SOUNDTRACK PRODUCTIONUnit 38: Soundtrack production for video

1

Brief

You have been asked to produce the soundtrack for a scene from a new feature film. You will not be able to use any of the audio from location so you will have to record or find all of the audio you need for your project.

You will need to plan what sounds you need to record or source, identifying where you can get these assets from, what equipment you’ll need etc… After recording you will need to mix a soundtrack, with all the dialogue, sound effects & music synced to the video footage.

Learning outline

This project will introduce you to pre-production, production and post-production techniques for soundtrack design. You will learn about the different reasons why we record sound for video and how we do this. You will use communication techniques to present your ideas with clarity and confidence.

Theory:Along with this you will gain theoretical knowledge of the developments of sound design and the different techniques used to develop a soundtrack.

You will learn about research methods and techniques, the types of research conducted in media production, and the reliability of sources.

Practical skills:You will learn how to record sound on location and in the studio. You will be able to identify and operate the right

microphones for each situation.

You will learn how to master and mix audio in Soundtrack Pro, correcting common problems as you go.You will learn how to lead a project and turn your ideas into real projects.

Evaluative skills:

2

AssignmentsNoise & LightPlanning for soundRecording soundCreating a video soundtrack

You will learn to continuously reflect on your work during this project, and critically evaluate your own works strengths and weaknesses, as well as evaluating the tools and software used to create your practical work.

You will learn how to collate research, and present your findings in different formats – acting on feedback and continue to improve your work.

You will learn how to proof read and correct documents to improve their clarity.

3

SOUNDTRACK PRODUCTIONUnit 38: Soundtrack production for video

4

AssignmentsPlanning for soundRecording soundCreating a video soundtrack

Planning for sound

Through a series of lectures and workshops you will devise a soundtrack for a video scene.

Just like any project which you are involved in, it essential that you plan before you start filming. You need to produce a pre-production portfolio, planning how you will use your time, what audio equipment you need for specific audio recordings, what sound assets you need, whether you will record these or source them from a third-party website (such as YouTubes audio library). You will need to mark up storyboards and scripts, analyzing these to discover which sounds you need.

Make sure you keep a detailed record of all the work you do, including audio plans, screen-grabs, research notes etc…

In order to do this you are required to work independently, working to professional standards – showing creativity and flair.

What do I need to include?- An in depth research portfolio identifying where you have sourced specific sounds from, background

information on the type of sounds needed etc…- An annotated script, explaining what audio needs recording for the scene- Annotated storyboards, explaining what audio needs recording for the scene - A flow chart of your audio - Production schedule showing how you will plan your time over the project- A detailed audio plan (the blank document is on Moodle here)- Soundbooth booking form - Equipment booking forms

5

- A legal plan explaining what the different types of license for creative commons / public domain sounds are.

What do I need to hand in?By the deadline you will need to produce:

Full pre-production portfolio for your soundtrack Scanned or digital photographs of any printed work, uploaded in a zipped folder to moodle

When do I need to hand it in? 12/2/15

Where do I hand it in? You will need to upload these to the moodle assignment “Planning for sound”

Grading Criteria:(Unit 38 – P3, M3, D3)

Recording sound

6

Through a series of lectures and workshops you will and have the opportunity to record audio for a video production.

This is where you take all the plans you have made and make them a reality. You will need to work independently to professional expectations, recording the sounds you need for your scene (including any dialogue and voiceovers). You will need to refer to your plans and make sure all of your recordings are to a high quality, showing no obvious defects in the recording process or quality.

What do I need to do?When you are doing this project you need to make sure of the following:

- Record any audio you need for your project (dialogue, voiceover, sound effects etc…)- Upload the original, unmastered files to soundcloud- Upload the original, unmastered files to the moodle assignment “recording sound” in a zipped folder - Write a short 1 page technical report explaining your recording process, justifying the equipment you

chose to record with and identifying any problems you encountered. At the end of the report put a list of links to each of your sounds on SoundCloud (make sure these are labeled clearly). Upload this to the moodle assignment “recording sound”

What do I need to hand in?By the deadline you will need to:- A zipped folder of audio files- A concise 1 page technical report, with links to your original sounds on SoundCloud.

When do I need to hand it in? 4.3.15

Where do I hand it in? The moodle assignment “recording sound”

7

Grading Criteria:(Unit 38 – GC P2, M2, D2)

PRODUCTIONUnit 38: Soundtrack production for video

Creating a video soundtrack

Following your recording you will need to apply audio editing techniques, mixing and mastering the video soundtrack in Soundtrack Pro.

8

You will need to identify any faults with any of the clips and fix these in Soundtrack pro, syncing up the audio clips to the video footage you have been given and setting each clips level appropriately. You will need to add in your music, ensuring it works well with the edit. You will need to work independently and to professional standards to a near professional technical standard.

When you have finished mixing and mastering your soundtrack you will need to export it with the video.

What do I need to include?When collecting feedback you need to consider the following (to name a few):- The final video with soundtrack included.

What do I need to hand inBy the deadline you will need to:- the video file, or a YouTube link.

When do I need to hand it in? 4.3.15

Where do I hand it in? You will need to upload the video to moodle, or supply a working YouTube link (note: the YouTube link must be working on hand-in day; it will not be acceptable to hand in a link where the video is still processing).

Grading Criteria:(Unit 38 – GCP4, M4, D4)

9