Intro to Documentary Film Sound
Production Sound
➔ Audio captured during the shooting of the film
➔ Preparation is key
◆ Location scouting
◆ Unique sounds for every area
◆ Preparing your kit
◆ Gathering “wild sound”
➔ Different styles of filmmaking
◆ Run & Gun
◆ Sit-down interviews
◆ Observational
➔ VERY important! Take pride in your production sound
Who’s Who in Production Sound?
1. SOUND RECORDIST
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Primary, and often only, sound person (or ears)
on set
Works with the director to determine equipment
needs and procures any additional materials
(extra microphones, larger mixer)
Records and monitors the audio
Identifies and predicts potential audio problems.
Hopefully has a fix!
Records additional sounds like backgrounds and
“wild sound” sound for b-roll footage
2. BOOM OPERATOR
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Handles the boom microphone
The shot could be 30 seconds, or it could be 30
minutes
Production Sound - On Set
DIRECTOR
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Hires crew
First point of contact
Provide the details for each shoot
Scout locations
Creatively, how should the story be
told?
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY (DP)
CAMERA OPERATOR
• Operates the camera
• “Frames” the shot
• Get into the directors head
• Become their friend! This leads to many
other gigs
POST-PRODUCTION
SOUND
➔ Audio finished during the post production phase
➔ Preparation is key (DO YOU SEE A THEME HERE?)
◆ Be involved/communicate in the pre-production and
production phase if possible
◆ Understand distribution, tech specs, deliverables
and deadlines
◆ Check and collect resources (sound libraries, plugs, time)
◆ Create any session templates and sound palettes needed
◆ Watch the content prior to starting – no surprises
◆ Spotting Session to Kick Off - after elements are received
and prepped
➔ VERY important! Take pride in your work. (ANOTHER THEME)
“Just because it’s done – doesn’t mean its good”
Always Evaluate and Re-Evaluate your work.
Who’s Who in Audio Post?
Sound Supervisor
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Otherwise known as Supervising Sound Editor
Often is the cross over person working in all
phases: pre-pro, production and post
Hires, manages and evaluates sound team
Works closely with the director
Often wears other hats
Music Roles
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Composer
Music Editor
Arranger
Music Supervisor
Sound Supervisor is the head honcho
Engineering Roles
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Automatic Dialog Replacement
Foley (see Sound Design)
Narration Record
Dialogue Editor/ Sound Editor
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HUGE role in documentary film
Can involve noise reduction and sweetening
Leveling to spec
Includes NAT/SYNC
If not mixing – give plenty of options in delivery of ”going back”
Sound Designer
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Often a team of people, with each specializing in
different parts of the design
Foley is a noun and a verb
Wild Sounds Big value, especially in Documentary
Big Post Crew for Documentary
Usual Post Crew for
Documentary Sound
…One is the loneliest number……..
ever
Workflows
It all starts with METADATA
Pre production
Planned For and Discussed With Sound Mixer
and Editor or AE
Production
Properly Dialed in ON
Recorder, Handed Off of
Ingested with MetaData
PostProduction
Editor needs to
maintain
metadata.
Nested Merged
Clips strips
Metadata.
EEDED
With MetaData
With Out
MetaData
ASSETS linkable in NLE
YES
somewhat
PT Field Recorder Work
Flow
YES
NO
Editor can strip MetaData
during ingestion
Nested Clips Can destroy
Audio Metadata
SOLO - or small sound team
Import
assets and
or
PT Field
recorder
workflow
Pull sounds
needed
Prep
Divide
Watch
Spotting
Session
Edit
Voice
Narration
Dialogue
Music
NAT/Sync
Pre-Mix as you go leveling out – especially voice to
LKFS spec.
Sound Design
Foley
BGs
(or ambiances)
Hard Effects
Cinematics
Effects
Good Time To have a more formal Mid Review
Impressionistic
Larger stage mixes
split mix duties
between dial, music
and sound design
Depends on the
content, but mixing
this first saves time
on solo mixes
Proceed To Mix
These Elements in
NAT/Sync
Voice
MIX
Music
Sound
design
Foley
Mix Review
Deliverables/Outputs
QC
TERMINOLOGY
DIEGETIC
NON-DIEGETIC
Sounds whose source is
visible on the screen or whose
source is implied to be present
by the action of the film
Sound whose source is
neither visible on the screen
nor has been implied to be
present in action
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Voices of the character
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Narrator’s commentary
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Sounds made by objects
in the story
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Sound effects which are
added for dramatic effect
Music coming from
instruments the
characters are playing
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Mood music (Score from
Jaws)
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Diegetic can be on or off
screen depending
whether the source is
within or outside of the
frame
Non-diegetic sound is
represented as coming from a
source outside the story space
* Source: filmsound.org
SHOT TYPES
SHOT TYPES CONT’D.
O.S. : Over the shoulder
POV: Point of View of character or
object
Depth of Field: Part of the image
in focus. Deep DOF means all is in
focus. Shallow DOF means only a
small part is in focus
5 SHOT TYPES/SETUPS
From Dean Miles’ Location Audio Simplified
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Interview
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B-roll
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When shooting several shots at a location that will be edited together to form a
seamless sequence
Voice-Over or VO
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Also called b-reel, cutaways, filler, or pictures only.
MOS: “We’re doing this MOS.” = We don’t need sound.
Scene or Sequence
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Could be a short, five minutes, or a long two-hour marathon
Think of this as the primary voiceover for documentary. A great deal will be
edited and placed over b-roll, so it is essential to capture clean dialog
Recorded narration in the field. Becoming more common as producers try to
save production costs. Try and save this until last, and pick the best sounding
spot as picture doesn’t matter!
Stand-ups
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A news industry term that involves a person talking directly into the camera.
Used for intro’s to programs, a transition to a new scene, or a quick wrap-up.
VIDEO LINGO
Cut-in/Insert Shot – Usually close-up of objects being manipulated
J-Cut: Sound of the next scene precedes the picture
L-Cut: Picture changes but the audio continues
Jump Cut: Abrupt transition where character seems to move location –
mostly bad, but can be used creatively. Used to explain a lot in short
periods of time.
Timelapse – Each frame is captured slower so it moves faster
ASSIGNMENT OTT/TWI #1