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A Year of Saying No

At the end of 2017, I made a career decision: I no longer wanted to do theatre sound design jobs that were creatively unfulfilling.

For years I’ve been working theatre and opera sound design jobs around other sound work because the work that came my way was often last-minute and frequently not well-paid. I regularly felt worn out from over-working. I had also noticed that by filling up my schedule, to feel like I was still part of the industry, I was limiting my opportunities to apply for better-paid, more creative jobs. I wanted to move up the career ladder. To do this, I needed to make a change.

So I made a list of what I wanted from a theatre or opera sound design job and set this as my criteria for accepting an offer. It was a pretty straight-forward list: decent fee, exciting script/concept, opportunities for creative sound design and not just a “dog bark, doorbell” show, within timescales that fit with my schedule and ideally something that would mean a step up (not across or down) the career ladder.

I knew this would cut out a lot of the smaller-scale work that came my way, particularly with regards to the fee, but as I had other means of generating income, I knew this wouldn’t be too difficult. The challenge would be fighting against the urge to take creatively unfulfilling jobs that wouldn’t add anything to my CV so I could still “feel” like a theatre sound designer. But I’d made my list, and I believed that creating space in my schedule would open me up to the kind of opportunities I wanted.

The result? I haven’t had a theatre or opera sound design job this year so far.

At the start of this year, I felt pretty confident with my choice. A couple of sound design opportunities came along that I wasn’t able to do because of scheduling conflicts, but neither of them provided much creative stimulus, and I didn’t feel conflicted about turning them down. Then along came a job I really wanted to do, with a great script and intriguing concept. The interview went well – but they needed more availability than they had initially indicated, and I didn’t get it.

I didn’t know it at the time, but this set a precedent for the rest of the year. Every so often an opportunity came up that excited me, the interview with the director would go well, and ultimately I wouldn’t get it because of a specific requirement. One director eventually decided that they wanted someone who could compose and arrange as well as sound design, which counted me out. Another revealed in the interview that they wanted the sound designer to be present during all rehearsals, which were outside of London, but didn’t have any budget to get me there. In between, there were jobs that I turned down because they didn’t meet my criteria.

So what have I learned? Despite what motivational memes might lead us to believe, sometimes taking a leap of faith doesn’t have the hoped-for result. At least, not in the short term. Having a solid backup plan is also a good idea. If I hadn’t had other workstreams that I could rely on for income, I wouldn’t have been able to say no to many of these opportunities.

And while I say I didn’t get quite the result I wanted, I have got a different result. Not having theatre sound work freed me up to work on audio drama and audiobook sound design, and building a portfolio in this area has led to unexpected opportunities. I am currently designing and mixing three audio dramas and a series of audiobooks for well-known production companies, and it’s an area of sound design work that I very much enjoy.

I’m passionate about theatre sound design, and it’s been demoralising not to be able to get the work I think I should be getting after I’ve made room for those opportunities. It’s made me seriously doubt my skills and ability. Despite this, I am going to continue with saying no to work that doesn’t fulfill my criteria. Because as much as I’ve hated not doing sound design for theatre, I hated being ground down by unfulfilling, low-paid sound design jobs even more.

Career Paths in Film and TV – Highlights

“It’s ok to be wherever you are in your career. There’s no “right” way to get to certain jobs.”

SoundGirls recently held an event on Career Paths in Film and TV Sound at Sony Studios in Los Angeles. The main theme of the night was how to get past the early hurdles of a career – whether it’s trying to get started in post-production or how to build a career when you’re not where you want to be yet. The panelists were Karol Urban, Onnalee Blank, Kate Finan, and April Tucker. Anne-Marie Slack moderated the discussion.

Each of the panelists had different experiences and paths how they got to their current day careers. What was interesting is there were a lot of similarities in the lessons they learned along the way and their philosophies about work and the industry.

Onnalee used persistence and creativity to land her job on Game of Thrones.

Karol talked about the power of networking to find work. When Karol came to LA, she met with people she had connected with before she moved. Volunteering with the Cinema Audio Society helped her meet professionals she might not have had access to otherwise.

Kate talked about the importance of having experience at a professional studio for someone in the field today. There’s a lot of opportunities to work on your own (and value to learning on your own), but there are other skills needed in a studio environment. When you’re self-trained, it can be harder to adapt to the technical needs of a studio, to workflows, or even know studio etiquette.

Anne (who co-owned a post-production studio for almost a decade) said it’s good to show job history for an entry level position even if it’s not audio-related. Even if you’ve worked at Starbucks, it shows you have the work ethic and experience of working with a company.

April talked about the importance of taking jobs with good learning opportunities even if it’s not exactly on the path you want to go. April’s first studio job was assistant scheduler which allowed her to work up to machine room operator, ADR & Foley engineer, sound editor, and mixer.

