How To Record Great Audio

While recording audio on set, there are several microphones that can be used, and they all come with their own benefits and disadvantages. The easiest to operate is a microphone on a camera, and it requires very little setup, and can be hooked up to sync the audio to the video while recording. It should be used as a last resort because it often picks up unwanted noises from the camera, and it needs a windscreen when shooting outside. A better alternative is using a microphone on a boom, because it can get the microphone close to the speaker, as well as block out any ambient noise. It requires a separate crew member to operate, but it can be beneficial because the mic can narrow in on whatever you direct it at and pick up good audio. A third option is a lavalier microphone, and it's small size makes it easy to get the mic in close proximity of the speaker, although it requires a little more setup. The difference between single and dual system recording is that single-system automatically syncs the audio to the video as you record by having a recording device plugged directly into camera, whereas the dual system requires audio and video to be synced in post, but it gives more freedom with the camera.

Pickup Patterns

The different pickup patterns are omnidirectional, cardioid, hypercardioid, and bidirectional. Microphones with omnidirectional pickup patterns can pick up sound equally from all directions, although it's best from the front because the frequency response isn't equal in every direction. This type of pickup pattern is generally used for orchestra recordings to pick up all the instruments around the room, and it can also be used in a home setting to record instruments with some room ambience. In terms of the cardioid pattern, it picks up best from the front of the microphone, and essentially resembles a heart-shaped pattern because it also picks up a little on the sides and the back. Cardioid microphones are everywhere in the film industry today because they're really good for recording vocals, which has made them a staple in most stages and studios. A more directional pickup pattern is known as hypercardioid, and it's known for being less sensitive to sounds coming from the side, which makes it a useful tool in live situations or for recording drums. The final pickup pattern is bidirectional, and microphones that use the pattern can pick up sound almost equally in the front and the back, but nearly nothing to each side. This pattern is commonly used in ribbon mics, and it's best to use it when you need a high degree of sound rejection, which is seen in many stereo techniques.

The Different Microphone Types

The three different types of microphones are dynamic, ribbon, and condenser mics. Dynamic mics are known for their durability and inexpensiveness, although they have a somewhat limited frequency response. Since the thin metallic wire in its diaphragm can't respond to sound waves quickly, dynamic mics have a weak high-frequency response. They're generally used in voice overs and broadcasts, as well as in sound reinforcement. With ribbon mics, they're similar, although a lot more expensive and fragile because the diaphragm is made up of aluminum foil. They have a good high frequency response and a smoother response in general, although their output signal is weaker than dynamic mics. Ribbon mics are commonly used for miking a variety of instruments like bass, piano, and cymbals. Finally, condenser mics are the bulkiest of the three and they're known for having two plates in the diaphragm, which attributes to an extended low and high frequency response. Unlike the other two, condenser mics require an internal or external power to operate, and they're affected by humidity and temperature. They're known primarily for miking vocals, and they're commonly placed with string sections.

How To Manipulate People With Music

Music can affect the audience's perception by making them feel something that otherwise wouldn't be there, it can make a scene stand out through juxtaposition, and the absence of it can give off the perception of something intense. In general, music sways our emotions about a scene, and different tracks played over the same visual can leave an audience feeling two completely different ways. For example, music with an element of suspense might create tension that otherwise wouldn't be perceived if the music was more upbeat or cheerful. In addition to creating new emotions, music can enhance certain aspects of a film like its humor. This occurs when it's juxtaposed next to a visual that doesn't seem to fit it, which allows the scene to stand out because it's different than expected. Although not always noted, the absence of music can have just as large an effect on the audience's perception of a film, because the silence creates an intensity that can't be matched by any score, and thus it's smarter to leave the music out completely.




-

Wrapping AV Cables

A/V cables are wrapped over/under because the method prevents the cable from being tangled when it's pulled from the coil. The cable stays straight, which works out well for crew members like sound mixers because often their equipment gets pulled away from the coil. For a similar reason, power cables are wrapped over/over because it prevents any tangles, as well as too much tension that could cause the copper inside to break. Wrapping cables correctly is an important skill for a beginning filmmaker because you want the equipment to last, and not handling it properly will shorten it's life and put it at risk to short or malfunction. It's also important for efficiently because if cables aren't wrapped properly, they became messy, and time is wasted trying to untangle them before a shoot.  

