ABSTRACT
The success of Steamboat Willie (1928) encouraged Walt Disney to synchronize sound to Plane Crazy and Gallopin’ Gaucho, both released earlier as silent shorts. This conversion proved more difficult than anticipated, and Disney quickly realized that the relationship between sound and image was more synergetic than one might think. Narrative animation is most effective when image and sound are allowed to fully participate in the story telling. The sound track has historically taken a back seat to image in terms of resource allocation, allotment production time, and screen crediting; however, many experienced animators credit sound with contributing as much as 70% of the success of a project. Experienced directors understand that a successful sound track is more often felt than heard. They understand that the audience will notice poor sound design even though most cannot articulate what was lacking. The psychological pairing of audio and visual is part of our everyday experiences. People visualize while listening to radio drama, and they audiate while reading. If deprived of either element, audiences will create their own, ultimately redefining the work. In narrative animation, we attempt to guide the audience’s perceptions through effective use of all narrative elements. In order to guide the audience, we must first understand the unique relationship of sound paired with image.
