Course Title: Develop sound design

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2011

Course Code: VART5856C

Course Title: Develop sound design

School: 345T Media and Communication

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6087 - Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media

Course Contact : Program Administration: Josiane Mueller

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99254585

Course Contact Email:josiane.mueller@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Teacher: Nat Bates
Phone:
Email: nat.bates@rmit.edu.au


Nominal Hours: 50

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This course is designed to give students the skills and knowledge required to develop a sound design from a brief for a production in the cultural industries. The implementation of the design, including production of the design, is covered separately in the course Implement Sound Design.
The course will introduce concepts and practices of sound design, which includes storyboarding, recording techniques, audio editing and post production treatments.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CUSSOU16A Develop sound design

Element:

1.Interpret and confirm sound design brief

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Participate in preliminary concept meetings with relevant personnel, where necessary, to discuss creative and technical sound requirements
1.2 Liaise with relevant personnel to interpret and confirm the sound requirements to meet the technical, creative and other relevant production requirements
1.3 Identify production requirements relevant to the sound design including budget, quality, production, artistic values and deadlines
1.4 Identify and confirm any additional relevant personnel necessary to fulfill the production brief

Element:

2.Breakdown the components of the sound design brief

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Identify and document the components of the sound design brief to determine the content, quality and duration of the sound elements required
2.2 Determine and where necessary document the creative and resource requirements for each of the sound components
2.3 Document the production requirements and specifications for the use of all relevant personnel during the sound design development and confirm with relevant personnel

Element:

3. Investigate and experiment with sound components for the
expression of ideas

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Cultivate and create an energy and environment that will promote the generation of ideas and provide the motivation and incentive to bring ideas to fruition
3.2 As required, gather information from a variety of sources and generate, explore and record a range of ideas and options as a creative base to contribute to the sound design
3.3 Transform and manipulate the sources and ideas generated and select those ideas that have the most potential for technical and creative development of the
sound design

Element:

4. Assess creative ideas

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Contemplate and consider the ideas selected from the creative base, reflecting on and evaluating their viability, cost, technical feasibility and suitability to meet the requirements of the brief
4.2 Continuously evaluate and verify all creative ideas for the components of the brief based on the overall sound design concept

Element:

5. Develop the sound design

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Develop the design concepts taking into consideration the established sound design brief and the ideas generated
5.2 Determine the relevant sound components required to implement the sound design to creative and technical requirements
5.3 Establish a clear relationship between the use and integration of sound elements and the function, context and objectives of the work to determine the sound design
5.4 As required, hold ongoing discussions with relevant personnel to consider, confirm and incorporate additional or changed production requirements and new ideas to achieve best sound design product
5.5 Confirm final design concept with the relevant personnel as required to ensure that implementation is consistent with the design and that any potential difficulties are addressed

Element:

6. Evaluate the completed sound design

Performance Criteria:

6.1 Discuss and obtain agreement of possible ways of evaluating the completed design from relevant personnel
6.2 Focus evaluation on the consistency of the brief with the design and the implementation of the design concept
6.3 Obtain detailed information and opinions from legitimate sources and document results for evaluation
6.4 Communicate results to relevant personnel and use results to improve future practice


Learning Outcomes


On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to: develop a sound design from a brief for a production in the cultural industries


Details of Learning Activities

Learning activities will consist of:
• in class activities
• out-of-class activities
• peer teaching and class presentations
• online research
• group discussion
• independent project based work
• workshopping of students’ own projects
• screenings


Teaching Schedule

Week Class content Assignment deadlines & Homework Elements
1  Introduction to sound design, AV analysis, and course overview  Assignment 01 Undertake AV analysis of clip provided. Due in class  3, 4, 6
2  Introduction to sound production for audio- visual multimedia.  Assignment 02 In pairs record audio of a live sound and record video of a live action. Due in class  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
3  Sound design 1 - Sound storyboarding  Assignment 03 Design, storyboard and record onomatopoeia for animation clip provided. Due in class  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
4  Recording 1 - Microphones  Assignment 04 Record sound using various mic techniques. Due in class  1, 2, 3
5  Recording 2 – Digital Audio  Assignment 05 Clean recordings and save as various file types. Due in class  1, 2, 3
6  Audio file types.
Sound for Individual Project 1 – sound design for animatic. One on one consultation
 Assignment 06 File recognition. Due in class.
Assignment A Sound for Individual Project animatic. Due Week 12
 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
7  Recording 3 - Foley  Assignment 07 Record foley for clip provided. Due in class  3, 4
8  Recording 4 – Stereo and Location Recording  Assignment 08 Record in stereo. Due in class  3, 4
9  Sound for Animation 1 - Design  Assignment 09 Design sound for clip provided. Due in class  1, 2, 3, 4, 5
10  Sound for Animation 2 - Production  Assignment 10 Record foley for clip provided. Due  6
11  Mid Semester Break
21/04/11 – 27/04/11
Editing Sound 1 – Spot FX Placement
Sound for Individual Project 2 – Sound Production for Animatic. One on one consultation.
 Assignment 11 Place spot fx for clip provided. Due in class  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
12  Editing Sound 2 – Fun with Spot FX and Looping.
Class presentation of Assignment A
 Assignment 12 Create loops from previous recordings. Due in class  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
13  Voice Recording 1 – The Interview  Assignment 13 Devise and record interview. Due in class  3, 4
14  Voice Recording 2 – Redubbing  Assignment 14 Edit audio to lip synch with clip. Due in class  3, 4
15  Effects 1 - EQ  Assignment 15 Transform voice recordings with EQ. Due in class  3, 4
16  Effects 2 - Spatialisation  Assignment 16 Transform recordings with spatialisation effects (reverb etc)
Due in class
 3, 4
17  Assessment and review    


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

You are advised to look at the course Blackboard site for ongoing updated information.


References

You are advised to look at the course Blackboard site for ongoing updated information.


Other Resources

Access to computers and audio recording equipment.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment tasks in this course include:
Practical exercises, knowledge assessment tasks and practical projects.


Assessment Tasks

Assessments are due in class as per teaching schedule above.

Task 1 – 16, 5% each
TaskA 20%.

Grades used in this unit are as follows:

80 – 100% HD High Distinction
70 – 79% DI Distinction
60 – 69% CR Credit
50 – 59% PA Pass
Under 50% NN Fail


Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency. These are available through the course contact in Program administration



Special consideration Policy (Late Submission)
All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level. If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension.
Please refer to the following URL for extensions and special consideration:
http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=qkssnx1c5r0y;STATUS=A;PAGE_AUTHOR=Andrea%20Syers;SECTION=1;



Other Information

Special consideration Policy (Late Submission)
All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level. If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension.
Please refer to the following URL for extensions and special consideration:
http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=qkssnx1c5r0y;STATUS=A;PAGE_AUTHOR=Andrea%20Syers;SECTION=1;



Course Overview: Access Course Overview