Overview

The distinguishing feature of many low-budget films and TV shows is often the poor sound quality. Now, filmmakers shooting DV on a limited budget can learn from Tomlinson Holman, a film sound production pioneer, how to make their films sound like fully professional productions. Holman offers suggestions that you can apply to your own project from preproduction through postproduction and provides tips and solutions on production, editing, and mixing. Holman, sound engineer on such films as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, is famous for his pioneering work in film sound production and for developing THX. Now, he brings his expertise to the relatively new field of sound for digital video productions. Once considered an amateur format, digital video is becoming the format of choice for some feature films and for many lower budget productions; this book will enable you to use this medium to create the most professional and effective sound possible.

Full Product Details

Author:   Tomlinson Holman (President of TMH Corporation; former Corporate Technical Director at Lucasfilm, Ltd., CA, USA) ,  Tomlinson Holman (President of TMH Corporation; former Corporate Technical Director at Lucasfilm, Ltd., CA, USA)
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Focal Press
Dimensions:   Width: 19.00cm , Height: 2.00cm , Length: 23.40cm
Weight:   0.794kg
ISBN:  

9780240807201

ISBN 10:   0240807200
Pages:   324
Publication Date:   26 September 2005
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Replaced By:   9780415812085
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Out of Print
Availability:   In Print  
Limited stock is available. It will be ordered for you and shipped pending supplier's limited stock.

Table of Contents

Sound for DV Tomlinson Holman Outline I. Introduction Why this work is worth doing, who it is aimed at, general format of the book (case study method); relationship to Sound for Film and Television Going to art house films shows trailers demonstrate difference between pix and snd: pix usually better, sound often sacrificed Even on studio pix, pic dominates such as mono The Rules of Attraction Scope of DV Not just a tape format Minimum standards for audio This book covers from DV to DVCProHD, because audio is similar across all DV-based formats Digitizing the world Pros, cons Digital Video Basic digital: why? Four dimensions of a sound track Frequency range Dynamic Range Spatial capability Time Digital sound and the four dimensions Features of DV format tapes Further distinguishing features among the formats Footprint Single-speed vs. DV's SP and LP modes Locked vs. unlocked audio sample rate Time code User's bits PAL Interchangeability Conclusion II. Production Sound, aka Location Sound, Original Sound Recording A dedicated sound person Location scouting Coverage Scene coverage: basic technique Boom Lav Planted What can be done with an on-camera microphone? How to use the two channels Items other than voice recorded during production sound Basic acoustics of sound and microphones Microphone types by method of transduction Electrodynamic/electrostatic distinguished Other, rarer types Powering mics Microphone types by polar pattern Differences among mics due to polar pattern Short form advice The radio part of radio mics Microphone accessories Booms/fishpoles Shock mounts Windscreens Pop suppression Cries and Whispers (capturing loud and soft sound) Recording Level parallels to early Cinematography Cries and Whispers simultaneously Multiple level controls in the chain Another kind of overload distortion and how to avoid it Case studies Mounting lavs Radio mic usage Combining features for best wind performance Disposable mics Example from DVD Boom operator's job Common problems Logging Sound kit accessories III. Sound design Sound design defined Sound is constructed, not accidental Continuity Ambience/backgrounds Foley Layering Hard Effects Music Film sound styles Realism Stretched reality What is seen vs. what is heard: on- vs. off-screen Surrealism Montage Shifting levels of reality Sound design as an art Emotional memory Low frequencies mean threat Exaggerating reality Spotting IV. Connecting Up, Reference Levels Basic work flow with Firewire Types of audio interconnects: digital AES3 S/PDIF Problems arising on digital interfaces Types of audio interconnects: analog Mic/line/speaker level Line levels: -10/+4 Balanced and unbalanced connections File transfers V. Editing Non-linear editing defined Random access editing Non-destructive editing Visual waveform editing Edits and fade files File management Plug Ins/Processes Edit processes vs. mix processes Processes defined Process environments Track and channels Busses Pan pots Grouping Tracks Differences between picture and sound editing systems Picture-sound sync resolution How to Edit Block diagram of process Fine editing of production sound Where presence is used Documentary considerations Fixing bumps Sound effects Ambience/backgrounds Cutting music Scene changes Detailed analysis of scene changes in Love Actually VI. Mixing Editing and mixing are different, but converging The mixing hourglass Level-related processes Level controls Gain staging Hand compression Compression Limiting De-essing Noise gate Downward expander Processes related mainly to Frequency Equalization Filtering Combinations of level and frequency Time-baesd devices Reverberation Other time based effects: echo, duration change Other plug ins Dither Generator Pitch correction Panning Routing and limitations caused by it Busses, channels Delay compensation Voice limitation How to mix Start with dialogue The dialogue processing chain VII. Masters and Monitoring Delivery Master defined Choice of sound format on Delivery Masters Mono Stereo LtRt matrix surround 5.1 channel discrete surround Mastering for level Background on -12 versus -20 dBFS reference level Level calibration When you can't calibrate with test signals Best one-size-fits-all approach Mastering for DVD, Digital Broadcast, and Digital Satellite Television Post Production Masters Label Monitoring Film versus Video mixes VII. Sound Basic Video for Audio People Video Basic frame rates Under- and over-cranked camera Digital Video Basic digital Interconnecting video

Reviews

Even if your projects will never reach the complexity of a Hollywood feature, you can learn a lot from this book. It is clearly written, and Holman doesn't hesitate to share his encyclopedic knowledge and experience. - Jay Rose Although his focus is bringing professional techniques to budget productions, Holman imparts plenty of useful information to anyone involved in sound for picture. - Electronic Musician A good initial guide for the budding AV artist. - DJ magazine This is an excellent technical manual, packed with hard practical information...the chapters on sound design, editing, mixing, and monitoring are first class. - BKSTS magazine, May 2006

Author Information

Tomlinson Holman is President of TMH Corporation and one of the prominent figures in audio today. He is widely known for his development of new products and processes in the field of audio and video, including the THX Sound System, Home THX (with his patents licensed to more than 45 companies), and the THX Digital Mastering program developed while he was Corporate Technical Director at Lucasfilm, Ltd. He has won career achievement awards from CAS and the Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association. Mr. Holman is a Fellow of the Audio Engineering Society, the British Kinematograph Sound and Television Society, and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. He is Co-Chairman of the Audio Engineering Society Task Force on High-Capacity Audio.

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