The audience had a lot of questions about specific career choices, but there was a common thread: What can I do to get where I want to go with my career? The panel all talked about the importance of making connections – to get to know people and ask for advice or guidance (versus asking for work). Onnalee suggested looking for companies with a reputation for supporting women. Kate said she started her business in part because she wanted to work with and help support women in the field.

One takeaway we heard from a number of women in attendance was that it’s ok to be wherever you are in your career. There’s no “right” way to get to certain jobs. An audience member asked a great question: “What do you need to do differently now to get started than when you all got in the field?” It’s no longer about working at a prestigious facility or a major studio. You can work on great content or get credit on a show or movie that turns out to be popular or win awards. It’s always in hindsight that you can see the path.

SoundGirls would like to thank our panel:

Anne-Marie Slack, Executive of Organization Services for Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE)

Karol Urban, CAS, MPSE – Re-Recording Mixer

Onnalee Blank, CAS – Re-Recording Mixer, Formosa Group

Kate Finan, MPSE – Supervising sound editor and co-owner, Boom Box Post

April Tucker, CAS – Re-recording Mixer

We’d also like to thank Sony, Tom McCarthy, Timothy Kuzniar, Lane Burch, Gredel Berrios, Steve Urban, Jett Galindo and Jaymes Quirino of the Bakery, Bill Dannevik for filming, and our volunteers.

 

Five Quick Sound Design Tips from Game Sound Design

In July I attended Develop: Brighton, the UK’s biggest conference for game developers, held in Brighton, England. One day of the conference is dedicated to audio in games, with lectures from audio directors and sound designers covering everything from how to get the best performance from voice actors, to sound effects creation and video game music tropes.

Every year I come away from the lectures with useful tidbits which I’ve found can easily apply to sound design in general. Here are five short and sweet takeaways from this year:

It’s not always about the noise

I know I often fall into the trap of feeling a soundscape has to have a ton of layers to be effective. Shannon Potter (Formosa Interactive), who worked on The Last of Us and Uncharted 4 talked about how sparse sounds can help to enhance a particular emotion, and it was a good reminder that sometimes the most effective sound design for a scene includes a lot of space and silence. In a particular cutscene that she played from The Last of Us, a low drone, the background whistling of winter wind and an intermittent sink drip were all that was needed to create an intense feeling of isolation, which supported the bleak nature of the scene.

To get the best out of voice actors, tell them how to feel, not what to say

Line reads (where you perform the line to the actor and ask them to mimic you) will never give you a truthful performance. Experienced game voice director and actor Stephane Cornicard discussed how helping an actor to understand character location (outside/inside, far away/up close) and intention in a scene (what does the character want?) will produce a far more connected performance than saying “just read it like this.”

Transitions are your friend

Effective audio transitions can help maintain immersion in any media and particularly in VR, where scene transitions between environments can be jarring for the player. Listening to Andrew Quinn’s (Rocksteady) lecture about how he and his team used audio to support the story Batman: Arkham VR, I was reminded how important a seamless transition could be even for non-visual experiences like audio drama. It’s so easy to throw a listener out of the experience with a clumsy transition, and a classic whoosh won’t always cut it.

Get creative with your sources

Philip Eriksson (EA Dice) talked about creating unique audio signatures for the signature power move (weapon attack sound) for characters in Star Wars: Battlefront 2. Baby alligator roars, slinky movements, and kittens all contributed in some way, which certainly demonstrated some out-of-the-box thinking. I was particularly interested in Eriksson’s description of how he used his own vocalisations to capture a rough idea of the pitch and sound envelope, as a starting point for many of the eventual designs.

Make your music meaningful

We know that music should be more than just a background element in any narrative audio medium, be it film/TV, audio drama, or games. Effective use of music can transform the experience for the viewer or player, just as ineffective usage can destroy it. What I hadn’t considered is how the active integration of music within games can lead to a more meaningful experience. Watching composer Oliver Derivative’s examples of how musical elements were placed within the game environment for Get Even, I could clearly see and hear how the tight integration between the music and the gameplay (door knocks and gunshots timed with music, for example) really helped to draw you into the game as a player.

I’ve seen great examples of similar cohesion of music and sound design in film and TV, and it made me consider how the same approach could be applied to audio drama. Sound designers and composers often work quite separately on an audio drama – both liaising with the director about the design and music, but only with each other at the mixing stage. Are audio dramas better served by sound designers and composers working more collaboratively from the start? I’m sure there are several that work in this way already, not to mention the sound designer/composers that perform both roles. It would be an interesting exercise to compare the different styles of working to hear the differences.

I’m a big fan of learning from other disciplines and my day at Develop always inspires me to try new things in my own sound design projects. If you get the chance, go out and listen to experts in a different field speak about their projects. If nothing else, it could make you hear things in a different way – and that’s always worthwhile.