It's Foley Time

When experimenting with foley, three essential things to keep in mind are that any types of objects can be used to recreate a sound, it's smart to record the isolated sounds during production if there's time, and a little bit of editing can largely enhance the sounds that you create. Foley artists work with a studio full of props, and they often rely on things you wouldn't expect like vegetables, so it's important to be open to new possibilities when trying to find the perfect sound. For anyone trying to add foley to their film, a good place to start is recording audio during the shoot of footsteps and objects, so it's easy to dub that over the visuals. It's usually too hard to pick up those small features while shooting, but if time is allotted to put a boom mic up to them, it can make all the difference later. In addition, people experimenting with foley should play around with the sounds in the editing room, because altering with different qualities like pitch can make them sound all the more professional.

Iron Man Without Music

Without music, the scene feels very phony and although the special effects stand out, they sound very unrealistic and out of place. I think this is because music helps complement the other sounds on the screen, and it balances them out so one doesn't overpower the other. However without the music, the other effects seem to last for too long, like the gunshots which stay stagnant throughout the scene and get annoying after awhile. Since there isn't music to fill in the quiet moments, it feels like there's dialogue missing from the scene, and it's hard to tell what the characters are feeling. Having music would probably fill in those empty moments and make the scene even more dramatic, because as it is there's no rising tension or sound that escalates to increase the audience's anticipation.

Man of Steel and Music

By adding music to the trailer, the separate clips seemed like they went together and it was easier to interpret the mood behind the movie. I think my biggest problem with the first trailer was that all the clips appeared non-congruent and they didn't flow well, so it just felt like one clip playing after the next. With the addition of music, it filled in those gaps and essentially created a fluid transition that made the entire trailer seem natural from start to finish. I think my perception of the images also changed with the music because the dramatic notes enhanced the light-bending special effects. In terms of the story that was being told in the trailer, it was a lot easier to interpret in the second version because the music foreshadowed what to expect from the film, whereas the absence of it only created a distraction in the first version.

Designing A Universe of Sound

I learned that Ben Burtt coined the term sound designer for his position in the film, some of the characters were developed entirely through sound, and the soundtrack was so complex that it fooled people into thinking it was more advanced than it was. Prior to the Star Wars films, the role of sound on a crew was broken up between a production mixer, who would record sound on set like dialogue, and a sound editor, who worked in post to modify the sound with the visuals. However, the film required an array of sounds to be created, and Burtt's involvement in this lead him to give himself the title of "sound designer". I also found it interesting that characters like R2-D2 were developed entirely through sound, and even the simplest of beeps could give insight into the character's emotion. In addition, it's interesting to consider that although Star Wars was revolutionary in the realm of sound, it was shown most of the time with a single channel monaural sound system, as theaters weren't equipped for anything more complex than that.

Tron SFX Mix

Based on the video, I've learned that the before sound effects mix only includes what was recorded during production, whereas a sound effects mix adds a desired effect to every object, and a final mix puts it all together. When comparing the scenes from Tron before they were given sound effects, all of them felt empty as there was only diegetic sound coming from the dialogue of characters. After a sound effects mix had been added, the voices sounded redesigned and auto-tuned, which fit the theme of the movie. I also noticed that a room tone was added to each scene, which allowed it to feel more complete, something that's done using a sound bed in post. Perhaps the most obvious difference with a sound effects mix was the specialty sounds used to convey each mechanism and moving object. These specialty sounds were also present in the final mix, only tweaked a little bit to sound even clearer and with more depth. In general, the final mix expanded on the sound effects mix by including all the other sounds like music and dialogue, which overall enhanced the sound effects and evoked the emotional tone of each scene.  

