Project 5 Podcasts
Ideas
- Media Animation Career
- Film/Video Editor
- Sound Engineer
Practical
In this, I talked to another student via video call and we talked about the certain subjects that we we're going to research in to make a podcast from.
Evaluation of Recording
Video Quality:
The quality of the video recording was not that great. Tegan's wi-fi connection was disrupted at the bagging, and the noise of the barking dogs in the background.
Video set up:
The set up of the video recording was simple and easy, on the Teams program, you are able to record the video calls.
Conversation:
It wasn't easy talking to the other student about the subject because neither of us knew exactly what we were supposed to talk about. The research that I had done wasn't enough to brain storm about what we were interested in.
Audio Acquirement:
I got the audio clip from the Teams program in the group chat, which is where the recording goes when finished recording.
Video Format:
The format of the video recording was in an mp4.
Footage and Equipment Review:
In honesty, I didn't have many issues with the interview. One thing of coarse, as said above, was the fact that we didn't know what we were going to say.
Research for Animation Media requirements - Digital Animation
Skills Needed
The skills required to be any sort of animator, includes patients, attention to detail, good drawing skills, creativity and imagination, computer and graphical software familiarity, and communication and presentation skills.
How to get into the Industry
There are many ways to get into the animation industry in the world, you can invest in places like YouTube, or cartoon show on TV, or even look for jobs in bigger companies like Pixar and Disney, all with ease, you don't need a collage degree for animation.
Some requirements include a portfolio, generally getting involved, and just basically and simply not loosing interest or your enthusiasm.
Qualifications needed
The qualifications needed to be an animator consists mainly of a bachelor's degree in computer animation, fine art and graphics design.
In the UK you would usually need 5 GCSE's from A* to a C, and also including an English and Maths, all of which is for an advanced apprenticeship.
What Day-to-Day Work is like
The work an animator does every day is pretty self explanatory and simple, they animate, for as long as possible every day. There are of course other chores that need to be done in an animators life style, like planning, preparing, communication between other animators, and of course taking breaks sometimes during the day, but the general work cycle is just animating all of the time.
Opportunities in the Media sector
As said before, media animation can get you into many different industries of animation. Like stop motion, which is one of the most common and well known forms of animation (but is also one of the hardest), others consist of digital animator, concept artist, games developer, game artist, graphic designer, illustrator, VFX artist, and much more.
Research: Understanding how Sound Elements are used in Media Products
Film - Blade Runner 2049
Film Scene
Purpose
The product of this small scene, and this entire film actually, is many entertainment, this is distinguished easily because it is a movie with a sci-fi genre, which is usually used to entertain people more than anything. The sound design in this scene is enhancing its genre by using futuristic audio for certain objects in the scene, like the hovering car, the way it moves, and also the weird futuristic dumpster trucks that where seen at the end of this scene. This sound also sets the atmosphere well of the scene, making it sound more ominous with its futuristic feel of the area.
In my personal opinion, the quality of this scene is good, its at the perfect pitch at the perfect times at the moments when the actor talks and his audio can be heard by the audience.
Elements
There are multiple different types of audio that can be heard in this scene, sounds like: the soundtrack, actors speech, sound effects and the diegetic music.
Almost all of the soundtrack in this one scene is non - diegetic, it was all made separate from the filming scenes. The actors dialogue in this one scene is probably the only element that is diegetic, its the only sound that is made that was recorded whilst shooting the film. The sound effects of this scene were a bit of a mix of diegetic and non - diegetic, sounds like the hover car moving were made off set, but sounds like the water falls were also made off set but probably from original sources. There didn't seem to be much diegetic music in this short scene that the actors in the scene could here themselves, music such as the background music.
Meaning
Many of the elements in this short scene enhance the quality of it and its atmosphere for the audience. Things like the sound track in the background really gives the scene a futuristic yet ominous feel to the audience, with the dark atmosphere and colour gradient. Sound effects like the water and the rain also gives a cold feel to it and the audience, other sounds like the cars traversal also add to this futuristic ambiance. The actors dialogue is slightly ominous in itself, as this is a cut scene from the film, it is possible that the two had had a conversation before the first sentence, but still, the abruptness and intention from his casual question is slightly creepy and and hollow and cold in itself, as if he's not so much human.
Podcast - Seven Minute Opinions - Why I sent my underaged son to Las Vegas to get a giant tattoo
Podcast Audio
Purpose
The product of this podcast is that it is some form of inform, and maybe even entertainment. The sounds in it, like the dialogue, are well cut and rehearsed so the podcast is well furnished and even and the audience can understand what is being said, the quality of it is perfect and refined and also simple, with a low budget no doubt, but it is still entertaining.
