1. S I G A R E T T U B U K K E T T F J U R I
S O U N D D E S I G N & P R O D U C T I O N
M O D U L E 8
2.
3. I N T R O D U C T I O N
A N A L Y S I N G A U D I O - V I S U A L P R O J E C T S
I N V E S T I G A T I N G R E C O R D I N G T E C H N I Q U E S & E Q U I P M E N T
S T O R Y B O A R D I N G
R E C O R D I N G & P R O D U C T I O N
P O S T P R O D U C T I O N
4. R E C O R D , E D I T A N D P R O D U C E S O U N D .
T H I S U N I T W I L L D E V E L O P T H E S K I L L S R E Q U
R A N G E O F E Q U I P M E N T O N L O C A T I O N A N D
E N A B L I N G T H E M T O U N D E R S T A N D T H E S O U N D R E C O R D
T E C H N I Q U E S R E Q U I R E D A N D
S O U N D R E C O R D I S T / P R O D U C E R . T H E Y W I L L U
A P P R O P R I A T E S E L E C T I O N O F E Q U I P M E N
5. S O U N D .
L E A R N E R S W I L L U S E A
I R E D T O
D I N T H E S T U D I O ,
D I N G
T O D E V E L O P S K I L L S A S A
S E A N
N T T O E D I T A N D P R O D U C E
THIS ABSTRACT EDITORIAL PIECE
PRESENTS OUR PRODUCTION JOURNAL
FOR OUR AUDIO-VISUAL PROJECT
7. E X P L A I N I N G M A I N E L E M E N T S
D E S C R I B I N G P E R S O N A L A T T I T U D E S
C O M P A R I N G D I F F E R E N T A R T S O F C O M P O S I T I O N
8. R E S E A R C H & P R E S E N T A T I O N
R E S O N A N C E
A M E R I C A N H O R R O R S T O R Y
S A F E
9. For this task we were required to research various
audio-visual projects and analyse their audio. After
exploring various works we decided to focus on
three distinctive projects, Resonance, the opening
sequence of American Horror Story 2 and the
trailer of the movie Safe. Resonance is a project
that explores the relationship between geometry
and audio in unique ways. The perfect combination
of abstract 3D visuals and audio were very inspiring
for our project. The opening sequence of American
Horror Story 2 made use of many short diverse
sounds which were fully synchronised with the
visuals in quite a unique way. Its contrasting audio
gives the feeling of a sound through a silent visual.
The experimental footage and its quick transitions
give the sound designer the opportunity to combine
many different sounds with individual shots. In the
trailer of the movie Safe the mood changes quite
frequently hence keeping the viewer interested in
every scene. The sound is used in an effective way
both to build up suspense and during calmer shots.
Contrary to the other works, this trailer contains
various melodic pieces throughout.
With the help of these three audio-visual projects we
managed to combine elements from all of them and
produce our own unique piece of work.
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28. This unit was very challenging for
me since I never had the opportunity
to produce a complete audio-visual
project of this sort.
Throughout this unit I learnt how
such project are created and how
sound can be edited in order to
produce synchronised audio and
visuals. We all worked very well as I
group and I feel that we have come a
long way in this unit since none of us
knew how to edit sound and how to
sync it with the footage we had.
Although everyone had a different
role we all worked together as a
group. We filmed the shots and the
recorded the sound together and
everyone pitched in the ideas both
during the creation of the storyboard
and even while we were on location. I
feel that this project was a successful
collaborative project and we are very
satisfied with the final outcome.
Starting this module I had literally
no idea how sound design works.
I was always affectionate at so
many diverse projects I’ve looked
at over the internet that consisted
of abstract visuals with perfectly
synced audio. Never really had the
chance to try and create something
of my own, not to mention that I had
no knowledge whatsoever to what
digital audio workstation to use.
Through this module I’ve learned how
sound effects can be manipulated
in so many creative ways so as to
produce beautifully audio design
which can than be easily combined
with different visuals.
In the beginning it was quite difficult
to adapt to this module as none of
us had no idea from were to start,
however as we got used to it we
straight away started working on our
project, were each and everyone of
us had an very vital part to the group.
O U R P E R S O N A L P O I N T O F V I E W O N S O U N D
29. D D E S I G N & P R O D U C T I O N
The Sound Design & Production
module was quite fun and
challenging. It was completely
different from the other modules
we’ve learnt so far. Before this
module was ready, I had no idea
how sound design and production
could be carried out, nor had any
knowledge about digital audio
workstations. By means of using
Avid Protools, through several
experiments on recorded sounds,
raw sounds where given a new form
and use, which then could be added
to the final experimental audio-
visual. Together with my other team
mates, we planned a step by step
structure, where work was divided
amongst us four. Planning consisted
of the selection of loctions of filming,
props, cast and most important the
sounds that needed to be recorded.
