Predators The Dangerous Sea Evaluation

This is the first documentary i have reviewed for this project, The dangerous sea lasted approximately  50 minutes. This is a documentary on underwater animals which i thought would give me a detail insight to an underwater soundscape which in turn would allow me to listen in detail throughout the program.


In this section i will indicate a time line for the sounds i heard and where about in the program i heard them without any background noise or narrator vocals:


Waves : 0:01, 4:57, 26:19, 29:45, 42:10, 48:55
Underwater : 4:44, 20:22
Whales blowhole, movement: 42:10
Whale song: 43:00
Sea birds: 41:00


These sounds lasted as little as a few seconds the longest being approximately 30 seconds before any background noise would appear.
This is how i described the sounds in my notes as i was watching the program.


Waves: natural, swooshie,crashing
Underwater: boxy, hissing, unnatural,sluggish 
Sea birds: natural
Whales blowhole: Spluttering 
Whales song: natural and clear
Whales movement: gentle sway/swoosh 


As you can see from above some of the sounds i heard over the course of this documentary sounded very natural such as the waves as they swooshed and crashed into one another and as they hit off the cliff face. Other natural sounding things were the sea birds flying over the sea and the splutter of the whales blowhole as the whale surfaced for air, a long with the whale song under the water and the gentle swaying of the water as the whale breached the sea surface. A good example of what it sounds like is when you get in and out the bath the way the water moves back and forth.
The more unnatural sounds came when the camera was underwater as it sounded very static as if there was some kind of interference.


I feel that Predators The Dangerous Sea was possibly not very informative for getting a better understanding of an underwater soundscape, as all the natural sounds of underwater living was being masked by the of putting background music or the narrators voice overs.    

Supervisor Meeting 2

Progress Report

I have reviewed all my planning documents and made several changes, after making these changes I uploaded all improved documents onto my blog. I then rewritten my rational and posted that on my blog as well and finally I have done some research into sound design and soundscape disorientation.

Action Points

•  Critique and review of underwater soundscapes in the different genres
•  Try listening underwater
• Get an interview with a diver at deep sea world
• Try getting a dive or diver in deep sea world to recorded with hydrophone
•  Do some practical recording tests

Follow a simple rule structure - sound editing

This can be viewed as a simple progression:

• Make each element a sound in its own right, then pair two elements together - how do they work?
• Keep pairing elements together until you have a few that sound great together.
• Now find a third sound element that brings out the best qualities in the two sounds. Work with the three and mix them together.
• Discard the remaining sounds, storing them away to use another time.
• Now create a mix of the three elements and save it. This is your first sound effect!
• Now do the same again, and repeat the processes until you have several different mixes, which you can then compare to choose the best effect to fit the visual / or sound.

5. Follow a simple rule structure - dissect the sound

There are many different ways to create exceptional sound effects (your ultimate goal as a sound designer!). Here's an example of a simple method of creating effects:

• Make a list of what you will use the sound effect for – e.g. the sound of a giant slug-like creature in a Harry Potter feature film.
• Try to vocalise what the effect should sound like. Imagine the size of the slug and how it would move. This would be a key starting point.
• Try creating the sound with your mouth, how would it sound?
• Now listen to the sound around you. Is there anything that could make a similar sound? If there isn't, you may have to initiate the sounds from scratch.
• By breaking the sound into parts you can start to understand what goes into making it. This is called dissecting the sound. It's a very important early stage of making sound effects.
• Now you know what elements make up the sound, you can start to improvise. With the slug creature you might have these elements: slime, peeling, sludge, gloopy, sticky.
• Is there anything in the real world that makes these sounds? Have a good think about it. This is where experience, listening and learning become helpful. You could try wallpaper paste, meat on a surface, sounds of wet fabrics, or anything else that sounds like your description.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newtalent/drama/advice_diey.shtml

Disorientating Soundscape Research

 These are some websites I have found on creating soundscapes:

http://www.bbcstudiosandpostproduction.com/postproduction/case_studies/criminal_justice_audio.html

Sound Design Resarch

These are a few websites i have looked at to see how sound design can be used to make things more effective.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newtalent/drama/advice_diey.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_design

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul11/articles/sound-design.htm

http://www.filmsound.org/ 

Project Timeline Redone

1.1	Background Research
1.1.1	Write a short statement highlighting the affects of noise ollution.	01/01/2012	14	15/01/2012
1.1.2	Highlight the hearing ranges for underwater mammals.	30/11/2011	32	01/01/2012
1.1.3	Highlight the factors that affect the speed of sound as it travels through different mediums.	07/12/2011	30	06/01/2012
1.1.4	Write a literature review detailing all point made above.	08/01/2012	16	24/01/2012
2.1	Analysis of Soundscapes
2.1.1	Identify popular films, animations and documentaries on underwater mammal.	27/12/2011	13	09/01/2012
2.1.2	Chose one from each category then analyse the sounds used and its effectiveness.	11/01/2012	30	10/02/2012
2.1.3	List the sounds that are rescuer in all chosen items and compare which is better.	11/02/2012	5	16/02/2012
2.1.4	Identify the sounds I would like to use in my soundscape	17/02/2012	60	17/04/2012
3.1	Sound design
3.1.1	Identify the key elements involved with sound design	25/01/2012	14	08/02/2012
3.1.2	Gather sounds for soundscape	17/03/2012	15	01/04/2012
3.1.3	Import sounds into protocols	01/04/2012	2	03/04/2012
3.1.4	Set sounds to a structured timeline	03/04/2012	2	05/04/2012
3.1.5	Practice the key skills on sounds.	26/01/2012	55	21/03/2012
4.1	Soundscape
4.1.1	Identify the key points that make soundscapes disorientating	25/01/2012	14	08/02/2012
4.1.2	Identify how to draw people into a soundscape.	26/01/2012	14	09/02/2012
4.1.3	Identify the key skills used to a disorientating soundscape	27/01/2012	14	10/02/2012
4.1.4	Practice key skills on my sounds.	27/01/2012	55	22/03/2012
5.1	Video
5.1.1	Gather still image / video clips.	07/01/2012	55	02/03/2012
5.1.2	Load all edited scenes into iMovie	08/01/1900	55	03/03/1900
5.1.3	Edit video clips for the scenes I prefer.	09/01/2012	100	18/04/2012
5.1.4	Structure the scenes to my soundscape.	05/04/2012	30	05/05/2012

