Entertainment Research

Project Dissertation: An
Investigation Into Sound
Design For Animation Film

(BSc) Music Technology
Supervisor: Marc Estibeiro
Co Supervisor: Simon Waite
Student Number: 10002267

Faculty of Arts and Creative Technologies



Abstract
This report consists of an investigation into sound design for an animation film. The
animated film used for this project is a bonus clip from the Despicable me DVD box
set. The outcome of this report is to have a greater understanding of the process
involved in creating sound design for an animated film. The research for this project
will dissect sound design into sound effects, dialogue, musical composition, film score
and a 5.1 surround sound mix. The research carried out on these topics will provide an
in depth look how one would tackle sound design for an animated film.

The overall aims of the project where achieved to a certain degree. The sound effects
were, for the most part, recorded using the Foley techniques researched. The dialogue
was recorded and implemented into the film without any major problems occurring. The
film score was created, completed and implemented into the project. The musical
composition was outsourced due to too much time being spent on it.









Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank the following for their continued support and patience
throughout the project.

Lecturers

Name: Mr. Marc Estibeiro Location: C158, Beacon

Name: Mr. Simon Waite Location: C204, Beacon





And finally the project would like to thank Jules Davis for providing the vocals and
helping record the Foley Sounds throughout this project.


















Contents
Abstract ............................................................................................................................ 2
Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... 3
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 8
2. Aims & Objectives .................................................................................................... 10
2.1 Aims .................................................................................................................................. 11
2.2 Objectives ......................................................................................................................... 11
3. Research ..................................................................................................................... 12
3.1 Foley .................................................................................................................................. 13
3.1.1The man behind Foley ................................................................................................. 13
3.1.2 Foley why do we use it? .......................................................................................... 14
3.1.3 Process of Foley ............................................................................................................. 14
3.1.3.1 Footsteps .................................................................................................................. 14
3.1.3.2 Recording props ...................................................................................................... 15
4. Film score & music composition ...................................................................................... 17
4.1 Film score the process involved .................................................................................... 19
4.1.1The spotting session .................................................................................................... 19
4.1.2Timecoding .................................................................................................................. 19
4.1.3 Creating the music ...................................................................................................... 20
4.1.4 Syncing the music to picture ...................................................................................... 20
5. The creation of digital sound effects ................................................................................ 23
5.1 Synthesizers ................................................................................................................... 23
5.1.1 Additive synthesis ...................................................................................................... 23
5.1.2 Subtractive synthesis .................................................................................................. 24
6. Sound manipulation ........................................................................................................... 25
6.1 Environments ................................................................................................................. 25
6.2 The doppler effect ......................................................................................................... 26
7. Automated dialogue replacement ..................................................................................... 28
7.1 Microphone placement .................................................................................................. 28
7.2 Modifying voiceovers .................................................................................................... 28
8. Surround sound mix .......................................................................................................... 30
8.1 Why surround sound? .................................................................................................... 30
8.2 The art of panning ......................................................................................................... 31
8.3The limitations of surround sound .................................................................................. 33
9. Method ....................................................................................................................... 35
9.1Pre production .................................................................................................................. 36
9.1.1Sound map ................................................................................................................... 36
9.1.2 Foley recording and finding the sounds ..................................................................... 36
9.1.3 Sound manipulation .................................................................................................... 37
9.1.4 Recording and modifying dialogue ............................................................................ 37
9.1.5 Film score and musical composition .......................................................................... 37
9.1.6 Surround sound mix ................................................................................................... 38
10. Results ...................................................................................................................... 39
10.1 Foley recording and sound resources .......................................................................... 40
10.1.1Subtle footsteps ......................................................................................................... 40
10.1.2 Props ......................................................................................................................... 41
10.1.3 Sound resources ........................................................................................................ 41
10.2 Sound manipulation ....................................................................................................... 42
10.2.1 Bring the characters to life ....................................................................................... 42
10.2.2 Creating immersive environments ............................................................................ 43
10.3 Film score and musical composition ............................................................................ 45
10.3.1Musical composition ................................................................................................. 45
10.3.2 Film score ................................................................................................................. 46
10.4 Surround sound mix ...................................................................................................... 48
10.4.1 Mixing in logic pro ................................................................................................... 48
10.4.2The center speaker ..................................................................................................... 49
10.4.3The rear channels ....................................................................................................... 49
10.4.4 The LFE channel ...................................................................................................... 50
11. Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 51
12. Evaluation ................................................................................................................ 53
13. References ................................................................................................................ 56
Bibliography .................................................................................................................. 57
13. Appendices ............................................................................................................... 59
13.1 Detailed sound analysis ................................................................................................. 60
13.2 Narrators script ............................................................................................................. 63
13.3 Doppler effect ................................................................................................................. 64
13.4 Sound map ...................................................................................................................... 65
13.5 Tonal empathy of the characters .................................................................................. 69
13.6 The Recording academy's producers & engineers wing: Recommendations for
surround sound production .................................................................................................. 71
13.7 DVD 1 .............................................................................................................................. 79
13.7.1 ................................................................................................................................... 79
13.7.2 Sound Library ........................................................................................................... 79
13.7.3 5.1 surround sound mix Logic pro file ..................................................................... 79
13.7.4 Electronic copy of Dissertation ................................................................................ 79
13.8 DVD 2 .............................................................................................................................. 79
13.8.1 Standard definition DVD with DVD menu .............................................................. 79












1. Introduction

















The art of storytelling for a motion picture is to make sounds invoke myth, suspend
reality and to create emotion. It is the combination of sight & sound that immerses the
audience, an experience like no other. A true sound designer would have to hone their
ability to inaugurate impression & expression within their work. A sound designers job
is to blend sounds into a scene or environment without the audience perception of it,
leading the audience down a path that is authentic & immersive.

The project entails an investigation into sound design for two animation films. The
investigation is carried out in a number of steps. First of all, a determination must be
made on what types of sounds are present within each animation film. Then research
must be carried out, to determine the process of applying the sounds to the animation
films. The project will make use of several different methods of creating sounds &
recording sounds, such as Foley recording, the use of synthesizers and automated
dialogue replacement.

The research aspect of this project will be to investigate the different types, sound
design techniques & the tools needed, recording methods & the musical composition
process.














2. Aims & Objectives

















The following will elaborate the aims & objectives of the project and an evaluation will
be carried out after the method has been competed.

2.1 Aims
The aim of the project is to investigate the creation & implementation of sound design
for animation films. Once the project is completed, the following aims will be achieved

The creation & implementation of sound design for an animation films
A complied sound library of the animation films.
The creation of a piece of music to accompany the animation film
2.2 Objectives
In order to achieve the aims listed above the following tasks must be carried out.

Research relevant information regarding the creation of sound fx,
soundscapes for ambience, Foley recording & and the process involved in
Automated dialogue replacement.
Carry out research relating to the theoretical aspect of sound design, such as
room acoustics and its effect on the environment within the animated world.
Research into sound maps as this will aid in the implementation stage
Research into film score & music composition
Research into different types of microphones used in the Automated
dialogue replacement. This will help in producing the best vocal recording.
Preform a critical analyses of the completed work to ensure that all sounds
are correctly applied to the animation films




3. Research








3.1 Foley
In order to understand the concept of the art of Foley, It is important to examine its
roots & heritage. An examination will be carried out on the processes involved in Foley
as this will help in defining a clear outlook on Foley & approach it in a clear & precise
manner during the implementation stage of the project.
3.1.1The man behind Foley
The Term Foley was coined after a man named Jack Foley. Jack was man of many
traits. The term sound design was unheard of. One of the first films jack experimented
with sound design was a silent musical, what might seem strange today, back them
people would love to watch a Broadway musical, even without sound as travelling to
New York was out of the question. Showboat was the musical, a film that would
allow Jack to become an expert in creating sounds for filmmaking. (Ament, 2009)

Jack, accompanied with the orchestra, singers & sound people, applied the sound
directly into the film including sounds such as clapping, footsteps and any objects they
could find that produced a interesting sound. (Ament, 2009)
It is important to remember that, back them, they where no set of guidelines to follow,
no books to study, it was all new. No one was doing what jack was doing before.
(Ament, 2009)

As the research carried out on the history of Jack Foley draws to its conclusion, it is
important to note what can be taken from it & applied to the project in question. Jack
Foley was a man who took risks in exploring the sounds that objects possessed. What
seemed like boring & mundane sounding objects to us, jack saw it differently; jack saw
the bounty of sounds these objects possessed when combined together. This vision
brought films to life & changed the film industries perception of sound within films
(Ament, 2009).


3.1.2 Foley why do we use it?

Most often or not sounds within films, at some point need to be replaced. This is due to
the fact that the sounds recorded initially are not clear enough to represent the action the
sound is in tandem with. According to Sonnenschein (2009) he states that

Whatever sound is synchronized to the image is the sound being emitted by that
image.

What can be taken from this is that whatever sound is representing a particular image
must be fully representative of that image for example if the image is an explosion then
the sound must convey the same intensity of an explosion in order for it to work. If the
initial sounds used were clean & clear, then there would be no reason to recreate this
sound. If a scenario arises that would require the sound to be replaced (which it will),
then the Foley artist must step in to recreate the desired sound effect. (Sonnenschein,
2001).

3.1.3 Process of Foley
In order to understand & implement Foley into the current project it is important to
delve deeper into the Foley world. To do this an examination of different methods of
acquiring particular sounds must take place. Below are some key areas that have been
examined in order to establish a broader view on what to consider when recording
Foley. The research will be examining the methods discussed in the book The Foley
Grail particularly chapters seven & eight, where the author discusses the art of
recording footsteps & recording props. This will give an insight into the mind of a Foley
artist & learn their particular ways of approaching Foley. (Ament, 2009)

3.1.3.1 Footsteps

When recording footsteps theres a lot to consider before even beginning recording. The
Foley artist must examine the shoe the surface comes into contact with, the microphone
used, the distance from the object emitting the sound & the room in which the sound is
recorded all affects the sound in some shape or form. For any beginner to Foley this
seems like a daunting & time-consuming task but the author quickly reassures the
reader that although choosing a shoe for the character is not simple, but as one gains
experience, eliminating improper shoes becomes easier .It is important to look at this
statement for all sounds one wishes to record Foley, that no matter how difficult it is at
first, it always becomes easier once one gains experience & learns the trade. (Ament,
2009)


3.1.3.2 Recording props
When recording props, the Foley artist usually has a collection of sounds that arise
frequently throughout the process. This allows the Foley artist to concentrate on the
unique sounds that are present within each scene.
When researching recording props in the book the Foley grail the author discusses the
everyday objects that Foley artists record. In particular the author discusses the
recording of paper and how it is approached. When recording paper it is important not
to view all paper used in any film as one sound but to treat it uniquely. For example
when a page is turned in a book it is important that a page turned in a book is recorded
(Ament, 2009).

