VSP Project 1: Audio Editing Exercise

 27 April 2024- 3 July 2024

CHONG CHENG TAO (0371072)

Video & Sound Production | Bachelor of Design in Creative Media | Taylor's University

Project 1: Audio Editing Exercise

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List

• LECTURES
• INSTRUCTIONS
• FEEDBACK
• REFLECTION

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LECTURES

Week 1

Mr. Martin brief us about the 3 objective in this module:

1. Pre-production

• Idea devolopment
• Story
• Storyboard
• Visual References
• Location/ Props

2. Production

• Lighting
• Costume
• Principle Shooting

3. Post production

• Offline Editing
• Online Editing
• Audio Editing

In this week, start watching stop motion video and share 3 favourite stop motion videos in the Final Project section.

Week 2:

Asynchronous Class Materials

Three Act Structure

1. Act 1- Setup
2. Act 2- Confrontation
3. Act 3- Resolution

An important takeway of the 3 act is understanding that one event must lead to another and then to another, this unifies actions and meaning and creates the semblance of a story.

Act 1- Setup

The first act establishes the protagonist, their world, and the situation they find themselves in. This act typically ends with an inciting incident, which sets the story in motion and creates a problem that the protagonist must solve. The inciting incident can be a positive or negative event, but it must be significant enough to disrupt the protagonist's world and force them to take action.

Act 2- Confrontation

The second act is the longest and most complex of the three acts. It's where the protagonist faces a series of obstacles and challenges as they work towards their goal. This act is often divided into two parts: the first half, where the protagonist makes progress towards their goal, and the second half, where they encounter setbacks and complications. The second act typically ends with a major turning point, where the protagonist faces a significant setback or crisis that forces them to reevaluate their approach.

Act 3- Resolution

The Resolution The third act is where the story reaches its climax and resolution. The protagonist must confront their final challenge or conflict and overcome it in order to achieve their goal. The climax is the most intense and dramatic part of the story, where the stakes are highest and the tension is at its peak. The resolution, on the other hand, is the denouement, where loose ends are tied up, and the protagonist's journey comes to a satisfying conclusion.

Week 3:

Mr. Martin show us more videos to deepen our understading on three act structure.

For audio dubbing exercise, we need to mix the sound elements below and creeate an audio setting that supports the action and engages the spectators:

1. Speech / Dialogue
2. Sound effects

*no need music

*one character one track

Audio track: 

• 3 tracks for dialogue, one character, one track. 
• 4 tracks for sound effects, 
• 3 tracks for ambience sound. 

There is 2 types of sound effects:

1. Hard Sound effects: Specific sounds that are added to a film to enhance a particular action or event, such as a door creaking, glass breaking, or a gunshot.
2. Ambient effects: Background noise in a film, such as traffic, wind, or crowd noise, that helps to create a sense of environment and atmosphere.

For sound effect, we need to find it online. The audio need to be faded in and faded out.

• https://freesound.org/
• https://99sounds.org/
• https://www.kasradesign.com/need-sound-effects-top-8-free-sound-effects-websites/

Edit voice from female to male, male to female, human to cute animal/adult to kid: Premiere Pro → Audio Effects → Pitch Shifter → Semi tones. 

Volume: 

• Dialogue: between -6dB & -12dB
• Ambience: below -20dB
• Hard sound effects: Depend

Week 7: 

In this week, we are learning one of the audio editing exercise, sound shaping.

Frequency Range

• Hertz (Hz):  Human can hear frequency range from 20Hz to 20,000Hz.

Fig 1.7.1  Subsets of Frequency

Dynamic Range

• Decibels (dB): The threshold of human hearing is measured as  0dB SPL (sound pressure level) and the threshold of pain 130dB SPL.

Fig 1.7.2 Threshold of Human Hearing Decibels

Space

• Mono sounds: Sound recorded using single audio channel.
• Stereo sounds: Sound recorded using two audio channels.

Fig 1.7.3 Mono sound and Stereo sound

1. Create multitrack session. save it.
2. Import source file.
3. Effect Rack > Filter & EQ > Parametric Equalizer.

Phone Call Sound Effects

• Bring down BASS, TREBLE, raise MID RANGE between 500Hz  to 2kHz.
• Limit the frequency range.

