Assignment 2, Part 1 - Sound for College Promotional Interactive CD

Client Brief

A brief is an essential part in making a successful product; it is a source of information for the contractor to let them understand what the client wants as an end product. It is considered a platform for defining the project requirements, and helping break down the ideas that the client may have to help kick start the project getting it to the next step of development.

“It is difficult to produce good creative work without a good brief” - BRIEFING’ RESEARCH 2002: AGENCY SAMPLE

Own Brief

My task is to creative an interactive media product which includes three interactive buttons to give the viewer an option to switch the different types of sound on and off, this product needs to include a short video which is linked in with the three types of sound. The three different sounds need to include a soundtrack, one track of sound effect and an audio description of the chosen video which is playing. This interactive media need to show proof that you can develop pieces of sound which can fit together as on and also follow the theme of the video.

Interactive Media Product Plan

In this project I intend to create an interactive media product, this product is going to be a video with different additional sound you can choose to turn on and off as you please. I will make sure this product includes a short video clip, a sound effect, music piece and a voice over, suitable for the blind to listen to, this will be similar to turning on audio description on the TV. All media combined it will create an interactive media piece which will be accessible to all types of people such as the blind, music enthusiast and film lovers. The final product will be uploaded in a flash player, including the three sounds and the video; the flash will have three buttons to go with the different sounds to turn each sound off.  

I will create the three different sounds in computer a software called Cubase; to make the music piece I will browse through the different sounds in the database writing down the ones which I will feel would be suitable for the video clip. After this I will gather the sounds and put them into a Cubase file and come up with a composed track which will be an appropriate music track for the chosen video. The second piece I am going to create is going to include sound effects, these effects will have an option to be turned on and off by the user and when chosen to be turn on it will fit with the beat of the soundtrack I made for the video earlier. To come up with this collaboration of music I will use the effects given by Cubase and arrange them in an order which will fit the music. The third and final sound I will have in my product is a voice over, this voice over will be able to be turned on and off by the user and will include description of the movement in the video. This description will be suitable for the blind to listen to and be able to keep track of what the video is showing.

 

I have chosen to use a soundtrack and sound effects in the product because the use of sound helps enhance the mood of the video and help’s gives indicators to the audience that danger is coming or a big fight scene it about to break out. I will make all of these sounds interactive because these different sounds are very separate sounds and will be able to fit the video individually. Even though all three sounds will be able to be played separately in this flash file they will also be able to be played all together and if chosen two at a time, helping the viewer be more in control of their video.

Ideas

Brainstorming

Identify Sources

-          Voice recording (studio work)

I am going to record the audio description using a recording devise which you can plug into the computer, and using CuBase to gather the recording together to edit and fit to the interactive media product.

-          Own recorded material

I will also be recording my own sound effects using a camera with an additional microphone; I will gather the sound effects to suit the action of the moving image creating more of a realistic effect in the interactive media product.

-          Sound library

To create the base sound track to go with the moving image I will use a sound library through CuBase, I will do this to create a simple but an effective track. This track will include some key instrument sounds from the library including keyboards and drum beats. 

Legal and ethical considerations

Copyright

Copyright is a law put in place to help protect peoples work, in music copyright begins automatically after a piece of work has been recorded. You can get any piece of work protected by copyright at a tailored price, but you will need to get a solicitor to do the correct paperwork. Copyright can last as long as 70years but the different copyright arrangements can vary and may need to be undated every few years. Any copyright owner has full control on how that piece of work is used and distributed, and can charge any amount of many for their work to be used on any media product. If somebody does use a copyright product without permission it is against the law and can be fined heavily.

Ethical Considerations

The ethical considerations in making a multi media includes many points including plagiarism, censored works, work which could be offensive to other countries and creating harmful to religious harmony. If people want to create a media product they should be aware of discriminations in the script for certain age groups, acceptable for different genders, race, religion ethnicity, sexual preference of anything else that may be sensitive to other.  Another ethical concern for multimedia is deception, causing the audience to believe something that is not or to giving them a false impression. In multimedia this is done through the use of audio and visuals items which are included in the interactive media product that I am going to create.

