Libro

MEDIA LITERACY AND INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE
Strategies, Debates and Good Practices
no puede consistir en hacer que los alumnos se sientan culpables de lo que les
gusta.” Accordingly, we investigate the element of soung as it interferes with the
reception of an audiovisual message within the group of deaf students,
prioritizing their tastes and comfort generated by the sound.
4. Theoretical hypotheses
Sound has always been considered in regard to its communicative aspect.
However, before transmitting information, it resonates not only on the
tympanum but also the body, chairs, tables, etc. This vibration is our focus on
experimentations about the effect of sound vibrations on non-hearing people
when confronted with an audiovisual message. It is necessary to explain that
we have acted on a proposal for an informal film training for the deaf. The
project is based on a perspective of empowerment for deaf people who wish to
have access to film as an art and expression form. During classes, we have
been experimenting with overseeing students in the process of audiovisual
reception of the movies shown. This context has motivated us to develop
hypotheses that may cause an expansion of what is known within this area.
4.1. Sound before everything: vibrations
Sound can be defined as a longitudinal mechanical wave that propagates
through an elastic medium. This wave causes the vibration of all surfaces within
its reach. The vibration level is a function of the intensity and frequency of the
sound. If the intensity rises, vibration becomes more important. Low frequencies
cause stronger vibration than high frequencies. The audible sound range goes
from 20Hz to 20,000Hz for the medium listener (Hugonnet & Walder: 2006).
This range is shortened by age or pathological factors and may even be
inexistent for some deaf, as is the case of some of our subjects. Sonant
sources, however, do not generate audible sound only. There are infrasounds
lower than 20 Hz that are audible for some animals (dogs and cats, for
instance) that can feel infrasound vibrations during earthquakes, and act as
alarms for seismic active regions (Leipp: 2010). Sometimes audiovisual
professionals cut off part of the frequency range to the detriment of other sound
information or to eliminate undesired sounds. On film and music, we must avoid
limiting the sound range to what is audible only. Vibrations may not benefit the
hearing but, besides communicating information, sound communicates emotion
as well. Low frequencies range from 20Hz -110Hz, medium frequencies from
110 to 1760 Hz and high frequencies 1760Hz-20,000Hz.Lower frequencies
generate more vibration that higher frequencies. On clubs, the vibration effect is
desired and translates into an increase on the lower frequencies. We can better
understand why during recording the studios demand complete silence, as
when they shoot a scene. This track that will be part of the film will bear the
responsibility of filling in the soundtrack with a background entirely of sound
including non-audible sound, of which it has a wealth of to enhance reception.
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