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The Wilhelm Scream is a sound effect of a man screaming, and has been used in hundreds of movies and TV episodes. Is there a female equivalent of this sound effect? Specifically, the sound of a woman screaming which has been re-used in multiple films/shows; it does not necessarily need to sound like or be used in the same context that the Wilhelm Scream would be used.

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  • If there was, it would have been mentioned on the Wiki page. There is no reason to assume that people here would uncover something similar that has not been noted elsewhere first. See also tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StockScream .
    – BCdotWEB
    Nov 10, 2020 at 17:16
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    Somewhat akin here, there's the ubiquitous hospital PA sequence, "Dr. Blayer, Dr. Blayer. Dr. Hamilton, Dr. J. Hamilton". Nov 10, 2020 at 19:17
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    The "Wilhelm Scream" is generally used for when some random henchman or soldier gets killed. If a main character gets killed, you're probably going to hear that actor scream (or at least a voice actor who tries for a unique-sounding scream). You don't want to use stock sound effects for a main character. Since most random soldiers or henchmen in movies are male, it is going to be unlikely that there is a stock woman's scream that gets re-used as much as Wilhelm.
    – ruffdove
    Nov 11, 2020 at 21:43
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    @ruffdove Maybe... There are plenty of extra female characters that scream in the background like in scenes of mass panic where you can definitely hear some female screams from the crowd. Kind of hard for me imagine that that they would ask such actresses to scream especially loud or pay them to do the audio in postproduction... I can be wrong tho.
    – Yasskier
    Nov 16, 2020 at 1:58

1 Answer 1

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It’s only known as the “female wilhelm scream” from what I can tell. No clue what the origin is though.

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    I recognise the scream, but is it as prolific?
    – Jason_c_o
    Jan 5, 2022 at 0:46
  • Someone knows whose cat's been tortured there ?...
    – OldPadawan
    Apr 26 at 6:43
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    From the YT comments: this scream apparently originated in a sound effect library by Hollywood Edge, made in August 1990. It was called "Screams 7; Woman, Three Screams, Exterior Close Perspective". Track 41 on their Premiere Edition 13 album. It was owned by Hollywood Edge from 1990 but created in 1986 by an unknown author, ownership passed to Soundelux in 1987 who used in on Rock n Roll Nightmare in 1987 but its been reused so many times and passed ownership from Soundelux to Hollywood Edge until 2014 and is currently owned by Sound Ideas.
    – OrangeDog
    Apr 26 at 16:07
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    You should also add a range of example of use, and then we'll have a good answer.
    – OrangeDog
    Apr 26 at 16:09

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