The author also states that when recording the paper sound, it is important for the Foley
artist to familiarize himself/herself with the microphone and the environment, as it is
difficult to determine the uniqueness of each paper movement as the microphone will
add a quality to the paper, which can be hard to judge (Ament, 2009).

When recording paper, Ament (2009) he states that more is less, as a balance is needed
between clarity & character. Recording the paper movement needs to be clean and clear
(Ament, 2009).
From examining the process of Foley, by researching footsteps & recording props from
the book the Foley grail. It is evident that one must look at the many facets to
consider when recording Foley sounds. One must first look at the environment and the
surfaces the objects sound comes into contact with, as this will help in producing a
sound that fits into the film. The second reason would be to examine the sound such as
defining its characteristics and to do this one must record the sound in multiple takes so
that clear understanding of what is need to get the best results possible. (Ament, 2009)
















4. Film score & music composition
When one examines the evolution of film music, its quite difficult for todays audience
to comprehend what it was like for the film audience back in the 1849. Back then the
only sounds that were heard was the noisy projector. The mouths would move, a dog
might bark and two swords might clash but without sound it is hard to convey the
intensity of any particular scene (Davis, 2011).

The first documented case of sound accompanying film is in 1985 when the Lumiere
family screened some of its early films. The music that accompanied these films was
taken from previously released music. There was no emphasis placed on the dramatic
importance of the music within the film, it was there to offer a new dimension to the
audiences experience.
As interest in films began to grow so did the music. Now most theaters had an element
of live music accompanying a film, such a piano or an organ or in some cases even a
small orchestra. (Davis, 2011)

With this innovation a composer could now create a canvas of emotional insight into the
drama through the medium of music. This was a huge step forward as the composer
could compose a piece of music to accompany the film, which could be shown
anywhere. However with this new technology taking over it meant that theater
musicians would eventually be phased out.

At this time Accompanying music to films was a difficult & costly task to accomplish,
as it was impossible to record the music separately from the rest of the film. The
process could last two to three days for one song & if they messed up they would have
to start all over again. (Davis, 2011)


This was a nightmare for all involved musicians, actors, director and
soundmen. Sometimes a short song could take two or three days to record. In
addition, there could be no edits afterward or the music would be ruined: the
soundtrack would have jumps and blips (Davis, 2011).

As the film industry grew overtime so did the technology available to them. In 1939 the
film industry developed its first scoring stage, which allowed filmmakers, the freedom
of placing the music anywhere they wanted. This was because the film industry now
had the ability to record music by itself. No longer did music & dialogue have to be
recorded together. Now music, dialogue & sound effects could be mixed together &
work in tandem with each other, which today it is known as dubbing (Davis, 2011).

It is also worth mentioning that because all the elements where separate, it allowed the
filmmaker to adjust the volume of each element, no longer would the music drowned
out the dialogue, Each scene could now flow seamlessly into the next. (Davis, 2011)

As the film industry traversed into a world where music became an important aspect
within films, there where still some factors that needed to be ironed out. One of those
factors was the need to justify music visually.

According to Davis (2011)

Audiences had been accepting music with no need for a visual justification
from the beginning of films.

It took a lot of trail & error for the industry to find its way in discovering a scenario,
which worked best. The decision they arrived at was to bring music in & out when the
film required it.

From the research carried out it is clear that music still plays an important part in the
film industry. Although music composition isnt the sole provider for sound within
films in todays industry, it is still clear on it purpose in that it offers even more than it
previously did. This is clearly evident when looking at the research complied. The
research mentions that the film score was responsible for portraying everything sound
related within films, now that films include Foley & dialogue the film score can focus
on evoking emotion & creating ambience.


4.1 Film score the process involved
When implementing a film score into a film, it is important to understand how the
process is completed. The research carried out here will examine the process of
completing a film score for this current project. The research will examine the various
techniques mentioned in the book Complete guide to film scoring and will conclude
with the best possible technique to utilize for the project. (Davis, 2011)


4.1.1The spotting session
In most modern films today the composer becomes involved when the film has reached
the post-production stage. This is where the composer attends a spotting session with
the producer. According to Davis (2011)

The major decisions in this meeting are: where the music will begin and end
for each cue.

The term cue is represents a segment of music within a film, while a score represents
the films music from start to finish. Once the spotting session has concluded, the
composer can begin to work the film.


4.1.2Timecoding
For most films the music editor completes timing notes for every cue. Timing notes also
called cue sheets, which is a list of detailed descriptions of everything that happens with
that cue. The music editor has to be precise, with timings of the hundredth of a
second This allows the composer to find the precise moments to synchronize the cue
& it also allows the composer to find the correct tempos for each cue. (Davis, 2011)

In todays growing age of technological advances most composers will digitally
sequence their scores by playing along with the film.
This process is ideal for this project as timecoding is not a necessity, as the composer
will have the visual stimulant of the video in front him. This process allows for a more
creative approach as the composer is using his creative ability to determine the
appropriate timecode for the film, which could create some interesting cue that might
not have approached if the music editor had completed the cue sheets. (Davis, 2011)


4.1.3 Creating the music
Creating cues for films is just a creative process as it is technical. It is important to have
a clear foundation of what you are trying to accomplish with the music for each film.
According to Davis (2011)

Knowing what you want to say dramatically, emotionally and
psychologically these are all extremely important.

It is important to note the emotion of the characters, as this will determine the intensity
of the cue. It is important for the cue not to over shadow the dialogue but to enhance it.

Once the intensity of the film has been determined, the composer can now look at what
musical elements can convey this. If the film is of high intensity, then the use of big
orchestral sounds & a fast tempo could be utilized. If the film is of low intensity, then
the use of soft piano sounds can be utilized.


4.1.4 Syncing the music to picture
In todays advancing world of technology, the composer & his music editor have a
plethora of methods available to them to sync the music to picture. The traditional
method of syncing the music to picture would have been to use the timing notes the
music editor had prepared & create individual cues from that, but considering todays
digital world, according to Davis (2011)

It is possible to score an entire film without ever creating any timing notes.

This is done using a Digital Audio Workstation (daw). In fact Davis (2011) states

This is how many composers work, especially those that write directly into a
sequencing program.

The first step in syncing music to film is to view the cue several times. This allows the
composer to establish the pace of the cue & can contribute in establishing the tempo of
the music. (Davis, 2011)

When the composer & music editor has established an approximate tempo, they then
consider where the sync points should be or if there is a need for it. In animation films
& old cartoons there are many sync points as the music mimics the action directly,
with the music following the action beat by beat (Davis, 2011).



Once the composer & music editor to a conclusion on the sync points for the cue, they
then must make a determination on how the music will collaborate with the sync points
so that the sync points are relative to the downbeats to the music.

Once this has been established, the composer must choose a synchronization method.
There are a lot of methods available such as a click track, clock, or punches &
streamers. A click track would be required if the cue has a lot of sync point & the music
is fast. If the tempo of the cue increase & slows down then punches & streamers would
be utilized & finally if there are no sync points then a clock would be used. (Davis,
2011)

From the research carried out it has been concluded that the project would be best
approached by, first carrying out a spotting session as this will help identify a clear
understanding of what type of film score will be created. Once this has been established
the film composer will begin to create the film score. It was found that a timecode
wouldnt be necessary as technology as advanced enough that the entire film score can
be composed using a DAW, with the aid of the film as a visual stimulant as a guide. To
synchronize the film score to the film, it was concluded that a clock would be use as
there are no sync points within the film. (Davis, 2011)
















5. The creation of digital sound effects
Creating sound effects can derive from a number of sources thanks to todays digital
world. From creating sounds from the ground up using synthesizers in which partials of
an audio signal (often one rich in harmonics) are attenuated by a filter to alter the timbre
of the sound. This allows one to manipulate & shape some immersive sounds. Another
approach would be to use existing audio clips taken from the Foley recording process &
combine them using various audio reshaping tools to create an entirely different sound.

5.1 Synthesizers
When synthesizers were first introduced back in the mid 1900s, they were quite large
& expensive. They also acquired a vast knowledge to operate. As technology advanced
so did the world of synthesizers & in the late 1970s keyboards become affordable. The
manufactures quickly caught on to this new market and thus created MIDI (Musical
Instrument Digital Interface). This allowed the computers to communicate with the
synthesizers. (Davis, 2011).

In the mid 1980s synthesizers became readily affordable, available and was welcomed
by many composers

What open-minded musician could turn his back on the possibility of adding
yet another entirely new dimension of sounds to his palette (Davis, 2011)

5.1.1 Additive synthesis
Additive synthesis is a process of sound synthesis, in which it adds sine waves together
to create a timbre. Each of these sine waves can possess different frequencies, which in
turn produces the resulting sound. (Russ, 1999)

The theory of additive synthesis was derived from a French mathematician in the
nineteenth century. His theory was based on the fact that any waveforms that were
repeating on a constant basis could be replaced by a simpler waveform. In order to
create more complicated sound waves, the integer multiples of the fundamental
frequency is used. (Russ, 1999).



5.1.2 Subtractive synthesis
Subtractive Synthesis is a process of sound synthesis, in which a filter produces the
final sound by altering segments of an audio signal. It is a theory based on an idea that
physical instruments can be split into three parts; a source of sound, a modifier and
controllers. The source emits a sound containing all the harmonic information, while the
modifier filters out any unwanted harmonics. (Russ, 1999)


The sources of sound within subtractive synthesis consist of two types waveforms and
random. The waveforms consist of basic shapes such as saw tooth, square, sine ect.
According to Russ (1999) he states

The shapes are the ones which are easy to describe mathematically and also produce
electronically .

