NMED 2030
Jan 28rd2008
NMED 2030
Today’s Class…
“Tools of the NMED2030 Trade”
Sound
War of the Worlds (1941)
Sound Design
Derek Jarman’s Blue (1993)
Audio Assignment
NMED 2030
• Tools of the NMED 2030 Trade
Panasonic Cameras
Ainiro Light Kits
Tripods
NMED 2030
• Sound
• “My plan was to synchronize the
camera and the phonograph so as to
record sounds when the pictures were
made, and reproduced the two in
harmony”
– Thomas Edison 1925
NMED 2030
• The War of the Worlds (1938)
– Welles' adaptation is arguably the most
well-known radio dramatic production in
history.
– http://www.mercurytheatre.info/
NMED 2030
– The War of the Worlds is an episode of the American radio
drama anthology series Mercury Theatre on the Air, which
was performed as a Halloween special on October 30, 1938
and aired over the CBS Radio network. Directed by Orson
Welles, the episode was an adaptation of H. G. Wells'
classic novel The War of the Worlds.
–
New York Times headline from October 31, 1938.
NMED 2030
• Sound Design
– The term “sound designer” was coined by
famed editor, Walter Murch (Apocalypse
Now, The Conversation, The English
Patient) in 1979.
– Sound design is an integral part of the
filmmaking and film watching experience.
– The appeal to the imagination of the
creators and the audience.
NMED 2030
• Foley Art
– The use of sound effect technique for
synchronous effects or live effect is called
Foley art.
– Foley art is named for Jack Foley a sound
editor at Universal Studios who died in
1967.
NMED 2030
• Foley Art
– Foley got the idea of projecting the moving
image in a sound stage and recording
sounds and recording in sync with the
actors movements using different surfaces
and an array of props.
NMED 2030
• Foley Art
– Did you know that…
• The sound of a smoldering cigarette is made by
pressing a thumb into plain dirt?
• The mammoth’s footsteps in the movie The Ice
Age was made by dropping a log into a pit of
dirt, mud and stone?
• In Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon the bamboo
sticks used in the balletic fight scene came
from a sound editor’s backyard in New Jersey?
NMED 2030
• Foley Art
– Did you know that…
• The sound of footsteps crunching on snow is
actually achieved by Kosher sea salt covered in
corn starch?
• The sound of the dragonfly made memorable in
the opening of Men In Black was made using a
small plastic fan with gaphers tape stuck to the
blades? The tape was made long enough so
that when the fan was turned on, it brushed up
against the Foley’s fingers.
NMED 2030
• Foley Art
– Today Foley effects are done
predominantly without Foley performers.
– The sounds are stored electronically and
performed by the post-production team.
NMED 2030
• Audio Assignment is due at the end of
class on Feb 6th
• You will be asked to record a line of
dialogue that captures the spirit of your
scene and recreate the environment
using sound effects.
NMED 2030
• Homework…
• Come to next class prepared to begin
your audio assignment.
– The assignment will be given during the
lecture part of the class and you will be set
free to begin creating during the lab.
NMED 2030
• Homework…
• Bring:
– a miniDV tape
– a willingness to use your imagination on
how to use and create sounds to tell a
story.