Lesson Audio and Motion

Dimensions of
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Information and Media

Audio Media

Sound is an essential component of media. Your choice of sound and means of sound production can make or break
the information you wish to convey. The sounds that are used in multimedia presentations come in different types.
What are these? Marshall (2001) cites three:

1. Music often elicits emotions and arousal from listeners Calvert (2014). It is effective in mood setting and
stimulates listeners in performing various personal tasks such as studying and meditating, as well as social
functions like for courtship rituals, for the creation and maintenance of
friendships, as a topic of conversation, and as a way to encourage
dancing (Roberts & Christenson, 2001 on Calvert 2014). Adolescents
use music primarily for mood regulation (Christenson & Roberts, 1998).
Females consider music as a means to improve their mood or dwell on
melancholic emotions, while males are more likely to use music for
excitement. (Larson, Kubey, & Colletti,
1989, on Calvert, 2014)

2. Sound effects makes specific points, provides hint to the setting in the
absence of visuals (e.g., squeaky doors, explosions, rustling leaves, etc.)

Sound effects are grouped into four (Schneider,

"Foley Room at the Sound Design
2009) Campus" by vancouverfilmschool is
licensed under CC BY 2.0

a. Hard sound
Those that appear on screen and are synchronized to the picture,
recorded directly as what they are.

b. Foley sounds
Equally synchronized on screen but are not the original sound as what they appear to be. That means that
they are recorded and mixed to appear as another sound on screen.

c. Background sound
All sounds that indicate ambience settings. They do not need to be synchronized to the picture. Ambience
sounds are usually recorded in real life application in nature and then mixed. Common background effects
include weather ambience and forest ambience, traffic sounds, etc.

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 d. Design sound
Describes a palette of sounds that usually do not occur in nature (laser weapon). They may be created from
scratch with various audio editing tools and with the help of effect processors.

3. Narration is spoken message that often gives the most direct information. This is the most essential content in
some media formats, such as audiobooks designed for the visually-impaired people or for those who want an
alternative listening experience in novels and other traditional reading content. Henriques (2018) says that there
are four types of narration:

a. Fully-Voiced Reading (solo narration)

Probably the most recognized style of reading. All of the characters are vocalized in a dramatic fashion or in
a way that makes the characters distinguishable from one another, maintained throughout the entire
audiobook, and usually all done by one voice actor/narrator.

b. Partially-Voiced Reading (solo narration)

Made when the voiced production (usually done by one narrator) focuses on giving certain characters a
distinguishable voice – most commonly the protagonists or any character who has a distinctive voice in the
narration. The other characters, normally the minor ones, do not need to sound dramatically different from
one another.

c. Unvoiced Readings (solo narration)

The narrator reads the story in a natural, more straightforward tone. There are no changes in voice for
different characters. The story is told in the narrator’s voice and the whole book is usually voiced by one
voice actor.

d. Multicast Readings / Full Cast Readings

There is more than one voice actor hired to read the audiobook. This can range from two characters (duet
narration) or more.

Audio File Formats

Sound comes in various digital formats. Schmidt (2020) posts 7 popular audio file types in www.canto.com:

1. M4A is an mpeg-4 audio file or audio-compressed file used because of increased quality demand as a result of
cloud storage and bigger hard drive space in contemporary computers. It is preferred due to its high quality.

2. FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an audio file compressed into a smaller size of the original file. It is not
frequently used compared to other sound file formats because it often needs special downloads to function. The
advantage of FLAC is, being a lossless audio file, its compression can save size and promote sharing of an audio
file while being able to return to the original quality standard.

3. MP3 is an MPEG audio layer 3 file format preferred because its compression saves valuable space while
maintaining near-flawless quality of the original source of sound. MP3’s high quality and small size is very popular
for all mobile audio-playing devices. It is compatible with nearly every device capable of reading audio files. The
MP3 is probably best used for extensive audio file sharing due to its manageable size. It also works well for
websites that host audio files.

4. MP4 is an audio file type is a comprehensive media extension, capable of holding audio, video and other media.
The MP4 contains data in the file, rather than code. This is important to note as MP4 files require different codecs
to implement the code artificially and allow it to be read.

