Foley Recording Plan - Wall-E

Thinking back to what we covered in lesson (and looking back at the PowerPoint my Blog)  when recording your sound effects how will you ensure that you get a good, clear recording? (positioning for different environments (indoor, outdoor and studio) monitoring and controlling of recording levels via UV meters) fundamentals of decibels (dBs), handling)

I need to find an environment where I can get a good qaulity recording without any background noise interference; so the way I am going to tackle this problem is by using a soundproofed room. Also I will be placing the microphone on a tripod stand to prevent other noises as this means there won’t be any noises from movement if I were to hand hold it. Also to get the best quality sound, I will need to change the settings on the microphone so that the levels aren’t too high or too low, so I will have to do a dry run with the sounds to test the levels, also I will need to make sure the microphone is quite close to where the sound will be coming from and it will have to be precise where the microphone is pointing. When recording I will make sure that I am standing away from the direction where the microphone is aiming towards so there is less chance of picking up my sounds.

What type of microphone will you use and why is this an appropriate microphone to use?

The type of microphone which I have chosen to use is the shotgun microphone; I have chosen this specific microphone because I think that this specific microphone is good quality and it will produce the best possible recordings. This microphone is also quite small and light; so it means it is very portable and it doesn't require a lot of space to use it. It also has a wide variety of settings to choose from to make sure the sound levels come out well so that the recording is clear.

When recording, what recording issues do you need to be aware of and how will you safeguard against these (i.e. background noise, acoustics)?

The main thing I have to be aware of is the background noise, the smallest amount of background noise will ruin the recording and I will need to rerecord; so to prevent this I will be using the radio studio as this room is soundproof and therefore it is more unlikely for there to be any background noise.

Where will you set up your Foley floor?  Why have you chosen this location?

I will be setting up the foley floor in the radio studio, I have chosen this location because this is a sound proofed room which means that all noises interferences; such as background noise and wind will not be able to ruin the recording. Also this room also absorbs noise so it means that there will less chance of noise echo in my recordings.

Will you be creating any bespoke sound design for the clip?  If so, what will you make and how?

Yes I will be creating many different sounds for this clip such as metal taps, I will make these sounds by setting up a microphone on a tripod and tapping spoons together. I will also be making sound affect such as the debris scraping which I will make by dropping pieces of rubbish into a box also full of rubbish such as metal cans, and paper balls.

What stock library sounds will you use and where will you get these sounds from?

I will be getting all of my stock sounds from the garage band royalty free stock; the type of sounds which I will be using from this will be the tracks which Wall-E uses to drive, and also the cricket boink.

What music are you going to create and how?  What emotional response are you attempting to elicit in the viewer / narrative role do you wish for the sound to have?

What ambience will you require for the clip? (i.e. what sounds constitute the ambient setting of the clip?)

I will need ambiance which will give the impression that the scene is outside, the ambiance has to make the scene feel like everything is abandoned. I will need to use things like calm wind and bugs.

How/where will you record or source the sounds for your atmos?

What equipment will you need to record your different components of the soundtrack?  You can include screengrabs of the equipment here if you like.  Please give a description of what each piece of equipment is for and why you have chosen it.

I will need a shotgun microphone; I will use this to record my sounds I have chosen this specific microphone as this one has good sound quality and is light and portable which means I can hand hold it and carry it around easily. It is also quite small which means that I don't need to have a lot of space to record my sounds.

I will also need a tripod; this is so that I don't have to hand hold the microphone as it could pick up noises from myself, it also means that I can position the microphone in many different directions without the microphone moving so I can pick up the most clearest sound recording.


What recording issues do you need to be aware of that would affect the professionalism of your recordings?  How did you safeguard against these?

I will need to be aware of many issues which may affect my recording such as:


Echo's in recording; I can prevent this by using the studio as it will absorb the sound and prevent the chance of echoing.


Picking up the wind in the recording; I will prevent this by using the studio as this room is soundproofed meaning that it will prevent the chance of wind being heard.


Quiet recordings; I can prevent this by using a tripod to place the microphone on; as it means I will be able to direct the recording area to make sure the sound is picked up to the best quality.


Background noise; I will prevent this by using the sound proofed studio and by making sure that I am standing out of the recording zone to make sure noises from myself aren't picked up.



What type of microphone will you use to ensure that you get a good recording?  Why is this your microphone of choice?

I have chosen to use the shotgun microphone; I have chosen this specific microphone as it is quite portable which means I can move it about easily without any effort. This specific microphone also is good quality and has many different settings to choose from to make sure I get the recording at the levels of how I want it. It is also small which means it won't take up too much space and I don't have to worry about finding a large space to record my sounds. 

