11/12/2025 - Sound pt.3

 In class, we watched more videos on sound (post-production sound). What I learned:

- Sound is measured in amplitude (RMS)

- Higher frequency = higher pitch

- Phasing - point where sound begins 

- Harmonics - sound waves that occur in larger sounds 

- Envelope - shape the sounds over time 

- Equalizer -  boosts amplitude of selected frequencies, like high self, low shelf, high pass, and low pass

- Band pass filter - allows for sounds with a specific frequency range to pass through while reducing sounds with frequencies outside of the range 

- Notch cut filter - a specialized equalizer to re move unwanted sounds 

- Dynamic range - the difference between the loudest and softest sounds 

- Multi-band compressor - a tool that splits and audio into separate range frequencies 

- Limiter - how loud a sound can be 

- Expander - a noise gate that reduces level of the quietest sounds 

- FFT - removes unwanted sounds 

- Supervising sound editor - works in sound department, on budget, and schedule, is hands on, works with sound designer 

- Spotting session - when the director, supervising sound editor, and the sound designer work together to decide what happens when and how

- Sound effects - sometimes use pre-recorder sound if applicable

- Sound effect recordist - make custom sounds if needed 

- Spot, cut, and hard sounds are the obvious sounds on screen 

- ADR - a mixer, recreates dialogue originally recorded on set

- Score - created by composer specifically for the movie by working with the director and editor

- Music editor - helps composer with cleaning sounds 

- Sound mixing - makes all the sounds, sound good and clean 

11/07/2025 - Sound pt. 2

 In class, we learned more about sound and watched another video about sound by StudioBinder. What I learned:

Sound On Set

- Sound is tested long before production

- They look for potential noise issues at the locations 

- Sound is tested during rehearsals, tested in the different positions of the shotgun mic and the plant mics 

- It is important for sound mixers to vocalize the problems they are facing to not hold back production

- After costumes are put on, actors are set to get wired with their mics, the sound team usually works with the costume team to figure out ways to hide mics 

Interior Sound

- indoors = more command to control sound

- The post production sound team captures room tone, which is used so there is never complete silence in a film

- Time is spent on set, at least 2 minutes, to capture room tone, or natural sound

- Phase cancellation: the elimination of the sound of two wave lengths when the same frequency combines in an opposite phase

- Reverb (reverberation): the sound after it is created 

- Sound mixers want to reduce this, so they use soft materials on set, like carpets 

- In cars, the mic is pointed away from the engine to prevent numerous unwanted sounds 

Exterior Sound

- outside = less command to control sound (planes or traffic)

- The locations department is able to hold traffic during filming outside scenes

- Dead cat: a furry microphone cover, used to cut down wind affecting the sound

- To combat wind, the position of the shotgun is also important

- Hogs air: used for rain

The overall goal for the sound crew is to make usable sound, even if it isn’t perfect. 

11/03/2025 - Sound

 Today in class, we watched a StudioBinder video on sound. What I learned: 

- Sound synced to video in the late 1920’s

- Sample rate: the amount of times a sound wave is sampled per second and is measured in kilohertz 

- Bit depth: the number of values the amplitude of a sound possesses 

- Single System: audio captured directly on camera

- Dual System: audio captured independently from camera, has better audio

- Sound Cart: hold the sound equipment 

-Sound Mixer: a kit the hold several types of microphones

          - shotgun mic

          - condenser mic; sensitive requires phantom power

          - dynamic mic; better for capturing and isolating a close sound source, doesn’t require phantom      power 

          - lavalier mic; a small hidden mic

- ENG Kit: for small sets (a shotgun mic, 2 lavaliers, a recorder)

- Preamp: a device to help avoid noise interference by boosting the weak electronic signal from a    microphone up to a line level

- Cables 

          - unbalanced (2 wires)

          - balances (minimizes unwanted noise, is more expensive)

The Sound Department:

Production

- Sound Mixer (head)

- Boom Operator 

- Sound Utility

Post-Production

- Sound Designer (all elements)

- Sound Editor 

- Dialogue Editor (cleans up)

- Foley Artist (in charge of realistic sounds)

- Re-recording Mixer

- Composer (in charge of original score for film)