HMCS Vancouver Pre-Deployment Brief - May 2024 (Web Version).pptx
Audio documentary masterclass
1.
2. March 24th 2021 11am-12pm
Angel Hamilton Audio Storytelling Documentary
Master Class for PTBO Audiocraft Festival with PIP
3.
4. -When you begin your audio doc script writing , make sure to be aware of describing events and include di
ff
erent
voices and paint pictures with your mind, podcasting is intimate with your voice, like you are in someone else’s mind,
and its sound without pictures, point of view and you can choose whether you want to have a narrator or have a b roll
conversations in the background or to have it be scripted and as a narrative
Sound design is about music symbolizing characters and listening close or further away from the sound and what you
want to consider when you are editing is the story beats, and story arch and Walter Murch editing ideas about pacing,
rhythm, tone and keep in mind creative writing styles like if its should be in 3rd person or 1st person and what the
impact will be on the narration
When you are mapping out and drawing out the scenes with storyboards maintain the character in relationship to the
scene and keep the perceptive of their story in mind, do lots of research to establish the audio landscape, spacial
awareness and if you are scripting the podcast, keep in mind where the mic is located and establish the experiences
of sounds in locations and experiences of sounds in interviews and experience of sounds are established by having
the mic close to the mouth and close to the immediacy of the experiences in the
fi
eld and create an audio shot list and
convey sense of place and create an audio bingo card to get all your audio needs met and create a photo story board
and story structure and use found images and found free audio sound e
ff
ects and edit according to the story structure
and dramatic story arch
What you are looking to do is to draw the mind’s eye thru the audio and story progression thru the beats of the story
like keep the mental images and visual pictures and sonic signatures and sound design in mind and think of how the
fi
eld recordings can be edited with after the fact with audio e
ff
ects in the sound mix
5. • Storytelling Techniques
• Narration
• Host
• No Narration
• Recreations/Drama
• Follow one Character
• Talking Heads
• Creative Non Fiction
• Chronological Order
• Personal Point of View
• Observational
• Chapters
• Participatory
• Poetic
• Expository
• Re
fl
exive
• Performative
• Narrative non
fi
ction
• Experimental Sound Art
6. How to Edit an Audio Documentary
• The goal in audio documentary editing is to focus on somebody with whom we have empathy. That person wants
something. Usually its di
ffi
cult to achieve. There is often a struggle, internal and external. The story has to have a satisfying
resolution and it has to be unexpected and also inevitable.
• Listening to good samples of story structure in podcasts and reading the transcripts are useful. Creating an outline of your
story and story board.
• Write an editing script from the text you have chosen from the interview and the text you write from the narration.
• Always include an opening and closing for your audio documentary
• Assemble a rough cut of the story on the timeline and practice the narration and record elements most needed for the
story
• Include room tone of the room and capture the experience and authentic moment and sound background for feeling and
• Decide if you want to include music to strengthen storytelling and if you want to have it running thru the entire piece or if
you want to have it royalty free or music you have to ask permission to have
• Always get feedback on your story and
fi
nalize the edit and export on a mp4 ideally and then upload it
7. Blake Snyder Story Beats
Storytelling Basics for Story Editing
• Opening Image: A visual represents struggle/tone of the story. Snapshot of the main character’s problem, before the adventure begins
• Set Up: Expand on the “before” snapshot. Present main character’s world as it is and what is missing in their life
• Theme Stated: what your story is about, message, truth, personal experience and context to support it
• Catalyst: moment where life as it is changes, the “before” world is no more, change is underway
• Debate: can I face this challenge? Do I have what it takes? Should I go at all? It is the last chance for the hero to chicken out
• Break Into Two: main character makes a choice and journey begins, leave “thesis word” enter upside-down, opposite world of Act Two
• B Story: this is when there is discussion about the theme, nugget of truth, discussion between love interest and main character. B story
can be “love story”
• The Promise of the Premise: when the main character explores the new world & audience is entertained by premise they have been
promised
• Midpoint: this moment is when every thing is “great” or every thing is “awful” and they get what they want or don’t want but not every thing
we think we want is what we actually need in the end
• Bad Guys Close In: doubt, jealousy, fear, both physical and emotional and attempt to defeat main character goal and situation
disintegrates
• All is Lost: opposite moment from midpoint, awful/great, moment realizes they have lost everything the gained and have no meaning,
situation looks impossible
• Dark Night of the Soul: why hast tho forsaken me? Hopelessness and must fall completely before you can pick yourself up and try again
• Break Into Three: fresh inspiration and last minute thematic advice, character tries again
• Finale: main character incorporates the them, nugget of truth that now makes sense to them,
fi
ght for the goal because of experience from
A Story and context from B Story Act Three is all about synthesis
• Final Image: opposite of opening image, proving visually that change has occurred within the character
8. Joseph Campbell Hero Journey
Classic Story Arch
• Ordinary World
• Call to Adventure
• Refusal of the Call
• Meeting the Mentor
• Crossing the Threshold
• Tests, Allies, Enemies
• Approach to Inmost Cave
• Ordeal
• Reward (Seizing the Sword)
• The Road Back
• Resurrection
• Return with the Elixir
9. 1. THE CALL TO ADVENTURE. The hero is living within their ordinary world but receives some sort of
calling to change their life and enter the unknown
.