Spotting Session - Wall-E

Foley Spotting Session

Blog: http://mediacscsoundtrack.blogspot.co.uk

Unit 38: Soundtrack Production for Moving Image

Instructions:  You need to have this form in front of you whilst you watch your video clip (without the sound!) You need to write in all the Foley sounds that you will record / collect / write for your final soundtrack design, together with the timecode.

Sound	Timecode 00(h):00(m):00(s)	Props
Tracks	00:00:01	Oil pump
Robotic movement	00:00:04	Servo (stock sounds)
Squash	00:00:07	Squash (stock sounds)
Scream	00:00:07	Scream
Metal Tap	00:00:07	Spoon
Double metal tap	00:00:09	Spoons
Robotic Noise	00:00:09	Servo (stock sounds)
Boink	00:00:10	Comic Boink (stock sounds)
Robotic Noise	00:00:11	Servo (stock sounds)
Tracks scrape	00:00:13	Oil pump
Tracks	00:00:15	Oil pump
Tracks on railings	00:00:16	Oil pump and railing scrape
Robotic noise	00:00:20	Servo (stock sounds)
Debris scraping	00:00:21	Rubbish falling
Metal Clunk	00:00:23	Spoon

Treatment Wall-E

Treatment                                        Soundtrack Production

Name of Production: Wall-E

What feel or mood are you hoping to achieve with the sound for this clip (i.e. how do you want the audience to feel and at which points in the scene?  Does the sound have a narrative role?) 

In this clip I want the audience to feel sympathy for the main character and I want to use the sound to make the audience bond with the character and I want the sound to reflect the main characters cute personality, and I would like them to be able to laugh at him. The music should be able to reflect the comic side to the clip and overall I should have a happy vibe.

Describe the music are you going to add to the clip  (pace, tone, style, pitch) and what response you hope to illicit in a listener.  Where will you get your music from? (pre-recorded music; public domain, licensed, own)

I will be getting my music from royalty free stock, my music should be able to make the audience feel happy and the music should also reflect who the character is and what he is like. The music which I have chosen is quite upbeat but at the same time it is not fast-paced.

What foley sounds are you going to record in the studio and add to this clip and what will they add to the scene:

I will be recording the metal taps in the studio and the debris scraping; these sounds will make the scene seem like there is a lot going on in Wall-E's day; which I will be emphasizing by making my sounds exaggerating the volume of my noises.

Do you need to record any sounds out on location, if so which?

Nope.

Who will be in your recording crew to help you get your sounds and what are their individual roles and responsibilities?

Daniel Harvey; I will be producing the Foley and the ADR, I will be responsible for making sure I perform each sound as safely as possible.

Aidan Magson; He will be helping me create the Foley and the ADR, he will also be responsible for setting up the sounds on the editing software to make sure they come out well.

Roger Xiberras; He will be setting up the microphone and making sure the levels are correct and that the sound will come out clearly, he will also be responsible for directing me and aidan to make sure out sounds come out to the best standard.

Foley Recording Plan - Shaun of the Dead

Foley Recording Plan

Draw at least 3 individual technical diagrams on the attached sheet of how you will set up each of your Foley sounds on the Foley floor.

- Dropping ceramic pieces into a box full or ceramics.

______________________________________________

-Whacking a piece of rolled up carpet with a plank of wood to create the whacking zombie noise.

______________________________________________

-Rustling through a box full of cutlery, to create the opening shot of the character rustling through the cutlery
draw.
                                   ______________________________________________

Thinking back to what we covered in lesson (and looking back at the PowerPoint my Blog)  when recording your sound effects how will you ensure that you get a good, clear recording? (positioning for different environments (indoor, outdoor and studio) monitoring and controlling of recording levels via UV meters) fundamentals of decibels (dBs), handling)

Well firstly I need an environment where I can get a good recording without any interference with background noise; so to tackle this problem I will need to find a soundproof room. Also to prevent other noises I will be placing the microphone on a tripod stand as it means there won’t be any noises from movement if I were to hand hold it. Also to get the best quality sound, I will need to change the settings on the microphone so that the levels aren’t too high or too low, so I will have to do a dry run with the sounds to test the levels, also I will need to make sure the microphone is quite close to where the sound will be coming from and it will have to be precise where the microphone is pointing. When recording I will make sure that I am standing away from the direction where the microphone is aiming towards so there is less chance of picking up my sounds.

What type of microphone will you use and why is this an appropriate microphone to use?