The Sound of Steampunk

Creating a Flying Machine for an Audio Drama

One of the things which I love most about sound design for audio drama is the opportunity it can bring to create entirely new, fantastic sounds. Sounds for creations or beings that don’t exist in our world.

Having worked in sound design and mixing both for short films and voice-based productions, I’ve always thought that creating the sound of imaginary beings or machines for audio drama is both more freeing and more challenging than for visual media. You’re not tied to a physical representation and the obligation to be able to hear everything you see, but you only have audio to “sell” the creation to the listener. Using a processed version of a crocodile combined with your pitch-shifted voice might work brilliantly as the roar massive bear creature in a game, but in an audio drama, the listener may find it hard to believe that sound came from a bear.

I’ve just finished sound designing and mixing the second season of a steampunk audio drama. The writer/director had included several imaginary beings, creatures, and machines in the script, so from the get-go, I knew I would need to dedicate some time to breathing aural life into these creations.

One of these, and probably my favourite to work on, was the fixed-wing flivver. The writer described it like this:

“The flivver is a homage to an early fictional airplane, from H.G. Wells’ ‘The War in the Air.’ It’s more or less like a biplane but powered by different technology – in this case, probably including an aetheric battery – so its turbine whine would sound different. It might also be in some ways less and in other ways more advanced in terms of the aeronauticals.”

This description gave me a starting point for research and sourcing of raw material. I’d be looking at early 20th century biplanes and whatever an aetheric battery was – more on that in a minute.

I also knew that I’d have to consider how the flivver sounded from different perspectives. Reviewing the scripts, I noted that I needed six different variations:

– distant perspective, external (heard in the distance from a rooftop)

– close perspective, flying flat, internal (seated in the aircraft)

– close perspective, steep climb, internal (seated in the aircraft)

– close perspective, circling, internal (seated in the aircraft)

– close perspective, leveling out, internal (seated in the aircraft)

– medium perspective, departing, external (heard from the perspective of outside the aircraft as it departs)

My first piece of research was the sound of early 20th century biplanes. The purchase of high-quality sound library recordings was beyond the budget of the production, so I turned to YouTube as the most likely place to find any recordings of this kind of aircraft. As you’d expect, most videos were from airshows, which meant additional wind noise, crowd walla and applause and occasional commentary.

The amount of noise present in the videos wasn’t too much of an issue. I didn’t want a modern(-ish) biplane sound to be too present in the final sound as the technology didn’t match the steampunk aesthetic. But, I did need enough of it so that the flivver was easily aurally identifiable as a flying machine. It took a combination of finding enough of the right sound, and some careful editing and noise reduction.

After a lot of listening, decided that the sound of the Bleriot XI was the best fit for the base layer of the flivver sound:

 

 

Next, I needed to add a core engine sound – an engine powered by an aetheric battery, no less. Aetheric energy, as I discovered, is based on a theory developed in the late 1800s by Nikola Tesla, which proposed that the human race could harness the power of the ether (a space-filling medium present all around us) as a source of energy. Ether theories lost popularity as modern physics advanced, so the sound of an aetheric battery is now as speculative as the original theory.

However, there is an invention of Tesla’s that’s still used today to demonstrate principles of electricity and whenever you want to do impressive high voltage displays: the Tesla coil. In the absence of any concrete idea of what aetheric energy might sound like, this seemed a reasonable, and suitably steampunk, alternative. I ended up using a pitched sound of a medium-sized Tesla coil, with an ascending version for when the flivver is climbing. To suggest the kind of mechanics that we associate with steampunk technology, I finally added the sound of a vintage sewing machine.

When I sent the first draft of the flivver to the writer, he felt something was missing – “a sort of insect-like aspect described by Wells, where he talks about the craft’s resemblance to a dragonfly:

“Parts of the apparatus were spinning very rapidly, and gave one a hazy effect of transparent wings.”

I tried various insect whines and flutters and eventually settled on adding the sound of dragonfly wings.

Here’s the finished sound

And in the context of the drama

My next audio drama design and mixing project take me to medieval Europe, which is quite a change of pace! But I hope I’ll be revisiting the world of steampunk audio drama, and its fascinating design opportunities, again soon.

How to Write About Women in Sound

PSN Europe recently interviewed me about my work as a sound designer. Aside from the fact that it’s an articulate, interesting article – thanks to the writer, Tara Lepore – there is one key thing that makes it stand out for me. Although I had the opportunity to mention my work with SoundGirls, and how we work to support women working in sound, at no point does the article define me as a “woman working in sound.”

In my seventeen years working in the industry, I believe this was the first time I haven’t had to answer a single question about why there aren’t more women working in sound/music, or on a similar gender imbalance-based theme. It was both a relief and hugely refreshing.

