Sound Design

L4 Performance Skills (Production) : Sound Design


Sound design is undoubtedly one of the biggest contributing factors to a high production value. Understanding sound is imperative if you want to avoid the airy, light, “hissy” sound that is often associated with independent film productions.
Have a look at the video which introduces the fundamentals of sound design.

You need to record on the camera and externally on the Zoom 6 device.

The camera-recorded sound is to ensure that you have a guide track to work with and will help with synchronisation. Also, it may be useful as a back-up or Synchronisation can be assured by using a Clapper board. ambient sound. So, Keeping shot logs is absolutely essential.

Extra process – Spend a session syncing up sound and image files.

Stereo vs. Mono,
Record dialogue in mono. You can match it up easily to the shots that you have taken.

For example, if you are filming a close up shot you can get your boom pole in closer. With a long-shot or wider angle your boom pole will be further away from the source of your sound.  If you have recorded in mono, you can manipulate these mono recordings so that they match each type of shot. The sound has the effect of cutting together cleanly and does not have the effect of being further away in the long shot or closer in the close –up.

Microphones


If the mic is at a distant from the subject then the more ‘distant’ are the effects of the sounds that have been recorded.

Radio Mics – are available but, don’t break the illusion in a fiction text. If it is concealed in costume that’s fine, but if you have a character that moves you will pick this up on mic.


The majority of things that you record are in mono: ie, one microphone.

EDIT:  When we edit and playback sound it is played back in stereo. If it’s recorded in mono and played out of two speakers you can set the position of the sound in two speakers.

Stereo recording involves two microphones in specific arrangements.
If things move during recording the effect in playback will be similar, you perceive that the sound moves. But, that movement cannot be altered or manipulated. It is fixed at recording.

Atmosphere / Wildtrack  – Record in stereo, because the world around us is in stereo.  Because rooms and outdoor locations are stereo spaces – ie reflections of the walls etc. Even dead air is going to provide a ‘noise’ background.  If you are outdoors you get movement which needs to be recorded- this is used as a sound bed to put underneath dialogue. The actors may only be speaking out of the centre of the sound available. Stereo is good for background or ambience in that it is not necessarily keyed to any visuals, it just enhances the film.

Microphone placement,
Have a look at the video below which discusses the uses of each type of mic.
You need to consider the tone of the room. The closer the mic is to the subject, will cancel out more of the tone of the room. Here is where the shotgun mic comes in handy.

Shotgun mics.

They are very accurate in relation to what they pick up. For example, if you want to capture voice- shoot at the front of the head and stay following it as closely as the shot will allow. However, you can be further away from the subject and get same quality sound as you would from a closer-non shotgun mic.

Omni – directional mic – picks up sound all around. Sounds natural, but needs to be close to subject.

Figure of 8 mics- Records at the front and at the back and rejects sound at the sides . But it only records one track- its still mono, but might be useful in a conversation where extraneous sound could be distracting.
In a studio backing singers

Cardioid mic  – rejects sound from the back. Like a zoom lens almost gives a boost to the sound but its still quite wide.





Sound Editing in Adobe Premier CS6