Coffee and Celluloid

Making it Sound Good

Posted June 22nd, 2008 at 12:28 am by C47

Since I’ve been sound mixing for the past three days, with three more to go (a double show), I thought it would be appropriate to post some tips on getting the best audio possible from Christian Dwiggins, Master Engineer and owner of Engine Room Studios, a sound production facility.

Here they are, from Christian:

Good sound starts with good ears and a filmmaker who understands its importance.
Don’t make the mistake of having only one sound designer when you can have a team. Four ears are better than two, just as two brains are better than one.
The amount of money you spend on sound in pre-production will save you three times the amount of money in post. Most films don’t have the budget for ADR.
When looking for a sound designer, look for someone talented and hungry - someone fresh.
The best way to find a decent sound designer is at a sound engineer school, through blogs like this and referrals.
In production your sound person should be acutely aware of what’s going on in the environment. Hone in on all the sound. Someone whose present. A bad sound tech won’t notice an airplane who went by and end up costing you a fortune later on. Remember, good sound design starts at the source.
As a filmmaker it’s very important to find a designer who understands your process, your vision and how to work within your budget.
The sound department, whether it’s a single person or a whole group, is an integral part of your crew and should be treated as such.
Your choice in post can make the difference between sounding like a homemade film and sounding a blockbuster. It’s about talent, not about money.

If you’re in the LA area, here’s some more about Engine Room. Many thanks to them and Christian for these tips.

Engine Room Studios is a fresh and edgy, boutique-style full-service sound production facility that brings its down-to-earth vibe to the heart of Hollywood. Musicians, directors and producers alike feel at home with the talented and attentive team of engineers. E.R.S. gives their clients the personal attention that has become lost among the large post house conglomerates. “It’s not the gear that you use, it’s what’s between your ears,” says master engineer and owner Christian Dwiggins. And it’s also what goes into your ears - an experienced and talented team that gets exactly what needs to be done while giving the best audio production the industry has to offer.

Photo by mybloodyself.

Posted in Production, Sound Design | No Comments

From Presentation Zen to Filmmaking Zen

Posted April 30th, 2008 at 12:37 pm by C47

I like presentations. Let me correct that. I like good presentations. People seem to have finally woken up and realize that good presenting requires a good story (and no bullet points).

Presentation Zen, both the book and blog, utilize the visual power PowerPoint/Keynote provide to make presentations better.

Of course you don’t have to be a Venture Capitalist to pick up a few useful tips. Here’s what a filmmaker can get from Garr Reynolds’ insight:

Planning Analog (45)

“As wonderful as digital technolog is, I don’t think anything is as quick, easy, and immediate as a simple pad and pencil, and nothing gives me sapce to jot down ideas quite like a massive whiteboard.” (47)

As pretty as a nicely formatted Word Notebook outline, or bubbl.us mindmap looks, a pad of graph paper (I like to draw in the boxes during blocks) and a Sharpie are my outlining tools. Bottom line: plan with pen and paper, post-its, or whiteboards. Not software.

What’s your point? Why Does it matter? (62)

This should be something that’s always in the back of your mind, from the big picture (why is this documentary important?) to the minute detail (do we need to see her walk in the door and up the stairs, or just cut to the office?)

Dakara Nani? So What?

Is your point relevant? Every shot needs to matter.

“It may be cool, but is it important to further your story, or is it included only because it seems impressive to you (but few others)?”

Elevator Test

“You run into an executive in an elevator. Or your meeting is cancelled and he needs you to describe your project as you walk to his car. Can you get your message across in 30-45 seconds.”

I’ve seen many pitches last longer than the film they’re talking about. Keep it simple. Stupid.

What Makes Ideas Stick? (76)

I’ve talked about my love of Made to Stick during documentary editing. You need to read it. I need to buy it (it’s that good). The six points are:

Simplicity
Unexpectedness
Concreteness
Credibility
Emotions
Stories

Kanso, Shizen, Shibumi (107)

This is Zen for design. For filmmakers/marketers, this is Zen for your posters.

Kanso (Simplicity)

Beauty and visual elegance are achieved by elimination and omission.

Shizen (Naturalness)

Keep it simple.

“Graphic desingers show restraint by including only what is necessary to communicate the particular message for the audeince. Restraint is hard. Complication and elaboration are easy…and are common.”

Shibumi (Elegance)

The original ‘less is more.’ Don’t spell everything out - leave stuff up to the imagination.�Be suggestive rather than the descriptive or obvious. Embrace empty or negative space. Elimate the nonessential.

Posted in Marketing, Producing, Screenwriting | No Comments