2. REFUSAL OF THE CALL. The hero turns away from their calling because they feel some sort of obligation
to stay where they are, or fear they are not brave/smart/strong/etc. enough to begin the journey
.
3. SUPERNATURALAID. When they agree to heed the call to adventure, the hero’s guide or mentor (often
magical, wise, or superhuman in some way) appears or becomes known
.
4. THE CROSSING OF THE FIRST THRESHOLD. The hero leaves their ordinary, known world and enter
the unknown world where their journey will take place
.
5. THE BELLY OF THE WHALE. The hero completely severs their connection to the “safe” world they left
behind. In this stage, the hero makes the commitment to fully engage with the journey and transformation of
self
.
6. THE ROAD OF TRIALS. The hero goes through a series of struggles—trials that test the hero’s character
and ability.
7. THE MEETING WITH THE GODDESS. The hero encounters some sort of powerful love or embodiment
of good. The hero must earn a connection with the “goddess.
”
8. WOMAN AS THE TEMPTRESS. The hero is tempted away from their journey and ultimate reward
.
9. ATONEMENT WITH THE FATHER. The hero comes to terms with the realization that their parental/
mentor
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gure is mortal and
fl
awed. The hero may have to rely on this imperfect being for help.
10.APOTHEOSIS. The hero reaches some sort of higher understanding that equips them for the
fi
nal, most
dif
fi
cult stages of their journey/transformation
.
11.THE ULTIMATE BOON. The hero achieves what they set out to do, or acquires what they set out to obtain
.
12.REFUSAL OF THE RETURN. The hero is reluctant to leave their magical world and return to their ordinary
world.
13.THE MAGIC FLIGHT. The hero realizes they must return to their community and bring their
enlightenment/boon back. The hero may have to escape and receive supernatural assistance to return
.
14.RESCUE FROM WITHOUT. The hero may be too weakened physically or mentally to return with the boon
and must be retrieved by someone from the ordinary world
.
15.THE CROSSING OF THE RETURN THRESHOLD. The hero reconnects with the ordinary world and
must discern some way to keep their boon and integrate their new knowledge into the way that the old
world functions
.
16.MASTER OF THE TWO WORLDS. The hero understands and is able to balance the separation between the
“two worlds,” often in some material and spiritual sense. The hero bridges the gap that seems to exist between
how they began and how they have returned
.
17.FREEDOM TO LIVE. Mastering the two worlds leads to the hero’s release from fear of death. This allows
them to live without fearing their past or futur
e
18.
10. Walter Murch Editing Tips
In the Blink of an Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing, but the tenets are basically this
:
1.Emotio
n
2.Stor
y
3.Rhyth
m
4.Direction of the audience’s sigh
t
5.Bi-dimensional space of the scree
n
6.Tri-dimensional space of the actio
n
Questions to Ask Yourself
1.Did the transition from one shot to the next make you feel a certain way
?
2.Did that cut help you to understand the story
?
3.Did it happen at the right place rhythmically
?
4.Where is the eye of the audience likely to be looking
?
5.Are we convinced that person A is looking at person B
?
6.Does the cut follow the continuity of the three-dimensional reality of the space
?
11. Audio Storytelling Tips
-edit emotion
fi
rst priority
-edit according to story beats
-use rhythm, tone, create an audio landscape
-use of background and atmosphere noises
-sounds of action
-audience will notice if sound action is missing
-
What is the scene trying to achieve?
What is the point of the scene?
Is it something in the scene where you are trying to achieve a visceral impact?
How do you want to express the drama of the scene?
12. -con
fl
ict of character and action
-establishing shot and experiences of sounds in the interview
-put the mic close to the keys and have the immediacy of the soundscapes
-audio shot list and brainstorm whether in the
fi
eld or in the studio
-create a photo story board and cue cards to assemble and re assemble the puzzle pieces
-convey the sense of place and create audio bingo card
-found images and found sounds and audio pictures in your head
-record movement, senses, action, transitions, keep in mind the volume of sounds
-remind people that its a podcast so can re record it with di
ff
erent phrasing
Important to Remember
Think of podcasting as making a comic book
13. Angel’s Bike by Nathan Kopjar and Angel Hamilton 2010 Vancouver, BC
14. Take Away from Angel’s Bike
Use of narration
Use of Music
Use of Bicycle and Tra
ffi
c noise special e
ff
ects
Using music strumming as transitions
Use of music to introduce, develop the character and conclude
Pacing, Rhythm, Emotion
Use of Volume
15. StStarts out with music in the beginnin
g
Angel: This lock has been locked for six months ever since I got it in Septembe
r
and I havn't been able to unlock it because its broke off inside after I got the master lock after three days. I have been trying to get everyone and their
dog to to try to unravel this lock and I havn't been able to do it. People probably will phone the cops or phone the police station or the
fi
retruck or the
city hall but I'm worried because I got it from Craig's List and I don't have any bike license, I don't have any paper work
.
