Spelling sound effects: Onomatopoeia

sfx-wordsI can’t really say that was the first screenwriter to write the sounds in his screenplays but I do have to give him credit for being the most memorable. He captured a rythm that made you almost believe that you heard the sound in your head.

One of my own collections I thought I would share with you is my own collection of sound effects and their spelling… Pretty simple stuff, right? LOL.

No… This isn’t something you’re gonna see on too many other sites but it could be fun. How many of you out there actually spell out your sound effects? And more importantly, are they realistic? Do they work? Do they fit?

I think what’s interesting here is that I don’t see sound effects written out too often in screenplays but in my own humble opinion — if done correctly — enhance the writing.

So without further ado…

Different kinds of HITS:

BA-BOOM BA-DOOM BAM BAMFF BANG BAP BASH BE-BAP BIFF BLAM BLASH BLOOF BOFF BOINK BONG BONK BOOM BOOT BOP BUDOW CHOKK CLANK CLAP CLAP-CLAP CLOMP CLUNK CRASH CREEE-UNCHH CRUNCH DOINK FA-WUMP FACK FAP FLUMP FOMP FONK FOOP FRACK FUMP FWAK FWAP FWOP FWUMP GLOMP JAB KA-BLANG KA-BONG KA-PO KACHAK KA-TAP KANG KERPLUNK KERSPLAT KLONG KLONK KLOP KONK KRAK KRATOOM KREEE-UNCHH KRONCH KRONK KRUNCH KRUNCK KWAP PIK PING PLAP PLOCK PLOINK PLOK PLOP POIK POING POK POKE POP POW PWOP RATTA-TAT-TAT SHAK SHAKKTT SCHTOCK SHOK SHOOM SHTOK SHUDD SHWAK SHWOKK SLAM SLAP SMACK SMASH SPAP SPLACH SPLACK SPLAT SPLATT SPLOSH SPLUNK SOCK TAK TAP THOK THOMP THROMP THRUMP THUD THUDD THUMP THWACK TO-OM TOINK TOK TOMP TONG TONG TUFF TUNK TWAK TWIK TWONG TWONK TWUNK VRONK WABOOM WAK WHACK WHAK WHAM WHAMMO WHAP WHTTT WHOK WHOMP WHONK WHOOP WHOP WHUM WHUMP WONK WUMP ZLONK ZOCK ZOK ZOP

Different kinds of vehicle STOPS:

EEEEERRRP SCHHHHHID SCREEEETCHH SKREEL SKRITCH SQUEAL SQUEEE VREECH Z-EEK

Different kinds of GUNFIRE:

BADOOM BAM BAM-BAM-BAM BANG BLAM BOOM BOOM-CHICK-CHICK BRRAK KABOOM KA-BANG KA-BOOM KER-BLANG KER-POW PEOW PEOW-PEOW PEOW-PEOW-PEOW PHUT POP POW POW-POW-POW RATTA-TAT-TAT TAKA TAKA TAKA

Get the idea? I’m not going to sit here and tell you how they should be used… I won’t tell you that you need to use a specific word for a partcular sound. That’s all up to you but at least now you have a list that you can add to — assuming you don’t already have one — and if you do — nevermind. LOL.

I would only say to consider being consistent when using a particular word for a specific sound. Of course there are different kinds of sounds that are definitely related… Like different kinds of wind or air rushing past you… Of course you wouldn’t use the same word for every instance of wind rushing past you. You use the best word for the kind of wind rushing past you.

Get it?

.

Unk

EDIT: Almost forgot… Please feel free to share your favorite onomatopoeia with us…

EDIT #2: (thanks Will!)

July 1, 2008 | Filed Under Tricks

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