It is the difference that sets these basic shapes apart from each other and why they are
so common within synthesizers.
The second source of sound within subtractive synthesis is the random wave shapes.
These shapes produce a sound that changes frequencies at a constant basis. It is
important to note that every random waveform created has a specific energy. According
to (Pulsecodeinc.com)

White noise has equal energy over all frequencies while pink noise has equal
energy over all octaves.
6. Sound manipulation
In order to utilize sound manipulation within the project it is important to understand
why it is needed and how it benefits the project. To understand this, the research will
examine the book Sound Design: The expressive power of music, voice and sound
effects in cinema as the book includes a step-by-step guide which discusses the use of
effects. This will provide an insight into why and how to approach sound manipulation.
(Sonnenschein, 2001)

6.1 Environments
Sound manipulation plays an important role in creating a reality within environments.
According to Sonnenschein (2001) he states that the approach to environments is done
by first, examining the film script. The first clue that defines the environment is found
in the scene headings. The next clue is found in the first paragraph of the scene.
(Sonnenschein, 2001)

The author discusses a particular scene in detail in order to explain the sound
manipulation techniques used.

EXT. CORNFIELD NIGHT
The rows of cornstalks bathe motionlessly in the moonlight. In the middle of the
field, a single stalk begins to shake, slowly at first, then possessed with a
nervous energy at first, then possessed with a nervous energy that spreads
contagiously to its neighbors (Sonnenschein, 2001)


The author highlights action verbs to highlight an emotional context to the environment.
The first significant detail that the author mentions pertaining to sound manipulation is
when describing the cornstalks as containing a random mixture of fairly high
frequencies (Sonnenschein, 2001). This could suggest that a high pass filter could be
applied to accentuate these high frequencies. This is further highlighted when the author
discusses accenting the higher frequencies to enhance the presence of the cornstalk. A
single frog croaking further emphasizes the background silence.

The author discusses the distance and intimacy of sounds and how it can

Transmit a dramatic intent by telling us where we are and what might be a
threatening noise (Sonnenschein, 2001)


The author discusses how one would control the frogs intimacy by filtering out the
higher frequencies. Again it can be seen that sound manipulation is used to shape the
environments sound when the author discusses adding reverb (Sonnenschein, 2001).

This is one example of many mentioned by (Sonnenschein, 2001) and it shows how one
would define the necessity of using sound manipulation within a film. For this project,
however this no script available to work off of, but instead the project will use the video
to determine the sound manipulation techniques needed to portray the visual impact of
the environment.


6.2 The doppler effect
Often we hear a sudden change in pitch when a car passes by or the pitch of a boom box
on the footpath as you drive by in your car. This is known as the Doppler effect.
Christian Doppler first introduced the Doppler effect in 1842. His theory was the
change in frequency and wavelength of waves, which occurs from a source moving with
respect to the medium, a receiver moving with respect to the medium, or even a moving
medium (Daniel A. Russell, 2011).

One of the best-known examples is the experiment carried out by Buys-Ballot. His
experiment consisted of assembling a group of musicians on a train. While the
musicians stayed on the train, he got into position on the platform. He asked the train
driver to drive as fast as he could past him, while the musicians played and held a
constant note. He concluded that as the train passed, he was able to detect the Doppler
shift. (Filkin, 1997) (Scienceclarified, 2009)

The Doppler effect is a common occurrence in life, whether one knows its happening or
not. Therefore it is important to convey this in the project. From first examination of the
animated film, there are various scenarios that could require the use of this effect. For
example in one scene we can see a character being lowered down quickly. This would
benefit from this, as it would add another layer of immersion to the animated film.















7. Automated dialogue replacement
Most often, dialogue is recorded in the production stage of a film. If the dialogue is
inaudible, a re-recording must take place, this process is referred to as looping or ADR.
The re-recording takes place in a controlled environment (a recording studio) where the
actor watches segments of the scene and listens to the original recording so that the
actor can achieve the same intensity and emotion in the dialogue that is represented in
the visual image of the scene. (Lewis, 2008)

7.1 Microphone placement
Microphone placement plays a key part in the automated dialogue replacement process
as the dialogue has to be full representative of the intensity of the scene. Placing the
microphone in front of the actor at distance similar to the scenes perspective conveys
this. (Sonnenschein, 2001)

It is important to note that using volume to replicate the sense of distance will not work
as the frequency range and secondary sound waves is depended on distance from the
microphone not volume. (Sonnenschein, 2001)

Microphone placement is also important as the closer the microphone is to the actor the
more realistic the sound is as effects such as breathing, lip movements are captured.
These can be controlled using filters but it still doesnt replicate the authenticity that
microphone placement gives (Sonnenschein, 2001).


7.2 Modifying voiceovers
In order to create a realistic version of the original voices of the characters, an
investigation must be carried out to determine the effects used. The test will comprise of
a segment of the dialogue, spoken by the actor that will be used in the main film. This is
so the voice is as authentic as possible when it comes to recording the entire dialogue.

The first step taken to identify what type of effect the original dialogue used was to
examine the original audio. This was done by taking a segment of the original audio and
analyzing it. From analyzing the audio it was found that the original audio was pitched
up an octave. To prove this I tested it by recording the actor used in the project and
pitched the actors dialogue up an octave. The result proved to be a success as the audio
was in the same pitch as the original. Therefore it has come to the conclusion that for
this project all the dialogue will be pitched up and octave with the exception of the
announcer dialogue as it wasnt pitched.















8. Surround sound mix
8.1 Why surround sound?
When one compares the difference between stereo and mono, it can be seen that there
isnt a huge dramatic change. This is not the case when comparing stereo to surround.
Owsinski (1999) states that the audience can perceive and value the distinction between
surround and stereo. The growth
In the development of surround is so dramatic, it will change the way we enjoy, record
and mix music. (Owsinski, 1999)

There are some fast improvements in surround over stereo.

Sonic clarity - The sonic clarity between surround and stereo is notably
different. This is due to inclusion of a center speaker within surround. The
center speaker anchors the sound and prevents any phantom image shifts from
occurring. In a stereo configuration the center phantom image can be controlled
if the system is well designed and the audio is of high quality. (sweetwater,
2002) (Owsinski, 1999)

The sweet spot When trying to achieve an accurate stereo mix, there are
factors that need to be considered as the room modes are dependent on your
listening position relative to the position of the speakers. For example, sitting in
the center of the room will give and inaccurate stereo mix as the rooms
fundamental frequency or its harmonics will be creating a null there (Hicks,
2009). When one looks at surround sound, the sweet spot is in fact the whole
room as you never loose the what the lucidity, dimension and spatial
permanence that the sweet spot offers. (Owsinski, 1999) (Hicks, 2009).

The ambience When mixing in stereo, the engineer must create depth by
adding reverb and delays. In surround, this is not the case because of the lucidity
and dimension that comes with surround sound the engineer spends less time
trying to create depth, however this does not mean that effects shouldnt be used
at all but approached differently as surround has depth while stereo, depth needs
to be created. (Owsinski, 1999) (White, 2009).

From the research carried out it is clearly evident that surround sound is a step
up from the stereo formant. Therefore a surround sound mix is the best option
for this project.

8.2 The art of panning
Panning is key when it comes to creating an immersive environment within the
animated film. It is important for the animated film to flow and that the audience
doesnt release the panning. It should seem natural to the audience, if they see a sound
producing action on the left, the sound should originate from the left. This is further
emphasized in the research (section 3.1.2). It was found that sounds need to be fully
representative of the film. (Sonnenschein, 2001) (Holman, 2008).


8.2.1The center channel
The purpose of the center speaker is to provide hard center anchoring key components
such as dialogue within the animated film. Normally with a stereo configuration the
engineer would have to create a phantom image. This can be problematic as creating a
phantom image can cause comb filtering. This is caused when there is a change in
amplitude and frequency response, as the audio originates from two speakers, the
distance from each other is slightly different, thus resulting in offsets, which causes
sonic components to cancel one another out. (Massey, 2004)

However, the center speaker can be beneficial it also can a hindrance.
This is due to the fact that most home theater speakers have a tendency to have the main
left and right speakers bigger than the center and the LFE (Low-frequency effects)
channel or most commonly known as the subwoofer. According to Massey (2004), he
states that

As a result, signals routed to the center channel alone can be severely
compromised in terms of their frequency spectrum during playback.

In some cases, a center speaker isnt included within the system but they do provide an
option to send the output of the center speaker to the left and right channels. (Massey,
2004)


8.2.2The rear channels
The rear speakers in a mix have most often or been used for ambience, further adding
too the soundscape. According to Massey (2004) he states that in the past few years has
seen a trend towards a greater responsibility for the rear speakers. This means that the
rear speakers will

Carry significant musical content, greater flexibility in creating ambient
spaces through decorrelated effects and more willingness to pump up the LFE
channel where musically appropriate.

One important aspect of the rear speakers is to allow the center speaker room to breath.
This is done by carefully balancing and routing the center speaker too the Ls and Rs
speaker. Massey (2004) states that this allows the sound from the center speaker to

Float directly in front of the listeners face.


When audio is recorded in a multichannel format, using microphone arrays, the rear
speakers play an important role. Williams (2003) states the importance of it by the
spatial positioning information it carries. Massey (2004)also mentions that when
using mono or stereo signals, routing the ambient room microphones to the Ls and Rs
speakers, offers enhancement of the size of the image. This can also be said when
routing reverb to the rear speakers, which aids in producing a bigger sound. (Massey,
2004)
8.2.3The LFE channel
The LFE (low frequency effect) channel was introduced to help the theatrical speaker
system generate low frequency signals as the speaker system back then where unable to
produce low frequency signals without the signal clipping. One of the benefits of the
LFE channel was that it added a dramatic element to the film. One of the best examples
that benefits from LFE can be seen in the Event Horizon (Philip Eisner, 1997), where
the use of low level frequencies, define the atmosphere. Combined with the eerie
soundtrack, it also adds an atmospheric tension to the overall film. (Massey, 2004)

Massey (2004) questions the necessity of the LFE channel by challenging the value of
having the audience experience every low frequency in such a dramatic fashion. This
can cause problems as too much dependence on the LFE channel can result in the loss
of low end if the home theater system is poorly designed.

