The Magic of Movies

Summarize 3 different key functions of the Zoom recorder that you picked up from this short video.  What is one question you still have on how to operate the recorder? I learned that there are controls on the side that are mechanics for audio, and power. There are two audio inputs SD card slot, a headphone with volume control and a power button to turn on the h6. You must push the power button for about a second in order for it to turn on. On the other side there are audio inputs a menu control knob, and USB. The top interface allows you to control the volume of individual inputs enable those audio channels as well as record and playback on the top of the h6. There are volume controls for each audio input. You're going to want to format your audio by pressing the format option on the menu and clicking "yes".  It records in two different formats either it can be in MP3 or a high quality wav file. I don't really have any questions regarding how to operate the recorder b...

Summarize 3 different key functions of a lavalier that you picked up from this short video. What is one question you still have on how to set up a lav? 3 key things I learned was that it's preferred to wear a buttoned up shirt instead of a regular blouse/t-shirt. Wearing a t-shirt makes it harder for the lav to stay put and audio sounds more muffled. Lavaliers are kind of the standard microphone that people use when they're filming talking. They're great for interviews and important speeches. These microphones are great at hearing/picking up your voice. One question I have about the lav is how do you know the audio is good and set to go. 

Summarize 3 different key functions of a boom microphone that you picked up from this short video.  What is one question you still have on how to operate a boom? Three key functions that I learned about the boom microphone was the main goal for operating this type of microphone is that you're going to want to keep the mic as close as possible to the subject's mouth. You'll be able to get a lot more closer to the subjects mouth during close ups than during wide shots. Secondly it's important that you keep the mic a constant distance from the subject otherwise the sound quality and the volume are going to vary over the course of shot/scene. You need to point the tip of the mic towards the mouth of whoever's speaking. The final key functions I learned when operating a boom mic was that to boom properly you're going to need to know who's exactly saying what. It's important because the conversation is going back and forth meaning you have to move the mic wher...

What are the different pickup patterns mentioned in the video?  How are each of them different from each other?  Why would these be needed? The first pickup pattern listed is the omnidirectional pattern. It's perfect for interviews, moving subjects, and omnidirectional mics are the easiest to understand. Simply put, omnidirectional microphones record from every direction. You usually want to use this pattern to record sound such as ambience, a press conference, or a moving talking head. The second mic pattern listed is the cardioid, its perfect for documentary recording, weddings, events. A cardioid pickup pattern is a highly flexible pattern that is great for all-purpose. A hypercardioid is perfect for on camera mics, documentary recording, and instrument recording. It's a directional pickup pattern that is great for isolating audio, while you may find some lav mics with hypercardioid pickup patterns, you'll typically only see this pickup pattern in shotgun mics. 

What are the different types of microphones mentioned in the video?  How are each of them different from each other?  What are the best uses for each? Dynamic microphones have a number of identifying characteristics they're robust and durable. They can be relatively inexpensive, they're not sensitive to changes in humidity, they don't need external or internal power to operate, they usually have a resonant peak in the mid-frequency response. It can be weak in high frequency are weak in the high frequency response beyond 10 kilohertz. A ribbon microphones characteristics can have a relatively flat frequency response, they have a better response, they have better high frequency response compared to dynamic mics, they don't need internal or external power to operate, they're somewhat fragile and require care during handling and operation. Ribbon mics work on cymbals, bass, piano, electric and acoustic guitars, and brass instruments. A condenser microphone characteristi...

Why are A/V cables wrapped over/under and power cables wrapped over/over?  Why is this an important skill for a beginning filmmaker? It reduces the tension on the cable while wrapping and as it's stored, it makes it easier to uncoil and ultimately increasing the cables longevity.  You know when you're doing it right by throwing it and it uncoils without any knots, snarls, or kinks. This is an important skill for a filmmaker because not wrapping a cable properly can reduce the lifespan/material of the cable. 

Use what you've learned about sound in the keynotes and readings.  Describe 3 things that you notice about the before and after sound effects mix vs. the final mix.  How are they different?  How would you describe each of the differences? The first scene of the guards yelling at the man I could hear the slight noise/hiss and it sounded just like a normal voice into a microphone. The final mix sounded robotic they added some sort of voice effect to make him sound like a robot of some sort. When they mix the voice you can hear a major difference as well it sounds more blended and clear. 

Without music, how does the scene feel to you?  Why?  What aspects seem missing?  How do you think having music change this scene? It feels more into the scene and still just as interesting/entertaining with or without the music, it had me watching regardless. It didn't seem to be missing much but music definitely enhances the experience especially if you're in a movie theater. Imagining the music in this scene is very climatic and I can envision what it would sound like, it would make people more immersed into the action scene thats going on.

What does the music add to the experience? How does music change your perception of the story and images on screen? The sound effects alone sounded awkwardly silent, and made me feel not as immersed into the film but to the sounds and what was going on. It was visually pleasing but compared to music the music was ultimately the better sounding. I found myself more intrigued with what's going on and I was just able to feel the emotions more from the characters dialogue.  

What are three interesting things that you learned from this video? How could you begin to start thinking about sound design in future video projects? Sound design in horror movies are treated differently it's important to be aware of how emotionally conveying sound can be. You can make certain sound effects by layering them up, use the sound library if you have one. Third thing I found interesting was was using a voice software that is normally used on vocals. I think sound design will be really useful and come in hand for many scenes. 

