SUMMARY
Role
Sound Designer
Intention (SMART Goal)
By January 28th as part of my film team, I will explore the sound designer pathway by following the “five tips to step up your foley game” tutorial to record foley sounds to enhance the environment of the film of our session 3 project.
PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY
Training Source(s)
- 0:29 – Footsteps sound pack at thefilmlook.com/store to find audio on different grounds (+200 sounds)
- 0:52 – Footsteps are never alone
- 1:07 – Footsteps always sound better when they are layered with other foley sounds
- 1:13 – Breakdown each sound element associated with each character in the scene
- 1:22 – In an outside scenario, foley sounds can be footsteps, backpack, coat and a map
- 1:50 – How to record clothing foley; need to exaggerate the sound for it to be effective
- 2:10 – Mimic the swing and movement of the character
- 2:23 – Accurate Handling; Different actions create different sounds; map being folded is different than map being crushed
- 3:00 – Beefing up the props; by adding weight
- 3:44 – Environmental interaction; remember to record all surrounding sounds in nature; recording dead leaves moving
- 4:16 – Don’t forget your atmos; ambient noise from location
Leader(s) in the Field / Exemplary Work(s)
Primary source: “How The Sound Effects In ‘A Quiet Place’ Were Made”
- Foley sounds can be created in a quiet environment using microphones in sync with the picture
- Crab leg used as the monster walking.
- Celery and Lettuce used as the monsters ear opening
- Grain silo = Kernels against a car door
- Stun gun against a patch of grapes to associate with the monster hearing noises
- Editing is used to enhance the sound recorded with ordinary items
- Recorded walking footstep noises by walking in place on the same type of ground barefoot
- Sometimes less is more, in this case less sound was better
Secondary source: “A Quiet Place — How to Write Sound into a Screenplay”
- The script consisted of hand written words, pictures/props and charts/facts since the film was more based on sounds
- Underline words are used to draw focus to the silence of the environment
- The font of the words can be used to communicate silence, tension and pacing
- Sound can help you become the puppet master of emotions
- Sound direction in a script can let the screenwriter visualize the scenery
- Whether you’re designing the sound for a film, or the plot of the film, its important to remember the need for dynamics
- Sequence can be shown at the beginning as a low frequency and increase over time
- Sometimes silence is the best way to create suspense
The sound designers Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn’s goal was to create a film with barely any dialogue and mostly every day sounds like footsteps but tweaked to fit the eerie setting in the movie. They state that there are rules to how sounds correlate with films. Some ways that they found solutions to obstacles were if the soundtrack felt too loud then the production team would yell out “dead!” indicating that person would have died (VanDerWerff). The stripped-down environment of the film adds to the cinematic experience for the audience because they are not used to that. This makes them an active participants during every scene, and when a sound does appear loud it is a shocking moment. A Quiet Place utilizes sound by incorporating it into the film, the characters mask little sounds by big ones helping them survive. Winning the Satellite Award for Best Sound and numerous others it went on to create another movie called A Quiet Place 2.
VanDerWerff, Emily. “A Quiet Place’s Sound Designers on Building Its Very Loud
Silence.” Vox, 26 May 2018, www.vox.com/2018/5/26/17396174/
a-quiet-place-sound-design-loud. Accessed 25 Jan. 2022.
Project Timeline
- Brainstorm plot (3) and create Storyboard (3)
- Create slideshow presentation (1)
- Write script including setting and dialogue between two actors (5)
- Decide shooting location (3) actors (2)
- Procure cameras (2) and sound capture equipment (2)
- Build timeline for pre-production, production, and post-production(3)
- Write shot list including camera angles (3)
- Film the scene with 3 cameras (8)
- Capture sound/compose music (8)
- Upload film and sound (3)
- Label shots and sound files (2)
- Decide which takes to use or discard (5)
- Capture ADR of dialogue between the 2 actors (5)
- Edit shots together (8) and layer music/sound (5)
- Present slideshow (2) and present film (1)
Proposed Budget
PRODUCTION – ACTION
The (FILM, SOUND, or GAME Creation)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PNUWgnbCwKg49lPW3PcSeKDGFs4Hqupn/view?usp=sharing
Skills Commentary
POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION
21st Century Skills
Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)
During the production cycle, I learned how to record ADR of dialogue and incorporate it into the film. This made the audio sound clear and easy to hear. Using Garageband I created dramatic music to add to the mood of the scene using a virtual piano. I searched the internet to gain knowledge on how to create certain music by using major or minor keys. To organize my foley and dialogue audio I used the Google Drive folder to store data.
Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)
Each person had previous skills in their role or took the time to learn more about it. The team collaborated through decision-making during pre-production and production. I collaborated with the editor by creating music beforehand and asked the director what type of music genre should be used for the film. Every person had to at least collaborate with another person in a different role to accomplish filming.
Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)
I researched a professional in my role and looked at video tutorials online to help guide me on music creation during production. Our group also used Gmail, a Spreadsheet, and Google Drive to share audio files and scenes. To keep organized and track our progress we used the scrum system and the Trello board.
Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)
The skills that I learn will be useful in the future since they will help me stay consistent with managing my time, making a plan, and staying organized. These skills will be helpful in the work field and as I continue school.
Reactions to the Final Version
“I like how the music faded at the end,” by Lily, a peer.
This comment shows my intention of crescendo and decrescendo of the music added to the mood of the film while also relating to the emotions of the actors. When there is an intense moment, the music becomes more dramatic and when it calms down the music follows along.
Self-Evaluation of Final Version
Emotional: Viewers understand the intensity of the scenes
Concrete: it is straightforward with a beginning, middle, and end
Simple: the film was easy to understand and follow along
Stories: shows a way a person deals or acts on a situation
What I Learned and Problems I Solved
I learned how to record ADR sounds and foley sounds. I further developed skills on how to operate GarageBand and create music from numerous genres like dramatic, sad, and relaxing. A problem that occurred was creating dramatic sad music. With little prior knowledge on how to create this type of sound, I did research on what type of instrument was popular and what cord is mainly used. Using the new information gathered I was able to create a simple melody to use for the film. As I gain new skills I am able to add more to future films and solve problems easier which is exciting and challenging.
Grammar and Spelling
Grammarly
Editor
Sabina S.