The best approach to the LFE channel, according to Massey (2004) is to approach it
with caution. He further emphasizes the necessity to create a balance with the amount of
signal that is routed to the LFE channel, as sending too much will result in the outcome
mention above.




8.3The limitations of surround sound
Like most systems, suiiounu sounu has its limitations. The ieai channels in
suiiounu sounu uon't caiiy the full iange that the fiont channels possess.
Accoiuing to Bolman (2uu8), the quality is uiminisheu when sounus aie panneu
thiough them anu the fiont channels will possess moie weight than the ieai
channels. Anothei flaw in suiiounu sounu is the pooi localization of sounus
compaieu to the fiont channels as they seive moie as an aiea foi ambience iathei
than uistinctive sounus.



Suiiounu sounu is gieat at cieating an immeisive enviionment but theie aie times
when it can become a uistiaction. Bolman (2uu8) gives a gieat example when
suiiounu sounu is lesseneu anu the focus is on the chaiacteis.

As we cut to close ups of an American sniper and a German sniper standing off
in a courtyard, the sound track narrows to the rhythmic tapping of rain drips on
the respective guns

In this situation, the best outcome would be to focus on the visual cue to create a
dramatic intent. It is quite powerful when using the actions of the snipers to dictate the
emotion within the scene. There is further evidence of this in Saving Private Ryan
(1998), where we are present with a plethora of emotional outcomes and sound that
define the era that they were in. Holman (2008) states that this is important to do as it
gives the audience an insight into the hardships that these soldiers faced in their world.






9. Method







9.1Pre production
In order to carry out all the tasks within the project it is important to determine a plan of
action. This will consist of:

Sound Map
Foley Recording and Sound Resources
Sound Manipulation
Recording Dialogue
Film score and musical composition
5.1 surround sound mix

9.1.1Sound map
For this project a sound map was created (appendices 13.4). This will aid the project, as
it will provide an outlook on how these sounds should be approached. It will also
determine how obtainable these sounds are in terms of location. The sound map was
useful as a list of possible sound ideas were thought out, rather than just recording
random sounds on the fly, thus preventing any time being wasted.

The sound map highlighted some sounds that the project could not record due to time
taken and the issue of money. Therefor the project looked at using sound libraries
(Downloadable Sound Effects, 1997) to find the necessary sounds to complete the task
at hand.

9.1.2 Foley recording and finding the sounds
For this project the sounds where conjured by examining the animation clip and
creating a sound map. The Foley recording will take place in various locations in order
to capture the desired sound needed for the animation film. The locations being
captured will be most likely indoors as most of the animation film is set indoors. The
microphone used to capture the indoor recordings will be a Rode NT-2A and when
recording outdoors, a handheld recording device and a Rode NTG-2 microphone will be
used. The Rode NTG-2 microphone will be on a boom pole to prevent any interference
when recording. Where recording sounds might not be possible the project will utilize a
website (Downloadable Sound Effects, 1997).

9.1.3 Sound manipulation
Once the sounds have been recorded, they need to be altered so that they can fit within
the environment within the animation film. This is done by examining the process
mentioned (section 6.1). The sound manipulation techniques will take advantage of
various effects such as reverb, Doppler effect, and filters to alter the Foley sound
mentioned in (section 6.). Once this is completed the sound will be synced to the
animation film.

9.1.4 Recording and modifying dialogue
Once the sound effects have been introduced into the project, the recording of the
dialogue can begin. The script that was available for this project can be found in the
(appendix 13.2).The Rode NT2-a microphone will be used to record the dialogue. The
majority of the dialogue will be pitched up an octave as it was found that during the
research stage, (section 7.2) the original dialogue was pitched up an octave. A piece of
hardware called Maschine was used to pitch the dialogue, as it was extremely time
efficient.

9.1.5 Film score and musical composition
Once the sound effects and dialogue has been implemented into the project, the film
score and musical composition can begin. The film score and musical composition will
be carried out with the techniques concluded in the research (section 4.). The first
section will contain a musical composition, serving as background music. The second
section will be comprised of a score, which will based the emotions and tension within
the film.


9.1.6 Surround sound mix
Once all the sound effects have been implemented and the film score and musical
composition has been completed, the project will move onto the 5.1 surround sound
mix. As discussed in (section 8.1), there are advantages to using surround sound, as
apposed to stereo but the basic principals of mixing still apply to both. With this, the
same principals will be carried out and added to, as an understanding in stereo mixing is
already held.
As the surround sound mix will be carried out in a studio, where time is limited, here
are some tasks that need to be considered before approaching the surround sound mix to
improve time efficiently. Therefore more time is spent on mixing.

Categories Sounds Most often or not when dealing with sound design for film,
can result in a vast amount of audio files. To tackle this, segregate the project
into folders. For example, sound effects, dialogue, film score. This will
drastically improve workflow within the project.
Consolidate audio - When arranging audio files in sync with the animated film
it is important to consolidate the audio, as the audio length will stretch across the
entire project. This will prevent any movement of the audio files, as all the audio
clips will begin at the start of the project thus preventing it from moving.













10. Results







10.1 Foley recording and sound resources
10.1.1Subtle footsteps
When researching footsteps and props, mentioned in (section 3.1.3.1.), Ament (2009)
states the importance of examining the environment and the surfaces the objects sound
comes into contact with, as this will help in producing a sound that fits into the
animation film. For example, if the footsteps in the animation film occur in a small
room with little to no reverberation and the recorded footsteps are recorded in a large
room with lots of reverberation it will not reflect the environment on screen. When
looking at Pablos (2010), the footsteps occur indoors, on a hollow metal surface. The
environment changes in the form of size and shape, so it will be important to convey
this in the recordings.

The process of capturing the footsteps began by examining various types of shoes in the
form of workboots, trainers and slippers. The recordings took place in a rectanular room
with lots of diffusers to reduce the reverberation, as this was determined in the research
(section 3.1). This would be controlled at a later stage in the project (section 10.4).
These recordings, however, did not work as their was too much quality in these types of
shoes. Upon examing various objects to determine the sound needed for the footsteps, it
was found that by exerting a certain amount of pressure on the back of an acoustic
guitar produced a sound that was perfect for the footsteps. Unlike the shoes, which
would need to be altered drastically in order to produce the footstep sound needed. The
surface of the acoustic guitar offer a solid foundation to work from.

Now that the footsteps sound has been determined, the recording can begin. The Rode
NT-2A microphone was situated aproximatly one foot away form the sound scource and
the surface of the acuoustic guitar was struck with medium to light force as the
footsteps in Pablos (2010), are subtle but still full of body. In order to get an accurate
representation of the footsteps the sound was recorded in sync with the video. In the
research (section3.1.2) Sonnenschein (2009) states that it is important to represent the
action onscreen to its entirity, and by recording the footsteps in this way coneys this.


10.1.2 Props
Recording props for this project is a difficult task as associating an objects sound with
the object within the animated film will be time consuming. To save time, the project
looked closely at household objects to created the sounds needed as moving from
location to location will not be an effective form of acquiring sounds for the project as
this method will take up a lot of time.

The first step before recording was to examine the detailed sound map that was
completed in the pre production stage of the project (section 9.1.1) (see appendices
13.4) to determine an object that could be recorded to represent the action onscreen. The
completed sound list (appendices 13.4) of possible sounds that could represent the
action onscreen was successful as it was found that a lot of the household objects would
be sufficient to represent the action onscreen, however it will clearer when the project
approaches the sound manipulation (section 6.) weather or not these sounds will work.
It is clear, at this point in time that these sounds possess enough of a foundation to be
used in the animated film.

10.1.3 Sound resources
There is a small selection of sounds in the animation film are beyond the capabilities of
this project due the factors outlined in (section 9.1.2.). One of these sounds includes a
film projector. It would have been quite difficult to locate a film projector, particularly
an old projector, which is in the film so it was concluded that the project would look at
sound libraries within websites.

The film projector in the animation film looks like an older model, with lots of moving
parts. It also has the film real exposed, so one could expect to hear it moving and
flapping about. It is important to convey these features, as it is the very heart of the
projector. After several hours looking for the perfect sample to portray the film
projector, the project found a perfect sample that adhered to the features listed above.
The sample itself fitted perfectly within the animation film and no altering was needed.
The sample was sourced from a royalty free sample site Audiomicro (2013).
10.2 Sound manipulation
10.2.1 Bring the characters to life
When bringing characters to life, they must posses and emotional depth so the audience
can distinguish the characters and connect on an emotional level. This is conveyed
through the use of sound design. By introducing dialogue and sound effects, the
characters will be brought to life. (James, 2013) (Earl Vickers, 1995)

10.2.1.1Sound design
Characters are brought to live by capturing their movements and actions. Each character
is defined by their actions. It is these actions that will create uniqueness, an emotional
depth that the audience can connect with. One of the most prominent actions of these
characters is their footsteps. The footsteps where recorded by exerting a certain
amount of pressure on the back of an acoustic guitar. It was important to record the
sound while viewing the animation film, as in the research (section 3.1.2) Sonnenschein
(2001) states that this will create a sound that will be fully representative of that
characters movement. This will also give the characters is own uniqueness and help
bring the characters to life.

10.2.1.2 Voice design
Bringing a creative approach to voice design is another fundamental step in bringing the
characters to life. When we look at The Simpsons (1989) TV show, the voices of
Homer, Bart, Marge etc., are a masterpiece like no other. These characters, without their
unique voices, would seem flat and lifeless. Even when we look at minor characters like
Marges chain smoking sisters have their own unique voice, which defines them, and
set them apart from any other character. (Earl Vickers, 1995)

With this, when recording the voices, the approach was to capture the quirkiness of
the voices, as portrayed in the original animated film. To do this, the original animated
film was examined and notes where taken on the tonal empathy of the characters (see
appendix 13.5). The voices, again, where recorded in conjunction with the animated
film, so that the voice actor also has a visual representation of what emotional state the
characters are in. In order to achieve the desired effect that is represented in the original
animated film, the audio was pitched up an octave.


10.2.2 Creating immersive environments
The approach to creating an immersive environment was done by examining the visual
cues within the animated film. The first step taken was to identify the nature of the
environments within the project. It was found from examining the spotting notes and the
visual cues that the project was located indoors. It was comprised of various room
sizes. From this, reverb was applied to the environments sounds to replicate the
reverberation within the animated film.