Asset specification

The target audience for my interactive media piece will include a range of people, because one of the three sounds I am going to create is an audio description for the blind, a big part of the audience will be blind people. The other people who will be interested includes students of media from all ethnicities, ages and of both sexes. They will be interested in the product as they would want to see what people have created and the quality of the end product, they might also be looking at the product to help them with their own creative pieces. The purpose of this piece of media is to entertain, showing how three different sounds can mix together to create a big sound. The video also educates people about the different sound effect that you can create and the type of description which is needed to help the blind understand the content of the video. The genre of the interactive product will be action, the video will be a fast moving car advert, the music and the sound effect will help build the tension while the audio description will help build the dramatic storyline.

Why I am making the interactive media product I will consider the resolution of the video clip I am going to uses, the different effects I can uses of the sound footage, using CuBase to change the tone and the quality of the output of sound. Changing the input and output of the sound allows the viewer to be more engaged with the interactive media as it makes it seem the music is all around.

References

Websites

http://www.clientbrief.info/WhyBrief.htm - 17/11/2011, 3:30pm

http://www.prsformusic.com/Pages/default.aspx - 18/11/2011, 1:30pm, Copyright and Ethical Considerations  

Assignment 1 – Understand the Use of Sound In Interactive Media: What You Have to Know

Theory of sound:

Waveform – As the source of sound expands and contracts a pattern of changing air pressure energy moves away from the source of sound. This pattern of energy is called a sound wave, sound radiates out in all directions from a sound source.

Pitch – The frequency range of 20 Hz to 20k Hz is equivalent to about 10 octaves in pitch. An octave on a piano equals 12 notes, the higher the frequency the higher the pitch.

Hertz (Hz) – Hz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. It is the description of the sine wave, the wave which is used in radio and audio applications.

Decibel level (dB) – The dB is a logarithmic unit that indicates the ratio of a physical quantity relative to a specified reference level.

Sound generator – A device used in synthesizers to produce high-frequency sound effects, products such as a Radio or an iPod.

Basics of sound recording:

Signals – An audio signal is an analog representation of sound, as an electrical voltage. Audio signals may come from a transducer such as a microphone, musical instrument pickup, phonograph cartridge, or tape head. Loudspeakers convert an electrical audio signal into sound and digital representations of audio signals exist in a variety of formats.

Signal to noise ratio – Signal to noise is a measure by using science and engineering, it helps compare the level of signal to the level of background noiseto  the audio. A ratio higher than 1:1 indicates more signal than noise, while SNR is commonly quoted for electrical signals, this indication ratio can also be applied to any form of signal.

Analogue distortion – Analogue distortion alters one analogue pattern into another, it changes the message of the music recording sound to make it sound different. It changes the nature of the sound making it less like the original music, the distortion damages the signal and loses some of the required information.

Digital distortion – Digital distortion occurs when there is too much signal being sent to a track. The sound the track makes after this happens is of a higher frequency making clicks and pops, or crackles.

Mono and stereo – Mono is used mostly for podcasting but some output formats, such as radio and audio CD are produced in a stereo format to make it a better quality.

Sound recording media – Recording equipment can be range from mixing console, multi track recorder, microphones and reference monitors. More advanced recording equipment includes a digital audio workstation, a music workstation, outboard effects, such as compressors and reverbs to get the best quality of sound available.

Digital audio file formats – Audio file formats can come in many different types; mp3, wav, mid, ogg, wma, aif and many more. You may wish to convert a file to commonly reduce the file size to be more compatible with uploading onto websites and speed up the playing time. Another reason for changing the audio format is so the digital audio can be streamed to other devices.

