Clarinet Quote by Steven Sebring
![“[Some] times I'd have sound but no image. When Patti [Smith] was singing with her guitar, or doing something amazing with her clarinet, I'd just mess around and record the sound. So we'd use those sounds as another layer in the film [Dream of Life].” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7c4/steven-sebring-14700_clarinet_some-times-i-d-have-sound-but-no-image-w_1201111.jpg)
“[Some] times I'd have sound but no image. When Patti [Smith] was singing with her guitar, or doing something amazing with her clarinet, I'd just mess around and record the sound. So we'd use those sounds as another layer in the film [Dream of Life].”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Documentary Film “Dream of Life”, 2014
Using isolated sound recordings as an additional layer in film creates texture and depth when visual elements are absent.
In simple terms: Sound adds texture when images are missing.
Key Takeaway
Incorporate sound layers to enrich storytelling.
Themes
creativity
film-making
audio design
Mood
thoughtful
artistic
Type
inspirational
analytical
When to use this quote
- documentary editing
- experimental film
- live performance recording
Key Concepts
soundscapes
multimedia
artistic expression
Questions to Reflect On
- How can sound enhance a story without overpowering it?
- What moments benefit most from audio layering?
A Different Perspective
Overreliance on sound may distract from visual narrative.
![“We had a hodgepodge of footage. We didn't film [in Dream of Life ]all the time - we would just film periodically, so nothing was synced and nothing was slated.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/325/steven-sebring-14700_dream_we-had-a-hodgepodge-of-footage-we-didn-t_238597.jpg)
![“I think those moments in Patti's [Smith] bedroom really helped the film [Dream of Life] out, and those moments existed because of the trust between us. There isn't any real self-consciousness in the film because we all like each other.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9dc/steven-sebring-14700_bedroom_i-think-those-moments-in-patti-s-smith-b_3055270.jpg)
![“There are a lot of layers in the film [Dream of Life]. And during editing we would try to tame all the layers, try to make things a little bit more understood. We would move scenes around. We'd try all these things.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ce1/steven-sebring-14700_bits_there-are-a-lot-of-layers-in-the-film-dr_2750128.jpg)
![“Ultimately, the film [Dream of Life] is inspirational.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a10/steven-sebring-14700_dream_ultimately-the-film-dream-of-life-is-ins_2649164.jpg)
![“I was making a film [Dream of Life] about Patti [Smith], but I was taking pictures, too.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/825/steven-sebring-14700_cinema_i-was-making-a-film-dream-of-life-about_2370252.jpg)
![“The only self-consciousness in the film [Dream of Life] is anyone's natural shyness.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b28/steven-sebring-14700_consciousness_the-only-self-consciousness-in-the-film_2288828.jpg)
![“I came up with more money, took all the footage, got a great editor and made this film [Dream of Life]. But I really didn't go into it with the intention of making a movie.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/323/steven-sebring-14700_cinema_i-came-up-with-more-money-took-all-the-f_2288043.jpg)
![“For me to see the film [Dream of Life] on a big screen - it's pretty extraordinary.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/adc/steven-sebring-14700_big-screen_for-me-to-see-the-film-dream-of-life-on_2278914.jpg)
![“The film [Dream of Life] came together when we started editing; it was organic, it became nonlinear and it was its own animal. And I didn't want to tame it, either. I wanted it to be different. It's not your typical documentary.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/421/steven-sebring-14700_animal_the-film-dream-of-life-came-together-whe_1512115.jpg)
![“The editing process was a free-for-all, and since I hadn't gone to film [Dream of Life] school or anything like that, I just said, "We'll do this. We'll do that." It was a really great experience that way.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ce7/steven-sebring-14700_dream_the-editing-process-was-a-free-for-all-a_1036321.jpg)
![“At the beginning I didn't even really think about making a movie [Dream of Life]. I was just thinking of documenting somebody.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2d5/steven-sebring-14700_dream_at-the-beginning-i-didn-t-even-really-th_30900.jpg)
![“We just grew to trust each other [with Patti Smith] more and more over the years. Most of the time I didn't even have a movie camera.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e21/steven-sebring-14700_cameras_we-just-grew-to-trust-each-other-with-pa_49044.jpg)
![“That was an amazing experience [making Dream of Life]. It's hard to imagine that we were editing every day for a year. And it was pretty extraordinary; it also went by super fast. But every day was an experiment.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/316/steven-sebring-14700_amazing-experience_that-was-an-amazing-experience-making-dr_102805.jpg)
![“I thought about how to film something, how to take pictures of it and how to mix it all together. And I was getting that through Patti [Smith] - because she takes pictures, performs, writes; she does so many things, and that was a big inspiration to me. It helped me realized that I'm not just a…” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/08f/steven-sebring-14700_art_i-thought-about-how-to-film-something-ho_292986.jpg)
![“I would bring Patti [Smith ] in to the editing room [working on the Dream of Life] and say, "This is a great moment for a voiceover, or a poem," and then we'd bring in some sound design.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/142/steven-sebring-14700_design_i-would-bring-patti-smith-in-to-the-edit_322546.jpg)
![“Because the filming process was so organic and there was no script, the film [Dream of Life] was literally telling us what it wanted to be in the editing room.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0b7/steven-sebring-14700_cinema_because-the-filming-process-was-so-organ_338933.jpg)
![“She let me in during her tour, in London. Her band members - especially Lenny Kaye - were shocked at the fact that I was filming Patti [Smith].” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a72/steven-sebring-14700_band_she-let-me-in-during-her-tour-in-london_416754.jpg)
![“I took pictures of the objects and artifacts that Patti [Smith] would show to her friends because I wanted to document them.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b31/steven-sebring-14700_artifacts_i-took-pictures-of-the-objects-and-artif_435299.jpg)
