Category: Project Proposal

Project Proposal: ‘Cognition’

 

Welcome!
This is intended as a University Individual Research Blog, in which I shall be documenting my processes throughout the Semester, the weekly guest lectures, practical and theoretical research, meetings with the team and tutors and extra-curricular activities.
Please use the Categories on the left to navigate through the blog.

 

Project Proposal

Working Title
The working title for this project is ‘Cognition’, the projected name of the short film created by Viewfinder Productions, our client. This company consists of four Media Production students: Lauren Taverner (Director), Hannah Darby (Producer), Tom Price (Editor) and Jamie Whiffen (DoP).

 

Project Outline
The outline of this project is to work with a real-world client to produce a high quality soundtrack for a short film. This includes Location Sound and Post-Production work, as well as the essential research required to enhance and improve our own techniques, knowledge and understanding of Sound for Film.

 

Requirements
Viewfinder Productions have constructed a brief for the Sound Team to follow. Our job it to fulfil these requirements to the highest standard. The brief includes:

Production Responsibilities: 

  1. Prior to shooting, to come to the set, and professionally assess the acoustics of the performance area.
    1. This also involves the assembling, operating and later removing of the necessary equipment.
  2. To consult with the Producer (Hannah Darby) and cast to determine the sound requirements, and what is needed for the best possible output/input.
  3. To select, position, adjust and operate the equipment used for amplification and recording on set.
  4. To apply technical knowledge of sound recording equipment to achieve the artistic objectives of the Director (Lauren Taverner).
  5. To record sound to the highest quality possible on set.
  6. To monitor audio signals to detect sound-quality deviations or malfunctions.
  7. To anticipate correcting any problems.
  8. To maintain and repair sound equipment where needed.
  9. To answer any questions that the cast or crew has in terms of the understanding of the audio and what their role is to ensure its quality.

Post Production Responsibilities:

  1. To integrate and synchronise the pre-recorded audio (dialogue, sound effects and music) with visual content.
  2. To re-record and synchronise audio (post-synching) if necessary.
  3. To mix and balance speech, effects and music (where necessary).
  4. To create and alter sound effects for use in films, television etc.

The final deadline for this submission will be the 16th December at 4pm.

 

Aims and Objectives
To see our Team Aims and Objectives, please follow this link or use the categories on the left.

Individual Learning Outcomes
To view my Individual Learning Outcomes, please follow this link or use the categories on the left.

 

Roles
As a three-man team, we are intending to be as versatile and flexible as possible when approaching roles. We understand roles are very significant and important to an operation such as the production of  a short film, as they allow superior efficiency, workflow and communication. However, as we feel that we are still learning and gaining experience in each craft, we would like to be involved in as many Location and Post roles as possible, without sacrificing the final product.
In order to fulfil this criteria, we have agreed upon assigning one role per day for location sound and swapping this each day to allow us all to experience Sound Mixer/Recordist, Boom Op and Stereo Recordist. For Post, we have designated myself as Dialogue and Music Supervisor, Rob as Foley Supervisor and Dan as Sound Effects Supervisor. We shall all express ideas and input in other areas, as well as recording Foley as this is a minimum two-man job. For now, we are yet to assign a Sound Supervising Editor, whose role it is to oversee the entire project and have the communication between Sound Team and Director/Producer/Editor.

 

Projected Timescale
After initial meetings, Hannah has created a rough timescale of events for the project:
October 29th         – Begin shooting
November 3-17th – Filming schedule
November 18th     – Edit begins
December 2nd      – Sound Team receive final picture lock
December 16th     – Hand in @ 4PM.

 

Projected Research

For this project, I shall be exploiting the module’s reading list, as it contains resources of informative, beneficial and engaging value. Relevant resources extracted from the reading list include:

Books
Kalinak, K. M. (2010) Film Music: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Weis, E. and Belton, J. (1985) Film Sound: Theory and Practice. Guildford: Columbia University Press.
Gibbs, T. (2007) The Fundamentals of Sonic Art & Sound Design. London: Thames & Hudson.
Atkinson, D., Overton, J. and Cavagin, T. (1995) The Sound Production Handbook. London: Blueprint. Wyatt, H. and Amyes, T. (2005) Audio Post Production for Television and Film: An Introduction to Technology and Techniques. 3rd edition. Oxford: Focal Press.
Shepherd, A. (2008) Pro Tools for Video, Film and Multimedia. 2nd edition. Boston, Mass.: Course Technology.
Scetta, M. (2008) Gardner’s Guide to Audio Post Production. London: GGC Publishing.
Holman, T. (2008) Surround Sound: Up and Running. 2nd edition. Amsterdam; Boston: Elsevier/Focal Press.
Nisbett, A. (2003) The Sound Studio: Audio Techniques for Radio, Television, Film and Recording. 7th edition. Amsterdam, Boston, Mass.: Focal Press.
Holman, T. (2002) Sound for Film and Television. 2nd edition. Boston, Mass.: Focal Press.
Ament, V. T. (2009) The Foley Grail: The Art of Performing Sound for Film, Games and Animation. Oxford: Focal Press.

Journals:
The Soundtrack – http://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/journals/view-Journal,id=146

Magazines:
Sound on Sound – http://www.soundonsound.com 

Internet Resources:
Film Sound – http://filmsound.org

Dissertations:
Davies, R. J. (2003) Sound in Film: Talent, Technology & Techniques. University of Lincoln.

Films:
Abrahamson, L. (dir.) (2015) Room. [film] Ireland: Element Pictures.

Additional University Resources:
For example, guest lectures with today’s industry experts (see Guest Lectures for more info).
Extra-Curricular activities, such as working with Chris Packham and attending workshops with Music Students (George Shilling, etc.)

Time constraints and restrictions, such as other research modules, suggests that I will not be able to study these resources cover-to-cover. However, I intend to extract relevant information from as many sources here as possible, to improve my own study, practice and application when undertaking this project. I have also purchased Viers, R. (2012) The Location Sound Bible. Los Angeles: Michael Wiese Productions., in order to further develop my Location Sound recording ability. Finally, if time allows, I shall find other resources by searching through reference lists of these sources so I can understand where other ideas and notions were first produced.

Sam Jenkins