Perspective and Social Distance

Social Distance refers to “more business-like and formal interactions, keeping people ‘at arm’s length”, whereas Public Distance is for larger and more formal group interactions. Within film sizing, personal distance is represented with only head and shoulders in vision, which can also correspond with a close shot. This creates an imaginary intimacy with what is being represented, while medium shots create a more formal kind of imaginary relation. With Social Distance, we see the entire character’s body, with a bit of space around them, corresponding with the long shot, Edward Hall says that “people filmed with a longshot are addressed as though they’re people that are not part of their world”

Perspective and Sound

“Sound dubbing technicians in radio and film divide the soundtrack into three zones – dose, middle and far distance. These are ‘the ‘Immediate’, the ‘Support’ and the ‘Background’. The chief thing to bear in mind is that the ‘Immediate’ effect is to be listened to, while the ‘Support’ and the ‘Background’ effects are merely co be heard …” In this way, sound can work like a picture, having backgrounds, midgrounds and foregrounds. Backgrounds include atmospheric sounds, like a gentle breeze rustling the trees, or the sound of rain, whereas the midground could be cars driving past, the chatter of a crowd, or a barking of a faraway dog. Lastly, foreground includes whatever is being focused on, like a commentator or conversation being had. Terms differ for these methods of layering sounds.

Hifi and Lofi soundscapes (Fidelity)

“Hifi soundscapes allow discrete sounds to be heard from a great distance because of the low ambient noise level. Think of a very quiet library, where you can hear someone pick up a pen or turn a page from twenty-five metres away. In lofi soundscapes, on the other hand, individual sounds get blurred, obscured in a tangle, a wall of sound which may be as close to the listener as the other side of the street. In such soundscapes perspective is lost and amplification becomes necessary if one wants to be heard. “-Murray Schafer

Sound and Social Distance

Sound can relate to how close we feel with who is talking to us, the text refers to how people speak more softly to people they feel close to, and more loud and sharp to people who we feel distant from. The same can actually go for music. For example, a lot of pop music such as Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” can feel a lot less personal than some of Chet Baker “I get along without you very well”

Summary

Intimate distance: Soft voices, even whispering, creating intimate relationship with listener

Personal Distance: relaxed voice, low pitch and volume, creating friend like relationship

Informal Distance: Business like, and informal encounter, proper and full voice, high volume

Formal Distance: Projected tense, overloud voice, like giving a speech

Public Distance: Amplified speaking