Sound Basics

1. Sound Basics

2. Recap Last Class • Using Compressor? • What We Learned in FCP last week • Handing In Project • QT, EDL, OMF on a DVD

3. This Weeks Questions Now re-watch the scene you watched for the last question. How does the actors performance and unique personalities affect the cuts? How much is the editor relying on cutaways and reaction shots? How important is the actors delivery to the cut?

4. Compressor Intro

5. What is a Codec? • Codec • (2) (enCOder/DECoder or COmpressor/DECompressor) Software or hardware that compresses and decompresses audio and video data streams. The purpose of this type of codec is to reduce the size of digital audio samples and video frames in order to speed up transmission and save storage space.The goal of codec designers is to maintain audio and video quality while compressing the binary data further. Lossy methods are widely used, which actually discard bits that most people cannot hear or see. The algorithms may be implemented entirely in software, in which case the PC does all of the processing. In handheld devices, the codecs are chips. • Source: http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/codec

6. Lossless Vs. Lossy • Lossy codecs: Many of the more popular codecs in the software world are lossy, meaning that they reduce quality by some amount in order to achieve compression, but use some algorithm to create the impression of the data being there. Smaller data sets ease the strain on relatively expensive storage sub-systems such as non-volatile memory and hard disk, as well as write-once-read-many formats such as CD-ROM, DVD and Blu-ray Disc • Lossless codecs: There are also many lossless codecs which are typically used for archiving data in a compressed form while retaining all of the information present in the original stream. If preserving the original quality of the stream is more important than eliminating the correspondingly larger data sizes, lossless codecs are preferred.

7. Inspector Tabs • Tab One = Current Settings • Tab Two = Encoding • Change the settings of the codec • Multi-pass is better single pass is smaller • Turn On Frame Controls • Tab Three = Frame Controls • Resize filter Best or better • Output field = Where is it going HD to web????? • Deinterlace = Fields • Adaptive Details = Next is 'Adaptive Details' check box would be Un-checked if the output video is progressive and its destination is for computers or mobile devices like the iPhone or iPod. This would save a great deal of encoding time. • Retiming Controls = To help in changing Frame rates

8. Cont. • Tab 4 = Filters Panel – adding filters on the output • Tab Five = Geometry • Actions Pane = Email yourself a note when done

9. Categories of SoundOR Sound Jobs • Sound Design • Sound Effects Editor • Foley Artist • Feet and Doors (England) • Mixer • Dialogue Editor • Music Editor • ADR Recordist • Composer

10. Sound Design • The sound designer works with the director to shape an overall, consistent soundtrack that exploits the expressive possibilities of the sound medium.  Sound designers are brought on early in the project to help develop a style.

11. Sound FX Editor • The editor responsible for creating or placing the effects in the timeline for specific onscreen incidents. e.g. Explosions, lightsabers, car chases etc.

12. Foley Artist • The foley artist matches live sound effects with the action of the picture. The effects are specific to the main characters actions.  The sound effects are laid "manually" and not cut in with film. 

13. Feet & Doors (England) • A person’s job that mainly focuses on the doors and the footsteps of the film. In North America this is handled by the foley artist.

14. Mixer • Takes all the final elements and brings them together. Then levels them out. Also, alters sounds to match reality gives perspective, matches ADR with recorded audio makes it sound as if it’s one.

15. Dialogue Editor • Cleans and fixes dialogue, replaces bad takes with the good. In lower budget projects the dialogue editor might also do the ADR.

16. ADR Recordist ADR stands for Audio Dialogue Replacement. It is the re-recording of actors in the studio to clean up tracks.

17. Music Editor • Edits the Music may work from the original music tracks not a mixed down version.

18. Composer • Creates Music to fit the piece.

19. Elements of a Sound When doing foley realize that every sound has basic components that come together to create the entire sound. Think of a car crash, what are the six elements that make that sound The Skid Pause before impact Impact Grinding sound of metal Shattering of glass after impact silence

20. The Character of a Sound Every character in a given film as well as in some instances certain machines have personalities that will determine their sound. For instance the aggressive and angry Sgt. In a war movie Vs. the weak willed and fearful private. How would these two men or women sound as they walked down a hallway? Or even in a given scene depending on how much their character has developed? Read the script and analyze how the sounds you record can have a larger impact on the audience.

21. Spotting Session

22. Today’s Focus… The Foley Artist

23. The primary purposes Of recording foley are as follows 1) To produce sound FX’s that are difficult to record during production, Such as the actors motion. 2) To create sounds that don’t naturally exist 3) To produce controlled sound Effects in a regulated studio environment. Foley

24. Your Arsenal: The Mic you choose • For every sound you record you should think what mic works best for this situation??? • Think about tone, drop-off, range, and pick up pattern

25. Mic Placement • Depth/Room • Number of mics • Finding the sweet spot • Learning to listen