I will be using a shotgun microphone; the reason I will be using this specific microphone is because it has a wide variety of settings to choose from to make sure the sound levels will come out correct and also the sound quality from this microphone is quite good and the recordings will be very clear. This microphone is also small and light so it is very portable and I can place it where I want without the needing a huge amount of space.

When recording, what recording issues do you need to be aware of and how will you safeguard against these (i.e. background noise, acoustics)?

The main thing I have to be aware of is the background noise, the smallest amount of background noise will ruin the recording and I will need to rerecord; so to prevent this I will be using the radio studio as this room is soundproof and therefore it is more unlikely for there to be any background noise.

Where will you set up your Foley floor?  Why have you chosen this location?

I will be setting up the foley floor in the radio studio, I have chosen this location because this is a sound proofed room which means that all noises interferences; such as background noise and wind will not be able to ruin the recording. Also this room also absorbs noise so it means that there will less chance of noise echo in my recordings.

Will you be creating any bespoke sound design for the clip?  If so, what will you make and how?
Yes I will be creating many different sounds for this clip such as zombie groans, I will make these sounds by setting up a microphone and using my own voice. I will also be making sound affect such as the plates smashing which I will make by dropping pieces of broken ceramics into a box also full of broken ceramics.

What stock library sounds will you use and where will you get these sounds from?

I will be using the ambiance which will be a stock sound, I will find these sounds from a royalty free stock website.

What music are you going to create and how?  What emotional response are you attempting to elicit in the viewer / narrative role do you wish for the sound to have?

What ambience will you require for the clip? (i.e. what sounds constitute the ambient setting of the clip?)

I will need ambiance which will give the impression that the scene is outside, I will need wind and birds and other sounds that will make the outdoor sounds effect seem more convincing.

How/where will you record or source the sounds for your atmos?

What equipment will you need to record your different components of the soundtrack?  You can include screengrabs of the equipment here if you like.  Please give a description of what each piece of equipment is for and why you have chosen it.

I will need a shotgun microphone; I will use this to record my sounds I have chosen this specific microphone as this one has good sound quality and is light and portable which means I can hand hold it and carry it around easily. It is also quite small which means that I don't need to have a lot of space to record my sounds.

I will also need a tripod; this is so that I don't have to hand hold the microphone as it could pick up noises from myself, it also means that I can position the microphone in many different directions without the microphone moving so I can pick up the most clearest sound recording.


What recording issues do you need to be aware of that would affect the professionalism of your recordings?  How did you safeguard against these?

I will need to be aware of many issues which may affect my recording such as:

Picking up the wind in the recording; I will prevent this by using the studio as this room is soundproofed meaning that it will prevent the chance of wind being heard.

Background noise; I will prevent this by using the sound proofed studio and by making sure that I am standing out of the recording zone to make sure noises from myself aren't picked up.

Echo's in recording; I can prevent this by using the studio as it will absorb the sound and prevent the chance of echoing.

Quiet recordings; I can prevent this by using a tripod to place the microphone on; as it means I will be able to direct the recording area to make sure the sound is picked up to the best quality.


What type of microphone will you use to ensure that you get a good recording?  Why is this your microphone of choice?

I have chosen to use the shotgun microphone; I have chosen this microphone as it is quite portable which means I can move it about easily without any effort. It is also small which means it won't take up too much space and I don't have to worry about finding a large space to record my sounds. This specific microphone also is good quality and has many different settings to choose from to make sure I get the recording how I want it.

Treatment - Shaun of the Dead

Treatment                                            Soundtrack Production

Name of Production: Shaun of the Dead

What feel or mood are you hoping to achieve with the sound for this clip (i.e. how do you want the audience to feel and at which points in the scene?  Does the sound have a narrative role?) 

I want the feeling for this clip to be quite dramatic but at the same time I want it to be fast paced, this is because this scene involves a fight scene where the main characters are energetic and are running around a lot. In a way the music is also telling the story as when the music changes from quiet to fast paced it will tell the audience that the dynamics have changed and that the scene is now more action. Also the ADR will also tell the story as the characters voices will change from calm to more aggressive when the fight scene happens.

Describe the music are you going to add to the clip  (pace, tone, style, pitch) and what response you hope to illicit in a listener.  Where will you get your music from? (pre-recorded music; public domain, licensed, own)

The music which I will be using for my Shaun of the dead clip will be royalty free stock music, the music which I would like would have to be upbeat and fast, this is to coincide with the dramatic fast paced scene and emphasize the danger which is going on in the scene at the time. I also want the music to be techno music, this is because I think techno music is usually upbeat and it contains strange notes which I think will also make the scene seem unusual and unnerving.

