Sound Design

[deanl]

Hey there.

When you guys start post production. How much sound do you use from the shoot and how much do you add later? I dont just mean Dialog. I mean stuff like ambient sounds or little things like a tv or radio in another room. Or a car driving past outside. Even footsteps or little sounds punchuating the actions of the actors. I find my self spending hours adding and mixing this stuff down and nobody seems to notice. Is it worth it?

When I ask people did you like the sound there in that bit (cos it took me two hours to sync up and mix they jusy kind of go erm yeah and look at me like a weirdo.

Is this normal for you guys too. If so where do you guys get all your effects. I get most of mine live from just going round and getting them on MD but if there is some great place online to fill all my audio desires please tell me about it.

Despin out.

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"Ive got bad feeling about this."

[eddie]

Fraid so, but I think it is worth it.
Music is great for hiding sound effects you dont have, but some things I think are important. Such as familiar sounds like a car door closing, or footsteps, or keys.
But sound design is up to you. You could just have dialog.
Some SFX are irrelevant, but I think you need enough to keep the reality of the world you are creating beleivable. (If you know what I mean.)
Also remember that sound can be powerful than picture:
You could create a very spooky scene in a dark black room, with just using well chosen sound effects.

Its easiest to try and record the sound live on set, but sometimes you have to go walkabout and get some ADR sound afterwards. (saw a bloke in Barcelona over the weekend recording the sound of an escalator. He looked very pissed off and bored. and had to keep telling people that it was OK to walk past him. I wonder where that bit of sound will end up, and if anyone will ever notice....)

By the way its totally irrelivant how long it takes you to do something. Who gives a shit?

good luck.

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[deanl]

Hey there.

Yeah I guess it is worth the time and effort. It better to have it there and nobody notice that not to have bother and have everyone comment on it.

"By the way its totally irrelivant how long it takes you to do something. Who gives a shit?"

Well I have to be honest. I give a shit. When I take donkeys years to get something to sound good. I want it to be appreciated. Even if I have to explain to them and convince them that they liked it.

Despin out.

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"Ive got bad feeling about this."

[miker]

then don't take so much time over it -- learn how to cheat the soundtrack as you have learned how to cheat the frame -- know what you can get away with

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N305UDB M173UBM
(B55VOR)
(WGO963W)

[sn-films]

Sound is a fickle thing. You may get discouraged because people focus on the obvious things in the movie (the visuals, the dialogue, etc.)... but its really the subtle details that'll make or break a film. Sometimes the greatest compliment is that someone DIDN'T notice something you did with the sound. That means that what you did was logical and made the scene feel natural and logical. Keep doing what you're doing!

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www.sn-films.com

[Jim Bird]

Hi,

If you get the sound track right no one will notice it, if you get the sound track wrong no one will want to watch (listen).

I think people NOT noticing your sound track is a good thing, this usally means they are enjoying it.

Bad sound track is noticed good sound track is not noticed, get the picture!!!!!

A good sound track makes a good video great.

Sound adds magic to a video.

Jim Bird.

[This message has been edited by Jim Bird (edited November 06, 2001).]