Counting Crow calls

[Grognaurd]

In the pregame show of the season 3 finale' a caller connected hearing crows with Scratch. I like the idea. Musical story tellers often use it. So, why not a sound effect?

In the opening of season 4 we hear a crow. Maybe it is just ambiance, but I can "see" Scratch skulking away from the colony. Trying to avoid the biters and our heroes. But, this has to be tested.

The purpose of this thread is to record some time stamps of crow caws. To keep the thread clean, let's just record the time stamps and what is happening in the scene. If a crow seems out of place, we can speculate elsewhere.

There maybe even a super fast way for you sound file guys to scan like the NSA does for voice patterns

[Grognaurd]

Opening of Season 4

We hear a crow before any voice and before we hear the vehicles

[Grognaurd]

Chapter 6 3 of 3 ~ 3:00 Remains of Eastern Bay.

I do hear a crow before The interigation and subsequent execution of Charlie...

[Grognaurd]

Chapter 7. Blood Sweat and Fears. Part 3 of 3

A few times between 3:15 and 4:00

Lizzy narrating sitting next to Angel while Michael breaks a few sweat vials to draw in a few biters.

[Grognaurd]

Chapter 7. Blood Sweat and Fears. Part 1 of 3

~14:50

Saul talks to pegs about flowers before zip lining to the other tower

[Duffusmonkey]

Crows are very intelligent and they will also eat almost anything including carrion. THey are probably smart enough to figure out that there is always an abundance of dead bodies near scratch

[Grognaurd]

Skittles, angel and Kalani up in the tower hiding fromthe beheomoth, i Heard a crow.

[Alizée]

I approve of this thread! Keep it up man! :D

[Grognaurd]

I heard crows when Michael first leaves the hospital in search of Pegs. I again hear crows when he is taken to see Marcus after getting caught using the CB. The most interesting aspect about these is they occur durring Michael's Naration.

[Grognaurd]

I am going to keep at it, but I am going to break my own rules and speculate. What if the crow call is connected to the family and not to Scratch specifically. Anyone remember if the type of bird on the ring is mentioned?

Just as a gee wiz cool thing I could see KC doing kinda does go with a play on words theme. A group of crows is called a murder.

[scbubba]

Interesting theory on the family tie. It deserves some brain cycles, for sure.

I need to pick up some of the episodes I've queued up and listen for crows. I'll post any findings when I get a chance to listen again.

[Grognaurd]

Crow call chapter 21 part 2 mark of the beast. 10:30 a couple of times with Angel and Riley on the roof after the explosion at the tower.

[Kc]

There's one in the last episode. Just saying...

[scbubba]

There's one in the last episode. Just saying...

That's right! When Burt is going out to find Riley at Angel's gravesite. Almost missed it with the music around it. (Chapter 37, Part 3 @ 21:42 and following for a few seconds)

[Grognaurd]

There's one in the last episode. Just saying...

Thanks so much KC! I heard it and even wrote it in the 37-3 notes, but forgot to append it here.



Oh, I would be remiss if I did not have my serving of Crow. I heard a crow at Angel's grave site just before Riley starts talking about "her".

[Grognaurd]

It is fun, but I do not want to obsess over it. If I hear a crow, I will tag it, but I am sure miss some. I can see it going a few ways

1) just a sound effect
2) a sound affect for Scratch / family like Darth Vader or Luke music in the movies
3) a place holder telling us that Scratch / family are doing something somewhere else in the story "off camera"

I hope it is not number one. That is kinda waste of time and that means I get a serving of Red Herring to go with my crow.

[Grognaurd]

Damn, I thought I had more than this. Grrr.... Do I have duplicate threads going

[Grognaurd]

Chapter 8 where do you go when you sleep. Part 3 9:40. Datu, Riley, Angel. Datu in shock. Lots and lots of crows.

[Storm]

From what you've written here it seems to be more of a family thing rather than just connected to Scratch only. I guess the sound in a scene without any family members might break the theory, unless... Ahh well, I don't know. There is exactly such a scene in the beginning of 37.1.... Dammit!
But it is surely an interesting theory, when ever I'm going to relisten I'll listen for them as well, I kinda already did from the beginning of S4, but... :)
Keep it up.

[scbubba]

It is fun, but I do not want to obsess over it. If I hear a crow, I will tag it, but I am sure miss some. I can see it going a few ways

1) just a sound effect
2) a sound affect for Scratch / family like Darth Vader or Luke music in the movies
3) a place holder telling us that Scratch / family are doing something somewhere else in the story "off camera"

I hope it is not number one. That is kinda waste of time and that means I get a serving of Red Herring to go with my crow.