Interviews like this are necessary.  To the writers and journalists: female sound engineers, producers and designers have answered enough questions about why or how or what’s it like to be a woman working in sound and music. Talking about why women make up only 5% of the industry only serves to reinforce the message that women are an anomaly. The way you encourage more women into audio is to show women, particularly WOC, succeeding in various areas of music and sound. Make it clear to the female sound experts of the future that there are paths open to them. Put the focus on our careers, not our gender.

Instead of asking women what we can do about the industry’s gender imbalance, ask the people and organisations who influence the industry what they plan to do about it. The answers to those “women in the sound/music industry” questions are well documented – we, the women, have been talking about it for years. Take those and investigate the causes, put out a call to action, challenge those in a position of power who can instigate change.

Don’t force women interviewees to act as a spokesperson for all “women in sound.” If gender expression is a crucial part of an interviewees’ work, then it should be included – in a way that works for them. Let them bring it up. If they don’t, then it’s probably not something they feel is relevant to their career.

Highlighting sexism and sexual assault in the industry is important and relevant in the current climate, but it shouldn’t be the whole conversation. Nor should anyone expect women to share their experiences. It can be challenging enough to fight everyday sexism without having to relive the trauma for an interview unexpectedly. If it’s an article about sexism, then that should be made clear upfront so the interviewee can decline if they wish. Otherwise, ask whether it’s relevant for the article.

If you’re interviewing a woman sound professional about her work, it comes down to this: would you ask a male audio expert a question with the same angle? If not, then it’s probably unnecessary.

I welcome any writer who wants to support women and girls in the sound and music industries. The best way to do this is to let us talk about what we love: sound and music. Ask us about what we’ve created, what inspires us, what artists we love and the gear we like to use. Take the opportunity to promote the hundreds of amazing women sound engineers, producers, and designers and the work we do. Not the lack of us.

Resources for a more inclusive industry

 

District of Screen Composers

Empowering Women & Youth in Music Film Composing

One of the most important components of a film is the musical score. It sets the pace and emotion of the story, engaging the viewer to identify with each character. Composing the soundtrack requires the director to write and arrange music that pairs perfectly with the film, utilizing flawless performances by instrumental ensembles, choruses, or musicians. Being a woman composer in a field dominated by men adds to the challenge, something that 22-year-old Romanian composer Ioana Selaru knows all too well.

Ioana Selaru was born in Galati, Eastern Romania where she studied music at an early age. She is an accomplished violinist of over 12 years and has grown up surrounded by music, art, and literature. Her love for composing music sparked the idea to create DISC – District of Screen Composers, a cultural and educational enterprise centering on the music field, consisting of talented and ambitious young musicians, with the common purpose of creating, adapting, and mastering a wide variety of audio products.

Her main goal with DISC is to become a household name on the audio-cultural market, all the while making a positive impact on the local youth through workshops, projects and collaborations. At the same time, initiate and take part in various cultural programs aiming to bring added value to the community.

But, as a female entrepreneur, Ioana faces many obstacles running a successful business in a field dominated by men.  She is motivated by her love for film composing and recognizing that the film industry is very poorly developed in Romania. Ioana states there is currently no community to support ideas like hers in her country that encourages young composers, especially women. She wants to be a part of that change, just like Soundgirls is.

We interviewed Ioana Selaru to learn more about this phenomenal woman on how she came into this industry, and what DISC is doing to increase awareness of women in the music film composing industry.

Myki Angeline: Where is DISC located, when was it established, and how can anyone take part in your workshops and projects?

Ioana Selaru:  DISC, District of Screen Composers, is a music studio located in the heart of Bucharest, Romania’s capital city, is a cultural hub called Manasia. The studio was established three years ago, in 2015, but with another vision and under a different name. The studio is open to anyone who is interested in our activities, and any student or young music enthusiast, willing to be part of the music field, can take part in our cultural programs aiming to bring value to the community.

Myki Angeline: What is your background in music and knowledge, and how is this incorporated into DISC?

Ioana Selaru:   Much of my passion for art comes from the environment I grew up in. My father was a musician in his youth, a guitarist in a rock music band, and my siblings studied architecture, painting, and literature. My passion for composing music has emerged in the final years of high school when I started creating my own arrangements for a band. Then I saw the movie “American Beauty” and listened to the soundtrack composed by Thomas Newman. It was the first time film music really drew my attention in a meaningful way because I was simply absorbed by the perfect blend between music and story. Being trained in a classical way from a very young age is a factor that is easily recognizable in my own compositions. From the way, I build my melody, to harmony and orchestration. I like to integrate the sound of violin in almost any creation. Regardless of whether it is a plucked string, making a percussive sound with the bow or with the body of the instrument.

