ART 3385SOUND + POST------

Spring 2009

Bart Weiss

Monday and Wednesdays 11-1:50

Room Fine Arts 156

Office FA 160/Office hours Monday 3-5 pm and by appt./

and

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Catalogue Description

A basic introduction to the critical role editing and sound play in the filmmaking process. It will include audio recording, recorder operations, microphones and booms, how to capture good sound on the stage, sound reports, importance of proper labeling of all film/video elements, amplitude, frequency, filtering and equalization, what the ear perceives. In postproduction it will focus on the aesthetics of the cut, and how the ability to think as a filmmaker comes from personal imagination and a passionate grasp of theory and aesthetics

Student Learning Outcome Statement

  1. Students will be able to create and edit audio, and picture as a creative elements for storytelling in film and video.
  2. Students will be able to perform basic audio procedures, techniques, and standard practices in pre-production, production and postproduction.
  3. Students will achieve control of audio and editing so that students’ creative drive is facilitated, not impeded, by technology.
  4. Students will develop basic competency using microphones, recording, and in use of NLE/DAW tools s for editing, processing and mixing
  5. Students will effectively plan, write, adapt, and execute coherent audio productions.
  6. Students will achieve technical control of equipment and understanding of the basic properties of sound.
  7. Students will become proficient with editing tools, and acquire a deeper aesthetic perspective in the postproduction process..
  8. Students will have practical experience in location sound recording.
  9. Students will be able to constructively critique other’s production in a workshop environment

10. Students will become better editors.

Rationale

Sound and post are fundamental and often neglected elements in filmmaking.

This class is designed to provide an overview to audio production and post production and give a foundation to the process of recording sound for picture specifically. Not only will you develop competency with various audio equipment from microphones, recording devices, and post-production facilities, but you will develop the ability to troubleshoot the inevitable problems that arise in any technically based situation. You will gain practical experience recording sound on location for yourself and for other student productions in addition to evaluating the sound you have recorded so that you can hear the potential obstacles and problems in recording. You will also do basic editing and mixing in order to better understand the position of the sound designer and re-recordist; Beyond a technical education, this course should develop a critical understanding of sound and its contribution to the storytelling craft. You should also practice the art of constructive criticism, as this course will be heavily workshop-oriented to support the full development of your projects.

In this class we will develop the students’ critical understanding of editing approaches and mastery of digital editing practice. Students will consider diverse editing methods, styles and ideas through readings and close analysis of a variety of film/video examples. Students will apply their consideration of editing styles and theories to the creation of editing projects. Through discussion and group critiques, students will develop an effective language for describing their work, providing constructive critique to peers and collaborators, and analyzing time-based media. At the end of the course, students will demonstrate a mastery of the digital editing facilities.

Components

The course will use a combination of lectures, screenings, hardware and software labs, guest speakers practical applications, practical tests, and creative production initiatives. You will also be asked to make a class presentation and one-page papers reflecting on the production and post-production assignments.

Among the topics we will cover are:

  • Basic operation of analog and digital recorders
  • Microphone types, pick-up patterns, and placement
  • Protocol and practical techniques for location recording
  • Picture editing, Sound Editing and Sound Design for picture
  • Editing dialog, and prepping for a mix
  • Sound effects, Foley, and ADR
  • Use of music
  • Different playback systems
  • Scouting and pre-production
  • Copyright issues
  • Dramatic post workflow
  • Documentary post workflow
  • Settings
  • Editing Aesthetics
  • Pacing

Required Text

Rose, Jay Audio Producing Great Sound for Digital Video Third Edition, (Focal Press, 2008)

Strongly recommended

Murch, Walter In the Blink of an Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing, 2nd Edition, Los Angeles( Silman James Press, 1995)

Tomlinson Holman, Sound For Digital Video Focal press, 2005 ISBN: 0-240-80720-0

Thompson, Roy Grammar of the Edit (Focal Press, 1993)

Koppelman , Charles Behind the Seen: How Walter Murch Edited Cold Mountain Using Apple's Final Cut Proand What This Means for Cinema (New Riders Press

ISBN: 0735714266)

Rosenblum, Ralph When the Shooting Stops, the Cutting Begins: A Film Editor's Story (Da Capo PaperbackISBN: 0306802724)

Schwartz, Tony The Responsive Chord (Anchor books ISBN: 0385088957 1974)

Yewdall David Pratical Art of Motion Picture Sound second edition (Focal press ISBN: 0-240-80525-9 2004