Maybe a 4) an indication of danger or something critical to the a character's story line.

One thing I've noted while going back through Chapter 27 is that there is plenty of Scratch/Maller appearances but I haven't come across any crows. I think mainly because so much of chapter occurs inside (airplane, car, mall, Dunbar) where crows would not make sense.

I'm not saying it isn't associated with a particular character or characters, but it might not show up EVERY time we see the character(s).

Still gonna listen for them...

[LiamKerrington]

Hi.

It is not only connected with Scratch. I became aware of it when Scratch was introduced the first time. But even now in #37 we have 'em - and Scratch was not available in that chapter. So I think scbubba could be right with his #4 option: crows might indicate danger or something critical to the story ...

Best wishes!
Liam

[Grognaurd]

Chapter 23 Devils workshop part 3 of 3 ~6:15. Riley and Kalani burst out the door talking about the dude that catches the arrow. Crow call just before they are attacked by the random biter

[Grognaurd]

Chapter 23 Devils workshop part 3 of 3 ~16:50. Just before Saul call the nest and speaks to kelly and then calls the mallers and is answered by Scratch

[Grognaurd]

Chapter 25 inadequate Strength part 2. When the chopper comes down. Twice with Kelly and once when Pegs talks once when Riley wakes up and asks about Angel

[Grognaurd]

Chapter 25 inadequate Strength part 3 ~2:30 Michael says she (i.e.Riley) never came back... I hear crows in the distance later they become biter noises

[pmchawk]

Chapter 17 part 1. 11:53

When Angel and Kalani get to the army base in Bell. The crows were picking at a behemoth.

13:57 you hear crow in the background when angel is checking its eyes.

15:22 when they get inside the warehouse more crows in the background.

Part 2 6:44 right when the big one makes an appearance.

[Grognaurd]

U
Chapter 17 part 1. 11:53

When Angel and Kalani get to the army base in Bell. The crows were picking at a behemoth.

13:57 you hear crow in the background when angel is checking its eyes.

15:22 when they get inside the warehouse more crows in the background.

Part 2 6:44 right when the big one makes an appearance.

Thanks for the help. One thing i Have noticed is some of the zombie sounds are close to crow calls and like in chapter 25 when they are looking for Riley what what was clearly a crow then is joined by zombie sounds. So, I have even wondered if our heroes are sometimes hearing zombie chatter and mistake it for a crow. Problem is, I could end pulling my hair out trying to speculate and I will look like Jean-Luke Piccad in no time at all, but if I keep my sanity I can hold it off for a decade or so...

The crows really are an interesting bird. They are altruisistic in a way. In lean times, when they do find carrion they call their friends to share their feast.

[Grognaurd]

Chapter 38 part 2. Just before Tanya says she has to go check on her other patients. Possible Crow with Pegs in the garden

[Grognaurd]

Ok, so I have been through the whole story and those are the crow calls I heard. I am sure I will listen again because I like it so much.

There is one scene where Kalani and Riley leave the Devil's workshop.

Kalani didn't write it, so it had to be Riley. Did she actually write that she heard a crow? Did she write she heard the biter growl and it sounded like a crow? Yea, I just do not know how dogmatic the gospels, I mean journals, are.

So, if it is a signal from KC, what is it? Let me review...

[Hoff4D]

Ok, so I have been through the whole story and those are the crow calls I heard. I am sure I will listen again because I like it so much.

There is one scene where Kalani and Riley leave the Devil's workshop.

Kalani didn't write it, so it had to be Riley. Did she actually write that she heard a crow? Did she write she heard the biter growl and it sounded like a crow? Yea, I just do not know how dogmatic the gospels, I mean journals, are.

So, if it is a signal from KC, what is it? Let me review...

I'm tellin ya, Recon Crows. they're mentioned/heard because it's Kc's nod to Ink's side of the story telling us he knows where various particular people are. The cracks released cryogenical frozen pre-historic crows along with the haze. This outbreak? BIRD FLU.


It all ties back to......zombie pterodactyls (crows)

[Grognaurd]

/cheer

There really could be a voodoo totem aspect of this. Makes as much sense as what I push. But, I have no tattoos and do not know anything about voodoo, so I will stick to science for some stuff and storycraft writing. But, I really do like the idea of recon cows, I just do not know how he does it lol.