Rocket Jump - Sound Design

After watching the video, three things that I've taken away are that sound design is essential because you need the right sounds to complement the action, different genres treat sound differently, and every sound you apply needs to have its own unique purpose. Sound design relies on everyday sounds and synthesized sounds to match with the action on screen, and it's important to consider the tone of every sound you use, and how it aids the intended emotional effect. From my experience, horror films tend to utilize very realistic sounds, whereas comedies often play with sounds that are obviously fake and abrupt, which helps us understand that sound is used differently in different styles of filmmaking. Perhaps the most important concept that I've learned is every sound needs to be doing something different, because if the sound is nonessential, removing it will allow the overall audio to sound cleaner, which is a desired effect for any audio track. With this introduction to sound design, I can go into my future projects thinking about the sounds that I'll need to add in post-production, and if I ever come across a sound in my everyday life that reminds me of a common action, I can record it and save it for future films.

Silent Film Status

As of now, I have finished shooting all the footage for my silent film, and I am nearly done with logging my footage, so I'll be prepared when I sit down to edit. I've watched some videos on how to edit the green screen, so I need to incorporate those shots in my edit and find a proper background to make it look realistic. In general, I was successful with getting my pre-production done because our group had a solid vision of what we wanted, and we were able to translate that to paper. I also think our location worked out really well because it was in a secluded area, so we didn't get interrupted by people and could do practically anything. Although the location was right next to a highway, that didn't affect the shoot because the bushed blocked the cars, and we weren't interested in recording any sound. At this moment, I'm having challenges with finding the right musical score to complement the footage, because there are several mood changes in the sequence and I'd like the music to accentuate that.

Sound Effects For the Screen

The foley artists' role in crafting sound effects is creating original sounds to complement the film after it has been shot. They use their own studio full of props to create sound effects that match the action on screen, and bring the film to life. I learned that the most common sound foley artists have to replicate is footsteps, and they wear different shoes to create different varieties of footsteps. This technique allows the artist to immerse themselves in the character, and it altogether creates a film where the added sound seems like it was recorded during production. Another interesting concept is that every foley artist works with a mixer who modifies the sounds that are being made and combines them to reach the desired effect. This position is important because they have different softwares to enhance the sound, and they often can rearrange them to find the best way they fall into place. In addition, I found it fascinating that foley work is a dangerous job, as it seems vey controlled, but I can see how things can get out of hand when things are being whipped or broken to create a sound.

Categories of Sound

The different categories of sound are broadly broken up into the human voice or dialogue, sound effects, and music. Dialogue is essential to a film because it aids in telling the story and showing the emotions of each character. The rate at which it's delivered can have an effect on the audience, whether it's back and forth humor to prevent them from reflecting or a small amount of dialogue to make it seem minor and overwhelmed by other factors. As for sound effects, they're broken up into two categories, synchronous and asynchronous sound. Synchronous sounds are matched with the image, and they help convey a sense of realism as the audience subconsciously expects the sound to go with the picture. On the other hand, asynchronous sound effects have no visible relation to the image portrayed on the screen, yet they serve to add an emotional nuance or underscore a potential idea that hasn't been confirmed yet. Finally, music is essential to any film because it gives it a pace and links scenes together based on the tone and rhythm of the score. Although background music is not always mean't to be noticed, the film would seem empty without it because we expect some sound to complement the action on screen, something that music is able to accomplish.  

Diegetic vs. Non-Diegetic Sound

Diegetic sound is implied in the world of the film, whereas non-diegetic sound is not present in the narrative universe, but is used to complement the visuals and give it an emotional effect. Another name for diegetic-sound is actual or literal sound, and some common examples are the dialogue of actors on screen, or the sounds from objects that are being shown. On the other hand, non-diegetic sound is best described as commentary or non-literal sound, as it takes the form of several instances that comment on the visuals, like a musical score or a narration. A good example of diegetic sound is in the movie "Braveheart" when the main character tries to convince an army to join his cause, and the sound is implied to be coming from his speech. When looking at films with non-diegetic sounds, an example would be the ending of "Road To Perdition" because when the little boy gets out of the car, a score from Thomas Newman plays that increases the emotional impact of the ending, although it's not implied to actually be in the world of the film.    

