376 Pages
    by Routledge

    376 Pages
    by Routledge

    Achieve professional quality sound on a limited budget! Harness all new, Hollywood style audio techniques to bring your independent film and video productions to the next level.

    In Sound for Digital Video, Second Edition industry experts Tomlinson Holman and Arthur Baum give you the tools and knowledge to apply recent advances in audio capture, video recording, editing workflow, and mixing to your own film or video with stunning results. This fresh edition is chockfull of techniques, tricks, and workflow secrets that you can apply to your own projects from preproduction through postproduction.

    New to this edition:

    • A new feature on "true" 24p shooting and editing systems, as well as single vs. double-system recording
    • A strong focus on new media, including mini-DVDs, hard disks, memory cards, and standard and high-definition imagery
    • Discussion of camera selection, manual level control, camera and recorder inputs, location scouting, and preproduction planning
    • Instruction in connectors, real-time transfers, and file-based transfers from DVDs, hard drives, and solid state media.
    • Blu-Ray and HD tape formats for mastering and distribution in addition to file-based, DV, and DVD masters.
    • A revamped companion website, www.focalpress.com/cw/holman, featuring recording and editing exercises, examples and sample tracks

    Whether you are an amateur filmmaker who wants to create great sound or an advanced professional in need of a reference guide, Sound for Digital Video, Second Edition is an essential addition to your digital audio tool belt.

    Sound for DV
    Tomlinson Holman
    Outline
    I. Introduction
    Why this work is worth doing, who it is aimed at, general format of the book (case study method); relationship to Sound for Film and Television
    Going to art house films shows trailers demonstrate difference between pix and snd: pix usually better, sound often sacrificed
    Even on studio pix, pic dominates such as mono The Rules of Attraction
    Scope of DV
    Not just a tape format
    Minimum standards for audio
    This book covers from DV to DVCProHD, because audio is similar across all DV-based formats
    Digitizing the world
    Pros, cons
    Digital Video
    Basic digital: why?
    Four dimensions of a sound track
    Frequency range
    Dynamic Range
    Spatial capability
    Time
    Digital sound and the four dimensions
    Features of DV format tapes
    Further distinguishing features among the formats
    Footprint
    Single-speed vs. DV's SP and LP modes
    Locked vs. unlocked audio sample rate
    Time code
    User's bits
    PAL
    Interchangeability
    Conclusion
    II. Production Sound, aka Location Sound, Original Sound Recording
    A dedicated sound person
    Location scouting
    Coverage
    Scene coverage: basic technique
    Boom
    Lav
    Planted
    What can be done with an on-camera microphone?
    How to use the two channels
    Items other than voice recorded during production sound
    Basic acoustics of sound and microphones
    Microphone types by method of transduction
    Electrodynamic/electrostatic distinguished
    Other, rarer types
    Powering mics
    Microphone types by polar pattern
    Differences among mics due to polar pattern
    Short form advice
    The radio part of radio mics
    Microphone accessories
    Booms/fishpoles
    Shock mounts
    Windscreens
    Pop suppression
    Cries and Whispers (capturing loud and soft sound)
    Recording Level parallels to early Cinematography
    Cries and Whispers simultaneously
    Multiple level controls in the chain
    Another kind of overload distortion and how to avoid it
    Case studies
    Mounting lavs
    Radio mic usage
    Combining features for best wind performance
    Disposable mics
    Example from DVD
    Boom operator's job
    Common problems
    Logging
    Sound kit accessories
    III. Sound design
    Sound design defined
    Sound is constructed, not accidental
    Continuity
    Ambience/backgrounds
    Foley
    Layering
    Hard Effects
    Music
    Film sound styles
    Realism
    Stretched reality
    What is seen vs. what is heard: on- vs. off-screen
    Surrealism
    Montage
    Shifting levels of reality
    Sound design as an art
    Emotional memory
    Low frequencies mean threat
    Exaggerating reality
    Spotting
    IV. Connecting Up, Reference Levels
    Basic work flow with Firewire
    Types of audio interconnects: digital
    AES3
    S/PDIF
    Problems arising on digital interfaces
    Types of audio interconnects: analog
    Mic/line/speaker level
    Line levels: -10/+4
    Balanced and unbalanced connections
    File transfers
    V. Editing
    Non-linear editing defined
    Random access editing
    Non-destructive editing
    Visual waveform editing
    Edits and fade files
    File management
    Plug Ins/Processes
    Edit processes vs. mix processes
    Processes defined
    Process environments
    Track and channels
    Busses
    Pan pots
    Grouping Tracks
    Differences between picture and sound editing systems
    Picture-sound sync resolution
    How to Edit
    Block diagram of process
    Fine editing of production sound
    Where presence is used
    Documentary considerations
    Fixing bumps
    Sound effects
    Ambience/backgrounds
    Cutting music
    Scene changes
    Detailed analysis of scene changes in Love Actually
    VI. Mixing
    Editing and mixing are different, but converging
    The mixing hourglass
    Level-related processes
    Level controls
    Gain staging
    Hand compression
    Compression
    Limiting
    De-essing
    Noise gate
    Downward expander
    Processes related mainly to Frequency
    Equalization
    Filtering
    Combinations of level and frequency
    Time-baesd devices
    Reverberation
    Other time based effects: echo, duration change
    Other plug ins
    Dither
    Generator
    Pitch correction
    Panning
    Routing and limitations caused by it
    Busses, channels
    Delay compensation
    Voice limitation
    How to mix
    Start with dialogue
    The dialogue processing chain
    VII. Masters and Monitoring
    Delivery Master defined
    Choice of sound format on Delivery Masters
    Mono
    Stereo
    LtRt matrix surround
    5.1 channel discrete surround
    Mastering for level
    Background on -12 versus -20 dBFS reference level
    Level calibration
    When you can't calibrate with test signals
    Best one-size-fits-all approach
    Mastering for DVD, Digital Broadcast, and Digital Satellite Television
    Post Production Masters Label
    Monitoring
    Film versus Video mixes
    VII. Sound Basic Video for Audio People
    Video
    Basic frame rates
    Under- and over-cranked camera
    Digital Video
    Basic digital
    Interconnecting video

    Biography

    Tomlinson Holman is one of the most prominent figures in audio today. He is widely known for introducing new products and processes in the field, including the THX Sound System, Home THX, and the THX Digital Mastering program developed while he was Corporate Technical Director at Lucasfilm, Ltd. Mr. Holman has won career achievement awards from Cinema Audio Society and the Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association, as well as an Academy Award for Technical Achievement in 2001. His feature film credits include Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi among others.


    Arthur Baum received his bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from Harvard University and went on to study film sound at the University of Southern California. He has mixed and recorded sound for several independent films, webisodes, and documentaries and has edited sound for television programs airing on Discovery Channel, Syfy Network, Cartoon Network, and Animal Planet. In addition to his work on independent and corporate projects, Mr. Baum has served on the faculty of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, teaching sound theory and technique to incoming film production students.

    "Even if your projects will never reach the complexity of a Hollywood feature, you can learn a lot from this book. It is clearly written, and Holman doesn't hesitate to share his encyclopedic knowledge and experience." - Jay Rose

    "Although his focus is bringing professional techniques to budget productions, Holman imparts plenty of useful information to anyone involved in sound for picture." - Electronic Musician

    "A good initial guide for the budding AV artist." - DJ magazine

    "This is an excellent technical manual, packed with hard practical information....the chapters on sound design, editing, mixing, and monitoring are first class." - BKSTS magazine, May 2006