What foley sounds are you going to record in the studio and add to this clip and what will they add to the scene:

I will be recording all the foley in the studio for this clip; for example I will be recording the smashing noises of the plates. I will make sure the microphone is quite close as I want the sounds to be greatly exaggerated this is to show that even though this is a dangerous scene I still want the over the top comic side to be shown.

Do you need to record any sounds out on location, if so which?

I will only need to use the radio studio, as it is a soundproof room and would be good to record are sounds without any interference.

Who will be in your recording crew to help you get your sounds and what are their individual roles and responsibilities?

Daniel Harvey; I will be producing the Foley and the ADR, I will be responsible for making sure I perform each sound as safely as possible.

Aidan Magson; He will be helping me create the Foley and the ADR, he will also be responsible for setting up the sounds on the editing software to make sure they come out well.

Roger Xiberras; He will be setting up the microphone and making sure the levels are correct and that the sound will come out clearly, he will also be responsible for directing me and aidan to make sure out sounds come out to the best standard.

Spotting Session - Shaun of the Dead

Foley Spotting Session

Blog: http://mediacscsoundtrack.blogspot.co.uk

Unit 38: Soundtrack Production for Moving Image

Instructions:  You need to have this form in front of you whilst you watch your video clip (without the sound!) You need to write in all the Foley sounds that you will record / collect / write for your final soundtrack design, together with the timecode.

Sound	Timecode	Props
Example: Car Door Slamming	00:00:02:00
Shuffling through cutlery	00:00:00:00	Cutlery in tin
Crate hitting the ground	00:00:00:05	Random objects in cardboard box
Searching through the basket	00:00:00:06	Cardboard box
Whistling in air	00:00:00:09	Tennis racket
Smashing	00:00:00:10	Smashes plate pieces
Whistling in air	00:00:00:11	Tennis racket
Thudding on the ground	00:00:00:11	Shoes and the floor (jumping)
Searching through the basket	00:00:00:12	Random objects in cardboard box
Swishing through the air	00:00:00:13	Tennis racket
Smash/ thudding	00:00:00:14	Plates/ jumping on the ground
Swishing in air	00:00:00:14	Tennis racket
Thudding	00:00:00:15	Shoes and the floor (jumping)

Soundtrack Evaluation

For this assignment I was asked to choose a movie which I had to replace the entire soundtrack for, I will be analysing the soundtrack which I created. The soundtrack I produced was from the movie "Wall-E".

I think that overall my soundtrack came out quite well, I think that my timing was successful as it seemed to match up with the images quite well through most of it, I think that I have managed to make the clip run smoothly and I also think my sound level are quite good. Although I think that it has not quite achieved professional standard in this aspect as I think in some parts my soundtrack was a little slow. I also think that my soundtrack contrasts from not much being heard on screen to suddenly too many sounds going on at one time; I think this was because in some parts of the clip there are certain bits that require slight sound adjustments which also have to happen quite fast for example the scene with the paddle ball, this part was quite difficult to make the sound perfectly in-line to fit with the image but as I spent a long time trying to make this part perfect it meant that other parts seemed less touched up.

I think that I also underestimated how many sounds really needed to be put into this clip, as even after I had put all the sounds in from my sound script I still found a few blank spaces which needed to be filled. I think that if I was to do this to a professional standard it would mean that I would have to spend a lot longer on the sound script and I would also have to pick the different sounds apart more.

With creating my own soundtrack replacement had created a few of my own sounds but I didn't end up using my own sounds but instead I used royalty free stock sounds, this was because I thought that my sounds didn't seem to fit as well as I hoped into my soundtrack; But then I found stock sounds which seemed to fit a lot better. Although the sounds I used weren't made for the clip I think that the way I used them and edited them came out quite well. I think when my soundtrack is compared with the actual soundtrack you can see that there is a big difference in the sounds used but even though there is a difference I think that my soundtrack still works well with the clip and it still makes sense. I think that my soundtrack has highlighted the fact that wall-e is mechanical more than the movie has as I have used many different sci-fi and machine type sounds; which I think works well as it makes the clip seem more futuristic. But at the same time this can be seen as a bad thing as I have also taken away some of his human-likeness.

I think that if I was to improve my soundtrack the way I would go about it is by creating my own sounds specifically for this clip, that would have fit better instead of using stock sounds. I would do this because I think it would give me a chance to be more creative with the futuristic noises, yet at the same time I would be able to make the sounds fit in with the clip better.

I think that the background music which I have used seems to fit in with my clip as its up beat and really shows off the comic side of what the clip is trying to get across, although I think that I could've made the music more relevant to certain parts of the clip by having different parts instead of staying on the same tune on a cycle.