Medieval Street Market Soundscape
In the Film and Video Certificate Program at Full Sail University, Angela was tasked with an assignment that aimed to demonstrate the power of sound in storytelling for a target audience of film and video enthusiasts. Her challenge was to craft an evocative soundscape that would vividly paint a scene or emotion purely through auditory cues.
Beginning with a detailed soundscape synopsis, Angela mapped out the narrative journey she intended the listener to embark upon. She approached the design by breaking down each element: from the ambiance to the central motifs. Meticulously, Angela designed a myriad of unique sounds, layering recordings to create depth and dimension. Opting for the familiar and comforting tones of her children's voices added an authentic touch, making the soundscape more relatable to her listeners. The decision to incorporate ambient sounds from Westar Music was driven by the need to enhance the real-world feel of the narrative.
Using Adobe Audition, Angela fused these elements together. Each choice, from the melodies to the background noises, was rooted in her desire to pull the listener into the story she envisioned—a testament to her deep understanding of sound as a narrative tool.
1-minute Medieval Street Market Soundscape based on an image.
Soundscape Synopsis
This story takes place in the Medieval era. We are in the middle of a street market. There are animals roaming about and sellers on every side. There are children running about playing and laughing. Their laughs are high pitched and layered. There are low and mid sounds of chickens clucking and sheep bleating. A horse drawn carriage comes in from the right side and pans over to the left. We will hear the low murmurs of people in the street talking. There are sellers and beggars in the street. We pass by a prison where a prisoner is trying to bargain with us to bail him out.
Off in the distance to the right, we hear a melody of medieval instruments coming from street performers. Straight ahead there is a street performer who is doing the “cups and balls” trick. We hear the cups drag across the table from left to right and right to left. He has a crowd of men around him. The guy that paid him for a chance to guess gets it right and the men cheer. Then he gets it wrong, and we hear low groans of the men watching. He puts down more coins for another try and gets it wrong again! He yells, “Come on!” He knocks all the cups off the table and there is a big fight. Men are shouting and women are screaming.
