On October 16th, 2023, we listened to Dr. Carrie Giunta, a professional sound editor and sound designer as well as a teacher in philosophy, discuss her search to understand the relationship between sound and image in cinema. This guest lecture ranged from discussing and analyzing Greek philosophical perspectives to learning about her role in doing the sound design and guerrilla foley for ‘Casino Royale’ (2006) and the silent films of Charlie Chaplin.

Key takeaways I took from this lecture included the importance of listening to sound design from the perspective of the audience when mixing and creating themes and parallels between the story and sound. I also reflected on her thoughts about neglecting the emotional context of a scene when you record the actual sound of a space rather than specific qualities or items in a space. This was an expansion from ‘The Conversations and the Art of Editing’ with Walter Murch and Michael Ondaatije.

Charlie Chaplin and the allusion of speech and sound through movement and pictures were also analyzed in this guest lecture. Focusing on the importance of expression and the amount our own brains fill in as a result of seeing certain faces and actions.

Finally, the importance of contrast in sound also resonated with me in my own practice. The more the contrast in volume, density, and variety, the greater the emotional effect silence can have on the psyche of the audience. This is especially important in film and in sound works.