Serial Sounds
For this sound analysis, I listened to the Serial podcast episode one. This is a podcast I followed in high school and became addicted to, so I decided to listen again. The podcast begins with ascending, climatic music which really sets the tone for the whole series. There are several real clips from interviews. In the beginning, Sarah asks a few teenagers if they could remember something that happened at a particular time on a particular day. The fact that they can’t, casts doubts on Adnan’s verdict since he also wasn’t able to remember a specific time the police asked him about. Another clip from an interview with Saad talks about how Adnan was painted to have a dual personality, but that anyone could be painted this way. Having a peer speak this way gives Adnan more credibility. When the podcast describes the body being found, ominous music plays, adding to the mood of the podcast. The first episode also includes a taped interview with Adnan’s friend, Jay. Jay tells his story and even incriminates himself. It makes the listener question why he would do this if he was lying. The first episode uses many sound techniques to create a conflict with the listener to whether Adnan is guilty or not.
