Below is an excerpt of diegetic music designed specifically for binaural audio:
“The Lightbearer” – composed and arranged by Branden Matthew Antoine
This composition is in development for the upcoming project “Noah is Not Okay”. It is a quartet of cello (played with pizzicato technique), kalimba, flute and violin with each instrument carefully placed in a unique position around the listener. The sound is designed for binaural listening, creating the effect of being surrounded by the ensemble in three-dimensional space, as if the listener is inside the room with the performers.
“Noah is Not Okay” – Full Official Screenplay
A Comedic Retelling of Noah’s Ark
(A 3-D Binaural Audio-Only Experience)
Written for Children aged 5-12
Preview of Act I – Meet the Characters & World Building
Notes:
- Positions of sound relative to the listener are indicated by brackets, for example [12:00]. This would indicate that the respective character is positioned directly in front of the listener, hence in the 12 o’clock position.
- Roman Numerals indicate the distance from the listener:
- Close Up (0-2 feet)
- Personal Space (2-6 feet)
- Room Space (6-12 feet)
- Distant (12+ feet)
Setting – indoors, scent of wood (gopher wood due to the indoor construction of the ark) – large room widely spaced.
SHEM, 12, is a very polite and sociable young man who tends to serve as the host or liaison between the variably aged members of his family.
SHEM
[9:00, II]
Hi, nice to meet you, friend. I’m Shem.
[he is now fully centered at 12:00, II]
Thank you for coming. Usually, we don’t need much help but honestly
WHISPERS
[3:00, I]
“I think my dad is scared of the animals. And this thing that we’re working on… it’s gonna involve a lot of animals.”
[12:00, II]
Say, do you know where he went by any chan- INTERRUPTED
PIGEON WINGS FLUTTER across the soundscape [10:00, III to 3:00, IV] as it immediately begins to attack Noah.
NOAH, 35, IS THE FATHER OF SHEM – THOUGH NOAH IS BOTH A SKILLED ARCHITECT AND METEOROLOGIST, HIS ONLY TRUE DOCTORATE DEGREE IS ONE OF CLUMSINESS.
A chaotic concoction of Noah’s frenzied panics ensue as he is attacked by the pigeon [3:00, IV]
SHEM
[12:00, II]
continuing “…chance…”
“Well there’s my dad… don’t worry, I’ve got this.”
SHEM MOVES TO RUMMAGE THROUGH HIS BACKPACK [BACKPACK AT 9:00, II] PULLS OUT AND INTRICATELY SETS UP SOME KIND OF SLINGSHOT / BB GUN CONTRAPTION WITH HEAVY ATTENTION TO DETAIL ON THE SOUND OF IT LOCATED, PUT TOGETHER, AND FIRED IN THE STYLE OF ASMR (THE PROJECTILE PANNING ACROSS THE SOUNDSCAPE [9:00 TO 3:00 – 3:00, IV BEING THE LOCATION OF THE PIGEON AND NOAH] IN THE STYLE OF ASMR
SLINGSHOT FIRED – SHEM AIMS AT THE PIGEON, SHOOTS ONCE AND MISSES
Come on… come on…
SLINGSHOT STRIKES PIGEON
NOAH
[3:00, IV]
“Thank you, Shem.” He replies with a hint of embarrassment.
NAAMAH, 36, IS THE WIFE OF NOAH, THOUGH HER ROLE WOULD MORE REALISTICALLY DESCRIBED AS THAT OF HIS BABYSITTER. SHE IS BLIND AND FLUENT IN BRAILLE, WHICH IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO THE CREW AS THEIR ONLY SCROLL CONTAINING THE WORD OF THE LORD HAPPENS TO BE WRITTEN IN BRAILLE.
A NEW VOICE BEGINS TO SPEAK
NAAMAH
[10:00, IV]
CLEARS HER THROAT
“Tell him Noah.”
NOAH
[3:00, IV to 12:00, II, he moves gradually]
I mean… *clears throat and switches to a sterner tone as he approaches* – [moving from 3:00, IV to 12:00, II]
Shem didn’t we talk earlier about- oh who’s that?
(beat)
[12:00, II]
Hi, nice to meet you, I’m Mr. Noah!
Thank you for coming to help us out, you must be one of Shem’s friends.
But unfortunately, Shem is about to be in a lot of trouble.
Shem is actually about to be grounded. So- INTERRUPTED
SHEM
[3:00, II]
Oh come on dad, you never let me hang out with friends. And look they’re so cool…
They’re just sitting there smiling… they’re not gonna get me into any trouble.
NOAH
That’s what you said about Jared, and now today instead of helping us he’s sick in bed and covered head to toe in geese bites! [12:00, II]
A NEW VOICE BEGINS TO SPEAK
BABY HAM
[9:00, III]
*starts laughing*
SHEM
[3:00, II]
Yeah, so much for duck, duck, goose…
NOAH
Listen Shem… these birds are God’s creatures, and we must treat them with-
PIGEON ATTACK -[moves him from 12:00 back to 3:00, IV]
[3:00, IV]
Ok do it again please!
“Shem please shoot the bird!” in a tone approaching a falsetto
NOAH STUMBLES AND FALLS TO THE GROUND
SHEM
Ok one second dad, let me get my-INTERRUPTED
*BIRD IS HIT BY ANOTHER SLINGSHOT*
Wait, who did that?
JAPETH, 14, is Noah’s eldest child, the older brother of Shem and Ham. He is a “cool kid” who speaks solely through colloquial one-liners which are each followed by a single reverberated strum of a guitar jazz chord.
A NEW VOICE BEGINS TO SPEAK
JAPETH
[10:00, III] And Japeth saves the day again as usual GUITAR CHORD
ALL CHARACTERS
Reply to greet him in a scattered union – Noah as well, though he is now on the floor.
NOAH
[3:00, IV] (on the floor) hello son…
SHEM
[2:00, II] hey big bro!
BABY HAM
[12:00, II] babbles playfully*
JAPETH
[10:00, II]
What’s up baby Ham? GUITAR CHORD
BABY HAM
[12:00, II]
“ahhhaga… mmgoo”
he replies with a cool smugness.
SHEM
[3:00, I]
“That’s my brother Japeth” whispers to listener
“And this is my baby brother Ham. He’s still learning how to speak”
BABY HAM
[12:00, II]
Babbles nonchalantly*
NOAH
[9:00, III – he gradually moves to the next stated zone]
“Well… sailors… now that we’re all here. We’ve got a boat to finish building” he says unenthusiastically through a grunt/sigh while rising and dusting himself off.
[12:00, II]
“Three workers and plenty of work to do.”
BABY HAM
[10:00, II]
*starts crying*
a cute and funny cry like that one baby fish in Finding Nemo that falls off the trampoline.
NOAH
[12:00, II]
“Aww no I’m sorry Baby Ham; I meant to say four workers.”
BABY HAM
[10:00, II]
*babbles a sound of satisfaction*
NOAH
[12:00, II]
“Ok but seriously troops, let’s get to work.”
[END OF INTRO / ACT 1]
“Mount Ararat” – Featured in Act IV of “Noah is Not Okay“
composed and arranged by Branden Matthew Antoine