Video and Sound Production - Project 1: Audio Editing Exercise

11 Apr 2023 -12 June 2023 (Week 2 - Week 11)
Vincent Lee // 0359386
Video and Sound Production // Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media // Taylor's University

Project 1: Audio Editing Exercise

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INSTRUCTIONS

Project 1

        Exercise 1: Audio Dubbing

        Exercise 2: Sound Shaping

Feedback

Reflection

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Instructions

MIB

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Project 1: Audio Editing Exercises
This project are divided into three parts, it aims to explore students to production shooting and editing environment.

1) Exercise 1: Audio Dubbing

Choose or record sound clips to be used to create sound effects to bring a video clip to live. The clips will be provided. As a student, we are required to identify the visual components from the video clip that needs sound. The duration are 2 minutes.

Task Requirements

- List down each scene on spreadsheet
- List out each sound effects for each scene
- Audio track: 4 tracks for dialogue, one character one track. 

- 3 tracks for sound effects, 3 tracks for ambience sound.

Figure 1.1 - spreadsheets, Week 2 (11 Apr 2023)

This spreadsheets was a shared document as most of us did not able to follow the weekly progressions set by Mr. Martin. Our leader, Lim Rui Ying divided the tasks into several parts and we are instructed to based on the scene to find the suitable sound effects. However, the speech should be recorded with our own voice only. 

Figure 1.2 - sound effects, Week 3 (18 Apr 2023)

The sound effects was sourced from the link provided by Mr. Martin. We created a Drive folder, then labelled it according to the specific scene. Furthermore, we also did record some of the sound effects such as walking and tapping the window. 

Figure 1.3 - documenting of files and resources, Week 3 (18 Apr 2023)

Compliance to the instruction in week 1, I organise and named the video clips, speech and audio effects separately. This are helpful when importing to my Adobe Premiere Pro workspace. I can also easily retrieve or alter the documents in the future. 

Figure 1.4 - projects panel, Week 3 (18 Apr 2023) 

There are total 41 files being imported to create the final edited video. 

Figure 1.5 - timeline Panel, Week 3 (18 Apr 2023)

There are overlaid of speech and sound effects, thus my arrangement are the first column are for speech, then comes the audio effects. In total, I have used 2 video tracks and 4 audio tracks. 

Figure 1.6 - workspaces at Adobe Premiere Pro, Week 3 (18 Apr 2023)

Adhere to the lessons learned in Exercise 2: Lalin. I used the Editing window to complete this task. 

Figure 1.7 - "Munich (2005)" first attempt (sound effects only), Week 3 (19 Apr 2023)

In this attempts, there are a lot of improvement need to be done because no much sound effects to support the intensity of the short clips. For instance, the audio affects when the bomb has connected with the initiator, the part when the guy crossing the pedestrian street, the street was silent and when both guys running towards the car and etc. 

Figure 1.8 - "Munich (2005)" second attempt (sound effects only), Week 3 (19 Apr 2023)

Based on the deficiency in attempt 1, I further refine it by adding more sound effects started with the scenes where the guy crossing the pedestrian street. I also able to make adjustment on the bombing scene, because I found the bombing sound effects was a little bit delayed.  

Final Audio Dubbing Submission

Figure 1.9 - Final Project 1: "Munich (2005)", Week 3 (19 Apr 2023)

Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1WHRfIgdMco5VKShtAfBt5VqxMfOGPibtrHUrxpIvndQ/edit#slide=id.p

In my final attempt, I have imported my speech to the audio track 1 and I have added an audio that enhance the intensity when the exploding scene is about to happen and siren after the exploding scene. 

2) Exercise 2: Sound Shaping

For this task, we need to download the audios supplied in the slides. According to the instructions, we are given a clean sound, then we need to put it in different scenario then shape it by using EQ. To complete this exercise, a tutorial video are provided. Upon completing the exercise, we should upload to Drive and embed to blog.

Software: Adobe Audition

Task Requirements

We are required to shape the recorded sound to sound like:

1. Mono: Voice of phone call.
2. Stereo: 

• Voice coming from inside of closet (muffled)
• Voice of big stadium (reverb)
• Voice of toilet/bathroom (reverb)
• Underground cave (reverb)

Figure 1.10 - importing of sounds, Week 7 (15 May 2023)

Create Multitrack session, rename and save it.

Figure 1.11 - bass, represent by L (left), mid range (middle), treble, represent by H (right)

According to the tutorial video, Mr. Martin has taught us that a good quality recorded sound should have these three components stand in Fig. 1.11. 

- Phone Call

Figure 1.12 - phone call sound effects, Week 7 (15 May 2023)

As sound from a phone doesn't have bass and treble, thus the middle was narrow. To do these, steps taken are: 

1. Effect rack → Filter & EQ → Parametric Equaliser. 
2. Bring down BASS, TREBLE, raise MID RANGE between 500Hz to 2kHz
3. The power button on the bottom left allows to differentiate the original and edited sounds. 

- Closet

Figure 1.13 - closet (muffled) sound effect, Week 7 (15 May 2023)

The sound from the source are not directly delivered to the listener. For example, when people wearing a mask and they speak, the sound refer to muffled (wrapping it with something). The steps taken are: 

1. Effect rack → Filter & EQ → Parametric Equaliser. 
2. Reset the effects by choosing Default on the presets. 
3. Bring up BASS, TREBLE to the bottom, raise MID RANGE to top. 

- Stadium

Figure 1.14 - voice of big stadium, Week 7 (15 May 2023)

1. Effect rack → Reverb → Surround Reverb. 
2. Presets: Concert Dimensions. 
3. Reverb Settings: Impulse: Space Capsule

- Toilet

Figure 1.15 - toilet (reverb) sound effects, Week 7 (15 May 2023)

It was the reflection of sound that bounced back by a wall or the surrounding. 

1. Effect rack → Reverb → Reverb. 
2. Reset the effects by choosing Room Ambience on the presets. 

It should be taken into consideration where we can't have the real time sound effects switching between the original and the reverb sound effects because it take time to render. 

- Underground Cave

Figure 1.16 - voice of underground cave, Week 7 (15 May 2023)

1. Effect rack → Reverb → Convolution Reverb. 
2. Presets: Custom.
3. Impulse: Reverse Tunnel

Final Sound Shaping Submission

Google Folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Qk68EeJukTsxQsK3hx-3oiAucA8GwukX?usp=sharing

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Feedback 

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Reflection

Notes

Figure 1. - Effect Rack, Week 7 (15 May 2023)

Characteristics

1. Decay time = the time taken for a sound to bounce back. The longer the time, the obvious the reverb (echo) is. 
2. Pre Delay Time: The higher value of the pre-delay, the gap between the original sound and the echo is greater. 
3. Diffusion: there is minor differences could be heard
4. Perception: the higher the perception, the higher the reflective. Zero will cut down all the previous settings.

Output Level

1. Dry: The original sound source is more dominant and strong when the dry parameters is aside to the max of 200. When slide to 0, the sound kind of disappear, we could only hear the reverb.
2. Wet: The reverb is not significant when is at zero. The higher the value for wet, the stronger and clearer is the reverb.

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Quick Links 

Exercises

Project 2: Shooting Practise & Editing

Final Project: Stop Motion

Final Compilation and Reflection