The advertisement for THX sound tells us: “The audience is listening.” But what are we meant to be hearing? Is it the fidelity of the sound effects? The spectacle of multichannel surround sound? Or are we supposed to be considering how contemporary sound design is different from classical Hollywood sound? Perhaps it is all of these things. But what today’s filmgoers (and critics as well) lack is a means to talk about these aspects of sound and design. Sound continues to be one of the most elusive areas in terms of criticism and discussion in modern media, yet the impact of sound has been tremendous in reshaping how we see, hear and experience films, television programs, new media and video games. Think about the transition to sound in the 1920s or the introduction of surround sound to the local multiplexes, home theaters or even to the desktop computer. As many media producers are fond of saying, “Sound is half the picture.”  As a result, this seminar has been designed to explore the history, theory and practice of sound design and the cultural and technical factors that have influenced audio and visual media since the late 1920s. Areas of particular interest will be the influence of sound and music on narrative structure and genre, the development of multichannel and other sound technologies, and the development of production practices and their influence on aesthetics and style. One of the primary goals of the course is to bridge the gap between theory and practice and offer a new model for evaluating sound design across media, genres, and national cinemas. Are you listening?