The Bear: Creating Chaos & Building Tension Through Sound

The Bear delivers a masterful Season 2, and if you look (and listen) closer, a big part of what makes it work so well has to do with what we’re hearing. One of The Bear’s trademarks is to use the technique of everyone talking at once, overlapping their dialogue – primarily to dramatize the chaos of the restaurant’s hectic kitchen. Everyone talking over each other creates a sense of overstimulation in us, so we vicariously partake in the stress of the environment. Here's our take on the skillful way the show uses this technique of overlapping dialogue (and noise in general) and how it serves the narrative.

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CHAPTERS
00:00 The importance of sound in The Bear
00:42 The 3 keys purposes sound design serves
05:30 Analyzing the "seven fishes" dinner scene
10:57 FACTOR
12:03 The impact of the ending's audio

CREDITS
Executive Producers: Debra Minoff & Susannah McCullough
Chief Creative Director: Susannah McCullough
Associate Producer: Tyler Allen
Writer: Susannah McCullough & Jessica Babineaux
Narrator: Jessica Babineaux
Video Editor: Michael Gawronski

[shermikeman]

I appreciated the realism of Carmy's fridge breakdown. People with unresolved trauma are often fleeing from it by keeping busy. The quiet makes them uncomfortable and afraid.

[a.s.]

I think that Syd provides those moments of calm for Carmy as evidenced by her image taking over Claire's in Carmy's mind during his panic attack.

Also, their conversation under the table was one of the gentlest and quietest moments in the season.

When they are not arguing, Syd is the person that Carmy is the calmest and most attentive with.

[samfilmkid]

Okay, THIS is what I have been missing from this channel. More videos analyzing film CRAFT please. The characters analysis and trope analysis are all good but you guys used to talk about CRAFT like cinematography and editing and music all the time too! Please more of this as well as analyzing single shows or movies more please.

[chrissiem]

I think it's worth mentioning that Claire is an ER doctor, so she also has extreme job stress, but quite frankly it has much bigger repercussions that Carmi's job stress because her's is literally life and death in some cases. Yet she is always so quiet, centered and calm, and just a very relaxing prescence.
This knowledge drives home another very sad point: people who are abused and traumatized often come to believe that such ways of being are the ONLY way to be and therefore dont think there is anything to heal from because drama and abuse is the norm.
So, I dont think that Carmi pushes Claire away because he doesnt think he deserves Claire's love. I think he does it because its just too foreign to him and to a degree, he simply doesnt understand it, and we so often reject what we dont know.

[mudshovel]

The Bear hits me right in the soul as someone from a broken family. they show the experience of trauma so well through the editing.

[everythingshareable]

I love how the black characters in this show are normal people. I care about all the characters in this show, it’s really unusual for me.

[roberttaylor]

I've never shut down more mentally than when I was on the line in the middle of a 2-3 hour straight rush. The music, the sound of the kitchen, the waiters and other cooks. It was pure and brutal sensory overload. You don't have time to shut down for long. But it feels like claustrophobia and the world just shrinks in on you. It only happened 2-3 times but it was so intense that I had to step off the line. The action of removing yourself even if its 10 feet away was the only way for me to snap out of it.

[kidfantastic]

So glad you guys covered this show, The Bear is absolutely fantastic and is probably my favorite show that's come out for a long time!
I think the point you made about Carmy trying to perfect his chaotic life in the seven fishes is also reflected in their other menu choices through the season. At the start of the season Carmy and Sidney are experimenting with a chaos menu that matches Carmy's rather chaotic life.
Through the season they eventually get away from that menu option to more traditional, "orderly" dishes, until later in the season when Carmy reveals a possible new dish idea (I think it's actually the seven fishes, but I have to re-watch to double check) and he introduces it as "chaos menu but a little more thoughtful and organized".
I feel like this has a similar meaning. It's Carmy trying to better control his chaotic life, but feeling like he needs part of that chaos (and a dash of complete misery) in order to achieve the perfection he keeps pushing towards.

[pepperpalmerston]

"Carmy's real problem is the trauma and noise that he carries with him inside his own mind." I think that goes for most of us.

[Zepol]

As a former line cook for a Italian restaurant it is hectic on the back, so when you go to a restaurant and it is busy and full just know they probably got like two maybe three people on a good day working in the kitchen

[lanagievski]

I would also add that the kitchen actually functioned better while Carmy was locked in the walk-in. It was much more calm and controlled.

[Greenrivers]

This is my favorite show right now! Carmy and Sid belong together <3

[edwinreid]

As someone who's worked in catering for nearly 20 years but in the last 5 years have pursued cooking as a career, I can relate to Carmy & his self conscious fear of slowing down that’s been installed in him. I gradually learnt to work at a fast pace over the years as well as keeping a cool head about it but I do worry sometimes if its enough.

[_shrp]

It's Sydney that is Carmy's peace really

[BTCBlizzy]

One of the best shows both technically and aesthetically in the last decade. And this is NOT hyperbole lol

[kildareire]

With respect, the flashback episode of Italian-American family Christmas: it’s not the shouting and talking over each other that causes Carmy’s family trauma. It’s because the mother is a narcissist and created a narcissistic family structure and controlling everyone through this. Some cultures can talk and listen at the same time and follow multiple conversations at once. My Irish culture has this. I actually felt this episode was easy to follow and was likely toned down for the audience - it didn’t feel like the genuine article of a dysfunctional Italian American family.

[blue]

I just finished season 1 and 2. The reasons why this series is so popular and critically acclaimed are the cinematography, audio, dialogues, conversations, etc.

Overall, this series is amazing. Jeremy Allen White is a good actor and so as the rest of the cast.

Fun fact: there are no body double on the cooking scenes; Everyone did their own stunts

[chickrepelant]

I didn't really see the parallels of Carmie and his Donna until watching this.
y'all are amazing!

[blackfox]

I remember watching season 1 a little skeptically, as these big cooking shows usually care more about the "arteur chef" than the actually restaurant business. But the moment the two were outside having a smoking break and said "FUCK brunch!!" that's when I knew these guys had actual restaurant experience. lol

[toneriggz]

Two great seasons. I wonder how they're going to top them, Jeff?