Sound Design Unit 2
What are the 11 main things to look for in a SD contract?
1. Budget 2. Consider Cost of Studio Time 3. Loot at media you will need for the show (flash drive) 4. Rental of equipment 5. Sound Operator 6. Tech and Prep Time 7. Travel Expenses 8. Perdium (cost of every day living) 9. Sound Design Fee- local fees around the area 10. Production schedule and provisions of overtime (***INCLUDE TIME OF SHOWS) 11. Additional fees
What are the three groups of functions of sound in theatre?
1. Dramatic 2. Aesthetic 3. Practical
What is the most difficult concept to sound design?
Abstract
Concept where sound elements are reduced to their most fundamental form
Abstract concept
AEA
Actors Equity Association
What group of sound designates matters that have to do with personal interpretation of the immediate emotional character of the drama and the long term development of feelings and attitudes as modified as those in the dramatic experience
Aesthetic Group
Backstage, RF engineer, deck engineers- usually also in IATSE
Assistant sound engineer - A2
takes a cue that you have found and changes it by adding reverb, echo, or delay
Audacity
Making all aspects of a production fully audible to all members of the audience
Audibility
Of the 7 functions of sound in theatre, which are practical?
Audibility
What is the first thing you look for in a SD contract of Letter of Agreement?
Budget
What cannot happen with audibility?
Cannot make intelligible that in which is garbled as the actor speaks
Associate Sound Designer to Richard Fitzgerald Worked alongside on: Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast, and Xanadu
Carl Cassela
Responsible for arranging travel accommodations and there person that takes care of you
Company Manager
Software used to play a cue back
Cue Lab
The manipulation of the element of sound
Cueing
Ultimate authority for the artistic part of the show
Director
What group of sound refers to those things that directly advance or condition the progress of the drama or the environment in which the drama takes place?
Dramatic group
compensates for acoustic problems in a space or with the equipment
Equalization
Use of sounds in ways that refers to events outside of the physical space and/or time frame of the dramatic action- done because you cannot literally take someone back in time
Extension of Dramatic Space and Time
Of the 7 functions of sound in theatre, which are Aesthetic?
Extension of dramatic space and time Mood
Movie sound effects people; they leave nothing to the imagination- ex. include footsteps, door opening, ext. -these are artists that make real made sound effects- no sound effect is found on the internet
Foley Artist
Concept that makes sound elements organized and structured in a certain pattern and tonal value
Formal Concept
Cues that relate to curtain call / between acts/ pre show
Framing Cues
How does one stay in AEA and what is one of the main incentives?
Has to work so many hours per year Benefits include: good health insurance
Becomes the technical director when the show leaves
Head Carpenter
Choice music- it is not a have to, but a want to
Incidental music
Music that is specifically called for by the playwright OR it is performed as part of the action of the play by the actors- it is a must.
Integral music
IATSE
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (Union)
What is an A city?
Large cities that take league tours on a national tour ex. dallas
A tour that comes right out of broadway- most accurate replication of the broadway production- well financed, similar equipment, same designers
League Tour
Sound Designer Designed: The Pee Wee Herman Show (over 400 sound cues) Oh Hello! on Broadway * mostly works for television
ML Dogg
Operates the company's budget and operating cost
Managing Director
Manipulation of all of the other functions in order to enhance the mood and emotional character of the play/ acts/ scenes within the play
Mood
Means that all sounds that occur within the dramatic environment must fit
Motivation
Of the 7 functions of sound in theatre, which are dramatic?
Motivation Vocal Alteration Vocal Substitution
Of the 7 functions of sound in theatre, which overlaps with the dramatic and aesthetic group equally?
Music
What number regions are New York, Fort Worth, and Dallas?
NY- 1 FW- 126 Dallas- 127
Compete that is faithful to real world environmental conditions in every detail * ad nauseous ** Means- Extensively
Natural / Organic Concept
What is important to remember when it comes to underscoring a play or musical?
No low frequency music
Going though all the cues without actually firing cues- includes sound effects, but not pick ups
Paper Tech
Richard Fitzgerald's brother that is also a sound designer
Peter Fitzgerald
What group of sound refers to the necessary considerations for audience comfort in perceiving the vocal component of dramatic production?
Practical group
Voice Overs / Ambiance / required music effects
Specific Cues
Dog Barks / thunder
Spot Effects
Records blocking and line assignments, calls cues ext.- Preserves the actors performance level and they maintain the integrity of the design after the director and designers leave.
Stage Manager
Concept that is distorted, exaggerated, and conceptualized that distort the sound effect, but still maintains its original source / goal
Stylized concept
Assists all members of the production team in executing their designs- most important technical person to the sound designer
Technical Director
What are other factors that can effect the sound in a play other than the sound designer?