Holman, Tomlinson Sound for Film and Television second edition (Focal press ISBN: 024080453-8 2002)

Rose , Jay Audio Postproduction for DigitalVideo

Some useful audio Web Links

Look for articles, tips, and helpful references at

also

a place for free sound effects

Cinema Audio Society:

Audio Engineering Society:

Suggested Periodicals:

DV:Digital Video Magazine; and Mix Magazine Post, Studio, Student Filmmakers Digital content Creators

Supplies

Required

  • Blank CDs and DVD to deliver your assignments and backup your work.
  • Mini dv stock/digital media
  • Batteries For mics and wireless mics (always use fresh ones)
  • a firewire hard drive (7200 rpm firewire 400/800)

recommended

  • Headphones: I recommend you get them sooner rather than later and make an

investment in these. You need headphones that cover your ears entirely, without their own volume control. The Sony MDR-7506 are the industry standard.

  • (and probably some coffee)

Worksheet Sound and Post spring 2009

Project One

Documentary Audio Soundscape!

This project is an audio only documentary project. The finished project will have location sound, voice over, music and sound effects.

The final work for an individual project should be no longer than 3 minutes and no shorter than 2 minutes; partnered projects should be no longer than 7 minutes and no shorter than 5 minutes.

If you prefer to do a dramatic subject this will be acceptable but you need to turn in a script and use real actors, no brothers fellow students or roommates.

Preproduction: bring in a paragraph explaining who/what you will be recording and why, and what kind of access you will have. (full script for drama)

Production

Initial location sound recording

Pay attention to levels and background noise. Create a clean track with a good level.

You will create a log of the recording, which notes some time reference, description, any sound issues, and an evaluation of each take (good, ng, etc.). Also make sure to record location sound effects. You might need to re-record sound of the sound

Post Production

Edit location sound

Add sound efx

Write and record voice over

Add music

Process sound

Mix

Create a finished product

Crew report sound due end of semester

Throughout the semester you will need to act as a location sound recordist for at least 2 student or independent productions. (If you are committing to a longer-term production with many, many shoots, discuss this with me and we may work out some equivalencies). You will need to turn in (a) a one-page report for each production detailing your experiences, the equipment and methods used, challenges faced, and solutions explored. In addition to a written report, which should be turned in to me as a hard copy, I will need

(b) Confirmation from the director/producer via email and

(c) Excerpts of your production recording on CD (so arrange to make copies! I don’t want original recordings!). We will be announcing various opportunities for crewing throughout the semester, but please seek out opportunities on your own accord; you should not rely on us entirely.. Secure your positions early and get it done asap.

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Outside edit/Crew report editor due end of class

Throughout the semester you will need to act as a editor for at least 1 student advanced level project. This semester we have Advanced Film, Video art and the directing workshop.

You will need to turn in

(a) a one-page report for each production detailing your experiences, the equipment and methods used, challenges faced, and solutions explored. In addition to a written report, which should be turned in to me as a hard copy.

(b) Confirmation from the director/producer via email and

(c) a DVD and QuickTime file of the edited show

Each student will mentor an intro to film video student with their sound and post production for their final project.

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Edit 2 separate TV scenes as assigned in class.

Each Student will edit 2 different scenes from material given in class. Each project will go though

first cut /assemblage>

2nd cut >

fine cut >

picture lock>

sound effects>

Music>

graphics>

mix>c

reate and design dvd.

Archival sound design

Step one of this project is to create a short video from archival material including but not limited to video from archive.org.

In Step two you will be given another students picture cut of this assignment and will create a new sound design, completely eliminating the original track, you will create sound effects, Foleys , adr and music to embellish the video.

Scene Analysis (groups of 2)

There will be one 5 pp written film analyses due during the course. You will need to analyze scenes from assigned films. When analyzing a scene, you must consider its relationship to the entire film, which requires that you view the entire film!

Components of a 5 pp. analysis paper:

Additionally you ill prepare graphs detailing shot lengths usage of music and sound effects. You will also make a 30-minute presentation talking about what you have learned from this presentation. Films must either be from the 100 film list or approved by instructor.

Briefly describe the scene overall (no more than 1 paragraph)

List each of the shots in the scene or film, describe the shot using Thompson's Grammar of the Edit and Sfarff’s Analysis of film Language

What motivates each cut? What type of cut is it?

How is sound used in the film?

