"Alarm Chirps"

Author
Discussion

Buttery Ken

Original Poster:

21,062 posts

194 months

Tuesday 30th April
quotequote all
I think this is just a symptom of my complex mind laugh but this has bugged me for years.

In almost every TV show or film I've seen, the exact same alarm chirp sound is used when someone gets out of a car and visibly 'blips' their car. I watched the first episode of Red Eye last night and it happened.

I believe this is the job of a Foley, but I genuinely fail to see the value in this particular addition. Nobody is going to stop watching a show if someone just gets out of their car and walks away.

What other useless additions to TV shows get your back up?


I know. Pointless discussion. But this is The Lounge

sicarumba

402 posts

170 months

Tuesday 30th April
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I find the intentional addition of camera shake to inject tension/drama or to simulate live action to be intensely irritating. I have no doubt it can be done correctly, though for it to be done correctly would mean it goes unnoticed. But in recent years it seems to have been increasingly either overdone to the point of being unable to see what's going on, or poorly done to the point of being obviously fake rather than the intended affect of the cameraman simply being unable to 'keep up with the action'. A perfect example of the latter, badly done and therefore obviously fake, is the American version of The Office. Constant focus shifting and zooming on a stationary person, all the time rocking up and down, left and right.

It's unfortunately a case of once seen cannot be unseen for me. I even find myself watching older films and noticing the distinct lack of artificial camera wobble, further annoying my wife with my observations even when none are to be seen. I watched Terminator Salvation for the 3rd or 4th time recently and was surprised at the fact I hadn't previously noticed the terrible camera shake, particularly in less dramatic scenes where, were they being filmed, a decent camera operator would have no trouble in holding steady.

And then, as with this post, I over explain to get my point across and end up sounding nerdy because it winds me up so much.

Buttery Ken

Original Poster:

21,062 posts

194 months

Tuesday 30th April
quotequote all
sicarumba said:
And then, as with this post, I over explain to get my point across and end up sounding nerdy because it winds me up so much.
Fear not - that winds me up too. Just keep the f*cking camera still!

I think I'd be better off just watching re-runs of Laurel & Hardy or something.

Spare tyre

10,362 posts

137 months

Tuesday 30th April
quotequote all
Plip plip

Buttery Ken

Original Poster:

21,062 posts

194 months

Tuesday 30th April
quotequote all
Spare tyre said:
Plip plip
That's the one!

LARK F1 GTR

3,694 posts

153 months

Tuesday 30th April
quotequote all
The car rocking back and forth when it stops and someone gets out always gets me, I know it will move but it's always ridiculous.

DodgyGeezer

42,391 posts

197 months

Tuesday 30th April
quotequote all
sicarumba said:
I find the intentional addition of camera shake to inject tension/drama or to simulate live action to be intensely irritating. I have no doubt it can be done correctly, though for it to be done correctly would mean it goes unnoticed. But in recent years it seems to have been increasingly either overdone to the point of being unable to see what's going on, or poorly done to the point of being obviously fake rather than the intended affect of the cameraman simply being unable to 'keep up with the action'. A perfect example of the latter, badly done and therefore obviously fake, is the American version of The Office. Constant focus shifting and zooming on a stationary person, all the time rocking up and down, left and right.

It's unfortunately a case of once seen cannot be unseen for me. I even find myself watching older films and noticing the distinct lack of artificial camera wobble, further annoying my wife with my observations even when none are to be seen. I watched Terminator Salvation for the 3rd or 4th time recently and was surprised at the fact I hadn't previously noticed the terrible camera shake, particularly in less dramatic scenes where, were they being filmed, a decent camera operator would have no trouble in holding steady.

And then, as with this post, I over explain to get my point across and end up sounding nerdy because it winds me up so much.
The ones that pissed me off, to the point I can't watch them:

Bourne 3
Crank 1 & 2


furious

Blib

45,435 posts

204 months

Tuesday 30th April
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Slightly OT.

