Week 5: Sound 101

To Do By Class

Complete Continuity Assignment:
Film and edit a 30–60s scene (10–20 cuts) that demonstrates basic continuity with each edit: POV shots, shot-reverse-shot, match-on-action, and spatial continuity to narrate a coherent sequence of events. Vary camera position (CU, MS, WS) and framing (level, high, low). Record 20–30s of room tone at your main location to support audio edits.

Module Notes

Continuity Assignments

Submit urls to both Slack and Canvas.

The Conversation, Francis Ford Coppola

Munich” – Steven Spielberg and Ben Burtt (Sound Design)

Sound & Image

Sound design for cinema is a conversation between sound and image.

Sound can be in sync with the image, such as matching dialogue.

Sound can also be in collision with the image, appearing asynchronous or “non-diegetic,” such as an evocative music soundtrack.

Sound work typically includes:

Dialogue
Foley/effects
Ambience/room tone
Voice-over
Music/tonal beds
Simple mixing (balancing levels and timing edits) to guide attention

Phone Recording

Without dedicated sound equipment such as digital recorders and quality microphones, a second smartphone can be used to capture decent digital audio recordings. This “audio phone” can serve as the microphone source, with its recordings later matched to the video captured on the other phone.

Use airplane mode to avoid interference or notifications.
Point the phone mic at the source (bottom edge or back mic depending on model).
Hold steady or place on a stand; avoid rubbing fingers on the case.
Record as close as possible (6–12 inches for voices).
Monitor levels visually in the voice-memo or recording app; avoid peaking (red).
Use a hand clap at the start for syncing sound and picture.
Name/label each take for easy import and editing later.

In-Class Flow

Demo (Phones Only) – mic placement; pointing the mic; monitoring with headphones; set peaks around -12 dB. Use airplane mode and a hand clap at the start of each take for sync.
Activity: Dual-Phone Recording – one phone shoots video; a second phone records audio close to the speaker (6–12 inches). Record a two-line conversation indoors and outdoors. Capture 30s room tone at each location.
Foley Recording – record at least three synchronous effects up close (footsteps, prop handling, whoosh/swish).

Key Concepts

Signal Chain: source → mic (phone) → recorder app → edit timeline → export
Dual-System (separate audio device) vs. on-camera audio (backup only)
Headroom: aim for peaks around -12 dB while recording; never clip
Room Tone: captures the “silence” of a space for smoother edits
Foley vs. SFX: record custom close-mic sounds vs. download library sounds
Diegetic / Non-diegetic: in-world vs. outside-the-world sounds
L-Cut / J-Cut: lead/lag picture with sound to smooth transitions
Sync: use a visible clap and align the spike in the waveform

Audio Formats & Ideal Equipment

File Types:

WAV (48kHz, 24-bit): uncompressed, highest quality; standard for video post-production.
MP3: compressed, smaller file size; fine for reference or web but not ideal for editing.
AAC / M4A: compressed formats used by phones; acceptable as a source if WAV not possible.

Ideal Equipment (beyond phones):

Lavalier mic: small clip-on mic for clean dialogue capture.
Shotgun mic: directional mic on a boom for isolating sound at a distance.
Boom pole: allows mic placement above/outside frame.
Handheld recorder (Zoom/Tascam): dedicated dual-system recording at higher quality than phones.

In-Class & Take-Home Sound Design Assignment

In class, students will work in groups of 3–4 to create a short, 30-second idea. Each group must use dual-system synchronous recording (one phone for video, a second phone for audio), record in both indoor and outdoor campus settings, capture at least three foley sounds, record room tone, and include a music track. Acceptable sources for additional sounds include Freesound.org or any other public domain sound archive and any AI Sound generators such as ElevenLabs or Udio. Choose a clear mood or genre (e.g., ghost story, sci-fi, comedy) and follow framing and continuity principles.

After the group work, each student will take the shared video and audio files and complete their own sound design. First, edit the video into a 30-second story. Then design and mix the sound by layering tracks and setting levels for an effective mix. Grading is based on the quality of the audio mix (5%).

Key Requirements for the Group Project

Dual-system synchronous recording (one phone for video, one for audio)
Indoor and outdoor locations on campus
At least three original foley recordings
Room tone recordings
One music track (Freesound or Udio acceptable)
Clear genre or mood: ghost story, thriller, comedy, sci-fi, etc.
Follow framing and continuity principles