Suitable Sound Recording Levels

In order to achieve good quality audio, sound level monitoring/altering should be carried out. Sound levels too close to the noise floor (the lowest level of recording) will result in a poor quality recording with hissing and humming being quite prominent in most cases. When recording, recording as close to the Permitted Maximum Level (PML) as possible, without reaching or exceeding that limit will result in optimal recording levels. Reaching or exceeding this limit will result in distortion of the signal. This is when the levels 'peak' and results in audio 'clipping'. Modern digital audio can record very close to the peak levels without distorting, however monitoring when recording is required to avoid distortion.

When recording audio, a comfortable range for your peaks should be found (usually between -12 dB and -6 dB) before any recordings are made. A recording with peaks set lower than this (around -16 dB and below) will leave a greater amount of noise when the audio has to be boosted after to reach optimal levels. To set these levels, manual level control on the microphone of choice should be used. Automatic level setting can be used on modern microphones, however this usually leaves for the change in levels during the recording, and noise becomes more prominent during silence.

Character Sound Identification

This scene from Kill Bill shows a woman trapped inside a coffin after being 'buried alive'. The soundtrack behind the scene builds tension as she attempts to escape. Starting slow and dramatic when she realises she is trapped then building up as she begins to untie herself and start to escape. New elements get added and layered up in the soundtrack such as the addition of a trumpet melody, a marching solider style drum beat and a Mexican influenced guitar melody. The volume slowly gains as the scene progresses before coming to a loud 'climax' as she finally punches her way through the wooded container and claws her way out of the ground.

This scene works extremely well without any use of dialogue. Sound effects are used but are not as clear as the main soundtrack. This shows the power and significance of sound and music in films. 

Subtitles

Adding subtitles on youtube requires scribing as the video plays.

I simply played through the video and typed the dialogue. I then extended the subtitles on the timeline to match the length of speech.

Awareness Animation

Storyboards

Animation Process

First frame drawing. Stage set to 720p resolution and 25fps frame rate for smooth, high quality movements and graphics.

Keyframing and layers. Some use of tweens.

Drawing of someone smoking using brush tool.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Film Shoots

Article Process

Inspiration for my design

Double Page Spread

Text Boxes added with intentional space left for images

Large quote placeholder added

Body text placeholder added

Image placeholders added

Image placeholders slightly modified to allow more space for text (body text and image credits/reference)

Credits/reference area added

Final Column of body text added

QR code added to allow readers to find out more

I decided to start again after this point as I wasn't happy with this design.

This was designed to look like a fast food menu. However I felt that due to the type of content it didn't look how I intended. I decided to start again using a social media style layout.