The actors voice, the equipment, board op
What do the different numbers in IATSE mean?
The regions and the order in which they started
What are sound effects/ music used for?
To manipulate emotional response in a play
After a show has run a national tour for over a year, companies will buy the shows and continue to run them.. what are these companies called?
Troika Networks
Which US department will cooperate with sound designers if they feel the project is deemed support of the military?
US department of defense
In Lighting, what is the equivalent to audibility?
Visibility
Audibility rests as much on the ------ as it does on the sound designer
actor
Who is included in AEA?
actors and stage managers
Sound must also appear ------ to the character of the actual source of the sound... What are some examples of this?
appropriate -- Localization of the gun shot from the actor who shoots the gun If the sound is louder than it should be, then it is not normal
What is the difference between off broadway and broadway
broadway- seats more than 500 seats off broadway- less than 499 seats
How do you locate the cue in the script?
by page number
enhances localization to the actors actual voices
delay
what improves delay before feedback?
delay
What are things you can do to process sound?
equalization and delay
When referring to "fit" in motivation, what do you mean?
has to make sense to the brain- sound must appear to come from a proper location and direction
What is a B city?
larger sized cities that take national tours, but are not as big as the large hubs ex. Fort Worth
A sound cue is normally labeled by
numbers or letters
How do we achieve audibility?
processes of placing microphones around the stage and on the bodies of the actors- you then combine those mics into a mixer and then into a sound system
What type of employees work in IATSE
stage hands
quality of sound
timber
Music beneath action and dialogue that reinforces the emotional impact of the scene
underscoring
When do you use a pre recorded intermission and pre show music?
used to be only for straight plays, but now more common for both plays and musicals
Any introduction of an oral element into a production
Sound Cue
Not a union member nor are they an employee of the theatre
Sound Designer
Who is not allowed to touch the sound equipment when in a union house?
Sound Designer
Front of House mixer- member of IATSE
Sound Engineer/ A1
All sound department personelle respond to this person- always works with the theatre company
Sound Supervisor
Where can you get sound effects?
Sound Track Pro Google Youtube iTunes
Considerations of a sound designer
1. Location of sound/movement of sound 2. Characteristics of sound cue (ex. live or pre recorded) 3. Equalization and timber (quality of sound) 4. Volume and mix of sounds (Repetitiveness and Differentiation)
As a sound designer, what do you do after you get the script?
1. Look at stage directions 2. Line indications 3. Find hidden cues (not mentioned in the script)
3 main sound companies
1. Masque- best and most expensive 2. PRG 3. Sound Associates
What are the different design concepts for a sound designer?
1. Natural/organic 2. Realistic 3. Stylized 4. Formal 5. Abstract
When cueing, what does manipulation pertain to?
1. Timing of a cue 2. Volume of a cue 3. Signal and effects processing 4. Segway cue 5. Transition cue 6. Exit cue
What are the 7 functions of sound in theatre?
1. audibility 2. Motivation (environmental ambiance) 3. Music 4. Vocal Alteration 5. Vocal Substitution 6. Extension of Dramatic Space and Time 7. Mood
When are sound effects/ music used?
1.Scene Transitions 2. Underscoring- no low frequency music 3. Framing cues- curtain call/ top of act/ pre show 4. Specific cues- voice overs/ ambiance/ required music effects 5. Spot effects- dog barks/thunder
What is a cue line reference?
A cue that references an action of the actor or a word the actor speaks
Does the director or producer usually win in arguments?
Producer
Responsible for the overall execution of the production
Producer
Arranges rehearsal times, fittings, recording sessions ext.
Production Stage Manager
Does not SM the shows
Production Stage Manager
Liaison between the technical and the creative staff and the management of the theatre
Production manager
When labeling by letters, what letter do you usually avoid
Q
Concept that omits irrelevant detail
Realistic concept
What sort of things does one consider when thinking of the volume and mix of sounds?
Repetitiveness and differentiation
Sound Designer CEO of Sound Associates Designed: Little Shop Of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast, Xanadu
Richard Fitzgerald
What sort of things make up additional fees in a SD contract?
Rights to intellectual properties and royalties Billing and the program Insurance
Changing from one scene to the next
Scene Transitions
What is a C City?
Small cities that take the tail end of national tours ex. Amarillo
the actor speaks their lines live on stage, but we use audio equipment to amplify the quality and the character of their voice
Vocal Alteration
What two functions of sound in theatre cannot be carried out without the use of audio equipment; modern equipment
Vocal alteration and vocal substitution
the actor does not speak the lines onstage- pre recorded voice over or the actor speaks the line off stage
Vocal substitution
What sort of things does one consider when thinking of the characteristics of a sound cue?
Whether the cue should be live or pre-recorded
