Which are surrounding sounds in a field production, such as birds chirping or dogs barking, called?

• A. NAT sound
• B. Ambient noise
• C. Dialogue
• D. Natural sound

Answer: (D)

Surrounding sounds captured on location that aren’t spoken lines are called natural sound. These are the actual environmental noises of the scene—birds chirping, dogs barking, wind, footsteps—that help establish place and mood and make the footage feel real. Dialogue is the spoken words of characters, which is different from these non-verbal environmental sounds. Ambient noise is a broader term for background hum, but natural sound emphasizes the distinct on-location environmental cues that give the scene its authentic character. In practice, NAT sound is just another way to refer to this same concept, but the common label used here is natural sound.