The sound machine: a study in storytelling through sound design

The term audio film refers to a novel format of sonic art that explores the possibilities of telling a story solely through sound, sound processing and spatialisation, without the need for visual elements or a narrator. The term audio film was coined by the authors as part of the research project entitled 'The Design of an Audio Film for the Visually Impaired'. The term was chosen for two main reasons: firstly, because the final work is to be experienced in a cinema environment, and secondly, because certain elements of the filmmaking process might be adapted for the conveyance of a story through sound, creating an experience equivalent to the cinematic experience. The present paper explores the possibility of minimising or eliminating speech in audio films. In particular it focuses on the comparison of two versions of an extract from The Sound Machine by Roald Dahl (1949). The first version portrays the story through the use of sound effects, internal sounds and music, while the second, is identical to the first but with the addition of speech.