Shane Acker uses different aspects of sound, music, and image track to effectively deliver a well-crafted short, “9”. The opening and ending sequences both have a subtle, elegiac melody that establishes the dreary atmosphere of the film. Apart from this, there is very little music present throughout; as a result, this piece of music bookends the short. The sound in “9” is mostly practical and largely from objects, such as footsteps on the ground. The minimal use of sound in this film establishes the desolation of the current world. Two elements used in this short to ascertain this feeling are the role of silence and the role of internal sounds, specifically the heartbeat rhythm.
The role of silence in “9” is to emphasize the emptiness of the …show more content…
This is particularly present in the sequence from 05:23–06:49, when 9 is leading the monster through the various traps that have been placed. At first, the “ba-bum” of the percussion is faint and subtle, but it picks up speed and volume as the scene progresses. This heartbeat can be considered internal sound, described by Chion as “physiological sounds” that correspond to “the physical and mental interior of [the] character” (Chion 76). This inclusion of internal sound allows for the audience to relate to this rag doll’s plight; while 9 does not appear to be a human, he is seemingly capable of feeling human-like emotions, such as fear, which is exemplified in this scene through the use of the quickening heartbeat. Chion also proposes the issue of “localizing a sound” (Chion 70), in which the question is “where is the sound coming from?”, and this phenomenon is observed in “9”. The heartbeat sounds as if it is following 9 as the character jumps down to confront the monster at 06:23. This once again has the effect of aligning the audience with 9 and relating to the stress and adrenaline that arises from tackling the beast. The use of the heartbeat also results in a “point of audition” (Chion 89) effect, as the audience essentially hears what 9 must be hearing in its head; a loud, quickening heartbeat brought on by the adrenaline rush of dealing with the Cat Beast.
The role of silence in “9” is to emphasize the emptiness of the …show more content…
This is particularly present in the sequence from 05:23–06:49, when 9 is leading the monster through the various traps that have been placed. At first, the “ba-bum” of the percussion is faint and subtle, but it picks up speed and volume as the scene progresses. This heartbeat can be considered internal sound, described by Chion as “physiological sounds” that correspond to “the physical and mental interior of [the] character” (Chion 76). This inclusion of internal sound allows for the audience to relate to this rag doll’s plight; while 9 does not appear to be a human, he is seemingly capable of feeling human-like emotions, such as fear, which is exemplified in this scene through the use of the quickening heartbeat. Chion also proposes the issue of “localizing a sound” (Chion 70), in which the question is “where is the sound coming from?”, and this phenomenon is observed in “9”. The heartbeat sounds as if it is following 9 as the character jumps down to confront the monster at 06:23. This once again has the effect of aligning the audience with 9 and relating to the stress and adrenaline that arises from tackling the beast. The use of the heartbeat also results in a “point of audition” (Chion 89) effect, as the audience essentially hears what 9 must be hearing in its head; a loud, quickening heartbeat brought on by the adrenaline rush of dealing with the Cat Beast.