Myki Angeline: Have you encountered any hurdles as a woman in your industry? If so, what have you done to overcome them?

Ioana Selaru:   I was lucky enough not to have experienced blatant sexism directly. I think prejudice is everywhere, all around the world. Many people, I think, are still not used to the idea of seeing a woman in a leading role. Inappropriate comments are just a sign of insecurity. It is quite clear that there are more men than women working in the film industry, but that does not mean that women are not interested in this kind of job. Every time I am faced with a similar situation I try not to show that I am affected and treat it as a normal work problem. Apart from the above, my male colleagues have been very respectful and supportive.

Myki Angeline: Do you have any upcoming films to be released, or upcoming projects for others to become a part of to share with our readers?

Ioana Selaru:  Apart from my composing work and efforts to develop productive professional relationships, I am investing a good amount of time into organising events that combine visual art with music.  On May 19, the works of three young graphic artists will be accompanied by live ambient music created by us. We will also be interacting with guests and presenting the studio and the artists’ activities in a laid-back atmosphere. There are several future projects, so it is best for readers to follow us on Facebook, Soundcloud, and Instagram.

Myki Angeline: What advice do you have for those choosing to pursue a career in film score composing?

Ioana Selaru:   My advice would be simple: to get out of their comfort zone and experiment. As an artist, it’s important to find your own style and draw inspiration from other people, but what leads to being a real artist is experimenting and developing productive relationships.

Follow DISC on Facebook, Soundcloud, Instagram, and Vimeo.

Follow Iona Selaru on Facebook and Soundcloud


 

Consideraciones para realizar un diseño de refuerzo Sonoro.

Que es el diseño de refuerzo sonoro? Reproducción del sonido en una determinada área de audiencia mediante medios artificiales, que tienen como finalidad realizar una amplificación del sonido para obtener un nivel de presión sonora homogéneo (se consideran aceptables las diferencias de +-6dB) en todos los puntos del recinto a sonorizar, además de asegurarle la inteligibilidad del mensaje a cada uno de los escuchas.

A continuación, mencionaremos algunas consideraciones a tener en cuenta para el diseño de refuerzo sonoro:

1) Consideraciones acústicas previas. Se deberá realizar un análisis de diferentes parámetros, tales como: Tiempo de Reverberación(RT60), inteligibilidad, Definición (D), Claridad de la voz (C80), RASTI, %ALcons.

PARÁMETRO ACÚSTICO VALOR RECOMENDADO
Tiempo de reverberación medio (500 Hz – 1 kHz), sala llena 0,7 ≤ RTmid ≤ 1,2 s
Claridad de la voz C50(“ speech average), sala llena C50 > 2 dB
Definición D (de 125 Hz a 4 kHz), sala ocupada D > 0,50
Relación primeras reflexiones ERR, sala vacía u ocupada 2 ≤ ERR ≤ 6
STI/RASTI, sala ocupada STI/RASTI ≥ 0,65

 

TIPO DE RECINTO REVERBERACION (s)
Cine 0.4 s
Salón de Clases 0.6 s
Teatro y Música Auto amplificada 1.0 s
Sinfónica 2.2 s
Iglesias 3.0 s

2) Debemos preguntarnos qué tipo de recinto vamos a sonorizar

 

3) Solicitud de planos del reciento a diseñar.  En este punto se recomienda tener medidas del lugar por medio de un scouting al recinto; se deberán solicitar planos en AutoCAD, tanto en vistas en 3D, 2D, plantas y cortes del recinto, para poder realizar un análisis exhaustivo. Asimismo, debemos recordar que este diseño se llevará a cabo en la práctica, por lo que no debemos olvidar hacernos diferentes preguntas que nos permitan determinar el alcance adecuado del proyecto: ¿que se espera de este diseño de refuerzo sonoro por parte del solicitante?, ¿existe alguna obstrucción visual posible?, ¿existe limitación en cuanto a peso del equipo?, ¿es un espacio abierto o cerrado? a nivel subjetivo ¿que se busca o que se espera?, ¿qué tipo de sistema se solicita: arreglo lineal o sistema convencional?, todo esto encaminado a determinar el alcance adecuado del proyecto.