What is the foley artists' role in crafting sound effects? Explain in detail three different things that you learned in this video and how they affect the final film.  A Foley artist is someone who creates sound effects by using different props. They are typically in a studio and something called a streamer tells them when to start doing the sounds for whatever the scene may be. I learned how important sound foley's are to the film industry, they help enhance what we're seeing and hearing. They affect the final film by establishing what a lot scenes or things are going to sound like. 

What does this essay have to say about realistic dialog?  Do you think dialog in films should sound realistic or not?  Why? This essay told me that realistic dialogue captures our day to day conversations. It shows and connects with us what a regular conversation sounds and looks like. I think dialog in film should sound realistic so the audience can actually take it seriously and be/feel more involved in what's going on in the film. It's important because it also conveys what their intentions are.

What are each of the different categories of sound that are explained? In detail, explain the role of each of these categories of sound in film and how they enhance the story. The first category is dialogue, dialogue authenticates the speaker as an individual or a real person rather than the imaginary creation of a story teller. Dialogue serves to tell the story and it expresses the feelings and motivations of characters as well. Secondly is sound effects (synchronous and asynchronous sounds) synchronous are those sounds which are synchronized or matched with what is viewed. Asynchrounous sound effects are not matched with a visible source of the sound on screen. Music (background music), background music is used to add emotion and rhythm to a film. Usually not meant to be noticeable, it often provides a tone or an emotional attitude toward the story and/or characters.

What is the difference between diegetic and non-diegetic sound?  What is an example of each that you can think of from a film? Diegetic elements contain, dialogue, mise-en-scene, in-world music, and in world sound effects. Diegetic is within the film we can hear it and see it. Non-diegetic elements contain narration, external, external graphics, cinematic score, and added sound effects. Still within the film but you can't see it. A good example is when Harold starts to hear the narration the narration that he hears then transitions from diegetic to non diegetic because it becomes a part of his world. A reason why it's important is because it increases immersion, directs audience attention, manipulates emotion. For non-diegetic, it gives comic effect, disrupts audiences. 

What is the difference between stereo and mono recordings? What are 2 things that you found interesting in this article? Why? Stereo sound also known as stereophonic sound is the reproduction of two or more independent audio channels that create an impression of sound coming from different directions. Mono also known as monaural or monophonic sound reproduction, is audio in a single channel, often centered in the sound field. It's a system where it's not versatile or spread around and it's very grounded and centered like I previously just mentioned. Two things I saw and read/found interesting in this article is that, stereo has almost completely replaced mono sound because of the very much improved audio sound stereo can provide compared to mono sound. The second thing that I found interesting was it's different purposes that mono and stereo are used for, mono is more used for communication purposes while stereo is more for entertainment, for example music and cinema. M...

What was the effect of Star Wars on the movie industry? How did it affect the audience at this time? What were the long term historical trends that Star Wars set into motion after this? Star Wars had made a big impact on the industry because of their sound. Star Wars was ahead of their time in the 1970's quality was delivered and it wasn't some crunchy noisy movie theater sound, no it was crisp good and crystal clear sound, this caused a demand for better sound quality. They set the standard, the huge success of Star Wars renewed an interest in sound, it gave the movie theater industry the kick to upgrade their performance equipment. The result was an audio quality assurance project under the brand THX, first unveiled to and experienced by cinema audiences with Return of the Jedi in 1983. George Lucas promised the film audience a better experience and he did not disappoint and in fact delivered with THX. This improved the environment/movie theater experience for the audience to...

Why was Hollywood threatened by television? What were three key reasons it became a threat? One of the first reasons television became a threat was because the new technology effectively killed Hollywood's Golden Age by the 1930's. How did this happen? Well it was quite clear that television would soon be broadcast directly into peoples homes. Only a few licensed experimental stations would be able to broadcast by showing baseball games and early news programs in New York. When World War ll  began the threat of television cooled down. The war ended and a demand of television for homes tidal waved. Since a large amount of movie theaters were far into downtown and not nearby/far to travel it was one of the key reasons the demand for television was happening. People knew it was more convenient for a television to be inside of a house then traveling long distances to watch a film. These were three key reasons I was able to find by reading this article. 

What caused the end of the golden age of Hollywood? What was so significant about this change in its history? the economy improved, the government decided to limit the big studios’ grip on distribution, and in July 1938, filed another suit, this time against seven studios (Paramount, Loew’s, RKO, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Columbia and Universal) and one major distributor (United Artists). They filed lawsuits to gain more freedom for everyone else who wanted to make films, and studio ownership in movie theaters. Studios would make more profit when they had a majority of the ownership of the the movie theaters. This let the economy get better and gave creative control to all the other big and small studios. 

According to this article, why did Hollywood switch over to "talkies" so fast? Why was 1928 such a pivotal year for silent cinema? Although the transition for talkies happened so quickly in America, it did take more time in Japan to develop and arrive. The dominance of Hollywood in the world market assured that sound would soon become an international phenomenon.   Though silents would still exist in 1929, their era was not just numbered it was practically over. It was such a pivotal time because that's when talkies truly struck and split up Hollywood between two sides, talkies and silent. 

How do you think these technological advances affected filmmaking? Which 3 of these advances do you think are the most important to video and film? Why?  The first milestone was the phonograph invented by Thomas Edison it could record sound and play it, when it was released it was revolutionary. The second huge advancement I'd say was the cassette you could record and play it anywhere, practically just carry it around while it played, one problem with cassettes was there was a lot of hissing noise so not very pleasant. Digital audio was honestly the biggest advancement in sound, it allowed you to have a DAW (digital audio workstation). To me these 3 were the most important and revolutionary because they all significantly led to what sound is now.