One of the techniques used in this project was to apply sounds to every action onscreen.
Once all the sounds are applied, they will combine to create an immersive environment.
It was found that some of the sound effects used in the animated film yielded an
authority that offered an ambient presence. For example when looking at the metal
doors sound effect, the sound produced fills the room and gives the audience a sense of
location. Reverb was added to match the tonal quality of the room, thus creating a much
more authentic environment. (Viers, 2008)




10.2.3 Less is more
As previously discussed in (section 10.2.2), where creating and applying sound effects
to every action represented onscreen can be beneficial in producing an immersive
environment. The same can be said for using fewer sounds to describe the action
onscreen.

An example of this technique used would be at 03:21, where a large bomb as just fallen
and an inevitable explosion is likely to occur. Usually high-tension strings would be
played to signify danger incoming. However, according to Straley (2013), he states that
stripping all the audio away and focusing on the psychology of the characters actions
and emotions. Then, when the sound hits, it can be very impactful.

It was found that stripping all the dialogue and sounds from this section, wasnt the
route the project wanted to take, as stripping the dialogue away would lead to
confusion, as the character animation would still occur. Instead, a minimalistic approach
was taken, where the only sound effect heard, along with the dialogue was the whistle
of the bomb, breaking through the air. With just this sound, it creates a level of tension
and builds up the explosion of the bomb that will occur.















10.3 Film score and musical composition
It was concluded in the pre-production stage of the project (section 9.1.5) that the
animated film would be split into two sections. The first section will be composed of a
musical composition and the second section will be comprised of a film score.

10.3.1Musical composition
10.3.1.1 Analysis
The musical composition for this project will occur in section one of the animated
video. The animated film for this project contains a section, in which the characters are
viewing a safety video demonstration. It is important for the audience to distinguish the
safety video demonstration from the film itself .It was decided that the music for this
segment shouldnt be the audiences primary focus; therefor the musical composition
will be comprised of background music. The primary intent for the background music
will add to the safety video, allowing the video capture the audience full attention.

10.3.1.2 Creating the musical composition
The musical composition began by examining the original animated films background
music. The aim was to try and create a similar composition, that wouldnt be the
primary focus of the audience. This proved rather difficult than previously thought.
Creating a musical composition, for the purpose of background music was extremely
time consuming. After several attempts and feedback from other students, if was found
that, although not finished, the composition offered two much of the audiences focus.
Based on this, it was decided, on the interested to time, the project would utilize an
existing musical composition



The project began searching for background music that would fit in with the tone of the
section, while still not capturing the focus of the audience. After viewing several sound
libraries that provided background music, the project found a piece of music composed
by Scott P. Schreer (2013). The musical composition consists of groove based piano
leads with a motivational feel to it. The music was ideal, as it didnt take any focus
away from the safety video demonstration and it also possessed a motivational tone,
which is perfect as it is in keeping with the mood of the video demonstration.

10.3.2 Film score
10.3.2.1 Analysis and spotting session
The film score for this project will occur in the second section of the project. The film
score begins at 02:14 and finishes at 03:12. In this section the safety video
demonstration is over and the characters get ready to go to work. Based on research,
(section 4.1.1), a spotting session was arranged and carried out (see appendix 13.4).
During the research (section 4.) it was found that noting the characters emotion would
help in determining the intensity of each scene.

10.3.2.2 Creating the film score
The project began by examining the overall tone of the section of the film, in which the
film score would reside. It was found, based on the spotting session, (appendix 13.4)
that the tone follows a progressional change. The first tone is of intent and alertness.
The alertness and intent is further highlighted by the military style salutes by the
characters at 02:18. The tone changes to that of excitement, portrayed in a victorious
manner. This is due to their accomplishment of completing the required training. Their
excitement is further highlighted when the metal door opens and they are present with
the objects of their desire. The instruments used to convey these emotions were,
marching drums to mimic the intent and alertness at the beginning and a trumpet to
signify the victory and accomplishment achieved. To accentuate the build up to the
metal door opening, a drum roll and crash were added.
The next scene is of happiness; this is portrayed by one of the characters singing. The
instruments used in this piece were solo strings. The solo strings were played in the
same key to accentuate the felling of happiness within the characters. The tone quickly
changes at 03:37 to one of frustration and anger as the characters are trying to pass but
are obstructed by another crew. The instruments used to convey this, were brass strings
as the low frequencys work very well when trying to convey the anger and frustration
within the characters. The tone progresses to from anger to aggression. The characters
engage in a flight, the emphasis this the brass strings are played in scale. The next tone
is of terror as the characters try and control the large bomb. Action strings and a choir
sample were used to signify the terrifying situation the characters find themselves in.
The final tone is one of intent and readiness. The marching drums that were used in the
beginning were used again but played slightly different. This was done, so that it
conveys the message, while still remaining unique to this particular scene.














10.4 Surround sound mix
10.4.1 Mixing in logic pro
The surround sound mix was carried out in Logic pro 9. Pro Tools is the industry
standard DAW for conducting postproduction and other various audio related tasks. In a
previous project, a surround sound mix was carried out using Logic pro 9, therefor, in
the interest of time and to utilize the knowledge gained from that project, logic pro 9
was the preferred choice, even though Pro Tools would be the better DAW to carry out
the mix. The knowledge and experience gained would be beneficial for this project.

During the recording stage of the project each sound had its own individual audio track.
Some sounds in the project had up to three individual audio tracks, used to define one
sound in the animated film. This became problematic when the project began the
surround sound mix. The computer in the studio wasnt capable of dealing with the
large amounts of audio files playing. The computer used to record the sounds was much
more powerful than the computer in the studio. This was based on the fact that the
computer had 4gb of ram and a core i5, while the computer outside the studio had
8gbs of ram an a core i7. Never the less the project came up with a solution that
could rectify the problem. The dialogue section had over 60 individual audio tracks.
The large number of dialogue files is due to the fact that in order to get the best results
possible, there were several takes carried out. Recording long dialogue takes was time
consuming, as some sections within that take were ok. Therefor the decision was made t
record short takes.

Now that the project is no longer in the recording stage, there is no need to have a large
amount of dialogue tracks; therefor the decision was made to bounce out the dialogue
onto one track. This was done after the panning was completed, as the project would
have no control over where the characters would be panned if the dialogue track was
bounced into one audio track. Once the all the dialogue was bounced into one audio
track the load on the computer was lessened and the surround sound mix could be
carried out.


10.4.2The center speaker
The center speaker, for this project, contained the dialogue. Since the animated film
contains a video demonstration, it was deemed important to differentiate the main
characters voices from the video demonstration. Therefor the video demonstration
characters voices were anchored in the center, while the main character voices where
panned slightly left and right but still predominantly positioned in the center speaker,
this provided a differentiation between the two sets of characters. (Section 8.1.2)

By allowing the main characters voices be position slightly outside the center would be
beneficial as it was found (section 8.2.1) that most home theater speaker systems have a
small center speaker, in some cases it was found that some dont include it within their
systems.


10.4.3The rear channels
In the animated film, there are three sets of voices. They are the characters within the
safety video demonstration, the main characters and the narrator. Since it was found that
the rear speakers are trending towards a greater responsibility, it was found that the
narrators voice was best suited in the rear channels as it was important for the voices not
to clash. This stops all the voices from clashing. Another reason for placing the
narrators voice in the rear channel is based on the visual representation onscreen.
Sonnenschein (2009) he states that whatever the image is should produce a sound of
that image. The audience cannot see the narrator, while they can see the main
characters; therefor the narrator was position in the rear channels. (Massey, 2004)

The rear speakers were also used to carry important spatial positioning information.
This was done, by allowing the reverberating sound effects to bleed to the rear channels.
This creates a true representation of surround sound as the reverb is allowed to fill the
room, as it does onscreen. This also allows the audience to fell like they are apart of the
environment. (Massey, 2004)
10.4.4 The LFE channel
It was found in the research (section 8.2.3) that the LFE channel should be approached
with caution. The importance of balance was key, as the low frequencies would loose
their ability to cause dramatic intent within the film.

One scenario, in which the LFE channel was used, was making sounds more impactful.
During the project, (section 10.2.3) it was found that less is more is best it certain
situations, as a period of silence is more impactful, as the audience focus on the
characters actions and emotions.

The make this even more impactful, The LFE channel was used to enhance the sounds
after the silence. There are certain explosions that benefited from the LFE channel as it
helped the sound stay true the image onscreen.






















11. Conclusion

















This project was carried out to investigate the process of sound design for an animated
film (Pablos, 2010). This involved dissecting the nature of sound design. When the
project began, the aim was to recreate the sound design elements of two animated films
(Pablos, 2010). This involved researching sound effects, dialogue, musical composition
and a film score and to apply this research to create the sound design for this animated
film (Pablos, 2010), using Cubase 6.5 and Logic Pro 9.

Based on the research carried out and the process of applying the research to create
sound design for an animated film, it can be stated that knowledge of the process of
sound design is now understood. Based on the project carried out, it is now known that
it takes a technical but creative approach to complete sound design for a film.

The project was successful in completing the aims set for this project. One of the areas
in which the project struggled was the music composition. This section of the project
was extremely time-consuming and frustrating to achieve a result that suited the tone of
the animated film. The most successful element of this project was the vast amount of
Foley sounds captured and used for this project. The knowledge gained from this was
invaluable and was a resounding success.









12. Evaluation

















The success of the project was determined by the strict time keeping of the project, in
that the project wouldnt have achieved the same results if the following decisions
werent made. However because of this strict time keeping the project was limited in
achieving results in some areas.


The project struggled to find some of the sounds that were needed for the project. An
example of this would be the old projector. The project didnt have the time or the
money to locate an old projector that would be adequate for this project. Therefore the
decision was made to source the sounds needed. The project turned to (Audiomicro,
2013). The sound located was perfect for the project, as it contained the projector
running and stopping, which was exactly what the project desired. The recording itself
was clean and relatively clear. However if time and money werent a factor in this
project, then the project would have located an old projector to record.


The creation of a musical composition wasnt an easy task to complete. The purpose of
the musical composition was to fill the background without distracting the audience but
instead aid the scene. After several attempts and feedback from colleagues, the project
was finding it difficult to create a piece of music that didnt distract the audience. The
project made the decision to source the musical composition as it was in the best
interest of the project. The project was on strict schedule, if the project continued on
trying to create a musical composition, the rest of the project would have suffered.
Based on the success of the project the decision was justified.