[scbubba]

Crows are interesting birds to say the least. When I was growing up, my uncle had a farm and crows were always a threat to the crops. I would set up with my air rifle and a bunch of bread thrown out on the ground near the corn field. The trick was always to wait until one or two had shown up grabbed some of the bread and flown off. It was like they were scouts and they flew back to give the all-clear to the rest.

Once they started showing up, I could use the quiet air rifle to start picking them off. I could usually get a few dozen of them before the "lookout" crows that stayed in an elevated place (tree or telephone wire) gave the warning and they all flew away.

So, I could definitely see crows having the capability to act as recon or scouts.

Anyway, as to the story, I figure some background sounds are there for the drama/atmosphere of the audio drama. Some stuff is a direct part of the story. I feel like the parts that are directly tied into the story are usually/eventually called out by a character's voice (or voice over).

That being said, I think the crows are more of a mood device than a direct part of the story. The mood that the crow calls are meant to convey exactly....? Not sure. I've noticed in several of the instances, the characters in that scene are in dangerous places even if not in observed direct danger at the moment.

Oh well, no matter what it turns out to be, this exercise is a good reason to listen to WA episodes again and a fun topic to try to tie together..... :)

[Hoff4D]

Crows are interesting birds to say the least. When I was growing up, my uncle had a farm and crows were always a threat to the crops. I would set up with my air rifle and a bunch of bread thrown out on the ground near the corn field. The trick was always to wait until one or two had shown up grabbed some of the bread and flown off. It was like they were scouts and they flew back to give the all-clear to the rest.

Once they started showing up, I could use the quite air rifle to start picking them off. I could usually get a few dozen of them before the "lookout" crows that stayed in an elevated place (tree or telephone wire) gave the warning and they all flew away.

So, I could definitely see crows having the capability to act as recon or scouts.

Anyway, as to the story, I figure some background sounds are there for the drama/atmosphere of the audio drama. Some stuff is a direct part of the story. I feel like the parts that are directly tied into the story are usually/eventually called out by a character's voice (or voice over).

That being said, I think the crows are more of a mood device than a direct part of the story. The mood that the crow calls are meant to convey exactly....? Not sure. I've noticed in several of the instances, the characters in that scene are in dangerous places even if not in observed direct danger at the moment.

Oh well, no matter what it turns out to be, this exercise is a good reason to listen to WA episodes again and a fun topic to try to tie together..... :)

I've watched a few videos on the intelligence of crows...they keep estimating their equivalent intelligence level to an older and older age of human as time goes on. I think the last I read was that of a 5 yr old.....One guy has even trained them to pick up coins out of the street for him. Forgot HOW he trained them, but at this point I believe he leaves his window open and the crows fly in, drop off change and he gives them a piece of food. Now he has a flock of freakin crows essentially panhandling the streets for lost change, it was amazing to see. So that's where I got my "Recon" from, but hearing your 'scout' story makes me almost start to believe my own claim here......interesting

[Grognaurd]

38-3

We hear a crow just before and just after Michael says Burt has left.

So, again we are left with an observation, but nothing conclusive.

Is it Scratch?
Well, he and Riley are going after Scratch.

Is it a reference to the family?
Well, scratch is part of the family. Is Burt and/or Rliey part of the family? Well, they do behave with a single minded focus to get Scratch much like she operates to get Pegs.

Is it a death omen?
Well, they are going after Scratch and people do tend to die around her.

Crow Recon
Well, since Burt can shoot like no other, I would like to know if he was gone.

One other "aspect" I would like to pull into this thread since we have now heard Crows twice with Burt and Riley. Scratch's ring did have bird wings holding the stone. Everyone in the Tower was given a bird code name. In fact, Riley was give the French word for bird (osseau spellin?) and Burt was even named Raven.

*Rolls Eyes*
I just do not know..,

Have you heard the one about the song birds? We hear them, too...

[7oddisdead]

Chapter 6 part 2

they are talking about the tanker and scratch makes a angry declarative statement...then a crow. I believe the first time the connection appears.

[7oddisdead]

So....

I have to go with the idea of Easter eggs/ critical story points. Look at the parts we have found crows in and search for info there. Seems a bit too random to only be scratch/family ties.

Liking this idea.

[Grognaurd]

In my delusions of withdrawl, I started looking at some of the "live" photos for the first time. Look what I found! They are EVERYWHERE! I hear they are massing for assault on poor WitchDoctor and they know better than to mess with scbubba, even though I am sure he is on the Ten Most Wanted List of crows everywhere...

