Joss Wheton illustrated in Firefly No sound in space can be made interesting and exciting.

March 15th, 2003, 10:08 PM

erm.. I thought it was established long before that..

Star Trek, Fireball XL5, Space 1999, Thunderbirds, UFO, Lost in Space, Forbidden Planet, Dr Who..... etc etc etc etc

Yes Kai, but before Star Wars there was 2001 which used silence in space. After Star Wars came out no sci-fi movie or show used silence in space, that is except for Firefly which I've never seen.

Fëanor · March 16th, 2003, 02:25 AM

2001 came out in 1969.

Star Trek was before that. Forbidden Planet was in the 50's, Dr Who was 1963, Lost in Space late 50's...

Basically sound in space was established in the TWENTIES with Flash Gorden and King of the Rocket Men...

After that, it was a given.

Rather that prove your point, you actually show when the use of realism, (no sound), actually improves the movie not degrades it.

Fëanor · March 16th, 2003, 02:27 AM

and I think I need more coffee... sorrrry! just read your post properly...

nurse! IV Coffee! Stat!

oldwardaggit · March 16th, 2003, 05:25 AM

Kai, Your avatar is scaring the sh*t out of me.
lol

OWD

Fëanor · March 16th, 2003, 06:02 AM

thanks OWD

you should see the big version *evil grin*
http://www.3dgladiators.com/forums/s...threadid=19412

March 16th, 2003, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kai

erm.. I thought it was established long before that..

Star Trek, Fireball XL5, Space 1999, Thunderbirds, UFO, Lost in Space, Forbidden Planet, Dr Who..... etc etc etc etc

remember.. Lucas is a new comer...

I was refering to : "But it IS called science FICTION."
I should have deleted the rest of the quoted text.