Point of synchronization
Point of synchronization (CHION 2009, 486-487) happens when an aural element and a visual element are suddenly matched together. Chion defines the point of synchronization as the "synchronous encounter between concomitant audio and visual elements" (486). "Concomitant," because in one specific sequence, an audio element and a visual element may appear but may not be specifically connected: when such connection happens, the synchresis is made explicit.
- According to Chion, points of synchronization frequently occur in order to reinforce an "effect of meaning" (486).
- The pairing of the audio and the visual (i.e. the moment of synchresis) is a salient moment, that needs to be perceived as such by the spectators.
In this example from René Clair's Le Million (1931, France), there are two points of synchronization in this sequence that consists mostly in one long crane tracking shot (until 1'18''). The first occurs with the tracking shot over the roofs of Paris, aurally accompanied by the sound of bells. First, the sound is faint, then becomes progressively louder. It is only when the shot reaches the clock tower that the synchresis occurs: indeed, the aural crescendo has reached its peak at the moment the tracking shot shows the tower, thus making us infer that the sounds of the bells come from within the tower.
The second point of synchronization immediately starts after the the first one: as the tracking shot continues, leaves the tower, and thus the sound of bells fades, a new sound is heard of various voices singing a song. As with the bells, the song is first faintly heard, and its volume increases as the tracking shot is about to end, by focusing on a window and two men opening it and looking through it: the synchresis is reached after the cut (1'18''), with the new shot of a group of people dancing and singing.
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