5. WAV is a Waveform Audio File that stores waveform data. The waveform data stored demonstrates strength of
volume and sound in specific parts of the WAV file. It is entirely possible to transform a WAV file using

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 compression, though it is not standard. WAV is typically used on Windows systems. They are usually
uncompressed audio files, though it’s not a requirement of the format.

6. WMA (Windows Media Audio) is Windows-based alternative to the more common and popular MP3 file type. Its
advantage is its lossless compression, retaining high audio quality throughout all types of restructuring processes.
Despite its quality, it is not the most popular do to its inaccessibility to many users, especially those who don’t use
the Windows operating system.

7. AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is an audio file that delivers decently highquality sound and is enhanced using
advanced coding. It has never been one of the most popular audio formats, especially when it comes to music files,
but the AAC does still serve some purpose for major systems. This includes popular mobile devices and video
gaming units, where the AAC is a standard audio component.

Low-Cost Sound Designing Tips

• Utilize natural and industry-produced sounds for music in videos.

• Create a sound bank to store all natural and original sound.

• Use original music instead of copyrighted music to avoid copyright infringement.

• Eliminate unnecessary noise to prevent distractions and ensure complete silence.

• Avoid noise sources like wind, industrial noise, neighborhood noise, uncontrollable bystanders, and unmindful
production teams.

• Use a sound recorder to capture different sounds, such as rushing water, to avoid distractions.

• Use the knowledge gained from these tips to enhance your final performance task.

A scene from “Kinamulatan” (2016). This creek scene was shot directly beside South Luzon
Expressway, so we could not totally use the recorded sound in the area. Good thing, we had another river footage
without the traffic sound, so we looped it all throughout the sequence.

the sound of running waters. If this is impossible, you can use natural sound downloaded from a free source on
the internet.

2. Be careful with your voice recordings.

Some video contents rely greatly of voice component, like the instructional video materials currently being
produced for DepEd TV, and poor sound can affect the content’s effectiveness, especially if the message is on the
voice component itself. This is one of our downfalls in some filmmaking competitions, so we have been very
cautious about this.

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 The basic rule in sound recording is to direct the recording equipment as close as possible to the sound source. A
microphone can easily accomplish this task. Good microphones are getting cheaper and more accessible these
days, thanks to online shops, but in case you can produce do not have any yet, your smart phone can come in
handy. Recording a voice-over, that is when the speaker does not have to appear on video, is simple. Just go to
an isolated room and start recording. However, make sure that you are away from white noise, or unnecessary
ambient sound. Turn of the air conditioning unit or electric fan to remove the constant humming sound. Echoing
sound may be reduced if you record in a room with enough fixtures to absorb echoes, such as curtains. I had an
experience recording with so much distracting noise around – the neighbors’ chickens, my pet dog, vehicles
passing by – and I had to cover myself and my phone with towels just to lessen the external sounds. It was
awkward, but it worked!

You will have more noise problems

when you record outdoors. Even a
faint breeze can produce unpleasant
hustling sound. If the speaker must
be far from the camera, such as in
long or full body shots, get another
phone for a separate recording. Plug
in the earphones with built-in mic,
hide it in his/her clothing, and make
sure the mic is close to his/her
mouth. During editing, just remove
the sound from the video recording
and use the sound from the hidden
recorder.

Dubbing, the process of syncing video with sound that is not recorded at the same time, is an option, but I do not
recommend it if you only have basic equipment. It is a good way to get rid of unnecessary noise, but it entails a
lot of rehearsals so that the movement of the mouth goes at the same pace with the vocal recording. We made a
terrible mistake in dubbing, where in we recorded sound in a room for an outdoor scene. The result was
awkward. Therefore, if you really have to dub and you do not have a good sound editing equipment, ensure that
your location is the same as with the video to be dubbed. If the scene is internal, record in a room; if it is
external, record outdoors, and remember to stay away from distracting noise.

6. Balance layers of sound.

This is a problem we encounter when there is more than one layer of sound in a video, say, a layer for voice, a
second layer for music, and a third layer for ambient sound. Remember to decrease the volume of the secondary
and tertiary sound in order to highlight the primary sound. For instance, your video may begin with music, but
lower its volume once the voice over enters. You may increase the music volume again after the voice over
narration.