We all did our best and since we all
had the same style of audio-visuals
in mind, we all worked well together
towards one aim and all the team is
fulfilled with ‘Sigarett u Bukket Fjuri’
During our HND course last year,
I got very excited when we were
told that we will be having a Sound
Design and Production unit in the
Degree course. Anything related to
videography is what I like doing most,
and in any type of video, sound is as
important as the visuals.
During this unit I have become more
familiar with the different sound
elements, effects and equipment
and now I find myself going deeper
into the music/sounds that I listen
to and analyse their build up, and I
believe that this has helped me a real
lot for the sound development of our
project.
I feel that us as a group, all of us
being very green in the sound
department, have managed to
develop our idea for the audio-visual
project into a good one. I enjoyed
working on this project with the team
and hopefully together we will work
on something similar in the near
future.
30. P R O J E C T R E C O R D I N G & P R O D U C T I O N
31. R E C O R D I N G & M A N I P U L A T I N G S O U N D S
C O M B I N G I N G S O U N D S T O G E T H E R T O S T A R T
A N A U D I O - V I S U A L P R O D U C T I O N
33. We started off by exploring different
techniques that could have been
helpful for both the visuals and
sound recording. Being an audio-
visual project we kept in mind that
the combination of the audio had to
be perfectly synced and versatile to
be easily mastered. We all agreed
on an experimental style of visuals
and quick transitions, therefore we
needed a large amount of different
shots to work with. The early
idea was to create visuals using
liquids however this was further
developed into sequential shots
of various elements in different
environments. The storyboard was
drawn to incorporate the different
objects that were going to be used.
Locations were chosen to blend with
the atmosphere we wanted to create
with the audio used.
37. The first location chosen for filming
was St.Paul’s Bay’s playground.
Before the actual filming and sound
recording took place, we visited
the location to make sure that the
area was appropriate for what we
had in mind. Then we restructured
the storyboard and added some
more shots which were applicable.
We also listed some more sound
effects which could be created in the
playground environment. The next
day we went for the actual filming,
taking all the equipment needed.
We first took the shots and then
continued by recording the different
sound effects according to the
footage taken. A particular sound
which had to be very prominent in
our video, that of the swing, could not
be recorded through the swing itself
due to a huge amount of background
noise and also because the sound
produced by the swing was of a low
amplitude. Hence the sound effect
recorded was that of a squeaking
gate. Other sound effects were
recorded using combination of things
for example knocking on a wooden
door and hitting a metal board.
38. I D E N T I F Y I N G A R A N G E
O F R E C O R D I N G T E C H N I Q U E S
A N D P R A C T I C E S
39. During the making of, of this project,
we all took different roles, Rachel
and Rowena were filming, since
they had the appropriate cameras to
do so while Graziella and Noeleen
where taking care of the props and
setting the scene accordingly. It was
a collaborative task to record the
sound needed, with one or two of us
helping in the making of it, and the
A C O L L A B O R A T I V E P R O J E C T
others taking care of the recording
itself. Sometimes this had to be
repeated since in some recordings
the background noise was very
prominent and it was interfering too
much with the main sound.
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42. The second part of the
footage were taken
in an old townhouse.
The first filming was
done in the kitchen; the
whistling kettle and the
frying egg shots. the
shot of the kettle was
a little bit challenging
since we had to position
ourselves correctly
in order to avoid
reflections. The audio
had to be taken at a
different time for the
same reason.
T H E
T H E W H
43. O L D T O W N H O U S E
I S T L I N G K E T T L E
A N D T H E F R Y I N G
E G G
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47. I D - D A R T A N - N A N N A
F I L - K Ċ I N A
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53. We then moved on to film the
telephone shots. We managed to
take a lot of different shots that
where linearly combined. These
shots were later combined with
the abstract footage to acquire a
contrasting mood. The dailing sound
was recorded on location while
the whispering melodic sound that
will be heard from the phone, was
recorded later. To extend the same
gloomy ambience we also decided
to include a part of the horror film
Nosferatu. From this film we decided
to use a shot of Nosferatu’s shadow
and a shot of creepy spiders. Then
we reconstructed our version of both
shots with the same basic elements.
54.
55. C R E A T I V E L Y
M A N I P U L A T I N G S O U N D S
I N O R I G I N A L
W A Y S
56. To break off the sequence of moving
image we introduced a short stop
motion of a shoe doing up its
shoelaces until both ends get tied
together. The sound used was edited
to be a quick repetitive effect which
had a pitch increase for better
effectiveness. In the last seconds
we adopted a calmer enviroment to
move away from the chaotic sounds
and visuals so to help in diminishing
all the effects till the ending.
The first idea was to never show
any visuals which will lead to the
title of the project, but after some
discussion we chose to film a
cigarette and a bouquet of flowers
in the very last part of the project
which will help the viewer to
visualise the title in the end.
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58. N O S F E R A T U
A S Y M P H O N Y O F H O R R O R
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61. P R O T O O L S
A D I G I T A L A U D I O W O R K S T A T I O N