Sound effects of the traf
fi
c going b
y
Music and effects from the pizza sho
p
Angel: my very
fi
rst bike was a blue angel, it had a blue seat, a banana seat, and I was able to learn how to ride my bicycle with my brother Chad but
unfortunately my very
fi
rst time I rode my bicycle I rode right in to a house on the left hand side of Mallard's Bay. Because I am clumsy and I didn't
know how to ride properly. But it was really fun and I got back right up and I had little tassles on the side on the handle bars, so I have been living in
Vancouver for the last year and a half. I have moved around four or
fi
ve times, something like that, different places. I have moved around from an
apartment where I was taking care of my friend Jodi's rabbits, and then I moved to my own place, and then I couldn't afford that, so I moved to my
friend Christine's place, and I then I couldn't afford that, and then I moved to Tent City, and then after moving to Tent City, I moved to Gillian's
apartment, and now I am about to move to some place else, because I can't really live there anymore,
16. music in the background creates a moo
d
Angel: I'm apparently broke, I apparently have no money, apparently unemployed, and I don't have any mone
y
Angel: Because I'm broke, I just feel ashamed and humiliated, that I can't even resolve the situation, It's limiting my ability to engage within my
community, and participating in attending events such as theatre and yoga classes, food and housing and basic needs, and it doesn't help with my
con
fi
dence, and self respect, it makes me feel like a loser, especially living in the city, in a materialistic culturally capitalistic obsessed culture,
makes you feel like you're not able to live up to the standards of living which is the status quo, and then you feel like you're unhappy, or unful
fi
lled
and you feel like no matter how much education you have, no matter how much spiritual and creative energy that you have, within this society, if
you don't have the cash, you're pretty much nothing, and it's been unresolved such a long time that its kind of embarassing, and I feel embarassed,
that my bike is still locked up, and I probably should've been unlocking it a long time ago, instead of proscrasting and allowing the thing to rust the
entire winter,
Angel: I got this hand saw from my friend Tzvi, I will start the process of freeing my bicycle, cut through rubber, I don't know about the steel,
sound of saw, sounds of traf
fi
c,
17. Angel: I don't have a car or a license, after a while after its unlocked, I'd be able to ride around and go to work, go to school, and visit my friends, and get groceries, the bicycle would be very
helpful, in getting that all done,
action audio of saw during narration
Angel: I don't think it will be able to go thru steel, I really really like, with all my intuition, with all my educated guess, with all my knowledge, with all my being, I don't think that's going to
go thru steel,
Angel: I continue to
fi
nd myself in a cycle of avoiding things that need to be resolved, and procrastinating on resolving things that I see as problems, that are actually challenges that could be
met one at a time, to be able to build my self respect and my dignity, and be able to empower myself to make positive changes in my life, and that bike is mine and I deserve it, and I am good
enough for it, and it's okay to have my bicycle, it's okay to ride my bicycle, and to have it locked up, is to lock up my freedom,
Angel: I have a bicycle that is locked up on Commercial Drive and Broadway,
for the last number of months unfortunately, and I havn't freed it, its actually rusted and stuff, so I'm wondering how do I break my bicycle lock, what kind of tool would I need to break my
lock
?
18. Hardware Store Guy: What kind of lock is it
?
Angel: It's a master lock. Its one of those u locks,
Hardware Store Guy: It is very dif
fi
cul
t
Angel: That is what I am discovering
Hardware Store Guy: Your best bet is to call a licensed lock smit
h
Angel: Oh oka
y
Hardware Store Guy: they would have tools to open i
t
Angel: Oh I se
e
Hardware Store Guy: Even the bolt cutter or anything would not do
,
Angel: that's what I was thinking too, that's what deterred me, I trie
d
Hardware Store Guy: yea if it worked then everyone would tr
y
music strumming transition
Angel: if you're continously
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nding yourself fearful and scared in like a phobia, of being on the bicycle, and not able to address those fears and you just keep
putting up barriers and excuses, you end up just self repeating, self ful
fi
lling prophesy, a cycle,
music strumming transition over top of narration
19. music strumming gets lounde
r
Angel: It's gripping! It's so gripping!
okay, I am so excited!
