ABSTRACT
Sound on film came late to motion pictures, although many tried unsuccessfully to marry sound with pictures since the first film was projected in a Paris studio by the Lumiere brothers in 1895. Those who pioneered the medium never thought that watching a film without hearing what was on the screen was natural or creatively fulfilling. It was only half the story. Most importantly, the use of sound brought with it a more fundamental change in film storytelling. Using sound and dialogue in synchronization with the picture enabled directors to practice a greater economy of expression than was possible in the silent film. By timing the picture in relation to the soundtrack the editor can achieve a whole range of effects, which are not necessarily inherent in either the picture or sound alone.