Consider the scene and the cutting in the scene overall:

How does the cutting of this scene relate to the overall style of the film?

How does this scene relate to the film in content?

How does the editing related to the filmmaker and his / her other work or to the broader canon of editing theory and film work?

Create a sound library

Create a sound effects library of your own with 20 original effects and a log describing what they are and how you created them, (both technically, as in which microphone, and aesthetically what you were trying to accomplish)

Grades

You grade will reflect

Soundscape10

Tv edits(ten each)20

Crew sound10

Analysis10

Archival edit/design10

Outside edit 10

Final cut pro exam 5

Quizzes 20

Class participation 5

You must complete all work to pass the class and your combined quiz total must be apassing grade to pass the class. You also must pass the final cut pro exam to pass the class.

Survival tips for video classes

Always show up to class and lab. Be on time. Do not leave early. Pay attention, so do whatever you need to do to be attentive: coffee, food, pinching yourself, whatever it may be. Engage in the material. Ask questions. Read the suggested books in preparation for class. Volunteer. Get in there and work with the equipment; don’t stand back and miss an opportunity to handle the equipment.

Think about your projects very early and talk to me about your ideas. Get your projects done early and I can give you feedback in advance- that is, somewhat of a preview on your possible grade. Allow yourself A LOT of extra time to finish your projects, since there will always be technical complications that you won’t expect. Don’t turn projects in late; Follow the guidelines of the projects, like length and other parameters; there’s no reason to lose points on things you knew about in advance.

As with every production class, you will be required and expected to work many additional hours outside class time to complete your projects. If you have a heavy class or work schedule, you many want to reconsider your decision to take this class. Likewise, snafus and problems – both personal and technical-- are a part of the production process. If you are accustomed to waiting until the last minute to do your work, you should use this class to change your habits. You should build in time to deal with the inevitable problems that may throw you off of schedule, because the deadlines for projects are firm.

Think creatively; don’t resort to clichés. Consider stories that are beyond the typical college experience- push yourself on content. If you have a hard time coming up with original content, then adapt something, like a poem or short story (giving credit to the original work, of course). Cast people of different ages- not just college age students. Don’t work in isolation; help other students and expect others to help you. Find cohorts, teammates, and a support system by reaching out to other classmates to share equipment and ideas and to give crew assistance and critical feedback. Create a media-making community.

Attendance:

Attendance is required at all scheduled classes. However we do understand that there are occasions when an absence is necessary and excusable. In accordance with university policy, religious holidays are excusable, as are illness with a written note from a physician. The student is responsible for notifying the professor ahead of class.. Unexcused absences over two classes, including any absence about which the professor and student do not communicate in writing before the absence, will result in the following grade reductions:

Third day absent will result in reduction of one letter for the final semester grade.

Fourth day absent will result in two letters off the final semester grade.

Fifth day absent will result in automatic failure of the class.

The student is responsible for any work missed during an absence, including any handouts given in class and any demonstrations. If a student misses demonstrations of equipment, they could lose use of said equipment until they can demonstrate to faculty the ability to fully control the equipment.

Five minutes after the class starts the door will be locked. You may be admitted after the first break but

you will be counted as late. Two lates = one absent.

Policy:

All written assignments must be typed, along with a cover page containing name, assignment, date, and version. Hand–written work will not be accepted.

All assignments must be handed in on the due date. Video and computer gear can sometimes fail because of machine and/or operator error. It is important to give yourself some extra time to compensate for problems that may/will occur.

Late work will not be accepted.

Please speak with instructor, before the project is due, if any problems arise.

All videotapes must be labeled, with name, title and date.

You are expected to do a significant of work outside of class and lab time.

You are expected to work crew on other student’s projects.

At the end of the semester you will turn in a tape (vhs or mini-dv), or a DVD, with all of your projects for grading and 6 versions of your final project This tape/disc will NOT be returned.

You will also turn in a promotional package and your self-critique.

Not turning in ALL work will result in an F.

Your Work:

The student is responsible for all work that they produce, including the use of any copyrighted material. Also, at some time in the future (after this class) the instructor may wish to use some of a student’s work in demonstrations, discussions, etc. If the student does not wish for their work to be used, they should notify the instructor in writing.

Work Days:

On workdays you are fee to work on your current projects. During these sessions I will be available either in the classroom or in my office to discuss your work. If students are not taking advantage of workdays they will turn into lecture days

Copyright Information