Using Audio

MCOM 257

April 10, 2009

The power of sound

• Think of the power of sound when watching movies

– What would Star Wars be without this:

Good audio…

• Can help your audience experience the story on a deeper level– Consider these “Sound Clips” from NPR

• Florida panther• Hummingbird

Good audio can also…

• Add to your multimedia storytelling.Remember the Minneapolis Star Tribune Project?

• Now check out this audio memorial to the World Trade Centers

The actuality

• An actuality is the audio equivalent of a sound bite for TV or a quote for print

• It is the “actual” voice of the newsmaker

• Actualities add:– Emotion– Variety– Credibility– Impact

Natural Sound

• Natural Sound is the sound that’s happening around you as your reporting the story– Crowd cheering at a Raven’s game

• It helps pull your listener into your story

New rules for interviewing

• When gathering sound:– Don’t say “uh-huh” or “hm…mmm” when your

source is talking– Hold the microphone up close – Wear headphones (don’t just trust those

levels on the recorder)– Listen!– Ask open-ended questions that lead your

source to tell a story. Ex. “Describe for me…”– Don’t interrupt!

Be prepared

• In addition to the usual preparation you must do before an interview, gathering sound adds a new level– Make sure you understand how your gear

works before you head out– Make sure you have extra batteries– ASK before you record– Take notes—a recorder can’t remember

visual details– Test levels and listen with your headphones

Audio Editing

• You have the free software Audacity on your Portable Apps– Editing with audacity is as easy as cutting and

pasting in MS Word– Tips on audio editing can be found on your

tutorial page

Ethics and the actuality

• Just as with quotes, you must be careful how you edit an actuality

• Don’t change the meaning of the actuality– Imagine if someone edited out the third word

in this famous Richard Nixon sound bite,“I am not a crook!”

– You can edit out “umms” and stumbles, but you may not do edits that change the meaning

– Try to avoid sound effects

Where you can you be inspired?

• This American Life

• Radio Lab

• The Signal

• National Public Radio

• Media Storm