Producing Great Sound for Film and Video

Clio-and Emmy-award-winning sound engineer Jay Rose is creative director of the Digital Playroom. Specializing in post-production audio, his clients include PBS, Buena Vista Home Video, and Turner Network Television. Rose has written about audio for Videography, Recording, and Premiere Full Motion magazines.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction
It's Not Rocket Science
How This Book is Organized
Do It Yourself
About This Book and Audio Postproduction
Staying Up-to-Date
How to Create a Great Soundtrack (in a Quarter Page)

Section IAudio Basics
Chapter 1 How Sound Works
Music-sicle?
The Life of a Sound
Fast Pressure Changes are Heard as Sounds
Somewhat Slower Pressure Changes are Heard as Envelopes
Slow Changes of Pressure are Loudness
Very Slow Changes of Pressure are Weather

Chapter 2How Digital Audio Works
Why Digital?
Turning Analog to Digital
Audio Data Reduction

Chapter 3Audio on a Wire
Analog Wiring
Digital Wiring

Section IIPlanning and Pre-pro
Chapter 4Planning for Sound
The Need for Sound
Think about the Overall Track
Elements of the Soundtrack
Spoken Words
Music
Sound Effects
Special Effects and Processing
The Layers of a Track

Chapter 5Budgeting, Scheduling, and Preproduction
Budgeting for Sound
Allow Time for Sound
Checking Locations

Section IIIProduction Sound
Chapter 6Microphones and Room Acoustics
About Microphones
Rooms and Recording

Chapter 7Production Mic Technique
Using Boom Mics
Using Lavalieres
Controlling Wind Noise
Using Wireless
Room Tone

Chapter 8Production Recording
Getting Audio into a Recorder
Camera Settings
Double System
Mixers and Preamps
Adjusting the Volume

Chapter 9Recording Voice-Overs, ADR, and Effects
The Voice-over
Engineering a Voice Recording
Recording Sound Effects

Section IVPostproduction
Chapter 10Postproduction Workflow
Linear and Non-linear Editing

Chapter 11Postproduction Hardware
Monitoring
Computer Input/Output
The Mixer
Audio Sources and Recorders
Other Handy Gear
Moving Signals Around the Editing Suite

Chapter 12Levels and Digitizing
Digital Audio Transfers
Digitizing Analog Signals
Metering and Lineup Tones

Chapter 13Editing Voices
The Right Tools for Editing Voice
Editing I: Cutting in Silences
Editing II: Sounds with Hard Attacks
Editing III: Hearing Phonemes
Editing IV: Theatrical Film Dialogue
Editing V: The Tricks
Editing VI: Keeping Track of Sync
A Final Exercise

Chapter 14Working with Music
Deciding What Music You'll Need
Sources of Music

Chapter 15Sound Effects
We Don't Need No Stinkin' Reality
Sources for Sound Effects
Choosing Effects
Placing Sound Effects

Chapter 16Processing
How Any Effect Can Wreck A Sound
Equalizers
Compressors
Reverberation
Noise Reduction
Combining Effects

Chapter 17 The Mix
Setting Up for the Mix
Techniques of Mixing
Preparing for Someone Else to Mix
The Last Thing You Should Do

Chapter 18"Help! It Doesn't Sound Right!”
Problems with On-Camera Dialogue
Postproduction Audio Issues
Mix Problems

Appendix A: Glossary
Appendix B: Resources
Appendix C: CD Contents