On 20 February, producer and composer Dani Trujillo visited EUMES to deliver an intensive masterclass on sound design, music production and mixing applied to audiovisual projects. For almost two and a half hours, students were able to delve into the real workings of music within the audiovisual language and into the keys to entering this sector professionally.
The role of sound design in audiovisuals
Throughout the session, Dani Trujillo showed that music and sound do more than accompany the image; they have a fundamental narrative function. Sound elements provide information to the viewer, place them emotionally and shape how they interpret what they are seeing.
In this regard, he distinguished between:
- Diegetic music, which comes from an element present in the image.
- Non-diegetic music, external to the scene but key to reinforcing the narrative.
Music must constantly adapt to the image and act as a communication element, helping the viewer understand what is happening at each moment.
Practical examples of music and visual narrative
To illustrate these concepts, several film examples were analysed:
One scene from “Atonement”, for example, where a disturbing sound coming from the buzz of a bee, initially not visible in the image, begins to sound subtly until it becomes the protagonist of the scene and manages to guide our gaze to where it intends: a disturbing image appears that the protagonist is unhappy to see. From the same film he showed how a diegetic sound can become part of the non-diegetic music that gradually comes in.
Or the example from “Jaws”, where the melody that plays every time the shark appears on screen acts as a “leitmotif” and warns the viewer of an impending attack. This kind of recurring musical element helps to situate the viewer: it clarifies characters and can even place them on screen even if they are not present. However, if this resource is used, it should not be overused: it must be few and clear so as not to confuse the viewer.
Silence as a production tool
One of the key points of the masterclass was understanding that you do not always have to put music. Silence is also an essential element of sound design, capable of generating tension, space and emotional impact.
Controlling silence is one of the most complex tasks for a music producer, since the easy solution is often to fill every scene with music. Knowing when not to intervene is as important as knowing when to intervene.
Simple music in the service of the image
Dani Trujillo also stressed that, in some projects, the producer will have to create music that appears simple if the narrative requires it. A clear example is “Rocky”, where the soundtrack initially received criticism for its simplicity, but it fitted perfectly with the character’s nature and the story being told.
Music and emotion: how to connect with the viewer
Music has a direct ability to associate with emotional states:
- Fast rhythms, expansive sounds and repetitive patterns tend to convey euphoria and energy.
- Slow tempos, soft dynamics and long melodic phrases evoke calm and tranquillity.
This emotional link reinforces the need for the music producer to participate actively in the entire creative process of an audiovisual production.
Director and producer: an essential collaboration
For the message to reach the viewer coherently, director and producer must work together, from the early stages of the project. Music should not be a final add-on but an integrated part of the audiovisual narrative.
Masterclass conclusions
Three fundamental principles of sound design became clear:
- Filling a piece with unnecessary music can distract the viewer’s attention.
- Silence is a key tool within sound design.
- Sound has its own plot, aesthetic and script.
