Film and Television

Every sound in every TV show or movie you’ve ever seen was deliberately recorded and placed. Some audio elements are captured during filming; this is called the “production” stage. Many more are added once the filming is complete, in the “post-production” stage. Post-production audio elements may be captured live or created from scratch — whatever it takes to transport the audience into another world. Ironically, the best audio in film and TV is so detailed and perfect that you’d never guess how much effort went into it.

Working in production you might operate a boom microphone alongside the camera operators. Your challenge is finding the best recording position while keeping the mic out of the director’s shot.

Post-production is the final stage of film and TV audio. In fact, it’s often the final stage of the entire production, meaning you’re the last one to see (and hear) the product before it’s distributed. In the beginning, tasks involve transfers, duplication and developing an understanding of the entire process. Eventually you’ll be editing dialogue, background music or sound effects.

In fact, sound effects may be the most interesting part of film and TV audio production. What does a 25th century matter transporter sound like? You figure it out by synthesizing it digitally or combining and adjusting the pitch and speed of existing effects. You might also travel the world capturing sounds in remote destinations like 1990 OIART graduate Rob Nokes. A Supervising Sound Editor who worked on Disney’s hockey tale Miracle, Nokes reveals some surprising tricks of the trade on the film’s bonus DVD. For example, the actual sound of a puck hitting the ice was not very dramatic or exciting. His solution? Drop a dumbbell instead.