I think it's safe to assume that this crowd loves a good story. Furthermore, I'm pretty sure that we're the ones who vocalize all the sounds and give voices to the characters when telling a co-worker about our crazy morning commute in an attempt to make a crap story a better story. We contribute our acoustic impressions to all kinds of different worlds everyday, trying to make them more encompassing, evolving and appropriate as supporting characters in the storytelling process. But how do you know what succeeds and what fails?

Is it trial and error? Learned expectations from listening to decades of media? Are there unwritten rules that a single Red Tailed Hawk screech against a gritty, blustery wind implies solitude and desolation? Are there written rules that explain it all? 

I try to view TV/ films and actively listen to hear how the role of sound supports the story, but I always get lost in the story! I'm always backing up, usually kill the screen, turn off lights, close my eyes and re-listen. And then I'm only 70-80% sure of what it is I'm actually listening for.

So, when studying films, television or theater for how they use sound to tell the story, how do you not get lost in the story? What do you listen for? What are some of your favorite nuggets of media that use sound effectively in support of telling a story? And why were they effective to you?

How else do you hone your acoustic storytelling skills?