Analogue versus digital:

Comparison of analogue and digital sound – An analog signal is continuous; there are no breaks or interruptions.  While digital signals are the opposite as they are not continuous; they use values to represent information. Digital signals represent a sound wave as a series of values; they represent pitch and volume over the length of the recording.

Advantages and disadvantages of production techniques – Digital media includes CDs, DVDs and sound files but these uncompressed digital sound files can be too large for people work with.  Audio engineers will try and fix this by compressing these files to make them more manageable, but this can affect the sound quality.

Issues with digitisation of analogue material – Advances in analog to digital conversion methods have improved the quality of digital recordings. High sampling rates and increased precision have erased any distinction between digital and analog, but people who disagree with this and want high quality sound use audio files to produce sound.

Quality issues – The quality issues of analogue is when played back you hear scratches and pops which are not originally recorded in the sound, these noises can interrupt the content of the disk and can be less enjoyable for the listener. The quality issues of digital is that the file can be converted from higher quality to lower quality but not any in the middle, this is a problem as the higher quality file can be too large and the smaller option is really bad quality.

Applications:

DVD’s –

DVD’s are a part of interactive media due to amount of features you can turn on and off, changing the settings to suit your needs. There are many features which you can add when you are watching the DVD such as subtitles in many different language, other features include voice description for the blind and director commentary for the fans. When the viewer has finished watching the DVD they can opt for going on to the special features to watch additional videos about the making of the movie and deleted scenes, all featuring different types of media. An example of an interactive DVD product is the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, this DVD includes subtitles in English for the hearing impaired, Bulgarian, Hungarian and Romanian. It also has features for additional languages including Hungarian and English audio description for the blind; it also has many different documentaries showing the making of the film and deleted scenes.  

You Tube –

YouTube videos are a big part in the interactive media group; these videos include adverts that pop up at the beginning, giving you an option to skip in a few seconds to let you watch your selected video quickly. Other parts of the interactive media consist of changing the quality of the video from low to HD, changing the volume and sometimes, optional subtitles shown in the screen shot above. This website includes this interaction to make the website more inviting for as many web users as possible, making it a popular site to use. An example of a good interactive YouTube video is the President Obama weekly speech, a good example as the video supplies subtitles to people who are deaf or have problems hearing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN1S1LdkUeg

Smart Phones –

The smart phone holds a numerous amounts of interactive media; this includes options to turn different effect sounds off. You can also change different picture backgrounds, and adding different apps to personalize your phone. These interactive parts to the smart phone are included to enhance the product, all these additional features help the audience feel that their phone is personal to them; this makes the phone even more popular as many people today use their phone for everything. This is because personalization helps the phone do more, with different apps to include train times, newspapers and email alerts, keeping the person more up to date with the world around them. A phone which includes these special features is the iPhone 4s which additional has voice recognition, helping the user get to the information quickly without having to search the phone.

Video Games –

Video games are a great example of interactive media, giving the gamer complete control of what happens to their character. Giving options for the gamer to choose different equipment to uses, decisions on different adventures, the type of character they want to play with and different options to turn of the sound effects. These games have a unique selling point as unlike a DVD you can be involved with how the story turns out, you can be a part of the action. This is why many people have hooked themselves on with these games because they want to take control.

Smart Boards –

The smart board advertises itself as an interactive product; this board gives teachers and business people a chance to present pieces of work with easy access to their presentation. With options to change the volume of the sound effects on the board, the colours of pens you draw diagrams with and how you chose to use the touch screen effect, either uses your hands or the pen provided. This is a unique product and with the different tools, equipment’s and software’s it carries it sells itself as a must have board for the new generation of learning.

Computers –

Computers are a main part of interactive media in today society, they are used in daily life  surf the internet and write up information. The computer offers a wide range of interaction, being able to change setting such as backgrounds, fonts and gadgets to including clocks and weather information. This is a well-chosen product for such a big part in all of our lives because of its advance technologies in helping peope’s daily lives, organising there treasured memories such as pictures and videos. Sound is used in computers to alert the user of errors or a message for updating software, it is also used constantly making a sound effect when you use a mouse to click on a application letting the user know that they request has been sent.