Motion Media

It is quite odd to teach the dynamics of movement in a printed medium (this module, that is), but I guess we can
manage through pictures and diagrams for now. If you have access to the internet, you can watch related videos
through YouTube. Check out the links as we progress through this lesson.

Movement is another dimension that affects media and information. Every single movement that is incorporated in a
video production contributes to the storytelling process or to elicit the desired emotions from the viewers. The Nashville
Film Institute (2020) lists down the following purposes of movement in a video.

1. Creating dynamic scenes

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 Consider the camera as the viewer’s eyes on a story; therefore, how the camera moves dictates how the viewers
see a scene. Movements can make a scene more interesting. Say for instance a basketball scene wherein the
camera moves inside the court throughout the game. It conveys the idea that the viewer is one of the players in
the game. On the other hand, that same basketball scene shot from afar makes the viewer a spectator of the
game. Which of these two is more exciting?

2. Influencing audiences’ emotional reactions:

As movement stands for the audience’s view, it can also influence emotions. Shooting a gang war scene with
shaky hand-held camera lets the audience feel the chaos of the event, swaying the camera on a boat scene
commands seasickness. I remember watching “Saving Private Ryan” which begins with a prolonged war scene
perfectly executed with hand-held camera tracking the struggle of soldiers in the epic Battle of Normandy. The
movement was so disturbing and dizzying, I just prayed war would stop soon.

3. Directing audiences’ attention:

Camera movements can hide audiences’ vision and pull audiences away from certain elements on-screen.

4. Controlling reveals:
Adding camera movements is also a great way to provide narrative information, reveal new subjects that were
once offscreen, and even foreshadow or create ironic tension that characters are unaware of.

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Basic Camera Movement

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The camera is the basic
equipment to record
movement. Other devices, like
the tripod, sliders, gimbal, dolly,
and drone contribute to the
quality of the captured video.
They can be improvised, though.
All it takes in a bit of creativity to
get things done.

Clark (2016) mentions

https://help.sketchup.com/sites/help.sketchup.com/files/images/sketchup-1220896six basic movements

CameraMoves.png that are doable even with minimal equipment:

1. Dolly The name comes from the tracks be laid down for the heavy camera to move along. The phrase dolly-in
means step towards the subject with the camera, while dolly-out means to step backwards with the camera,
keeping the zoom the same. This type of camera movement is often used to focus on a character when they’re lost
in thought or when they’ve come to a sudden realization. (NFI, 2020)

2. Pedestal Moving the camera up or down without changing its vertical or horizontal axis. A camera operator can do
two types of pedestals: pedestal up means “move the camera up;” pedestal down means “move the camera
down.”This movement is best used to shoot a tall character or subject. To use it effectively, move the entire
camera up or down on a tripod with respect to the subject. (NFI, 2020)

3. Truck It is like dollying, but it involves motion left or right. Truck left means “move the camera physically to the
left while maintaining its perpendicular relationship.”Trucking is often used during action sequences when you
want to keep the camera on a moving character. (NFI, 2020)

4. Pan Moving the camera lens to one side or another, as if you are looking from left to right or vice versa. Panning
can help you establish the location of a scene or let you follow a moving character. Panning can also help you
reveal things that were previously off-screen. (NFI, 2020).

5. Tilt Moving the cameras lens up or down while keeping its horizontal axis constant, as if you are nodding. Tilting
the camera can also help you reveal an object or person that was not on screen before and add an element of
surprise to the scene you’re setting. (NFI, 2020)

6. Roll Moving the camera onto its side is a roll, the way a dog does when he doesn't understand. This is a very rare
movement, and one you should only use for very specific purposes.

Here are some other useful camera movement styles.

7. Zoom This technique allows you to move closer (zoom in) or farther an object (zoom out) without physically
moving the camera (Leu, 2020). Instead, the camera’s lens does the job. This might lessen the image’s quality,
that is why the dolly becomes a better option.

8. Following shot This is a type of tracking shot in which the camera continuously follows the subject’s action. (Leu,
2020). Following shots using handheld camera results to bumpy or shaky video, which may convey a realistic
sense. Steadicams and gimbals may be used to create smoother following shots, but if you do not have this, you
can still opt for the hand-held style, but stay relaxed to avoid the shakes. To execute this, I normally bend my
knees a bit to lessen the impact of walking.

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