[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.00,0:00:08.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi my name is Tony and this is Every\NFrame a Painting. Let's take a drive.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:08.24,0:00:11.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Today’s subject is Martin Scorsese\Nand the art of silence.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.81,0:00:15.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even though Scorsese is famous for his\Nuse of music, one of his best traits
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.78,0:00:18.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is actually his deliberate and\Npowerful use of silence.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.94,0:00:22.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In interviews he’s credited Frank Warner\Nfor helping him do this on Raging Bull.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.11,0:00:26.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}--After a while, we had so many sound\Neffects, we always talked about pulling{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.09,0:00:29.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}them out of the track and\Nletting things go silent.{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.49,0:00:32.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}Again, like a numbing effect as if you\Nwere hit in the ear too many times.{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.91,0:00:35.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here’s a famous moment where\NJake LaMotta sets himself up
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.81,0:00:37.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,almost a religious slaughter.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.87,0:00:53.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you go through Scorsese’s filmography\Nthere are lots of interesting variations
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.79,0:00:57.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on this concept. And you can actually\Ncompare him directly to others.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.05,0:00:59.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For instance, in the original\NInfernal Affairs,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.93,0:01:02.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this crucial story moment\Nplays with music.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.85,0:01:09.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But for the remake
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.04,0:01:18.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Regardless of which one you prefer,\Nthere’s a full course of study material
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.70,0:01:20.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if you watch and compare these two films
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.90,0:01:25.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sometimes, Scorsese builds the\Nentire film to a climax of sound
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.06,0:01:33.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then silence. This example is\Nactually kinda extreme because
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.16,0:01:36.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the loudest moment in the entire movie\Nis immediately followed by the quietest.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.99,0:01:41.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Other times the silence is the central\Ndramatic beat of the scene. Famously:
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.75,0:01:45.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}--How the fuck am I funny? What the fuck\Nis so funny about me? Tell me.{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.93,0:01:47.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}Tell me what's funny.{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.13,0:01:58.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}--Get the fuck outta here, Tommy.{\i0}\NIf you go back through fifty years of
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.12,0:02:01.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,his career, you'll actually find a lot\Nof fascinating ways of using silence
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.21,0:02:05.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to heighten the subjectivity of a moment\Nto make a creepy scene even creepier
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.17,0:02:06.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to show us love at first sight
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.65,0:02:09.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and to bring our happiness\Nto a screeching halt.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.27,0:02:15.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, maybe not a total halt.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.87,0:02:17.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}--I'm not leaving{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.49,0:02:21.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}--I'm not fucking leaving{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.84,0:02:28.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think best of all, these sound design\Nchoices derive from character.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.02,0:02:31.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The characters are all making important\Nchoices that will have consequences:
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.71,0:02:35.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,choosing to take the money\Nchoosing not to fight back,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.08,0:02:37.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,choosing to hide their emotions\Nchoosing not to trust someone,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.77,0:02:39.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,choosing to wait out the discomfort
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.65,0:02:42.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,choosing to get back in the game\Nchoosing to ignore that
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.00,0:02:43.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they aren't wanted.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.50,0:02:46.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And because these moments are repeated\Nsparingly and deliberately in each movie
Dialogue: 0,0:02:46.99,0:02:49.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the silence feels different\Nand it’s tied to a different theme.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.97,0:02:53.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It also lets Scorsese build a cinematic\Nstructure around the use of sound.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.80,0:02:58.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For instance, in Raging Bull, almost\Nevery fight scene is actually preceded
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.06,0:03:00.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by a quieter domestic moment.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.20,0:03:03.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This lets him do certain things\Nlike harsh cuts into punches.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.35,0:03:06.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it also underscores the theme of\Nthe film, which is that the violence
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.62,0:03:08.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the ring is just an extension\Nof the violence at home.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.91,0:03:12.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By the time he’s attacking his brother,\Nyou actually hear the same sounds
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.88,0:03:16.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you heard in the ring.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.95,0:03:20.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it’s not just Scorsese who does\Nthis kind of cinematic structure.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.71,0:03:24.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For instance, Saving Private Ryan is\Nbookended by two long battles.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.01,0:03:26.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in each battle,\Nwe get moment like this.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.19,0:03:32.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At the beginning, we don’t know\Nany of these people.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.47,0:03:34.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At the end, we know all of them.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.39,0:03:36.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, you might disagree\Nwith my interpretation here,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.58,0:03:40.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but I’m convinced this character knows\Nhe’s going to die, and in both moments,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.34,0:03:42.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he’s accepting that and\Ncontinuing to fight.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.76,0:03:46.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think it's a great example using\Nsound as an overall cinematic structure
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.44,0:03:48.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for the whole film.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.19,0:03:51.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I do want to point out, this stuff isn’t\Njust a matter of good sound mixing
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.86,0:03:54.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,though there is that. The sound mixers\Ncan’t do this stuff if you design the
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.51,0:03:57.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,movie with wall-to-wall\Ndialogue, effects and music.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.19,0:04:02.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}--I don't have anything\Nagainst a film being loud{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.27,0:04:06.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}for a moment or two or a short period of\Ntime. I think that's appropriate{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.93,0:04:11.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}but if you have a sequence that's loud\Nfor 20 or 30 minutes{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.36,0:04:15.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}you've forgotten what it's like\Nto be quiet and so{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.04,0:04:18.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}nothing really seems loud because\Neverything is loud.{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.54,0:04:22.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In popular cinema, writers and directors\Nhave moved away from having
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.05,0:04:25.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,any silence at all, or misusing\Nthe silence they do have.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.48,0:04:28.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is something that gets\Nappreciably worse each year.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.11,0:04:30.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Consider. 1978.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.58,0:04:40.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You might find that a bit cheesy,\Nbut at least this movie is willing
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.58,0:04:43.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to use silence to make us\Nfeel the character’s loss.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.35,0:04:46.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it’s willing to stay with him\Nthrough that entire silence.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.60,0:04:50.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Meanwhile, in 2013
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.00,0:05:00.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This might seem silent but\Nthere’s always music underneath.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:00.46,0:05:04.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,More importantly the “not-quite-silence”\Nis used to reward the character:
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.43,0:05:09.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he murders someone and gets a hug.\NBut if you watch the whole movie
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.56,0:05:11.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,literally ever time there’s silence,\Nhe gets a hug.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.76,0:05:17.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So consider your silences\Nand deploy them deliberately.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.23,0:05:20.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Don’t cheapen them by overusing\Nthem for any dramatic scene.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.48,0:05:23.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you can build the film, structure it,\Nso that the silence derives
Dialogue: 0,0:05:23.55,0:05:24.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from your characters and what\Nthey’re feeling, then you get
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.99,0:05:29.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,something better than just\Nsilence: an emotional reaction
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.15,0:05:32.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}--Which would be worse?{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:05:32.22,0:05:38.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}To live as a monster or\Nto die as a good man?{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.12,0:05:47.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}--Teddy?{\i0}