TV

TVs have a big part in the nation hearts, but in recent years it has grown even more, building the TV to a higher speck adding software to hold internet to connect with iplayer and YouTube. The TV all include much more interactive media as it hold options to turn the description on for the deaf and options to translate the programme to a different language. This expanded the market for these TV as over the years it had gown accommodate to all types of people’s needs.

Use of sound:

Carrying dialogue – Sound can help carry dialogue by keeping the audience engaged in what is being said in the video, it makes the video footage more interesting as there is more to listen to which makes it easier for the audience to develop a bigger idea of the mood of the video.

Enhancing mood or tone – Sound helps enhance mood and tone of a situation or feeling as it is a base to changing people’s feeling. Music is used to develop a set mood as it gives people a story to think about due to the lyrics or the tempo which is the base to all music. This story will help change people’s feelings to make the mood of the sound they are listing to.

Indicators – Music in the form of a soundtrack for a piece of moving image can help indicate to the audience that danger might be approaching or a big action scene is approaching. This can help the quality of the movie or advert as it helps keep the audience engaged with what is happing and connect with the feeling of the character.

Emotion – Music can help change the emotion to the listeners by replacing the feeling of that person with the feeling of the song. If you play a happy song, which represents a good life that music will lift the feelings of the person and make them happy. If you play a sad song on the other hand which talks about heartbreak and a bad life that emotion will reflect on the person and make them unhappy.

Guiding users – Sound helps guide people who may be at a disadvantage such as people who are blind, sound helps show disable people which keys they are using as the different sounds indicate which keys you are hitting. Audio description also helps the blind, this sound describes the actions on the TV screen to help the person what TV.

Alerts – Sound is used to alert people in daily life, some of these alerts can be lifesavers such as a fire and burglar alarm. Other alerts involve technology; theses alerts such as ringtones and text messages help make the owner of the phone aware of somebody trying to connect them.

Entertainment – Sound is an entertainment source for many people, this comes in many formats as radio, music and storytelling. The sound is a base to all TV and films which constantly entertains and educates many people.

Assignment 1 - Online Magazine Article

Pink Panther Time Code - Tester

This time code was made for class practise in dubbing sound with moving image, the video which we did this to was a cartoon called The Pink Panther.

Time Code	Description
00:00:08:04	Pink Panther by Blake Edwards
00:00:12:50	Twinkle Twinkle Little Pink
00:00:31:13	At the Star Peak Observatory the crazy astronomer is star gazing.
00:00:37:10	He noticed a lot is for sale close by him.
00:00:41:03	Later on the Pink Panther purchases the lot in the direct line of view from the Observatory, making use of it, he starts building a home for himself.
00:00:46:12	In the evening pink panther is taking a long, relaxing bath.
00:00:48:06	He takes two bubble bottles from the shelf and pours it into the water.
00:00:51:00	He puts them back on the shelf and carefully gets into the bath.
00:00:55:02	He tries to sit down, but the bath is so hot he jerks out of it.
00:00:58:12	He slowly relaxes into his bath and lends back.
00:01:01:01	A car parks outside the observatory and the person gets out.
00:01:04:07	The small man walks across the room to his chair at the control panel.
00:01:08:04	The man opens up the roof for the telescope.