Mono vs. Stereo

The difference between stereo and mono recordings is the number of audio channels and the perception of sound that is given off. For monophonic or monaural sound reproduction, audio signals come out of a single channel, and the listener perceives the sound as coming from one position. On the other hand, stereophonic sound creates an illusion of sound coming from multiple directions, a technique that's accomplished by routing audio signals through two or more channels. In general, mono sound is easy to record as it requires only basic equipment that's cheap, whereas stereo sound requires more knowledge for the setup of microphones, as well as more expensive equipment. I found it interesting that audio systems with multiple channels were invented as early as 1881, but motion pictures didn't incorporate the technology until 1940, with an animated Disney film. I also found it intriguing that there was a period of time where LPs and movies were released in both mono and stereo sounds, as theaters weren't equipped with the right technology and people still had their old mono players.

The Sound of Star Wars

Star Wars changed the way we listen to movies as it showed the world the possibility of good sound and its effect on an audience. At the time, audiences were captivated by the immersive sound that the Dolby Stereo could provide, and they craved more. The film was set into motion after more theaters stated adopting a Dolby sound system, which allowed them to showcase the film to audiences all over the country. Star Wars helped Dolby Stereos dominate the industry because they wouldn't give the 70mm Dolby print of the movie to theaters unless they redid their sound systems, which paved the way for a new era of films with better sound. In the first few weeks at the box office, Star Wars changed the number of theaters with Dolby from thirty to over one thousand, and it altogether helped redevelop the cinema showcase, with its usage of a 5.1 sound mix becoming the norm for years to come.

The Threat of Television

Hollywood was threatened by television because it brought free entertainment to peoples' homes, and that conflicted with the movie industry's reliance on the films that they would exhibit at theaters. The threat came during the 1940s and 1950s after World War II, as lots of people bought homes in the suburbs that weren't close to cities and their movie palaces. They were attracted to the feasibility of television sets, as it provided entertainment in their homes that was free and could be watched at any time of the day. During this time, large movie conglomerates were forced to give up some of their power on the industry, and they had to loosen their influence on movie theaters. This weakened the movie industry and prevented it from getting back on its feet, because the studios were unable to get TV licenses. In addition, the Cold War brought the fear of communism and the blacklisting of several actors and directors who were suspected of sympathizing with the Soviet Union, which hurt the industry even more. Of the stars that were left, many of them flocked to television because of its hopeful future, and the end of the Golden Age in Hollywood came to an end.

The End of Hollywood's Golden Age

The golden age in Hollywood came to an end because of a monopoly of production companies like Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Universal who were forced to change their ways after a Supreme Court decision. Prior, the group of powerful movie studios known as the "Big Eight" controlled all aspects of filmmaking, including distribution as they controlled movie theater both directly and indirectly. They had the ability to decide when and where any one of their movies could be shown, as well as set admission prices to their liking. This stranglehold on the industry was challenged numerous times, including in 1930 when the courts deemed the studios a trust, and in 1940 when block booking was inhibited. However, the largest decision came in 1948, when the Supreme Court prohibited several qualities of the monopolies, including price-fixing, joint ownership, and block licensing. This change in history was so significant because it opened the door for independent producers and theaters, and this variety changed the evolution of films.

The Artist

I think the film was so successful when it was released in 2011 because it's simpleness allowed for the audience to fill in the blanks, like what the characters would actually sound like and look like in color. The audience becomes more engaged when they can feel like an intellectual and naturally interpret the missing pieces of a story, and the film allows for this to happen. I feel that the choice to mimic a silent film made the movie better overall, because it seemed fitting for the time period and it helped the director play on this abstraction of sound. With color out of the picture, the lighting and the textures of the black and white had to be intriguing, and the film didn't disappoint.  I think the film won best picture despite sound being around for decades because the cinematography was intriguing and beautiful, and it was impressive for a silent film to get that kind of response, which deserved an award in itself.

Hollywood's Last Silent Films

Hollywood switched over to "talkies" so fast because it promised to increase revenue, and the industry was interested in the profit that could come from sound, and so they invested all their time and money into it. Although sound was the main priority, silent films didn't completely die off and influenced the camera techniques and storytelling of the new films. The year 1928 was pivotal for silent cinema because both silent and sound films shared the screen, but it was clear that the era of silent films was coming to an end. Those directors behind the silent films were able to transition to the sound age and had successful careers like Ford and Vidor, although silent film stars weren't that lucky. Most of them suffered from the new era in cinema and saw their careers diminish, as their new work couldn't amount to the popularity they had in the 1920's.