The Tyrannosaurus Rex is one of the Largest land animals mankind has discovered. This mighty creature roamed the earth about 66 million years ago in the late Cretaceous period("Tyrannosaurus Rex, Dinosaur Pictures, Dinosaur Facts - National Geographic", n.d.). These giant meat eating prehistoric animals put fear into anything that it could sink its teeth into. Now that we are in the 21st century these dinosaurs have become magnificent displays in many museums all over the world. But they are not all completely dead.
In 1993 with the help of Steven Spielberg once again this might beast was whole. The film Jurassic Park appeared on screen and audiences were captivated by this terrifying beast and its powerful roar that shook cinemas and spines of mover goers. Still it leaves audiences wanting more. Since 1993 there have been 5 films linked to the Jurassic Park franchise. What has won me over is the fantastic sound design each film has gone through. But one question did burn in my mind. How did they know?
We were never there, so how could we possibly and accurately portray this beast and it full glory. The T-Rex stood an average of 12-15 feet tall and 40 feet long. So how do we get such a fearful roar for something this monstrous. Spielberg knew that in order to make this film a success they need to make sounds that were realistic.
Please enter the stage Gary Rydstrom. The Sound designer that worked on many sound effects in the film, but how did he do it. What is what l am here to do. In the world of Jurassic Park there were a plethora of creatures that needed to sound unique, realistic, surreal and terrifying. Here l will looking into the world of the sound design of the dinosaurs and see how they made these creatures come to life. In an interview Rydstrom stated that a lots of the creatures in jurassic Park were created with live recordings of real animals that have been mixed together. In order to get the right feel for the sound during the film he applied these samples to a Digital Synclavier and played the sound with the different keys in order to play the sounds for the film.
The sound design that went into the T-Rex is one of unusual connection and samples. Rydstrom had the tall ask to make a sound that speaks volumes to the name of the king of the dinosaurs. He started with a roar from a Tiger. Tigers are know to have a roar that emits a pitch that literally paralysis whatever hears it. This was use to create the body and and depth but he needed something else. The second sound he use was a call from a baby elephant hoot. The hoot had the range of frequency that when stretched and turn up made this unique sound that added to the sheer velocity of the roar. Other sounds that were used are from animals like the whale, an alligator and a small dog, all blended together to make this highly memorable and iconic sound.
But what makes the sound of the T-Rex when is catch and eats his pray. In the scene with the Gallimimus stampede a T-rex launches out of the trees to catch and kill one of these creatures. Rydstrom state in an interview that he use a recording of his dog playing rug-a-war with a rope. Again Stretching the audio made for such a stronger resonances that it make is seem bigger then it actually is.
Conclusion
The design that went into the sound for Jurassic Park was there to create a new and unique experiences that makes the audience feel apart of the film rather then a spectator. The idea for these creatures came from everyday animals, some are often seen to be harmless became vicious monster that could possibly paralyse you out of fear after a little mixing. Sound is a very powerful element that films uteruses today, not just to communicate through dialogue but to communicate the emotional setting of the characters and the environment that makes the viewing experiences much more engaging and entertaining. The Jurassic Parks sound designer wanted to make the sound for this film stand out by create empty spaces and monstrous and sinister sounds that make this film and by extension the audio something to remember through the ages.
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