The decisions made to source sounds to prevent any time being over used on a
particular area in the project, resulted in many successful outcomes.


The Foley recording was a huge success as the majority of sounds recorded were
utilized and applied to the animated film. The Foley recordings where, for the most part
clean and clear with no unwanted sounds hindering the recordings. When the Foley
recordings werent up to the standard of the project, they were recorded again. The
effects applied to the Foley recordings produced the desired effect the project wanted to
achieve.

The dialogue was successful as the effect achieved on the original animated film was
discovered and utilized. The dialogue for this project wasnt available, so the project
carefully observed the original animated film to determine the dialogue. The results
produced were very pleasing, given the circumstances.


If the project were to be completed again without the limitations mentioned above, then
the project would achieve different results. Time would have spent on researching more
into musical composition. For example, techniques used to create effective background
music in the form of lead patterns, effective drums, and a suitable melody. The project
would scout different locations for sounds that could work better than the sounds
contained in this project, as sounds can always be improved on.

























13. References




















Bibliography
(n.d.). Retrieved from Pulsecodeinc.com.

Ament, V. T. (2009). The foley grail (1st edition ed.). Amsterdam: Focal Press/Elsevier.

Audiomicro. (2013). Retrieved 12 18, 2013, from Audiomicro:
http://www.audiomicro.com/cinema-film-projector-old-sound-effects-165949

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Berklee Press.
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life/

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from ADR or Looping: http://filmsound.org/terminology/adr.htm

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Ed.) Emeryville, California, United States of America: Mix Books.

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(Director). (1997). Event Horizon [Motion Picture]. United Kingdom, United States:
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Saving Private Ryan [Motion Picture]. United States: DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount
Pictures.

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Vol-2/Doppler-Effect-How-it-works.html

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Performer, & S. A. Scott P. Schreer, Conductor] On Acid Jazz Volume 1. united states
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Wiese Productions.

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December 22, 2013, from Soundonsound.com:
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The Banff Centre, 24th AES International Conference. Alberta, Canada.: The Banff
Centre.




































13. Appendices




















13.1 Detailed sound analysis
uu:u2 Film ieel
uu:1u Netal Booi Sliuing up
uu:1u footsteps (multiple)
uu:12 Netal uoois sliuing uown, followeu by geais fiom the uooi then metal uooi
sliuing up
uu:14 button piess
uu:1S footsteps
uu:17 getting on a cushioneu chaii
uu:2u piojectoi sliuing uown
uu:2S tuining on piojectoi (piojectoi staiting up film ieel moving)
uu:2S chaii movement ( veiy faint)
uu:SS liquiu moving in glass tube
uu:S6 Biop of liquiu falling on suiface followeu by a ieaction (tsss sounu think
veiy hot fiying pan) bookmaik
uu:S7 explosion ( think magic tiick ) blanket movement
uu:4S chaiactei falling ( uoplei effect)
uu:44 chaiactei being loweieu ( no uoplei effect) maybe iecoiuing a zippei fiom a
bag
uu:47 chaiacteis eating a cake then being pulleu up quickly
uu:48 footsteps( multiple)
uu:S2 footstep (single)
uu:S4 footsteps (scuiiying footsteps on tiptoes)
uu:SS chaiactei falls uown ( think uiopping a bag full of books)
uu:SS footsteps followeu by a push anu chaiactei falling ovei biief footsteps again
u1:uS iocket launchei fiiing
u1:u4 metal iocket hits flooi (think two pipes banging)
u1:u6 metal click then jet pack launching
u1:1u chaiacteis spinning in fiom above (uoplei effect) the sounu of stick wipping
u1:1S feet hitting the giounu
u1:14 vaiious spinning sounus (same sounu as u1:1u)
u1:16 hanu hitting giounu
u1:2u cushioneu chaii movement (moie aggiessive than occuiieu at uu:17)
u1:21 chaiactei falling fiom chaii
u1:2S footsteps (single)
u1:2S hanging item on a chalk boaiu ( slightly aggiessive)
u1:28 explosion
u1:S1 swiping item fiom chalk boaiu (aggiessive)
u1:S2 footsteps (single)
u1:SS footsteps (multiple all synchionizeu)
u1:S6 slight jumping (veiy faint)
u1:41 footsteps (multiple all synchionizeu)
u1:4S two movements of iockets in hanus (all synchionizeu) (seveial chaiacteis)
u1:4S film ieel iunning in backgiounu
u1:4S chaiacteis pushing anu pulling
u1:47 film ieel moie in focus
u1:49 footsteps (multiple all synchionizeu)
u1:SS iotating chaii
u1:SS chaiactei wink
u1:S7 pop (think of hanu anu mouth tiick)
u2:u2 hanushake
u2:u4 clapping (gloves)
u2:12 film ieel enus
u2:1S footstep (scuiiying away)
u2:16 footsteps (appioaching)
u2:17 chaiacteis bump into each othei
u2:18 salute (think of stick wipping aii)
u2:21 chaiactei shuffle
u2:22 button piess
u2:22 metal uooi opening
u2:2Sclipboaiu movement
u2:24 footstep (scuiiying away)
u2:27 giabbing metal objects (iockets)
u2:Su uiagging metal object on giounu
u2:S2 footstep (synchionizeu but fastei)
u2:S9 footstep (stance)
u2:41 foot stomp (not aggiessive)
u2:42 foot stomp (not aggiessive)
u2:4S huge metal object being layeu uown
u2:44 footsteps (single)
u2:46 chaiacteis slapping each othei
u2:Su metal object cieaking ( think cieaking uooi)
u2:S1 chaiacteis slapping each othei
uS:u7 bombs falling (think whistle)
uS:u7 footsteps (multiple)
uS:11 metal object tuining on giounu (sciaping sounu)
uS:12 explosion in the uistance not louu
uS:17 metal bomb moving on giounu(slight sciaping sounu)
uS:18 bombs falling (think whisle)
uS:19 footsteps
uS:24 huge explosion (uebiiue falling)
uS:SS chaiacteis hot aftei explosion (Think singeu )
uS:S8 chaiactei blows out fiie on othei chaiactei

The Enu










13.2 Narrators script
Hello and congratulations on your new job at Gru laboratories
Welcome too an exciting world of scientific discovery

Adventure

And of course evil

Some of you may end up in our research department where youll spend your time
developing and testing new weapons

Others will be apart of a crack team on call for heists and other terrible crimes

No matter what you do, here at Gru laboratories we pride ourselves on safety

If youre lucky enough to be selected for bomb carrying duties remember that those
with the greatest potential for destruction always have the right way
Please follow this very important protocol no tripping no juggling of your bomb at any
time

Just follow these simple rules and youve got nothing to worry about

Now get out there and make a difference

Gru laboratories

Were more than just your co-workers
Were family

After all we are engineered from the same strained of mutated DNA



13.3 Doppler effect


(Scienceclarified, 2009)

























13.4 Sound map

"#$% &%'()#*+#,- .,/-0 10%2' 3,'#+#,- ,- .()%%-
uu:u2 Film ieel 0lu Piojectoi Suiiounu
uu:1u Netal Booi Sliuing up Niciowave iunning,
pitcheu fiom low to high
Left to iight bleeu to ieai
channels
uu:1u Footsteps (multiple) Left to iight
uu:12 Netal uoois sliuing uown,
followeu by geais fiom the
uooi, then metal uooi
sliuing up
Left to iight bleeu to ieai
channels
uu:14 Button piess Piessing iemote contiol,
clickei pen
Left to iight
uu:1S Footsteps Shoes, light, veiy subtle Left to iight
uu:17 uetting on a cushioneu
chaii
Sitting on vaiious chaiis Left to iight
uu:2u Piojectoi sliuing uown Byuiaulics Left to iight
uu:2S Tuining on piojectoi
(piojectoi staiting up film
ieel moving)
0lu piojectoi staiting up Left to iight
uu:2S Chaii movement (veiy
faint)
Sitting on vaiious chaiis Left to iight
uu:SS Liquiu moving in glass
tube
Watei uioplet Centei to uistance, left anu
iight bleeu
uu:S6 Biop of liquiu falling on
suiface, followeu by a
ieaction
(Tsss sounu think veiy hot
fiying pan)
Centei to uistance, left anu
iight bleeu
uu:S7 Explosion (Think magic tiick)
blanket movement
Suiiounu
uu:4S Chaiactei falling (Bopplei effect) Centei to uistance, left anu
iight bleeu
uu:44 Chaiactei being loweieu (No Bopplei effect) maybe
iecoiuing a zippei fiom a
bag
Centei to uistance, left anu
iight bleeu
uu:47 Chaiacteis eating a cake
then being pulleu up
quickly
Actois voice, stick whip Centei to uistance, left anu
iight bleeu
uu:48 Footsteps (multiple) Shoes, light, veiy subtle Centei to uistance, left anu
iight bleeu
uu:S2 Footstep (single) Shoes, light, veiy subtle Centei to uistance, left anu
iight bleeu
uu:S4 Footsteps (scuiiying
footsteps on tiptoes)
Shoes, light, veiy subtle Centei to uistance, left anu
iight bleeu
uu:SS Chaiactei falls uown (Think uiopping a bag full
of books)
Centei to uistance, left anu
iight bleeu
uu:SS Footsteps followeu by a
push anu chaiactei falling
ovei biief footsteps again
Shoes, light, veiy subtle,
contact on clothes, iubbing

u1:uS Rocket launchei fiiing Suiiounu
u1:u4 Netal iocket hits flooi
(think two pipes banging)
Pipe uiopping Suiiounu
u1:u6 Netal click then jet pack
launching
vacuum tuineu on Suiiounu

u1:1u
Chaiacteis spinning in
fiom above (Bopplei
effect) the sounu
(Bopplei effect) the sounu
of stick whipping thiough
the aii
Centei to uistance, left anu
iight bleeu



