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Following a viewing of the fine cut of the picture, the following 'sound score' breakdown was written up and used as the master plan for developing the 'sense of space' for each of the environments Alices passes through. Comprised of natural sounds (interior sfx recorded by Philip Brophy; exterior sfx recorded by Philip Samartzis & Jennifer Sochackjy) and processed through the ASR sampling workstation, theses passages retain their acoustic aura while conveying a 'trans-worldly' sensation.
For about half of these sections, musical elements were seeded within the consructed acoustic environments. 'Seeded' means that some of the sound effects were performed with pitch or rhythmic patterning so that a harmonic suggestion grew from within the acoustic environment. This technique Philip has noted occurs often in Japanese film scores, where sounds and musical motifs are allowed to float through and beyond scenes, as if wind or water currents are governing their placement rather than authorial inscripture. Thus, components like distant planes, screeching breaks, heart beats, magpies, alarms start to function more musically than acoustically.
PRE-TITLE
Alice enters frame
No foley footsteps as Alice walks into frame. Slight empty atmosphere fills the space. Digital alarm suddenly rings.
Alice opens pouch
Still no foley sounds - button snap as Alice opens pouch.
Alice turns alarm off
Final bip of digital alarm transforms into a puff of deeper atmosphere - cross-fade into:
Alice stands still
Slight traces of shortwave radio crackle.
MAIDENHEAD title
Shortwave radio crackle peaks in volume.TOO BIG FOR HER HEAD
Title card
Slight reverberant ringing. Reverbed fade-up of foley footsteps, with less reverb as the footsteps get closer?
Alice lifts up hat
Timed to the rhythm of her footsteps fading up from the TOO BIG FOR HER HEAD title, a sweep of shopping mall atmosphere suddenly thrusts us into the hat shop environment. This sweep - like the shift from having your ears suddenly unblocked - synchs with the on-screen movement of Alice lifting the hat to her head. Throughout this first part of the scene, an occasional distant saleswoman's PA voice is vaguely heard speaking through a small amplifier. Lift chimes can also be heard.
Saleslady enters
Distinctive foley steps of high-heels.
Saleslady presents hat
A small christmas bell jingle accompanies the sound of the new hat as she lifts it up.
Saleslady lifts hat onto head
As hat touches Alice's head, crisp foley sounds of the hat bristling is clearly heard. This foley sound to continue with each movement of Alice's head.
Alice reacts to Saleslady
The shopping mall atmosphere becomes deeper in tone (more bass, more rumbling).
Alice walks to Saleslady's desk
Shopping mall atmosphere returns to normal.
Alice turns & exits
A long extended sound of wood creaking is heard. Carry this sound over into:
Alice walking down stairs
Wood creak dies, mingled with soft leather-slipper foley of Alice's footsteps. A slight reverberant hum hangs in the background (a digital reconstruction of Alice's reverberant ringing).
Alice hears sound
An off-screen boom fills the stairwell, introducing loud and partially distorted muzak (soft rock ballad) which fills the space. The song is unrecognizable, but its presence is oppressive.
Hat box carried down stairs
The small Christmas bell jingle accompanies the movement of the hat box. The volume of the distorted muzak recedes into the background. The Saleslady's footsteps are distinct and harshly reverb in the space.
Alice removes her shoes
Clear foley leather squeaks match her removing the shoes. From this point on, no sound for Alice's feet in the stairwell.
Saleslady calls out
A sharp shortwave crackling trails after her voice. By this point all distorted muzak has disappeared.
Alice drops shoes & runs
The dropped shoes distinctly reverberate. The foley of her bare feet on concrete is clearly heard for a brief onscreen moment.
Alice looks up, runs away
Slight reverberant ringing follows Alice, increasing in volume. The Christmas bell jingle matches the Saleslady chasing Alice.
Alice looks up, runs away
The reverberant ringing rises sharply, peaking in volume just as:
Alice enters outside lane
A new lane atmosphere matches this new laneway environment: a street- cleaner hum slowly approaching; a very distant building-site jackhammer; the odd loud reverb dumpster bangs of restaurant hands dumping bads lane dumpsters; the sporadic sound of an electronic car alarm being de-activated.
Saleslady exchange with Alice
Street-cleaner hum rises and fails to match this exchange. Very soft foley of her high heels. Christmas bell jingle as box is handed to Alice.