Other sounds like the background music also add to the atmosphere of the of the subject that is being discussed, giving it a nice friendly feel to it.
Elements
The different sounds that can be heard in this podcast consist of a soundtrack, some form of diegetic music, speech and dialogue, and sound effects.
The sound track in this can be heard occasionally in the background, when a transition is being made or a slight pause in the dialogue of the reader, these sounds could be non - diegetic, the music could be sampled and implemented after the voice recording, but there could also be a possibility that it is diegetic music, it could have been recored during the voice recording.
The dialogue in this was of course recorded, in a non - diegetic form, it was scripted for the podcast.
Amongst all of the other sounds in the podcast, the only sound effect that could be heard in it was the sound of the tattoo tool working on making a tattoo on the child's arm, which all non - diegetic sounds.
Meaning
The soundtrack in the background of the podcast makes the atmosphere of it feel more welcoming and more subtle, the subject that is being talked about is more entertaining to listen too than horrific, the fact that a mother sent his child to get a tattoo would in some cases be frightening in some cases, but the podcast doesn't feel that way.
The same goes for the speech, the fluent dialogue and some what cheerful mood behind it makes the subject all the more fun to listen to, for the audience.
Research: Understanding how Sound Elements are Produced for Media Production
Sound Effects
The roll of a foley artist is to make non - diegetic sound effects for products. They do this by taking random objects as equipment, and replicate and record the sounds that appear in the products visuals. They use items like a large piece of cloth and a small pool to replicate the sounds of a ship moving in the oceans and its sails flapping in the wind, they do this by shaking the piece of cloth and moving the water in the pool with their hands. Another example is they use a sand pit and repeatedly step in it to create the sound of footsteps in a sheet of snow. Another example is they get a sprinkler can full of water, and sprinkle water on a plastic wellington boot (which is held in place by another artist), to create the sound effect of rain drops falling on a hat.
Multiple different uses of sound effects that can be used in podcasts. One of the main uses is background music, which adds to the atmosphere of the podcast and enhances the feel of the subject that is discussed in the podcasts. An example is transitions, when there is a pause in the dialogue, you would usually have some music to fill the empty gap. Another example is based on the subject that is being discussed in the podcast, wether the subject is at a beach, which would have some wind and wave sounds in the background, or if the subject is about a construction, which will have the sound effects metal clanging noises or wood cutting or drilling.
The best equipment used for this job will be a powerful a microphone to really capture the sounds made by these objects, and a range of computer equipment to alter and edit the sounds to get the precise sync for the footage. Another piece of equipment used is a projector playing the video that the sounds need to be made for, so the foley artists know when to make start making the sounds and the particular motions that need to be made to sync the sound to the footage.
Atmospheric Sound
Atmospheric tracks are made by people who simply go around places with a microphone and any other piece of portable equipment to capture sound, and they record the sounds around them, e.g. in a restaurant. These can be useful for podcasts as they set the atmosphere of the podcast for the viewers. This can make the reader more engaged and immersed in the subject of the podcast.
Some examples of atmospheric sounds are: a restaurant, which would have the distinctive sounds of multiple people speaking in the backgrounds and the accessional clatter of cutlery and plates.
Another could be the sounds of a rainy forest, with the rain drops that fall on the trees and leafs and maybe even the sounds of footsteps walking on mud.
Another could be a football stadium, with the distinct sounds of cheering fans in the background.
In this line of work, multiple different pieces of equipment are used to get multiple different results of different atmospheric sound. An example is that some voice recording is done over bad phone to get the quality of the real sound to add to the atmosphere.
Music
Music/atmospheric tracks in podcasts provide more to the story for the viewer, it sets the atmosphere for the the particular genre of the podcast. It engages the viewers more and invokes their emotion for the subject that is being discussed in the podcast.
you can use music in many different ways in podcasts, like using it as a background soundtrack intrigue the viewer into the subject of the podcast.
For music, the equipment used for this could consist of natural items, like a foley artist does, and creates original sounds that can then be edited on computers. The best equipment for this could be plain instruments, specific ones used for certain genre. For example, a horror based podcast could have a use a sharp instruments like violins, which create an eerie sound.
Dialogue
The process of recording sound takes a lot of set up and preparation to record the sound form the direction that is wanted, they have to move the microphone around to get the correct angle at which the voice is coming from. This audio recording plays an important part in podcasts as it is the main content at which viewers receive when listening to podcasts.