Fig 1.7.4 Phone Call Sound Effect

Muffled Sound Effects

• BASS remain, TREBLE to the bottom, raise MID RANGE to top.

Reverb Sound Effect

• Apply Reverb Effect

Fig 1.7.5 Reverb Sound Effect

*We need to recorded our sound in first language. 

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INSTRUCTIONS

This is the Module Information Booklet for this module: 

Project 1: Exercise

• Sound Dubbing
• Sound Sharping

Project 1.1: Sound Dubbing

1. Sound Dubbing

• 2 audio editing exercises
• A muted video clip is given, we need to rebuild the sound the entire scene (dialog, surrounding sound, etc...)
• Be aware the what sound is missing in the scene.
• Sound we can "see" & ambient sound
• We need to choose or record sound clips to be used to create sound effects to bring a video clip to live.

2. Sound Shaping

• We are given a choice of scenarios and we have to pick one and create the soundscape for the chosen scenario.
• Record 10 seconds of our own sound.

We are given the scene and subtitle for this exercise.

Fig 2.1.1 Scene and Subtitle

Fig 2.1.2 Subtitle

Before that, we need to do a spreadsheet for the scene. 

I seperate this exercise into 3 sections, which are hard sound effect, ambient sound and dialogue record.

This is my order in doing this exercise: Hard sound effect> Dialogue record > Ambient sound

Hard sound effect

Fig 2.1.3 Hard Sound Effect

Fig 2.1.4 Hard Sound Effect

For door knocking, I adjust the volume to create a scenario that the auditor gradually knock louder.

Fig 2.1.5 Door Knocking

For neck snap, I layer two sound effects to make the sound more realistic.

Fig 2.1.6 Neck Snap

For the scene that the auditor ripped out the pipe, I layer three sounf effects, which are pipe breaking, gas hissing and metal breaking sound effects.

Fig 2.1.7 Ripped Out Pipe

Dialogue

Fig 2.1.8 Character Dialogue

Fig 2.1.9 Character Dialogue

Pitch Shifter (Semi-tones)

• Evelyn: 6
• Waymond: 0
• Auditor: -3

Ambient sound effect

Fig 2.1.10 Ambient Sound

Fig 2.1.11 Ambient Sound

When the door is opened, I increase the volume of crowd panic sound.

Fig 2.1.12 Crowd Panic Sound

Final Submission

Fig 2.1.13 Audio Dubbing Exercise

Link to Final Submission

Project 1.2: Sound Shaping

This week, we are doing sound shaping exercise using Adobe Audition. 

The sound we need to do: 

1. Voice of phone call.
2. Voice coming from inside of.
3. Voice of toilet/bathroom.
4. Underground cave.
5. Alien/ Orc voice

Voice of phone call

• Rack effect (Parametric Equalizer)

Fig 2.2.1 Parametric Equalizer

Fig 2.2.2 Voice from phone call_Audio

Voice coming from inside of closet

• Rack effect (Parametric Equalizer)

Fig 2.2.3 Parametric Equalizer

Fig 2.2.4 Voice coming from inside of closet_Audio

Voice of toilet/bathroom

• Studio Reverb (Room Ambience)
• Echo

Fig 2.2.6 Studio Reverb

Fig 2.2.6 Echo

Fig 2.2.7 Voice from toilet/bathroom_Audio

Underground cave

• Studio Reverb (Ethereal)

Fig 2.2.8 Studio Reverb

Fig 2.2.9 Underground cave_Audio

Alien/ Orc Voice

• Pitch Shifter (2 tracks)

Fig 2.2.10 Pitch Shifter

Fig 2.2.11 Pitch Shifter_Audio

Final Submission

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FEEDBACK

Week 4:

-Add trsnsition to the sound to smooth it.

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REFLECTIONS

The exercises in this module have been a solid introduction to video and sound production, especially for someone like me who have no experience in thsi aspect. The workload is not overwhelming, which allows me to focus on building a solid foundation. I've already learned some knowledge about the fundamental aspects of this field. I'm pretty excited with the upcoming project to put these new skills into practice.