Pacific Treefrogs are the frogs most often heard at night in southern California where most movies used to be made, so when Hollywood sound engineers recorded nocturnal sounds to add to movies, they often recorded the calls of Pacific Treefrogs.

Ever since then, if you hear a frog in a movie it's most likely to be a Pacific Treefrog, no matter where the movie is located.

Beati Dogu

9,197 posts

146 months

Wednesday 1st May
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They love racking pump shotguns, even though that will eject a live round. A pretty stupid if rather intimidatory move.



Horses are pretty quiet really. But in movies they always whinny and snort with the same sound effect. The film makers approach is “see a horse, hear a horse” and that applies to a lot of other sound effects they use.

Oh, and the annoying little trrrrrrr noise they give to every damn computer is another example.


FiF

45,577 posts

258 months

Wednesday 1st May
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Actually the locking the car alarm chirps are often added deliberately because the programme makers are fed up of rivet counters complaining to them that x didn't lock their car when leaving it. Which is ironic considering the OP's complaint.

Now what brasses me off. Police / military / enforcement bods go looking for suspect, see individual wandering about not having noticed their presence, police then shout something along the lines of "Stop police" from a stupidly large distance, cue chase. FRO.

Cotty

40,330 posts

291 months

Wednesday 1st May
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Beati Dogu said:
They love racking pump shotguns, even though that will eject a live round. A pretty stupid if rather intimidatory move.
Talking about guns, in films people will often point a pistol at someone, then at a certain point they will cock it to show they are serious.
Points gun and says "Get down" click click "I SAID GET DOWN"

Don't get me started with the wilhelm scream. I have almost turned off films once I hear it.

fuzzymonkey

423 posts

232 months

Wednesday 1st May
quotequote all
Beati Dogu said:
They love racking pump shotguns, even though that will eject a live round. A pretty stupid if rather intimidatory move.



Horses are pretty quiet really. But in movies they always whinny and snort with the same sound effect. The film makers approach is “see a horse, hear a horse” and that applies to a lot of other sound effects they use.

Oh, and the annoying little trrrrrrr noise they give to every damn computer is another example.
Dont forget that we have had ABS for 30+ years but any car on TV or movie will still spin out when braking or accellerating...

FiF

45,577 posts

258 months

Wednesday 1st May
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Or tyre squeals on loose surfaces.

TO73074E

467 posts

34 months

Wednesday 1st May
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In American films or TV series at the end of phone a conversation, why do they never say "Goodbye"? They just put the phone down!

southendpier

5,542 posts

236 months

Wednesday 1st May
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Hero fights a group of baddies.

Baddies attack one by one by one.

Debaser

6,481 posts

268 months

Wednesday 1st May
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Characters driving in cars that are obviously filmed on a trailer. They are higher than other cars, and the steering wheel doesn't move at all.

TGCOTF-dewey

5,874 posts

62 months

Wednesday 1st May
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Can I add, action on release land mines and booby traps. They've even made films around the fallacy.

They're not designed to make you stand still until the hero can make their way to you and disarm it with a bayonet.

CHLEMCBH

411 posts

24 months

Wednesday 1st May
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The same eagle (I assume it's an eagle) has been calling in every Hollywood film or US TV series set in any kind of countryside for decades.

ETA: it's an eagle alright.

Edited by CHLEMCBH on Wednesday 1st May 10:33

KAgantua

4,261 posts

138 months

Wednesday 1st May
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Basic 1.2 automatic car pulls away normally in dry conditions with normal tyres.

Driver is angry.

Got to add a tyre screech.

Ham_and_Jam

2,568 posts

104 months

Wednesday 1st May
quotequote all
Debaser said:
Characters driving in cars that are obviously filmed on a trailer. They are higher than other cars, and the steering wheel doesn't move at all.
I can’t help myself pointing that out everytime I see it. Some are ludicrously high.