Diegetic VS Non Diegetic Sound

 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 is a term that you'd usually hear used in reference to sound elements, but it can be used to describe video elements as well. Diegetic elements are anything within the narrative world. This is like dialogue, mise-en-scene, in-world music and in-world sound effects. Non-diegetic sounds are things like narration, external graphics, cinematic scores, and added sound effects. These aren't inside the world of the story, but they could still exist in the film. If a character is playing music from a speaker, its diegetic sound. If there's music in the background of a scene, that would be non-diegetic. It doesn't exist in the fictional world, only in the film. 

Camera VS External Recorder

 What are the benefits of recording audio on your camera vs. an external recorder?  Why would you want to use one verses the other?

Not all cameras are created equal when it comes to recording audio for video. For example DSLRs and Mirrorless cameras don't allow you to have much control over your audio. Cinema cameras usually have XLR ports though. If you're someone who requires a simple setup, recording directly on your camera could be very beneficial to you. Your audios already synced to your video, and it makes editing easy. You may want to use an external recorder though, if you need more control over what's being done to your audio, or if you need to use more mics. 

Audio Levels for Video

 What are the key points that you learned about setting our audio levels from this video?

The largest piece of advice I always hear when watching videos on how to record audio, is not to let your audio hit 0 dB. Your levels should stay around -20 to -12 dB. Unless you're recording 32 bit audio, if your audio levels peak, you won't be able to retrieve it, as it'll clip. You always want to make sure your levels aren't too low, because when you raise them in post, you'll be increasing the background noise too. You'll want to test if your levels are good by having your subject make some loud noises or laugh, and make sure those don't peak, and they don't clip. Also, Netflix and other streaming services will have guidelines on how loud your audio can be. On the Web though, it's pretty much a free-for-all, and most videos will have a large range. 

Great Audio Outdoors

 What are some challenges with recording audio outdoors? What are some ways to get around them and record great audio?

A challenge when recording audio outdoors is that you have no control over anything. All background noise and wind won't be preventable. Some ways to get around this, would be to know your mics. Know what option would be the best for you. Whether that's a wired lav mic if your subjects are close, or a wireless lav. Wireless lavs are good, because you're close to the subject's mouth, and it'll block out unwanted background noise. 

Recording Great Audio

 What are the benefits of using a microphone on a boom vs a lav vs on the camera? What are the differences between single and dual-system recording?

"Good" audio would usually be described as uncompressed, a good sampling rate, good bit depth, is between -20 and -12 decibels, and has a good amount of head room. The benefits of using a boom is that you won't need to worry about the sound of clothes rustling, and your talents can move freely. But, it might not be possible for scenes that have a lot of fast movement, because someone will need to keep up with the talents. The benefits of lavs, are that you don't need someone to hold a boom all the time, and the audio quality can still be good with lavs. Single system recording is when the audio-recording device is plugged directly into the camera. This audio will be automatically synced to the video as you record. The largest downside though, is that you'll need long wires, or have everything close together. Double system recording is when your audio device is plugged into a digital audio recorder, not the camera. This audio has to be synced to the video in post-production, but gives you more freedom with the camera. This is how I'm editing Iron Gun.

Zoom H6N Mixer

 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?

The H6N is an audio recorder that has a built in mixer. This zoom recorder has 6 outputs, so it's great to record multiple different audio inputs. This is great for if you want to lav multiple people, or use a boom mic. There's also levelers for each audio input. The recorder looks really simple and pretty easy to use. A question I'd have is how to connect it to the camera? With an XLR cable?

Lavalier Walkthrough

 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?

Lavalier microphones  are usually the standard mic people use to record themselves while filming. You simply clip it to your shirt, or tape it to your skin with medical tape. They're great for good audio, but you need to be careful, as they're sensitive, and if held too close to your mouth, the audio will distort, and it'll also pick up the rustling sound of clothes. You also have to use one lavalier per person. But, they're relatively easy to hide if you want to shoot a narrative film.  

The only question I have, is what do you do if an actor isn't wearing clothing that you can pin or discreetly tape a lav to? What if the character turns around in the shot, so you cant attach anything to their back? Would you just do ADR for that shot?

The Boom Microphone

 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?

I learned about different ways you can hold the boom mic, to try to point it towards the floor instead of the sky as most as possible, and to use an internal cable with your boom mic, instead of external, because this could add noise with the cable moving around. I still wonder how boom operators are able to keep their arms up for so long, and how they are able to keep us with the pacing of the scene. Also, what scenes use a boom, and which don't? What do they do when there's a long shot?

Mic Pickup Patterns

 What are the different pickup patterns mentioned in the video?  How are each of them different from each other?  Why would these be needed?

1. Omnidirectional ~ Records in all directions 

Good for:
- Interviews
- Moving subjects

2. Cardioid

Good for:
- Documentary
- Weddings
- Events

3. Hypercardioid (Mini-Shotguns) ~ Directional pickup pattern; good for isolating audio

Good for:
- On-camera mics
- Documentaries
- Instrument recording

4. Supercardioid (Shotgun) ~ Isolates audio while still allowing for a slight margin of error

Good for:
- Reality TV
- Scripted content

5. Lobar (Unidirectional) ~ most directional pickup pattern you can use; difficult to use

Good for:
- Narratve film
- Controlled film

6. Bidirectional ~ Figure 8 Pattern; pickup audio equally from the front and back of the mic

Good for:
- Podcasts
- Radio interviews

Walkie Talkies on Set

 How can effective walkie-talkie communication improve coordination and safety on a film set, and what are some key best practices you should follow when using them?