u1:1S Feet hitting the giounu Shoes, heavy Centei to uistance, left
anu iight bleeu
u1:14 vaiious spinning
sounus (same
sounu as u1:1u)
(Bopplei effect) the
sounu of stick
whipping thiough the
aii
Centei to uistance, left
anu iight bleeu
u1:16 Banu hitting giounu Banus (pam hitting
pam, not a clap)
Left to iight
u1:2u Cushioneu chaii
movement (moie
aggiessive than
occuiieu at uu:17)
Sitting on vaiious
chaiis, moie intent
than pievious
Left to iight
u1:21 Chaiactei falling fiom
chaii
Schoolbag falling Left to iight
u1:2S Footsteps (single) Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Centei to uistance, left
anu iight bleeu
u1:2S Banging item on a
chalk boaiu (slightly
aggiessive)
Left to iight
u1:28 Explosion Papei bag buist,
pitcheu uown
Left to iight, bleeu to
ieai channels
u1:S1 Swiping item fiom
chalk boaiu
(aggiessive)
The sounu of stick
whipping thiough the
aii, veiy quick
Left to iight
u1:S2 Footsteps (single) Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Centei to uistance, left
anu iight bleeu
u1:SS Footsteps (multiple all
synchionizeu)
Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Centei to uistance, left
anu iight bleeu
u1:S6 Slight jumping (veiy
faint)

u1:41 Footsteps (multiple all
synchionizeu)
Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Centei to uistance, left
anu iight bleeu
u1:4S Two movements of
iockets in hanus (all
synchionizeu) (seveial
chaiacteis)
Noving metal object in
hanus
Left to iight
u1:4S Film ieel iunning in
backgiounu
0lu piojectoi Left to iight
u1:4S Chaiacteis pushing anu
pulling
People iecieating this
thiough pushing anu
pulling
Left to iight
u1:47 Film ieel moie in focus 0lu piojectoi Left to iight
u1:49 Footsteps (multiple all
synchionizeu)
Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Centei to uistance, left
anu iight bleeu
u1:SS Rotating chaii Besk chaii, iotating Left to iight
u1:SS Chaiactei wink Tiiangle hit Left to iight
u1:S7 Pop (Think of hanu anu
mouth tiick)
Left to iight
u2:u2 Banushake Banushake extiemely
subtle
Left to iight
u2:u4 Clapping (gloves) Clapping with vaiious
gloves
Left to iight ieai then
left iight fiont
u2:12 Film ieel enus 0lu piojectoi Left anu iight ieai,
bleeu to left anu iight
fiont
u2:1S Footstep (scuiiying
away)
Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Centei to uistance, left
anu iight bleeu
u2:16 Footsteps
(appioaching)
Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Centei to uistance, left
anu iight bleeu
u2:17 Chaiacteis bump into
each othei
Buman ie-cieation Suiiounu
u2:18 Salute The sounu of stick
whipping thiough the
aii
Left to iight bleeu to
ieai channels
u2:21 Chaiactei shuffle Buman ie-cieation Suiiounu
u2:22 Button piess Piessing iemote
contiol, clickei pen
Left to iight
u2:22 Netal uooi opening Niciowave iunning,
pitcheu fiom low to
high
Suiiounu
u2:2S Clipboaiu movement Notepau movement Left to iight
u2:24 Footstep (scuiiying
away)
Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Suiiounu
u2:27 uiabbing metal objects
(iockets)
Noving metal object in
hanus
Left to iight
u2:Su Biagging metal object
on giounu
Pipe uiagging Suiiounu
u2:S2 Footstep (synchionizeu
but fastei)
Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Left to iight bleeu to
ieai channels
u2:S9 Footstep (stance) Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Left to iight
u2:41 Foot stomp (not
aggiessive)
Boot meuium, Suiiounu
u2:42 Foot stomp (not
aggiessive)
Boot meuium, Suiiounu
u2:4S Buge metal object
being layeu uown
Walking on a metal
hollow staiis, platfoim
Left to iight bleeu to
ieai channels
u2:44 Footsteps (single) Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Left to iight bleeu to
ieai channels
u2:46 Chaiacteis slapping
each othei
Banus (pam hitting
pam, not a clap)
Left to iight bleeu to
ieai channels
u2:Su Netal object cieaking
(think cieaking uooi)
Booi cieaking Left to iight bleeu to
ieai channels
u2:S1 Chaiacteis slapping
each othei
Banus (pam hitting
pam, not a clap)
Left to iight
uS:u7 Bombs falling Buman whistling, fiom
high to low
Suiiounu
uS:u7 Footsteps (multiple) Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Left to iight
uS:11 Netal object tuining on
giounu (sciaping
sounu)
Cinuei block Suiiounu
uS:12 Explosion in the
uistance not louu
Papei bag buist,
pitcheu uown anu
layeieu
Suiiounu
uS:17 Netal bomb moving on
giounu (slight sciaping
sounu)
Cinuei block Suiiounu
uS:18 Bombs falling (think
whistle)
Buman whistling, fiom
high to low
Suiiounu
uS:19 Footsteps Shoes, light, veiy
subtle
Left to iight
uS:24 Buge explosion
(uebiiue falling)
Papei bag buist,
pitcheu uown anu
layeieu
Suiiounu
uS:SS Chaiacteis hot aftei
explosion (think
singeu)
Rainfall Suiiounu
uS:S8 Chaiactei blows out
fiie on othei chaiactei
Buman blow out Left to iight















13.5 Tonal empathy of the characters

Time Description Characters mood
00:10 - 00:20 The characters are rushing
in to see the safety
demonstration
Excitement, ecstatic
amazed, gobsmacked
00:32 00:41 The characters are working
on a experiment
Focused, alert, amazed,
laughter
00:44 00:50 One of the characters
sneaks in and eats the cake
Devious, Confusion, lost,
sad
00:52 00:57 The characters are playing
pranks on each other
Devious, evil, sneaky
00:58 - 00: 59 The characters are
enjoying the safety
demonstration
Excitement laughter
01:00 01:04 The characters are testing
new weapons
Focused, alert
01:05 01:10 The character is testing a
jet pack
Excitement, ecstatic
amazed, worry
01:11 01:22 The characters are
showing off their skills
Sneaky, alert
01:23 - 01:32 The character is placing a
sign up
Pride, happy,
disappointment, sad
01:35 01:40 The characters are excited
for bomb carrying
Focused, alert, excitement
01:45 01:49 The characters are messing
about and the supervisor
gives out
Fun, enjoyment, happy,
scared, alert, attentive
02:04 02:14 The characters are
applauding the safety
demonstration
Happy, pride, excitement
02:15 - 02:22 The characters are ready
for bomb carrying duties
Focused, alert
02:23 02:31 The characters finally get
to see and carry the bombs
Excitement, ecstatic
amazed, gobsmacked,
laughter
02:31 02:36 The characters are carrying
the bombs
Happy, content
02:37 02:53 The characters are fighting
with another group that are
carrying bombs
Anger, annoyance,
irritated, aggressive
02:54 03:05 The characters scurry to
stop a large bomb from
falling
Scared, worried,
frightened
03:07 03:12 The characters step in to
stop the bomb from falling
Focused, alert, readiness
03:12 - 03:17 The characters giggle
when the small bombs fall
Careless, wonderment
03:18 03:24 The characters run scared
when the large bomb falls
Scared, worried,
frightened




















13.6 The Recording academy's
producers & engineers wing:
Recommendations for surround
sound production
NOTE: This is an excerpt taken from The Recording Academy's Producers &
Engineers Wing: Recommendations For Surround Sound Production. This is purely
used for referencing surround sound mix


4.3 Imaging and Panning
Audio engineers mixing in stereo have long relied on the ability to create a "phantom"
center by placing equal amounts of signal in the left and right channels. This creates the
illusion of the sound appearing mid-way between the two speakers, but it is a fragile
image that shifts closer to one speaker or the other as the listener moves out of the sweet
spot. Even directly in the sweet spot, a phantom center will exhibit a change in
amplitude and frequency response due to a phenomenon called comb filtering. Because
the signal is coming from two speakers, each at a slightly different distance from each
ear, the resulting offsets will cause certain sonic components to cancel out one another.
The addition of a true center channel in surround sound eliminates these problems by
providing an anchor; signal routed to that channel always appears to come from the
center and with a consistent frequency response regardless of how the listener
moves around in the room. Many surround mixing engineers opt to use both the true
center and a phantom center. An important control called divergence allows the precise
determination of the relative amounts of center-panned signal routed to the center
channel versus that routed equally to the left and right channels.
The presence of a dedicated center channel also allows the surround mixing engineer to
create phantom images between the left and center and right and center speakers, thus
further enhancing localization. Because the distance between those speakers is much
shorter (exactly half if the speakers are positioned correctly), these kind of "in-between"
phantom images are not as strong; however, they can nonetheless be helpful in spot
placement of sounds across the front wall. In applying this technique, however, the
mixer must take into consideration the fact that the end user monitoring system may
contain a smaller and/or poorly positioned center speaker or perhaps no center
speaker at all!
Similarly, a phantom rear center can be created by routing equal amounts of signal to
the left rear and right rear speakers. If the rear speakers are correctly positioned and
angled, this image can be nearly as stable as a front phantom center. The presence of a
rear center speaker in 6.1 systems allows additional anchoring of a rear center signal,
and also allows for the creation of "halfway" phantom images (i.e., between rear left
and rear center, or rear center and rear right).
However, side phantom images, between the front left and rear left speakers or front
right and rear right speakers, are very weak and unstable they seem to jump around
with even the slightest head movement. This is due to the simple fact that our heads get
in the way! Mathematical formulas called Head Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs)
factor in the size, shape and density of the human
P&E Wing Recommendations for Surround Sound Production
4-3head as well as the position of the ears. They are used by acousticians to predict the
ability to perceive various sounds originating from different points around us.
These formulas show that it is easy to discern slight panning movements from left to
right, and even easier to detect panning from left to center, and then center to right (the
recommended way of doing left-right pans in a surround sound system). However, they
also demonstrate that smooth panning from front to rear is not possible, even with the
presence of a dedicated rear center speaker added by 6.1 systems. This is because the
human ears frequency response to sounds coming from the rear is radically different
from that of sounds originating from directly in front, so theres little cohesion; in
essence, a front-rear flyover is really a fade, not a pan. However, as noted in section
1.3, front-rear flyovers in 6.1 systems do not suffer as much from comb filtering
problems since the panning is being done between two single point sources.
Also, because the size of the head remains constant even though different frequency
components generate different wavelengths, localization is very much frequency-
dependent; higher frequencies localize much better than lower frequencies. In fact, it is
quite difficult to localize very low-frequency sounds, which is why a single subwoofer
can be used to handle all the bottom end in a surround system.
One potential problem that can arise from routing a signal into two or more speakers is
the danger of increased, and increasingly complex, comb filtering. This problem
multiplies as more speakers are engaged and can become critical if downmixing is ever
employed by the playback system. Therefore, many experienced surround mixers
selectively turn off channels when bringing a sound "inside" the surround bubble or
when dynamically panning a sound from one area in the surround space to another. It is
recommended that whenever signal is placed into three, four, or five speakers, it be
decorrelated (see section 4.7).
It is worth noting that, while most "surround-ready" mixing consoles provide four- or
five-channel panpots (often in the form of joysticks), it is also possible and
sometimes preferable to accomplish pinpoint positioning with the judicious use of
delay lines instead. For example, by routing a signal to all five channels and then
slightly delaying the rear channels only, the sound can be "spotted" front of center, for
all listening positions.
P&E Wing Recommendations for Surround Sound Production