There are many different types of dialogue that are used for different areas in a podcast. Examples of this are: if the subject was about fun and making the viewers laugh, it would have a voice recording of a comedian. Another example is if the subject was about talking about a story, then it would be a non - diegetic recording of someone reading from a script.
The best equipment used for this recording may be high quality microphones.
Requirements of the Brief
From the brief, I'm being asked to make a podcast that is talking about a subject of a particular media course that I, personally, am interested in. I says I have to plan for my podcast as well: what I'm going to discuss during it, how I'm going to say it. Also what kind of sounds I'm going to be putting in the background, to find sounds that I think will go well with it.
My initial thoughts for the podcast would be me talking about animation, as it is my favourite course in media and genuinely love animating, it is my part time hobby. In the podcast I would talk about what is required to get in to animation in the world and what kind of jobs there are that would be the most useful. I also thought I would talk about my history in animating, what I did in the past few years of my life that related to animation and how I progressed.
In my opinion, I think that a good podcast requires all the elements of a podcast, the dialogue and the music, to work well with each other. A well scripted dialogue covering all the points of the subject, and its spoken fluently and with consistency. The music must also match the feel of the subject in the podcast, it must engage the viewer and invoke some sort of emotion from them, as well as the dialogue.
Time Management
Podcast Research: Listening to Podcasts
Side Projects, the GIF that keeps giving - Animation Director James Curran
EP 144
1. Why I chose this Podcast:
I chose this particular podcast from the other podcasts because it talks about the subject of animation, which is the subject of media I am into to, GIF animations to be exact.
2. What it did well:
In this podcast, the audio recording was well recorded and composed. The quality of the dialogue is well made, and the set up of the voice recordings is professional.
3. The tips I'm going to take from this:
The methods and tips I will take from this podcast will be its layout of sound uses and the way its formatted. The way the audio is well recorded.
Pay what you can - Podcast Producer Steph Colbourn
EP 173
1. Why I chose this Podcast:
The reason I chose this podcast was because I liked the information that is gave and the way that it gave it.
2. What it did well:
What this podcast did well was the subject being discussed in it gave a lot of good information and insight into the podcast industry, and how someone could get into that line of business. It was very informative.
3. The tips I'm going to take from this:
What I want to take from this podcast and use in my own is the way cast cover all the subjects of a podcast and the what they need to do for it.
A mourner's guide to surviving the holidays
EP 76
1. Why I chose this Podcast:
I chose this podcast because liked the use of music and in it and the soundtrack in the background.
2. What it did well:
As said above, one of the main things that this podcast did well was the music. The sound track in the background adds atmosphere to the podcast, and add to the transitions that happen in it.
3. The tips I'm going to take from this:
What I'm going to take from this podcast is it's use of sounds, adding background music to my podcast and sound effects to get the viewers more immersed in the subject of my podcast.
Plan: My Ideas
The main idea I had for my podcast was to just have myself talk about the subject of animation. It would be a sort of tutorial podcast where I would give advice and information to the viewers about the animation industry based off research I would find on the internet. Things like how to start off as a hobby, what direction is best depending what type of animation your interested in, what kind of degree you would need, give people statistics on how long an animation will take to make, etc.
The intro for the podcast will be very basic and simple. Just what kind of podcast it is, and giving reference of some sort to previous podcasts.
The style and atmosphere I want to have in the podcast will be very casual and calm, not exiting or intense. The music in this podcast will match that same type of style, adding to the tranquil atmosphere and feel of the podcast. I might add some sound effects in the background as well, things that could also match the scene of the podcast, like people talking in the background, in rare occasions when animators have a discussion with each other about animation plans.
In the outro of the podcast, I could summarise everything of the subject in the podcast by giving a personal statement of the job and what i think other people should do for it and how they should do it.
Analysing Effectiveness of Solutions
Equipment
Microphone - Zoom H1 Portable Digital Recorder
Audio Tests
Microphone - iPhone 6s
For my actual podcast recording, I think I might just use my iPhone as it is simple to use and operate. The sound quality on an iPhone isn't as good as the digital recorder, but it is a lot clearer. This is another reason why I have chosen to use the phone.
Microphone - Maono Desktop Podcasting Microphone USB - C Kit
If I had the time and money, I would invest in a much more high quality microphone, like this one, which would most likely produce better audio recordings for my podcast. With its multiple moving components, it makes it useful to catch the perfect audio tone when recording.
As I won't actually be interviewing someone in my podcast, I won't be taking into account these personal tips when recording my podcast. But here are my tips if I was interviewing someone.