Rationale Rewritten

The research content is going to be based around natural documentaries such as Frozen Planet, Life and Predators (The Dangerous Sea) and using quotes from the narrators which will help me get a better understanding of underwater mammals living environments. A long with some detail on the movement and migration paths of some mammals involved in my projects which will indicate sound they may hear. 

Also within my project I will be looking at the effects of manmade noise pollution to underwater mammals, I will also be looking at the speeds that sound travels through different mediums. As sound travels at different speed through different temperatures and as the ocean gets colder the further down the sound will travel slower. I will get most of this information from reading book such as Our Underwater World which will give me information on water temperatures at the different sea levels.

The internet will play a big part when searching for information as with the use of the internet I can look through thousands of information on noise pollution and find out all the different hearing ranges for the underwater mammals involved in my project. Getting all the best of information from any journals, books and newspapers allowing me to find a better source of information.

The main reason I have chosen this particular subject is that it will challenge me to use all my skills to the best of my ability and get the best possible results for my final production. I feel my project aim and objectives are very interesting. My chose of doing a project on noise pollution is different from a normal sound proofing or track remixing project as it gives the listener a different outlook on what is happening in the world in terms of sound pollution over a wide range of environments.      

Project Plan reviewed

Learning Contract

Module Code: AG1084A
Module Title: Honours Project
Student Name: Craig Johnston
Student Number: 1002908
Telephone Number:
Email Address: 1002908@live.abertay.ac.uk,

Project Title:

Imaginative Thinking

Project Aim:

Is to investigate how man made noise pollution in the ocean is having an effect on underwater mammals and using this information to highlight how it sounds from the perspective of the underwater mammals. A long with this showing the speed of sound as it travels through different mediums and the differences in hearing ranges.    

Objectives:

1.0  Investigate the impact noise pollution has on marine mammals and humans.

2.0  Perform detailed annalists of marine soundscapes from film, animation, and documentaries.

3.0  Investigate sound design for producing an underwater/marine environment.

4.0  Investigate how a soundscape can be used to disorientate people.

5.0  Develop a short video clip to accompany the final soundscape.

Methodology:

1.1 Background Research

           

1.1.1 Write a short statement highlighting the affects of noise pollution.

1.1.2 Highlight the hearing ranges for underwater mammals.

1.1.3 Highlight the factors that affect the speed of sound as it travels through different   mediums.

1.1.4 Write a literature review detailing all point made above.

2.1   Analysis of Soundscapes

           

2.1.1 Identify popular films, animations and documentaries on underwater mammal.

2.1.2 Chose one from each category then analyse the sounds used and its effectiveness.

2.1.3 List the sounds that are rescuer in all chosen items and compare which is better.

2.1.4 Identify the sounds I would like to use in my soundscape.

3.1 Sound design

            3.1.1 Identify the key elements involved with sound design.

            3.1.2 Gather sounds for soundscape.

            3.1.3 Import sounds into protocols.

            3.1.4 Set sounds to a structured timeline.

3.1.5 Practice the key skills on sounds.

4.1 Soundscape

            4.1.1 Identify the key points that make soundscapes disorientating.

            4.1.2 Identify how to draw people into a soundscape.

4.1.3 Identify the key skills used to a disorientating soundscape.

4.1.4 Practice key skills on my sounds.

5.1 Video

5.1.1 Gather still image / video clips.

5.1.2 Edit video clips for the scenes I prefer.

5.1.3 Load all edited scenes into iMovie.

5.1.4 Structure the scenes to my soundscape.

             

Submission Deliverables:

1.1 Background Research

• Statement on how noise pollution affects both humans and underwater mammals posted on my blog.
• A small profile of the underwater mammals posted on my blog.
• A statement of the differences in the speed of sound when travelling through different mediums posted on my blog.
• A full literature review that will be added to my dissertation.

2.1 Analysis of Soundscapes

• A list of films, animations and documentaries posted on my blog.
• A small report on my findings posted on my blog.
• A review of my feelings towards the artificial and natural sounds.
• A list of my preferred sounds posted on my blog.

3.1 Sound Design

• A list of key elements posted on my blog.
• List of sounds being used posted on my blog.
• Cue sheet indicating sound placement both on my blog and paper copy.
• Post all attempts on my blog.

4.1 Soundscape

• List of key elements on my blog.
• List of key skills on my blog.
• Post attempts on my blog.

5.1 Video

• Post all images /video clips web link on my blog.
• Post any attempts at the video clip on my blog.
• Post the final structured video on my blog.

Resources:

• Pro Tools
• FL Studio
• Adobe Flash
• Sound Forge
• Appropriate recording equipment

Signature of Student                                                                              Date                                                                             Date

Signature of Lecturer                                                                             Date

(Note, on approval of this learning contract, a fully developed/revised plan, scheduling the project tasks, is to be created)