4.4 Use of the Center Channel
In the arena of surround sound mixing, there is probably no area that prompts more
debate than the use (or abuse) of the center channel. As noted in section 4.3, its primary
function is to provide hard center anchoring for key components (such as dialog in film
postproduction, or lead vocals or solo instruments in music applications) with greater
stability than phantom centering, and without any of the comb filtering problems that
occur with phantom centers.
However, too much reliance on the center channel alone can be problematic due to the
fact that the center speaker in many home theater systems is smaller than the main left
and right speakers. As a result, signals routed to the center channel alone can be
severely compromised in terms of their frequency spectrum during playback. (Some
consumer surround sound systems don't provide a center speaker at all; however, most
consumer receivers provide an option to route center channel information at equal level
to the left and right speakers if no center speaker is connected.)
Another problem stems from the fact that most playback systems even the most
rudimentary consumer systems allow each channel to be heard in isolation. Placing a
lead vocal "naked" in the center channel, with out other instrumentation to help mask
poorly intonated notes, "auto-tuning" glitches, or bad drop-ins, can therefore potentially
expose weaknesses in a performance and consequently incur the wrath of the recording
artist and record label.
For these reasons, most surround sound music mixers treat the center channel with
caution, rarely if ever using it to carry any mix components exclusively. Instead, those
instruments routed to the center channel (most often lead vocal, bass, snare drum, kick
drum and/or instrument solos) are also generally routed to other speakers as well.
Placing selected instruments in the center channel and one or both front speakers helps
emphasize their sound within the front wall and also aids in localization if the listener
moves around the room. Conversely, creating a virtual triangle by placing selected
instruments in the center channel and one or both rear speakers can yield an interesting
psychoacoustic effect where the sound appears to come out into the room, closer to the
listener. However, care must be taken to decorrelate such signals in each speaker (most
often, by slightly altering equalization, delay times or pitch see section 4.7);
otherwise, masking and/or phase cancellation problems can occur.
Some surround mixers prefer to leave the center channel dry (free of reverberation),
while others opt to add a small amount of decorrelated reverb in order to prevent the
signal from feeling too disembodied. If a decision is made to route reverb to the center
channel, early reflections and/or reverbs with short delays (i.e., "room" presets) are
generally a better choice than long reverb tails.
P&E Wing Recommendations for Surround Sound Production


4.5 Use of the Rear Channels
As described in section 4.1, modern surround sound music production techniques make
much greater utilization of the rear channels than ever before. Whereas the Ls and Rs
channels were once used almost exclusively for room ambience and effects returns,
engineers today often place significant musical content in the rear speakers, frequently
adopting an "in the band" mix perspective (see section 3.3.1). Some engineers
characterize opening up the soundfield this way as making things "larger than life."
The rear speakers are also often used to carry transient events, such as percussive
accents or sound effects. This introduces the element of surprise into the surround sound
listening experience and temporarily draws the listener's attention away from the overall
wash of sound, perhaps even making them turn their heads (sometimes called the "exit
sign effect").
Another important usage of the rear speakers, as noted in sections 4.3 and 4.4, is to pull
a center channel signal out "into" the surround space. With careful balancing and by
selectively routing it to center speaker and both the Ls and Rs speakers, the sound can
appear to float directly in front of the listener's face. By routing it to the center speaker
and either the Ls or Rs speaker (not both), again with careful balancing, a somewhat
fragile yet interesting phantom image can be created where the sound appears to be
floating just behind the listener's left or right shoulder. The addition of slight delays or
phase offsets can help enhance such imaging.
Where signals have been recorded in multichannel format with the use of microphone
arrays, the rear speakers serve the important function of carrying spatial positioning
information. Even when the signal source is mono or stereo, ambient room mics can be
routed to the rear speakers, thus enhancing the apparent size of the image. Similarly,
effects returns such as reverb that are routed to the rear speakers (decorrelated from any
that are placed in the front speakers; see section 4.7) can aid in making a sound appear
bigger.
Multichannel bus compression and equalization tools have appeared in recent years
which can help the front and rear channels be better integrated into a coherent
soundfield. Their use by the mixing and/or mastering engineer is optional and
subjective, depending upon the program material. See section 5.3.
P&E Wing Recommendations for Surround Sound Production


4.6 Use of the LFE Channel

As noted in section 1, the LFE ("Low Frequency Effects") channel was originally
introduced by the film industry because early theatrical speaker systems were unable to
generate loud low frequency signals without clipping. Sometimes referred to as the
"boom" channel, it is used in film applications to add dramatic effect, almost
exclusively carrying the rumble of volcanic eruptions, spaceships thundering into view,
and bombs and planets exploding.
In terms of multichannel music production, however, there is some debate as to whether
the LFE channel is necessary at all. One can argue that the home theater experience is
heightened by having the walls shake whenever rocket launchers are fired, but is there
really that much value in having the listener feel every bass drum hit in such a similarly
dramatic fashion?
There is no clear-cut answer, but the mere presence of the LFE channel almost dictates
that it be used. The danger lies in overuse, because too much reliance on the LFE
channel to carry bass information can result in the loss of low end altogether on
incorrectly configured or poorly designed home theater systems. In addition, the LFE
channel is discarded by most matrixed encoding systems (such as Dolby Pro Logic; see
section 1.1) and downmixing algorithms (see section 5.5), including those used for
HDTV broadcast. Therefore, the LFE channel should never be used to carry the bass
content of the main speaker channels that is the job of bass management. Because
bass management is employed by almost every consumer home theater system, placing
too much information in
the LFE channel will effectively result in double management total bass overload
and probable distortion.
Instead, the LFE channel is best approached with caution. Only modest amounts of
signal from specific instruments with significant low frequency content kick drum,
tympani, bass guitar, acoustic bass, low organ or piano notes should be routed to the
LFE, and in all instances those instruments should also be printed full range to the
desired main channels as well. An experienced mastering engineer can help in correctly
assessing the relative level of the LFE channel as compared with the main channels.
P&E Wing Recommendations for Surround Sound Production

4.6.1 Filtering the LFE Channel

The subwoofer is often the most inaccurately configured component in the typical home
theater system. Bass management schemes in consumer receivers vary widely, and most
employ filtering after the summation of main channel and LFE information. A mixer
who is not monitoring through a bass managed system can inadvertently create a mix
that plays back with phase cancellation problems or even the entire loss of some low
frequency information. Even in cinemas with fixed installations done by professionals,
the sub can be poorly set up. As a result, it is our recommendation that the LFE channel
should be low-pass filtered at 80 - 120Hz. This should be considered even if the project
is destined for release on SA-CD or DVD-Audio, despite the fact that the spec does not
require such filtering. Because the optimum frequency to be used is program-
dependent, such filtering should be done by ear; simply experiment with different
frequencies while listening carefully. In most cases, selecting a frequency between 80
and 100Hz will produce the best results. Use the steepest filter available (24dB/octave
or higher), and choose one that maintains the most accurate phase correlation. While
monitoring during mixing through a bass managed system is imperative, if low pass
filtering of the LFE channel is not possible or desired, it can be printed full range and
the job left to the mastering engineer.
P&E Wing Recommendations for Surround Sound Production


4.7 Creating Realistic Ambience

Unless one is working with material that was recorded with multiple ambient
microphones (or a multichannel microphone array), the surround mixer often has to deal
with single channel sources that need to be clearly positioned within an open, defined
space. There is often also a need to move the sound around freely in that space and at
the same time have the acoustics work correctly. For such precision panning to work
realistically, the accompanying ambience needs to change as well.
The key to accomplishing this is the use of decorrelated effects, where the output of
each channel is similar, but not exactly the same (if they were exactly the same, they
would be correlated). Decorrelation is achieved when one or more basic parameters
typically filter settings, delay times, and/or pitch are very slightly offset in each
channel. In any two-channel pair, the sound of a left-right decorrelated pair is
distributed evenly across the field; in contrast, an exactly correlated pair sounds
monophonic. The sum of any two correlated signals is 6dB higher in their center, while
the sum of any two perfectly decorrelated signals is only 3dB higher in the center. More
importantly, decorrelated signals yield a sense of realistic ambience, because real spaces
are decorrelated. In the case of a decorrelated surround sound reverb, instead of yielding
a sense of a different reverb in the back, the listener gets the sense of a real space.
While dedicated multichannel reverberation algorithms and hardware devices provide
an easy means for decorrelation, it can also be accomplished with stereo, or even mono
reverbs. In the case of stereo reverbs, which often are programmed with identical
parameters in the left and right channels, care must be taken to alter one or more basic
parameters in one side only. Some engineers prefer to use multiple mono reverbs
instead, routing each to a different speaker and creating decorrelation by calling up the
same preset in each, then slightly altering selected settings.
As with most mixing techniques, the best way to approach the creation of realistic
multichannel ambience is to listen carefully and experiment. Take the time to listen to a
sound in a live acoustic space, then go back into the studio and try to duplicate what you
are hearing.




























13.7 DVD 1
13.7.1
13.7.2 Sound Library
13.7.3 5.1 surround sound mix Logic pro file
13.7.4 Electronic copy of Dissertation


13.8 DVD 2
13.8.1 Standard definition DVD with DVD menu