Production Sound Mixing: The Art and Craft of Sound Recording for the Moving Image (The CineTech Guides to the Film Crafts)

The latest hot camera is pretty irrelevant if one can't understand what's happening on screen. The key to any narrative is in the dialogue and voice over, but if this is unintelligible or difficult to hear, viewers will soon lose interest. With real world applications and a narrative to keep the reader's interest, Production Sound Mixing is the indispensable guide for film and video audio recording. Written by veteran sound mixer John J. Murphy, the book offers a step by step collaborative journey through the basic physics of sound, concluding with a practical guide of the latest techniques and equipment available to all who are interested in the best audio for their projects. Structured to mimic a 14-week semester, each chapter begins with an audio problem to be solved and ends with a solution drawn from information gleaned from past chapters. Suggested movie scenes that demonstrate the relevant audio techniques will also be included. Equally applicable to studio and location recording, the book is oriented toward commonly accessible environments such as conference rooms, hallways, beaches, car interiors, bathrooms, and so on. The intent is to allow the student to make the best of a location no matter how challenging it might be. Most importantly, this book will make one aware of the potential of sound on screen, for it is truly 50% of the viewing experience. - Amazon. Cover page Halftitle page Series page Title page Copyright page CONTENTS PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION 1 WHAT IS SOUND? MEASURING THE INVISIBLE THE TWO THINGS THAT DESCRIBE A SOUND 2 MICROPHONES: The Basic Types and How They Work THE DYNAMIC PRESSURE MICROPHONE WHAT IS A CONDENSER? MAPPING THE INVISIBLE MICROPHONE TYPES IN USE FOR FILM/VIDEO PRODUCTION PROTECTING THE MICROPHONE FROM WIND 3 THE DSLR SHOOT: Making the Most of What’s at Hand 4 THE AUDIO MIXER SOUND DEVICES 552 MONITORING 5 CHOOSING A LOCATION HOW TO FIND THE BEST SPACE TO RECORD SOUND QUESTIONS FOR THE PRODUCER OR PRODUCTION MANAGER ABOUT THE LOCATION 6 BOOMING: The View From Above HOW TO GET THE MOST NATURAL SOUND IMAGINABLE (USUALLY AGAINST ALL ODDS) THE ART OPENING: DOCUMENTARY COVERAGE vs. NARRATIVE COVERAGE BOOMING FOR TV AND FEATURE FILMS 7 WIRELESS MICROPHONES: What They Are, How They Work, and How and Why We Use Them WHY ARE WIRELESS MICROPHONES, OR RADIO MICS USED IN FILMAND TV PRODUCTION? METACORDER MULTITRACK RECORDING PROGRAM WIRELESS MICROPHONES—THEY’RE GREAT! UNTIL THEY STOP WORKING SPEAK UP IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WHAT IS AN A2? 8 INTERVIEWS! INTERVIEWING IN A CAR 9 ON THE SET 1. FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND 2. DO YOUR JOB WITH THE UTMOST PROFESSIONALISM 3. SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IS KEY 4. BE HELPFUL TO YOUR FELLOW CREW—WITHIN REASON 5. TRANSCEND YOUR IMMEDIATE CONDITION CLOTHING COMMUNICATIONS CELLPHONES BELLS 10 PREP IS EVERYTHING! Your Basic Kit COMMON MALFUNCTIONS AND HOW TO TROUBLESHOOT THEM WHAT CAUSES HUM? MAYDAY! MAYDAY! THINGS AREN’T WORKING! LIGHTNING STRIKE! 11 SYNCHRONIZATION 12 POST-PRODUCTION: Where Does It Go From Here? 13 OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOUND WORKIN FILM/VIDEO ONE-MAN BAND TWO-MAN CREW/DOCUMENTARY/REALITY/ENG IFB MULTI-CAMERA INTERVIEW FEATURE FILM OR EPISODIC TV SERIES REALITY TELEVISION HOUSE OF WORSHIP 14 STEREO: When Two Become One MS MID-SIDE STEREO PAIR OTHER STEREO SYSTEMS ORTF APPENDIX GLOSSARY INDEX "The latest hot camera is pretty irrelevant if one can't understand what's happening on screen. The key to any narrative is in the dialogue and voice over, but if this is unintelligible or difficult to hear, viewers will soon lose interest. With real world applications and a narrative to keep the reader's interest, Production Sound Mixing is the indispensable guide for film and video audio recording. Written by veteran sound mixer John J. Murphy, the book offers a step by step collaborative journey through the basic physics of sound, concluding with a practical guide of the latest techniques and equipment available to all who are interested in the best audio for their projects. Structured to mimic a 14-week semester, each chapter begins with an audio problem to be solved and ends with a solution drawn from information gleaned from past chapters. Suggested movie scenes that demonstrate the relevant audio techniques will also be included. Equally applicable to studio and location recording, the book is oriented toward commonly accessible environments such as conference rooms, hallways, beaches, car interiors, bathrooms, and so on. The intent is to allow the student to make the best of a location no matter how challenging it might be. Most importantly, this book will make one aware of the potential of sound on screen, for it is truly 50% of the viewing experience.."--Publisher`s website What is sound? -- Microphones: the basic types and how they work -- The DSLR shoot: making the most of what's at hand -- The audio mixer -- Choosing a location -- Booming: the view from above -- Wireless microphones: what they are, how they work, and how and why we use them -- Interviews! -- On the set -- Prep is everything! Your basic kit -- Synchronization -- Post-production: Where does it go from here? -- Opportunities for sound work in film/video -- Stereo: when two become one