2742

[Grognaurd]

Chapter 5 lady and the Tink. Part 3. ~ 5:00 A crow in the background when Burt an Lizzy wake up in the Tanker. Heard with other morning birds.

[Grognaurd]

Chapter 6 part 2

they are talking about the tanker and scratch makes a angry declarative statement...then a crow. I believe the first time the connection appears.

~ 3:15. Scratch tells Burt, Saul and Lizzy to leave the truck. Then several other times during the conversation

[7oddisdead]

~ 3:15. Scratch tells Burt, Saul and Lizzy to leave the truck. Then several other times during the conversation

Yes, several other times during the conversation. But what struck me about that particular one was how the KAW seemed to punctuate her statement. That might be something worth exploring in this. How often does that sort of thing happen? Maybe im coo coo, but I wonder if the ones that end a sentence are pointing out things that SHOULD have been done, but weren't. Trouble avoided...that sort of thing.

[Grognaurd]

In 39-1 we hear a murder of crows shortly before Michael and Puck find Randy in the alley and Puck is ambushed.

Real Life. Crows will gather when a crow finds a lot of food in one place and is a lot more than it can eat. It will share the feast. So, is there a fresh piece of Carrion nearby?

Crow Talk = zombie talk. On several occasions we hear a crow sound that becomes a zombie. Do people hear something and attribute it to a crow?

Sometimes a crow is just a crow, but I think at other times what people think are crows are biters, but still others it is like a musical device. Even when we often hear them with Scratch, she is talking about "them". Leave the truck ( because we need it to attack ). She kills Charlie, but is also talking about how they are coming.

What I found most intriguing is the association with Marcus. I know, I know. People hate my Pegs - Marcus conspiracy, but this really is not place to rehash this

[Grognaurd]

39-3 17:50 we here crows when they dismount and run for the safe house. So, just a sound effect, recon crowss, or zombie talk being interpreted as a crow.

[scbubba]

39-3 17:50 we here crows when they dismount and run for the safe house. So, just a sound effect, recon crowss, or zombie talk being interpreted as a crow.

I heard the crows and had two immediate thoughts. 1) Imminent peril and 2) Nearby zombies.
Other calls have sounded when death wasn't right around the corner, so maybe not a marker for that.

Given the fact that we got smart and hiding zombies being uncovered the last couple of episodes, makes me wonder if the calls aren't markers for "events being watched by zombies or specific zombie like TOWTM"....

[Storm]

Dr. Roberts might just have been watching them at that moment... I would too if someone decided to burn Down my Laboratory and destroy years of hard work... I'd be freaking mad at them too... And with a hoard of zombies under my control, I'd probably start planing an attack.

[FunkyDung]

I heard the crows and had two immediate thoughts. 1) Imminent peril and 2) Nearby zombies.
Other calls have sounded when death wasn't right around the corner, so maybe not a marker for that.

Given the fact that we got smart and hiding zombies being uncovered the last couple of episodes, makes me wonder if the calls aren't markers for "events being watched by zombies or specific zombie like TOWTM"....

I've been wondering if TOWTM has at least one pet crow that follows him around.

[Storm]

I've been wondering if TOWTM has at least one pet crow that follows him around.
So you're saying that Ink is actually the Norse god Odin? :)
This just backs up my theory about the inkling 1 being a viking. He - in my theory - didn't say "die"
but "dig", Danish word for "you". (Fucking language barriers, they apparently get you killed) ... I have no idea about from where it would recognise Michael, but that matters not at all! :P
Only problem with that theory is that Ink still has both his eyes.

[Grognaurd]

Chapter 40

We hear the crows a few times in this chapter. We hear a crow when Victor and Tanya dismount in ground zero shortly before number 7 jumps the normal.

We again here the a crow kaw a couple of times when they come upon the van, but before they find that it once held Ink.

Finally, we hear a crow in the background at the start of part 3 when Datu, Glenn and CJ are discussing the risk and importance of going out to the wind mill / water pump.

[tonyhind86]

Look at the artwork where Ink has his back turned in the Tower corridor (The iphone app icon). It may just be a shadow, but on the back of his head, it looks like the silhouette of a bird. Could be a crow...

[Grognaurd]

Ugh, I have not been good at up keeping this...

42-1 I hear Crows twice when Datu and Victor are at the Pump / well before the rest of the soldiers come back from Ink's home

[TasiaGranata]

I think that is indeed pretty great.