Walkie talkies are really effective at improving coordination and safety on a film set. It prevents the need to send someone to and from location, so it sends a lot of time. What I found really interesting, is that there can be different radio channels for different groups of people. These will be on the call sheet. It's important to understand the lingo, so that you can communicate quickly and efficiently. It's also important to stay on topic, and not joke around. Walkies should be used as a method of communication, not socializing. Also, you should keep an eye on the channel you're on, so that you stay on your designated channel, and don't accidentally mis something important. 

Different Mic Types

 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: 
- Inexpensive and durable
- Good for live music, snare drum, guitar miking, VO and broadcast
- Can't respond to sound waves quickly
- Don't need external or internal power to operate
- Can be weak in response above 10kHz

Condenser:
- Extended low and high frequency response
- Good ones are somewhat expensive
- Require either internal or external power
- Can be bulky
- Humidity and temperature can affect performance

Ribbon:
- Flat frequency response
- Better high frequency response than dynamic
- Don't need internal or external power
- Somewhat fragile
- Pretty expensive
- Good for cymbals, bass, piano, electric and acoustic guitar and brass instruments 

Mono VS Stereo

 What is the difference between stereo and mono recordings? What are 2 things that you found interesting in this article? Why?

Mono has one singular audio channel. This means that all the speakers/earbuds play one "version" of the sound. Stereo sound is the reproduction of sound with two or more audio channels. This gives the impression of sound heard from various directions. Something I found interesting is that FM radio stations use stereo sound as well. It also surprised me that the earliest use of stereo sound was in 1940. This was a lot earlier than I thought, as I assumed it was a more recent invention.  

How Star Wars Revolutionized Sound

 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?

To fully immerse his audience into his films, George Lucas adopted the recently introduced Dolby Stereo surround sound system. Included in this technology, was noise reduction. With the major success of Star Wars, people were more curious in surround sound systems. The audience was blown away by the use of sound in the film and wanted more. As theaters upgraded, it was a significant improvement. Star Wars was able to push upgrades to theaters across the nation. This was since cinemas were still sticking with audio technology that hasn't been changed much since the early days of the talkies. 

DeAnza College Tour Reflection

 After touring DeAnza College's film production facilities, what aspects of their program or resources stood out to you, and how could they influence your approach to your college and career future?

I was a bit bummed out, because we didn't tour many rooms. I didn't get to see as much as I wanted- I would've loved to see other rooms but we unfortunately only got to see the animation room and the greenscreen room. I did like their green screen room though. I like how there's student leaders as well, so people can learn from students, and students can get teaching experience. This would be really helpful, as as a student, I understand it can be daunting to ask instructors for constant help. Asking a fellow student would be really beneficial. It's also nice because then students can get experience in leadership. I think it's really beneficial to go on tours of college campuses before fully deciding on where you want to go. 

Why Is Sound Important?

 In your own words, write an in-depth reflection on three ways that sound is important in television and film?

- It immerses the audience into your film

- It can help portray emotion

- It helps the audience clearly understand what's going on in the film.

The Threat Of TV

 Why was Hollywood threatened by television? What were three key reasons it became a threat?

After World War 2, there was a high demand for television sets. Americans saved up money during the Great Depression, and when men returned from war, many families were ready to start spending their money again. People bought houses in the suburbs, and moved away from the large, crowded cities. Studios tried to get their TV licenses, but federal laws allowed the government to deny TV licenses to companies that had been convicted of engaging in monopolistic activities. It became a threat, because it was cheaper, closer (no going out of your house to the theaters), and you could simply turn the TV on when you wanted to watch things. 

The Golden Age Ends

 What caused the end of the golden age of Hollywood? What was so significant about this change in its history?

   As the economy after the Great Depression improved, the government decided to limit the big studios’ grip on distributing films. In July of 1938, they filed another suit against seven studios: Paramount, Loew’s, RKO, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Columbia and Universal and on United Artists. But, the trial was stopped two weeks after it began. On November 20, 1940, the groups reached a compromise, stating that the studios could keep ownership of the theaters, but inhibited block booking. Block booking was a term used to define a practice in which movie studios forced theaters to buy multiple films as a group, even if the theaters didn't show them all. This was common in Hollywood from the early 1930s but was outlawed in 1948. 

The Last Silent Films

 According to this article, why did Hollywood switch over to "talkies" so fast? Why was 1928 such a pivotal year for silent cinema?

    1928 was a year where both silent and sound films were being shown in theaters, and only a year later, while silent films were still being produced, they were being produced at a way slower rate. 1928 was also a year where actors would split- would they continue on in the industry, and work with sound, or would they quit? The era of "talkies" promised more money and revenue, and the film industry is based on money, of course. Because of this, producers invested all their time into "talkies" rather than silent films. 

Technological Advances

 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?

I think these advances affected filmmaking, because each step was a step closer to adding sound recordings, to video recordings. I think the phonograph was one of the most important, because it actually recorded audio for the first time. Disk records were a large advancement too, as it made audio recordings a bit easier to store. It was also able to be mass produced and sold. The gramophone was something everyone had, and I think that's a huge advancement. Finally, stereographic sound was a major advancement. This invention would lead to the full immersive experience that we experience in movie theaters.