 

4) Análisis de cobertura.  Se aplicarán y comprobarán diferentes técnicas de diseño apoyándonos de un software de predicción, tal como MAPPXT el cual se utiliza para medir y cuantificar parámetros. En este punto debemos ser capaces de resolver problemas de interacción entre altavoces, selección de nivel de presión sonora adecuado, análisis de la respuesta en frecuencia y fase en diferentes puntos del recinto, cobertura vertical, horizontal, ubicación de altavoces, ángulo de inclinación y peso de altavoces, distribución de señales para un adecuado ajuste del sistema buscando así una cobertura homogénea en todos los escuchas por igual. Asimismo, debemos aplicar parámetros de referencia o normas existentes según el tipo de aplicación; por ejemplo: en cines con formato de reproducción ATMOS existen normativas por parte de Dolby que ofrecen especificaciones a cumplir referentes a nivel de presión sonora, altavoces en pantalla, posición de altavoces, niveles de presión sonora en la zona de baja frecuencia, entre otros. En recintos deportivos existen normativas que ofrece la FIFA como guía para realizar un diseño. De igual forma, se deberá realizar el análisis de qué tipo de sistemas serán necesarios con base a las necesidades de cobertura de los altavoces: sistema principal, sistema frontal, sistema bajo balcón, sistema de retraso, sistema lateral, sistema de baja frecuencia, sistema multicanal 5.1, 7.1, por mencionar algunos. Al finalizar dicho análisis se genera una memoria de diseño del mismo.

 

5) Supervisión de montaje.  Una vez que se terminó la etapa anterior, lo más importante que se debe considerar y no debemos olvidar es que ese diseño se llevará a cabo en la práctica, por lo que debemos asegurarnos que el diseño se lleve a cabo tal como se planteó. En ese momento debemos contar con las herramientas adecuadas para poder supervisar dicho montaje, tal como inclinómetro, láser, cintas métricas y memoria de montaje.


Gabriella Galán Mendicuti estudió audio estudios como ingeniera de telecomunicaciones con especialización en audio y video en la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Ella ha estado involucrada en audio profesional durante los últimos 12 años con un énfasis especial en el diseño de refuerzo de sonido. Actualmente trabaja en Meyer Sound México como Especialista en Servicios de Diseño para México y América Latina. Ha participado en varios diseños de refuerzo de sonido de los lugares más importantes en varios países, como teatros, iglesias, espectáculos en vivo, eventos especiales y lugares.

 

 

Considerations for a Sound Reinforcement Design.

What is the sound reinforcement design? Reproduction of the sound in a certain audience area by artificial means, which have the purpose of amplifying the sound to obtain a homogeneous sound pressure level (the differences of + -6dB are considered acceptable) in all the points of the room to sound, in addition to ensuring the intelligibility of the message to each of the listeners.

We will outline some considerations to take into account for the sound reinforcement design

 

 

ACOUSTIC PARAMETER RECOMMENDED VALUE
Average reverberation time (500 Hz – 1 kHz), full room

Average reverberation time (500 Hz – 1 kHz), full room

0,7 ≤ RTmid ≤ 1,2 s

0,7 ≤ RTmid ≤ 1,2 s

Clarity of the voice C50 (“speech average), full room C50 > 2 dB
Definition D (from 125 Hz to 4 kHz), occupied room D > 0,50

D > 0,50

Relationship first reflections ERR, empty or occupied room 2 ≤ ERR ≤ 6
STI / RASTI, occupied room STI/RASTI ≥ 0,65

 

ENCLOSURE DESING REVERBERATION   (s)
Cinema 0.4 s

.4 s

Classroom 0.6 s
Theater and Music  autoamplified 1.0 s
Symphonic 2.2 s
Churches 3.0 s

 

 

 

 

 

 

3) Request for drawings of the design to be designed. At this point it is recommended to have measurements of the place by means of a scouting to the enclosure; Plans must be requested in AutoCAD, both in 3D, 2D, plant, and court views, in order to carry out a thorough analysis. Likewise, we must remember that this design will be carried out in practice, so we must not forget to ask ourselves different questions that allow us to determine the adequate scope of the project: what is expected from this sound reinforcement design by the applicant? Is there any possible visual obstruction? Is there a limitation regarding the weight of the equipment? Is it an open or closed space? At a subjective level, what is being sought or what is expected? What kind of system is requested: the linear arrangement or conventional system? All this aimed at determining the adequate scope of the project.

4) Coverage analysis. Different design techniques will be applied and tested, supported by a prediction software, such as MAPPXT, which is used to measure and quantify parameters. At this point we must be able to solve problems of interaction between speakers, selection of adequate sound pressure level, analysis of frequency response and phase at different points of the enclosure, vertical, horizontal coverage, location of speakers, angle of inclination and weight of loudspeakers, distribution of signals for an adequate adjustment of the system looking for a homogenous coverage in all listeners alike. Likewise, we must apply reference parameters or existing standards according to the type of application; for example: in cinemas with ATMOS playback format there are regulations by Dolby that offer specifications to be met regarding sound pressure level, on-screen speakers, speaker position, sound pressure levels in the low-frequency area, among others. In sports venues, there are regulations that FIFA offers as a guide to design. Likewise, the analysis of what kind of systems will be needed based on the speaker coverage needs must be carried out: main system, front system, balcony system, delay system, lateral system, low-frequency system, system multi-channel 5.1, 7.1, to mention a few. At the end of this analysis, a design memory is generated.