Log: Sound

Log: Sound

Sarah Innes

Date	Lesson	Achieved	Reflection
22/09/2011	Today we experimented with reorganizing different types of sound to fit a car advert.	I achieved the use basic skills of Cubase such as using Alt click to copy music and using tools to snap on and off button to control arrangements.	I need to learn to use Cubase quicker, wasted a lot of time remembering how to use it. Needed to create space on the computer to start working – wasted time.
29/09/2011	Today we experimented with sound effects; we added sounds to a pink panther cartoon making sure that the sounds fits in with the action.	I achieved mixing sound together to make a beat to fit in for the beginning credits.	This lesson did not go very well, the beat at the beginning sounded horrible; I found it hard to switch between times frames.
06/10/2011	Today we looked at a car adverts, are task was to add an additional soundtrack to it and apply more sound effects.	I have gained more experience surrounding Cubase, and learnt how to add music to video.	This lesson was ok, but I did have trouble sorting out the different sound and adding it in my track.
13/10/2011	To we looked more at the car avert, focusing on the different beats we can create in Cubase and getting more of a soundtrack effect.	I have gained even more experience surrounding Cubase, and learnt how to create a good soundtrack.	This lesson was good, as I understand more about the software and was is expected from me in terms of the ending sound.
20/10/2011	Today we looked at the Pink Panther video, we watch it over and got into groups to come together and create a voice over for the blind.	We achieved a lot this lesson, we got most of the script completed and I learnt more about the recording software.	Today was a good lesson; I got a lot done and understand more about creating voice overs.
27/10/2011	Today we carried on with the Pink panther video, trying to record sound and adding more to script.	Today I achieved hardly anything, the recording software was not working and nothing much was done.	This lesson was a bit of a waste as nothing was improved on from last lesson; we hit a dead end with recording the voice.
03/11/2011	Today we started the interactive media research, looking at different type of interactive media such as smart phone. To this I added an explanation about why this product was interactive.	Today I gained more knowledge of what kind of different interactive media is sold in shops.	Today was a good lesson and it was a nice break from using Cubase.
10/11/2011	Today we concentrated on improving are work from last lesson and making are plan of our final interactive media product.	Today I gained more knowledge about what is expected for this unit’s final product.	In today lesson I came up with a good idea about what I want to create for my final project.
17/11/2011	Today we wrote up more of the research for the interactive product, this included writing why you need a brief, writing your own brief and a brain storm of ideas to do with the product.	Today I gained more knowledge about what is needed to complete this unit concerning the different research which needs to be done.	I am happy with this lesson; it was very useful to learn more about the different research which needs to be done.
24/11/2011	Today we improve our work, project plan and additional research. After this we created a blog for our Sound unit and put up a link to it on Learn zone.	Today I gained more knowledge on what extra detail I need to add to the essays I have written.	Today’s lesson was good, I got lots of work done and organized the work using blogger.
1/12/2011	Today I continued to research into interactive media products, improving my work so it is relevant to the exam criteria.	Today I gained more knowledge one what types of products are on the market, one I thought were not relevant such as TVs.	It was a good lesson, got some needed work done.
8/12/2011	Today I downloaded my chosen video for my interactive media product; I also opened it in Cubase and started a time code script for my audio description.	Today I learnt more about what time of them my product is going to carry, as the video I have chosen has techno theme.	It was a good lesson I have completed some much needed work and I am pleased to start my final project.
5/01/2012	Today are lesson focused on using the ZOOM microphone, we made a windows word file to record the instruction. After this we made a Cubase file to start recording a voiceover for a Swift cover advert.	Today I learnt about using the ZOOM microphone in CuBase.	I enjoyed todays lesson, I learnt a lot about how to record voices ready to create sound for my interactive media product.
19/01/2012	Today I completed LO1 of the Sound Unit, this consist of completing research into different sound formats and the way sound is used.	I have achieved the completion of a LO1 and got closer to the end of the Unit.	I am glad I have finished more work; I have ticked off another LO.
26/01/2012	Today I inserted my three tracks and my video into the flash player.	I have achieved managing to convert four files to the correct format and work the flash document to link the files up.	I am glad I have finished the interactive media produce as now I can start evaluating it.
2/02/2012	Today I finished LO3, talking about how I inserted my three file into the flash file. After this I completed LO4 evaluating my product and how it is fit for purpose.	I have achieved the completion of all my work; I have made sure that I have included all my requirements and ask the teacher for extra feedback.	I am very pleased with today’s lesson. I have completed a lot of work.