Alice walks away
Light extended reverb of Alice's shoes being dropped. Soft footsteps fade as she walks away. Christmas bell jingle trails off as well.AS FAR AS SHE CAN GET
Title card
Full stereo sound of egg frying. Cross-fade into:
Bus approaches
Fade up of roaring bus. A high pitched kettle whistle fades up and peaks at the cut:
Alice sitting next to woman
Deep rumble inside bus - a fairly empty and monotonous drone. The high pitched kettle whistle fades away quickly.
Alice gets up/sits down
Hissing vinyl cushion sound (reversed). This sound is played forward as Alice sits down.
Passing landscape
A 2 note chime plays lightly, combined with frying egg atmosphere (digitally reconstructed texture of the egg frying)
Bump jolts Alice
A big jolt signals the return to the deep rumble inside the bus, but this time it is combined with a series of metallic rattles.
Alice gets up/sits down
Hissing vinyl cushion sound (reversed). This sound is played forward as Alice sits down. No foley for Alice's footsteps.
Man & woman's movements
Light foley of all their movements.
Alice gets up again
Hissing vinyl cushion sound (reversed).
Alice speaks
All metallic rattles stop.
Alice sits down
A long drawn- out forwards version of the hissing vinyl cushion. The metallic rattles return, building in intensity.
Bus drives amay
Fade down of roaring bus. Slight trace of frying egg atmosphere. Fade out over AN OTHERWISE ORDINARY ROOM title card.AN OTHERWISE ORDINARY ROOM
Title card
Soft suburban atmosphere.
Alice listens at window
A single magpie sings outside. This blends into a loop of backwards chimes, playing a cycle of 2 notes. Occasional water drops are heard.
Alice unrolls toilet fabric
Incidental music: 3 contrapuntal melodic lines distinctly develop harmonies upon the 3 note cycle: (a) a Verdi-esque cello (b) a breathy baroque flute (c) a jazzy clarinet. These will all be sampled, digitally processed and transformed from recordings. As these melodic lines interweave - following the flowing movements of the toilet roll fabric - an ambient wash of choral voices heaves and sighs throughout the developing melodies.
Alice reaches end of the roll
The incidental music chmaxes as the fbal sheet of fabric flows from the toilet roll. As the roll continues spinning, the music fades away.
Alice sits looking at the fabric
The final refrain of the music melts into a final version of the magpie outside. The chimes now briefly play forward. A few isolated water drops from the bathroom tap are heard. Carry magpie over into A SCEPTRE OR A HANDBAG title card.A SCEPTRE OR A HANDBAG
Title card
A single magpie sings very softly.
The queen sings
No atmopshere to be used throughout this scene. The queen's studio recording will be used. No foley movement of anyone in the room.
Queen sings to Alice
A slight trace of reverberant ringing rises when Alice appears (from TOO BIG FOR HER HAT). Some slight voice texture (digitally edited from sample of Queen's voice) hovers at end of song.
Everyone applauds
Natural synch recording to be used.ANOTHER PASSERBY
Title card
A single car horn can be heard clearly. A whoosh (a mix of fabrics & plastic moving through wind) joins to:
Alice & Runner in street
The heavy city traffic at a loud volume level. The same single car horn occasionally sounds, getting more impatient in tone. The foley steps of Alice's leather shoes and the Runner's runners are distinct and audible. (Possibly need to be done for whole scene for any moments of clarity required.)
Alice looks over at Runner
The car horn sounds impatiently, this time holding a sustained note.
Runner stands looking at Alice
The sustained note of the car horn carries over.
Alice continues on her way
Car horn ends on cut. Heavy city traffic atmosphere continues.
Alice walks into shadow
The heavy city traffic closes down into a deep tonal wash, as the Runner follows Alice. This deep tonal wash peaks as Alice turns her head.
Runner charges - Alice reacts
As Runner moves, a sharp blade scrape joins the two shots. The deep tonal wash ceases when this sound occurs.
Alice runs down side of house
A dog bark punctuates the latter half of Alice's run. Her footsteps are carried by some dumpster bangs (from TOO BIG FOR HER HAT).
Alice pauses to look back
A whoosh synchs to the camera movement.
Runner stares at Alice
Low volume of a machine pulse.
Runner charges; Alice runs
Another whoosh synchs to the camera movement, dying as Alice runs toward fence.
Alice jumps fence
Distant helicopter soar. Synch or foley sound of Alice jumping fence.
Runner sees Alice jump fence
Machine pulse builds in volume. Helicopter soar volume trails off.
Runner jumps fence
Final fade of helicopter soar. Machine pulse builds in volume as Runner scales fence. Synch or foley sound of Runner jumping fence.
