LAYERING THE SENSES: EXPLORING AUDIO PRIMACY IN MULTI SENSORY CINEMA

Abstract

Numerous authors have argued that cinema is fundamentally visual, while Chion contends that sound and image are so inseparable that, in effect, the soundtrack does not exist. By way of a forward-looking case study, this paper discusses And a Funeral ; a post-anthropocenic retelling of the 1994 rom-com Four Weddings and a Funeral from the perspective of the coffin. Drawing on aspects of prior sound-led films and audio-only video games, And a Funeral proposes a cinematic model in which the auditory is primary but supplemented by other sensory layers (visual and olfactory) that are not necessarily experienced synchronously. The film is ‘completed’ by each audience member and is highly relevant to diverse access needs. In particular, the film’s extended (370 minu te) duration encourages alternative, ambient-inspired models of attention and engagement. A range of emergent design issues and possibilities for future work are discussed.