Adapted from a presentation by Amy DeLouise and Cheryl Ottenritter for NAB New York Post|Production Conference.

1. NAB NY 2018
SOUND & STORY
FOR NONFICTION
VIDEO CREATIVES
Amy DeLouise
Cheryl Ottenritter
https://www.slideshare.net/AmyDeLouise

2. Getting in Touch with Cheryl
 @otthouseaudio
 www.otthouseaudio.com
 www.linked.com/in/cherylottenritter
 www.facebook.com/otthouse
 www.Lynda.com/cherylottenritter
 Cheryl@otthouseaudio.com

3. Getting in Touch with Amy
 @brandbuzz
 www.linked.com/in/amydelouise
 www.vimeo.com/amydelouise
 www.Lynda.com/AmyDeLouise
 www.amydelouise.com
 amy@amydelouise.com

4. Today’s Agenda
 Role of Sound in Storytelling
 Preparing for Good Sound
 On Location Sound Acquisition
 Preparing for Your Mix
 Opportunities in Sound Design

5. Role of Sound in Story
 Capture the essence of key characters
 Create and reinforce story context
 Provide an emotional shorthand
 Offer elements of surprise and satisfaction
 Support the story arc

6. Challenges: A Transmedia World
 YouTube
 Other web delivery
 Live events
 Displays
 Streaming
 Broadcast
 Interactives
 Mono Compatibility

7. Strategies
 Preproduction prep for sound
 Sound acquisition for flexibility and good storytelling
 Post production opportunities
 Wild sound
 Foley Sound
 Layering
 Augmentation and correction

8. Challenges
 Wide range in quality of archival sound clips
 Reel to reel and cassette transfers
 A 1948 recording
 Some sound pulled from 3/4” dubs
 Strong soundtrack
 Pacing and mix for large live event
 Additional web delivery of center screen only

9. Workflow
 Draft script and look boards
 Audio research and transfers
 Script and AE keyframes
 Final animation script with
audio notes for mix session
 Sound design drafts
 Final mix
 Layback

10. PREPARATION FOR SOUND ACQUISITION

11. Keys to Nonfiction Field Sound
 Location scouting for sound
 Pre-Interviews
 Prepping the crew
 Adapting the schedule for sound
 Planning and tools for optimal sound acquisition

12. Scouting for Sound
 Use tools for remote scout
 Flickr
 Google Map street view
 OpenStreetMap
 Foursquare
 Waze
 Look at LightTrac for light
but consider timing for sound

13. Setting: Filmmaker Perspective
 Story arc essential elements
 Setting as a character in
the film
 Key sounds to propel
narrative
 Impact on sound mix &
design

14. Setting: Impact on Non-Professionals
 Comfortable v. Distracting
 Welcoming v. Intimidating
 Native v. Alien

15. Get to Know Your Subject
 Conduct a pre-interview by phone if possible
 Why phone better than in person
 Make a recording, with permission
 Highlight sound keywords to develop sound design plan
 Walk and talk pre-interview is an option
 Try to find out what kind of learner

16. Prep the Crew
 Crew “EQ”
 Prep for situation, sensitivities
 How intrusive will mic’ing need to be?
 What are options for hiding the crew, the mics?

17. Plan Time for Sound
 Broll-Interview-Broll strategy
 Record more room tone
 Multiple room tones not just one in a long interview
 If there is sound interference, don’t stop—record it!
 Use time efficiently for wild sound gathering
 With DAR while setting up next shot

18. ON LOCATION SOUND

19. The Human Voice
 Frequency and Overtones
 Watch LF roll off and EQ
Settings during record –
overtones
 Flat Recording
 Compression

21. Speaking While Doing
 More relaxed subject
 Audience accustomed to
“reality” TV and Youtubers
 Better content for storytelling
 Intermix wi/sit-down interview
 Prepro planning essential audio
 Car audio example

22. Shot Coverage for Sound w/Non-Pros
 Shot coverage and
multiple angles
 Sliders
 Hang a Go-Pro
 Shoot tight to wide,
rather than wide to
tight
 Share plan early with
mixer/designer

23. Re-Enactments
 What constitutes a re-enactment?
 B-roll retake of action
 Full-scale re-enactments

24. Tools for Filmmakers on the Move

25. 25
Authenticity

26. 26
SOUND
Emergency
Worried
Producer

27. 27

28. 28

29. 29

30. Sound blankets
are an essential
tool in your kit!

31. Foley Sound, Wild Sound
 True Foley
 Acting the sound out
 Wild Sound
 Use wild takes as
sound design element
 Layer wild/nat sound
to add realism

32. Silence
 Pauses are important
 Can change the story line
 This is why room tone is essential

33. MIX AND SOUND DESIGN

34. Preparing for Your Mix

35. Mix & Sound Design
 Repair
 Support storytelling
 Texture sounds
 Create moods
 Sense of space
 Add sound where there is none

36. Tools and Plugins
 Sonnex EQ and Compression
 Waves Q10 and L3
 Fab Filter Limiter and EQ/Desser
 Nugen LM Correct
 Izotope Ozone and Alloy and Neutron
 Izotope Insight
 Waves Meter

37. Prepping for Your Session
 Quick Time Video with guide audio
 AAF or OMF of the project
 All original/ raw production audio not in tracks
 example wild sound and room tone
 XML or EDL
 Script
 Audio Notes

38. Video for Your Session
 QT with Window Burn
 Embedded guide audio
 Tone and bars from 00:58:30:00 – 00:59:30:00 or refer to
necessary network spec
 Slate with countdown starting at 00:59:50:00
 Audible and visual 2pop at 00:59:58:00
 First frame of program/ show at 01:00:00;00
 For example, if the program starts with 1 sec of black before visual, the
first frame of black is at 01:00:00:00

39. Audio for Your Session
 OMF/AAF
 AAF’s are preferred but OMF’s are acceptable.
 OMF from Premiere is preferred over AAF due to a bug – but that could change.
 It is important not to include video in the audio only AAF!
 Self contained with embedded audio and not link to external media
 Handle size of 90 frames
 Do Not Render Audio Clip Effects!
 If audio clip effects need to be passed along, deliver a separate AAF with only the
effected clips
 AAF’s should be well organized 
 VO, Dialogue, FX and Music should have their own dedicated tracks.

40. Opportunities in Sound Design

41. Role of Music
 Source sound
 Signature sound for theme
 Pacing, rhythm, story arc, transitions, silence
 Living Art – session example
 Eli Weisel example

42. Layering in Sound Design
 Use nat sound
 Add multiple layers for
texture
 Avoid auditory
saturation
 Hard effects, Ambience,
Cinematic and Red
Umbrella Moments
 Feel not see
 Not Mickey Mouse and
then combine scenes
 Play off the Words to
tell a radio story – but
it’s to picture

44. Authenticity in Sound Design
 Nat Sound – record it!
 Historically Correct
 Sonic Texture and
Quality for Archive
 Realism in the mix

47. WRAPPING UP

48. What We Covered Today
 Storytelling Tools and Strategies
 Preparing for Good Sound
 On Location Sound Acquisition
 Preparing for Your Mix
 Opportunities in Sound Design
 Vital Role of Sound in Storytelling

49. THANK YOU!
amy@amydelouise.com cheryl@otthouseaudio.com
https://www.slideshare.net/AmyDeLouise