Runner lands on feet
Boom 2(from TOO BIG FOR HER HEAD)
Runner's POV scanning yard
Sharp wood clicks with reverb synch the end of each camera sweep. An occasional single sparrow is heard in this backyard - no other atmosphere.
Runner searches yard
Very light footsteps.
Alice hides at side of house
Light breathing. A second dog bark halts her breathing.
Alice approaches/opens door
Light foley of door handle. No door creak.
Alice inside house
Grandfather clock ticks slowly and ominously. No other atmosphere.
Door opened by Runner
No door creak. The machine pulse fades up slightly as Runner enters house.
Alice runs past Runner
Loud foley of Alice's footsteps. Loud foley bang of door being pushed open.
Alice runs down corridor
The sound of a wood ball rolling on wood loudly fills this space as Alice charges. Foley of Alice & Runner's footsteps.
Alice at front door
Wood ball rolling on wood continues, mixed with machine hum as Runner grabs Alice. Foley of Alice rattling metal latch.
Alice's hands against glass
Two loud foley bangs in silence.
Alice at front door
Loud foley bang as Runner falls against other door. Wood ball rolling on wood continues, introduced by a whoosh.
Alice opens door
Foley for door being opened in silence.
Alice exits front yard
Full and surging wind through cypress trees swells up as Alice hits the street. This wind sound continues for rest of scene. A new reverberant ringing 2 builds.
Alice crosses street
Once again, the foley steps of Adice's leather shoes and the Runner's runners are distinct and audible. Foley of bush as Alice enters it.
Alice hides in bush
Light reverberant ringing 2 builds as Alice watches Runner searching for her.
Runner searches
Machine pulse follows her actions. As Runner passes on, the reverberant ringing and machije pulse die - but both are suddenly cut by the sharp postman's whistle.
Postman's dialogue Wind through cypress trees fades slightly.
Alice looks shocked to Runner
Shortwave crackle (from PRE-TITLE) ties over to shot of Runner looking at postman.
Postman exits
Reverberant ringing 2 continues, mixed with sound of postman's bike fading away.
Alice watches Runner exit
Wind through cypress trees fades gradually, reaching silence by end of final wide shot of the street. Throughout this close down of the scene, an occasional shortwave radio crackle is heard, combined with musical resolution of reverberant ringing 2. A heart beat commences as Alice looks relieved. Carry this over into next title card.AFTER DARK
Title card
A soft heart beat fades up.
Alice move through club
Some incidental music will play for this whole nightclub scene. The music will be tactile, pulsating, sensual, with a thick, continual beat. No foiey sounds should be audible.
Alice sees Man
The incidental music builds and breaks apart, basically mirroring the development between Alice and the man.
Alice touches the man
Stylized musical motifs will be matched to their actions. As she passes his ears, the sound of the incidental music will noticeably change.
Man exits with Alice
The incidental music changes gear, and cuts at next scene.
Alice enters bedroom
Light carpet foley for both Alice and Man's footsteps. Throughout this scene, processed car squeals punctuate the dramatic space, heard far in the distance. (These sounds are similar to tyre squeals heard in underground car parks, but lighter in texture and presence.) Apart from these occasional sounds and foley work, the space is filled with a musical silence (a musical texture styiisticaly signifying extreme quiet).
Alice turns on light
Reverberant ringing 2 (from ANOTHER PASSERBY).
Alice gets into bed
Foley for bed quilt movement, but no creak for bed. Light foley or synch for all other body movements.
Man touches floor
As man comes to rest on floor, a deep ringing plays lightly for rest of scene.
Alice turns out light
Reverberant ringing 2.ALL THESE EYES
Title card
A final processed car squeal accompanies this title card, mixed with a single pigeon coo.
Alice walks along city lane
Dense city traffic - close and not as distant as the atmosphere used for ANOTHER PASSERBY. At the cut to this shot, a flock of pigeons loudly disperses and settles. Light foley of Alice's footsteps.
Alice notices sound
The sound of applause rises in volume.
Alice walks by bus
Foley of clapping may be needed to match close-up track of people in bus. Some ADR vocal 'whoops' may also be needed to synch some obvious mouth movements.
Alice walks away
A few passing cars should be mixed into the dense city traffic to match on-screen car passes. Gradually, the dense city traffic recedes, and the sound of applause cross-fades into gushing water. This cross-fade is noticeable by the time Alice reaches the corner.
End credits
The cross-fade between applause and gushing water continues, with the applause receding by the time the credit block reaches centre frame. The gushing water then gradually fades into a few isolated water drops from a bathroom tap.
Complete contents of this page © Philip Brophy