 

5) Assembly supervision. Once the previous stage is finished, the most important thing that should be considered and we must not forget is that this design will be carried out in practice, so we must ensure that the design is carried out as it was proposed. At that time we must have the right tools to monitor such assemblies, such as inclinometer, laser, tape measures and mounting memory.


Gabriella Galán Mendicuti studied audio studies as a telecommunications engineer with a specialization in audio and video at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. She has been involved in professional audio for last 12 years with a special emphasis on sound reinforcement design. She currently works at Meyer Sound Mexico as a Design Services Specialist Tech Support for Mexico and Latin America. She has participated in various sound reinforcement designs of the most important venues in various countries, such as theaters, churches, live shows, special events, and venues.

 

The Sound of Cinematic Femininity

What do feminine films sound like?

Masculinity is well established in the sonic world:  baritone voices boom, while the steady pacing of drums interplay with fists or bullets landing their mark.  Femininity, in contrast, seems to be developed only as far as to say “not manly,” or in characteristics that attract the leading man.  Just as scripts provide women with roles that exist solely in relation to the men of the film, sounds that are feminine often act as an antithesis to the masculine and nothing more.  I want to explore what films get right and wrong aurally about femininity, and create an argument for diversity in how a character design is approached (and by extension diversity in the field of sound design).  Full disclaimer, this is not an exhaustive list, but a journey to see past shallow stereotypes.

Let’s start with the baseline of what is masculine.  In skimming the top “manly” or “masculine” titles from popular men’s magazines and film review sites, I see recurring themes of sports, war, and fighting action.  The lead is usually a man with muscles, a confident catch-phrase, and he is usually armed. Building up the sonic world we have guns with their loud and jarring accessories of bullets, ricochets, and death screams (The Godfather, 1972).  Any sport, including martial arts, require grunts and intensive body movements that might include collisions and punches (Bloodsport, 1988).  With the intensity of the action, these films are often loud; there might be explosions, helicopters, police sirens, and even robots (Transformers, 2007).  The leading man’s voice is steady, and according to The Pudding’s 2016 article on film dialog by Hanah Anderson and Matt Daniels, the leading man (and his male co-stars) dominate the conversations.  Musical themes, when orchestral, are full and will give a nod to Gustav Holst’s Mars when war is included (Gladiator, 2000).  80’s action films, which relish the masculine tag, often benefited from hair metal title tracks (Rocky, 1976).

I do not have to search long to find examples of masculinity, and even with gross generalizations, there are many genres and lists that support these stereotyped characteristics.  There is variation, but the archetype is well established. The initial films cited are from the United States, but I could also use Machete (2010, Mexico) and Oldboy (2003, South Korea) as examples.  I feel I almost do not have to mention the low percentage of women in the crew of these films, Django Unchained (2012) for example has one woman on the sound team, Renee Tondelli as ADR mixer.  That is not to say that women are incapable of being sound crew members, Paula Fairfield (Emmy Award winner) shows, along with the other names I drop in this article, the skill does exist from an underrepresented pool of talents.

With masculinity established, I want to look at femininity from a male context.  What I mean by this is femininity created by and for men: male directors, male crew, and possibly male protagonists.  This is not always coming from an uninformed mindset and can be perfectly nuanced for the LGBTQ community. First, however, I will look at what does come off as cliché and expected.

As soon as sound was introduced into film there was an expectation of what starlets should sound like. A notable example is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) with Snow White’s delicate soprano voice singing opera with the birds.  The voice actress was even kept hidden from the public eye to keep the perfect illusion of the character.  Her frail voice, like its main character, was an object for the masculine to acquire and was not any more developed than pure and frail.  The transition to talkies with the focus on voice timbre was parodied too with Singin’ in the Rain (1952) when the blonde bombshell’s voice was too shrill, nasally, and contained the edge of city life.  Debbie Reynolds’ warm alto was more “leading lady” material, although her own voice was overdubbed by soprano Marni Nixon for “You Are My Lucky Star.”  Nixon is the invisible songbird of many classic performances, and her voice is a great example of the feminine stereotype, clean and sweet. Synonyms like dainty, modest, careful, nice, and pure could also describe her voice.  Often leading ladies are cast as “vulnerable,” “fragile,” “frail,” and “passionate.”

