Sound for media

This is my sound for media task where I had to create a media product 3-5 minutes in length. It had to include atmospherics, a recorded sound effect, music, and dialog.

Session 1:
I had decided to work with my classmate Josh, and we had decided that 3-5 minutes equalled about the length of a song. We didn’t know what to write a song about, and then we remembered that the college had a talent show coming up. We tried to come up with some lyrics, but didn’t do very well.

Session 2:
After a weekend of failed song writing, we came to the conclusion that we probably weren’t very good at it. We went back to the drawing board. Then we came up with the idea of doing an advert. We figured out if we could make it interesting enough by interviewing some people who were performing we could pull it off.

Session 3:
In this session we recorded some of the voice tags. Josh did the actual voices since he could do a good impression of Peter Dixon (the voiceover man from XFactor). I recorded these in sound forge.

Session 5
I used session 5 to edit these voice tags.
Sessions 5 and 6 were used so we could come up with a script for these adverts.

Session 7:
In session 7, we had a complete script but we didn’t have anyone to record it. As both me and Josh didn’t really have the right kind of voice that we were looking for. SO we had a brainstorm and then asked intern Andy if he would record it for us. He agreed.
Me and josh were in the control room, josh was relaying the script via talkback
Session 9 Was spent editing these clips and making the music for the talent show.

Understanding media album (task 2)

Understand how sound elements are produced for media products

There are many different types of sound elements and there are also many ways in which they can be produced. I am going to discuss a few of them here.

Sound effects

There are many different ways sound effects can be recorded. What a sound designer will do is find something that sounds exactly the same as the sound they are trying to create. For example waving a pair of gloves can sound like a bird flapping. This is called Foley
The one I am going to focus on is the lightsaber sound from star wars. That one was designed by recording a sound of a projector, and then interference from a TV signal. These two sounds were then mixed. A contact microphone was used to record them both. A contact microphone is like a regular microphone, except it records the audio vibrations through the object, and not air vibrations.

Atmospheric sound

To record atmospheric sounds, e.g. someone’s footsteps on gravel, the best and easiest way to do this is to use a pair of microphones so the sound captured is in true stereo form. Also, it makes sure that the sound captured is in its best quality, and is as real as possible. Obviously this depends on the microphones being used.

Music

When artists are composing music for a film, they produce a film score which is a combined product of music, usually dialog and sound effects. The composer will compose the score, andthen the dialog and effects will be added and I will be edited for the final cut later on.
A film score includes cues which are timed to enhance the film and these could be for dramatic effect, or to make the scene seems more emotional.

Dialog

Sometimes multiple cameras are used to record dialog so the image is captured from different angles. However, there may just be a static camera recording the actor/actress.

Analysing music, TV, and a movie

Hi again,
This time I am going to analyse a piece of music, a clip from TV, and a clip from a movie.
I am going to discuss its purpose, elements that are included, and its meaning.

Music

The piece of music I have chosen is the theme to the popular BBC2 motoring show, TopGear.

I have chosen this because I think it suits the show quite well. This is not just because it is well known, and when people here it, they immediately think of the show.

Purpose

The purpose of the TopGear theme is to entertain, as it usually provides a background music for presenter Jeremy Clarkson to explain what’s coming up in the show, which he sometimes makes funny by explaining little things, e.g. “Tonight, James wears a hat, I wear a hat, and Richard wears a hat with stuff on it.”

Elements

There are drums, a few guitars and a synth. There are also some atmospheric sound effects that could be mistaken for cars. There are also a few stabs nearer the end for dramatic effect.

Meaning

It has a very particular meaning. It lets you know that the show is starting. Some of the elements in it also hint that it is a show about cars.

Analysing a TV clip

The clip I have chosen is from hit BBC comedy, Gavin and Stacy. It shows the two families eating breakfast together when they start to here rhythmic banging from upstairs.

Purpose

The purpose of this clip is to entertain and to suggest what might be going on.

Elements

This clip includes the sound effects of everyone sitting around eating breakfast. Also later on in the clip, to try and mask out the noise coming from upstairs a radio is switched on. All you can hear from upstairs is a rhythmic banging, suggestion sexual activity.

Meaning

The meaning of this clip is to entertain and to make the watcher speculate on what is going on upstairs. The music of the radio is added to try and mask out the noise, and then a few of the family pretend to sing and dance along as if they know the song.

Movie

The movie clip I have chosen is the scene from the family guy spin off of Star wars episode VI, (Return of the Jedi)



I have chosen this because I find it very funny, and it provides dramatic and comical effect during the movie.

Purpose

Its purpose is to solely entertain and to keep the watcher in suspense for what will happen next. It is a set up for a big scene.

Elements

This clip includes a minimal amount of elements. The main element is the dramatic jaws like music in the background. This adds dramatic effect, and aims to keep the user in suspense for what will happen next. All the cast are nodding to each other, waiting for some sort of signal. I feel it goes on a bit too long, but I also think it’s a very funny clip.

Meaning

Its meaning is to keep the watcher in suspense for what will come. It is also supposed to amuse the watcher by going on too long. This is the nature of the show, however; dragging jokes out a bit too much but not too much so that they aren’t funny.

Comparing 2 production rolls

Hi there,
I have been asked to compare two production roles.
I am going to be comparing the role of the person who operates and mixes the cameras, and the person who manages the sound desk.

The person who operates the cameras has a very important job, as they need to be able to concentrate on things like camera angles, and colours, etc., while making decisions about which camera to use and to tell the people manning the cameras anything they need to do, e.g. move a little bit.
The person manning the sound desk also has a very important job as they have to concentrate on things like EQ, reverb, and more importantly, the levels of the sound.
They also need to talk to the person and/or people being recorded to check whether they want to record, or to tell them to play one instrument so it can be sound checked.
Communication is also a big part of the camera operator’s job, as they need to be clear with their instructions and they need to make sure they don’t get distracted and they stay focused.
The people involved in the team also need to be good at solving problems because if a piece of equipment doesn’t look or sound right, they need to make sure they know steps to take to troubleshoot it e.g. changing cables that may be faulty.
They both need to work together however, to tell each other when they are ready, and if anything is wrong. This ensures that any problems can be sorted out quickly.