Angel: We did it
!
yea my bike is free!
!
Now my bike is free!
!
It's free I tell you!!
I can't wait to bike it. I can't wait to ride my bike. That's exhilerating more power tools!!
Its all rusty. I don't even know if it will run. poor thing. Are you ready freddy? It's kind of cold out here.
sounds of traf
fi
c going by and sound of tire on cement as bike sets off
,
I did it, I did it.
music strumming again for credits
"On a Bike with a Guitar
"
Megan Gerbradt
https://megangerbrandt.bandcamp.com/release
s
23. Circus Boy Documentary Directed by LA Alfonso & co producer Angel Hamilton & Troy Armstrong and Camera by
Rob Viscardis and Pawel Dwulit Music by Jared Bemner & Music Mix by Michael Phillips
24.
25. Take Away from Circus Boy Podcast Series by LA Alfonso for Audio Storytelling
-use of composed music
-use of narration
-use of sound e
ff
ects
-use of music mixing
-use of volume adjustment
-use of story beats and story arch
-pacing, rhythm, timing, transitions
-
26. Poly Sex Con
fi
dential Directed By Angel Hamilton
Take Away Notes:
-use of music
-use of audio interviews
-use of story beats and story arch
-use of sound e
ff
ects
27. A Fool’s Tale Directed by Angel Hamilton
Take Away Notes:
-music from Harry Manx
-music from Cinematic Orchestra
-use of foley and sound e
ff
ects
-use of
fi
eld recordings
-use of narration
-use of interviews
-use of beats and story arch
-use of timing, pacing, rhythm
-use of silence
-use of composed music
-use of music audio mixing
-use of audio archives
28. Free Don Directed by Angel Hamilton
Take Away Notes for Audio Storytelling
-use of music
-use of interviews
-use of b roll
-use of archives
-use of story arch
-use of story beats
-use of tone, pacing, rhythm
29. SoundProof is produced and edited by Lester Alfonso with help from co-producer Carley Von Spronsen and
audio engineer Michael Phillips. Only Then Will Your House Be Blessed includes contributions from Angel
Hamilton, Harry Manx, and Lester Alfonso. Check out www.soundsgoodmikey.com for all your professional
recording studio needs. Thanks to Alex and to all the staff and volunteers at Trent Radio 92.7FM CFFF in
beautiful Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.
30.
31. Take Away for Sound Proof Harry Manx Interview by Angel Hamilton
-
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eld recording, interview, sound e
ff
ects, music
-use of pacing, rhythm, story beats, timing, story arch, comedy, narration
-intro, outro scripted
-use of sound storyboard and use of sound shot list
32. Soundproof podcast audio documentary podcast by
LA Alfonso
Interview with Angel Hamilton
Take Home Notes:
-use of music
-use of sound e
ff
ects
-use of story beats
-use of story arch
-use of archives
-use of foley
-use of pacing, rhythm, timing, pause
-use of volume
-use of dramatic devices
33. http://www.lesteralfonso.com/birthmark/
Take Away for Birthmark
-Example of a podcast audio doc series turning in to feature documentary
-example of how to fundraise for crowd funding and art grants with use of podcast
-audio documentary story editing example with narration,
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eld recordings, interviews, music, sound e
ff
ects
34. Examples of Sound Design:
Light Saber: combo of
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lm projectors, motor hum, tv interference and waving a mic in front of the speaker to create the
swooshing savers
Velcripraptor: mixing dolphin shriek with a walrus roar to create a raptor speech for Jurassic Park
Saving Private Ryan: recording period artillery to maximize authenticity of battle scenes
My favourite
fi
lmmakers who use the best sound design are the Coen Brothers with “Raising Arizona”
David Lynch “Erasurehead” can
fi
nd them on Criterion Collection
The Matrix, Jaws, Slumdog Millionaire, Inception, Logan, Barton Fink
Sound Designer Examples: Tasos Fratzolas and Paul Rabjohns
Books to read about Sound Design & Filmmaking
“Designing Sound” by Andy Farnell
“Sound Design: Expressive Power of Music, Voice *& Sound E
ff
ects in Cinema by David Sonnenschein
35. Podcasting Resources
Association for Independents in Radio
NPR Training
Audio Recording Equipment:
Zoom H5 audio recorder
Cell Phone Call Recording:
Tape A Call
Ringr
Editing Resources:
Adobe Audition
Audacity
Reaper
Garage Band
Transcription Programs:
O Transcribe
Hosting Platform: PIP or Sound Cloud
Check out Sundance Co/lab
Master Class Creating Soundscape for your Film
Audio Storytelling with George Lavender
Murray Stiller is my Audio Teacher and he published Sound Design for Filmmakers on Kindle