Soundtracks latch onto these words for love themes, embodied by the string section of the orchestra, for example, Dr. Zhivago (1965), and Once Upon A Time In The West (1968).  Xochimilco (1944) is another film that focuses on the fragility of women and uses the set of the lead’s solitary home on calm waters with rain and nature to contrast the bustling town that antagonizes her.  The silence does not overcome noise, and like the main character, it exists in a brief moment only as a spectacle. In the world of male directors, composers, and sound designers, femininity is an object to be won in love or tossed aside in favor of strength.  Where it finds its footing is when it is embraced by LGBTQ stories like Moonlight (2016).  In this battle of masculinity and femininity, the most intimate moments are quiet, soothing, and peaceful.  Ocean waves complement a refreshing breeze, tiny bell chimes, and meal-lovingly prepared sizzles. This is tenderness and vulnerability intertwined with hope.  Femininity becomes a character that is part of the journey and exists as both positive and negative. The strength is subtle, breaking silence with a tiptoe and not a roar.  Hedwig And The Angry Inch (2001) roars, but it too has vulnerability and anguish woven into the soundtrack.  As Hedwig is trying to figure herself out, her songs explore many emotions while fading in and out of diegetic context.  For Hedwig femininity is a spectrum, and not an end goal and so it cannot be as static as films of old would have it.

Femininity can be portrayed properly and improperly in the hands of men, but what about from us?  While there is still a ways to go in representation, there is a surge of female-driven films across a variety of genres.  The Little Hours (2017), yes the raunchy nun romp is directed by a man, but there is no doubt Aubrey Plaza (whose boyfriend directed the film) has a lot of control.  Profanity, dry sarcasm, and deadpan absurdity fill the mostly improvised dialog, and it contrasts with the saccharine purity of choir music. Hildegard von Bingen is vital to the period comedy’s soundtrack, and that choice is deliberate as she is a keystone in medieval sacred music.  As with any comedy, sound effects and their timing are essential to the jokes. The setting is isolated, nature surrounds the scenes, and many jokes are about keeping silent or listening for little sounds. Andrea Gard, the foley artist, had many punchlines riding on her shoulders. Patience was rewarded, in a way that some films, like Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and The Hangover (2009) do not have time for.  In fact, the whole opening sequence with the women’s choir is a lesson in waiting.  Even with the extremity of the comedy, this feels more naturally feminine than Bridesmaids (2011), another female ensemble comedy.  For all of the pink dresses and drunken karaoke, explosive diarrhea and vicious catfights do not have the same nuance as an old crone’s whistling breath.

An example of femininity in the thriller category is Into the Forest (2015), a tale of two sisters’ survival directed by Patricia Rozema.  The foley artist in this film was Sandra Fox, the sound effects editor was Katie Halliday, and they are joined by several other women on the sound team.  This film was full of intimate moments and loneliness. This was not an apocalypse of explosions and running, but of impending isolation and staying still.  Even with the amount of quiet and the lack of volume of this film, there were moments like rhythmic diegetic sounds to portray perseverance and intensity. The two sisters face two ends of the femininity spectrum, and while they falter at times, in the end, there is balance.  Neither sister could survive without the other, and their tenacity is woven into the soundtrack, both ambient and musical. Meek’s Cutoff (2010), directed by Kelly Reichardt, is similar in many ways to Into the Forest, with its survival elements and solitude in nature, but it is set on the Oregon Trail.  The time period, location, and thematic elements would normally call for raucous gunfights and shouted threats, but instead, the families are slowly lead to their fate.  The prairie wind dominates the design, and the desolation is matched by the scarcity of animal sounds. Leslie Shatz, the sound designer, gives us the subtle and claustrophobic silence that gnaws away at the confidence of the guide and builds the despair of the group’s situation.  Silence should not be confused for passivity. Another big thing to note is that in the world these women are from, they are homemakers and not survivalists, but they are determined to endure. I found it important for Shirley Henderson to get serious screen time and dialog with a voice as iconic as it is.  She is not an exaggerated parody, like her turn as Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter franchise, but a real human lost in the expansive West.  With a focus on the female pioneers, the sounds of the West morphed and provided a refreshing take on a cliched genre.

Femininity is not treated the same across genres with the variety of films I listed with proactive female crew members, and that is important.  John McClane in Die Hard (1988) does not have the same masculinity as John Wayne, so why should femininity get the cookie-cutter treatment?  There are complaints of Hollywood remaking the same films for box office draws instead of risking on original screenplays.  With the all-women reboots, instead of just changing the cast and calling it a day, there are capable women behind the scenes that can provide nuanced direction to revitalize the industry.  Thanks to the many organizations and celebrities who are using their power to bring up the nontraditional film crew, there are many outstanding choices. For those truly original scripts that happen to feature femininity, instead of resorting to tired tropes of damsels, why not branch out to a multifaceted embodiment with resilient, subtle, conniving, elegant, deliberate? Why not let them exist for themselves, and center a world around them? There is a sonic world out there ready to be explored that is not just weak or anti-masculine.  Femininity is an underrepresented frontier, and the world is ready for it.

 

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