1. Always Ask Them Questions. The whole point of an interview (podcast) is to get information from the guest. So I should always ask them new questions to keep them talking and keep the momentum of the podcast going. General questions about the industry, how they find the job, what qualifications are needed, etc.
2. Agree With What They're Saying. Simply agreeing with what the guest is talking about can encourage them to continue talking about the subject. Little nodes or grunts of understanding will do.
3. Give My Personal Opinion And Ask If They Agree. At some moments during the podcast, I could give my own opinion on the certain subject and ask what they think themselves, like asking a question.
Podcast Script
Intro:
*Introduction music plays*
Hello everybody, welcome back to the Careers Category, the podcast where we talk about all the different possible careers and opportunities you can take in your life and how to get there in the first place. I'm your tutor Max Zaina and in todays episode in Media week, we will be discussing animation. We will be going over what kind of styles of animations there are in the world, how you can get a career in them, what kind of degree you need for that specific area and what kind of skills that you would require. Before we get started, just to take a moment to make a shout out to our sponsor, Pathway2. An organisation that supports all students looking for employment after collage. Pathway2 helps students at times of need and who are struggling with their life career, and we're glad they are supporting our podcast channel, for helping other people to excel and live their dreams in their career.
Now, let's get back to the podcast.
First Discussion:
*Transition music plays*
Animation plays a big part in all the worlds visual entertainment and marketing, this can have some benefits by making finding a job easy enough, but it is also a competitive industry, and requires a lot of hard work and patients to produce the necessary content.
There are many different variations of animation that are available to you in the world. So its useful as you can invest in any type that takes your fancy. There are the basics of course, like stop motion, which is a type of animation that is used mainly in the film or advert industry. Another is 2D animation, which is usually the main technique used in multiple different areas in the work industry in the world. So it should be pretty good for anyone who is interested. Another is 3D animation, which, in some way, is similar to stop motion, it is used mainly in film making and any other visual based entertainment. There are also a lot of different areas of working when animating something, like special effects, after effects, CGI and many others, all requiring some form of animation in them. So there is always a roll someone can play in in making an animation.
There are many different ways to start off in animation. If you already do animation as a career, thats good start. But to progress in the subject, you need to dedicate yourself to improve your animating skills by taking animation courses or a degree program. You can also go to schools, which is usually what most people do to get into the first step in an animation career. The whole point to get a variety of different work experience.
Some animator industries require certain qualification and education from animators. Specifically a Bachelor's degree in computer animation, fine art and graphic art. People also generally expect animators to be creative and artistic with animating. With particular skills in communicating with others and managing they're own time schedule.
Second Discussion:
*Transition music plays*
You can invest yourself and your skills in many different types of animating jobs in the world. You could do free lance animating for smaller companies that are hiring like on YouTube and on the internet, who always have job opportunities for animators.
Or you can aim for even larger, well known companies, like Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, Nickelodeon, and many many more. These jobs, as said before, require a lot more effort and hard work to provide for the company and satisfy customers. But animating is a career that, as much as requiring skill and hard work, also require passion, and wild creativity. Doing animation is creating and projecting your own talent and emotion. It's a job that you're meant to enjoy whilst doing it, and, in my opinion, it's always worth doing no matter how tough it can be sometimes.
Outro:
*Outro music plays*
Well, that seems to have covered everything in todays session, hopefully this talk helped any of you in any way or gave you a better insight into the animation industry. It's a challenging career and big commitment, but as I just said, it can be worth it sometimes and really fun as well, you just need to keep your head down and keep working hard at it. And as always, leave a comment if you still have any questions that need answering or anything that I forgot to mention during this talk, we always value your opinion here at Careers Category and are always looking for the next topic that you want us to cover for next time. But until then, as always, thank you so much for listening to todays podcast, I'm Max Zaina, as said before, stay safe, keep learning, and we'll see you next time. Bye bye!!
Podcast & Editing
There were some faults and mishaps in the in the dialogue when I was speaking, but I didn't record the audio again because I felt like the recording was more natural the way it turned out, like most podcasts are.They meant to be recordings of people having a conversation, and its likely for someone to misspell their words when talking.
There was this one part of recording although I had for the podcast where I completely messed up the script and couldn't recover it in the recording, so for just that one recording I cropped it in editing so the whole thing still had a flow.
In editing, I put all of the recordings together and edited them so they all flowed like in a podcast. I struggled when looking for the right music and sound effects that fitted the podcast. I looked on sources like freesound and YouTube, but I eventually found this selection of sound tracks that I thought fit the podcast and its genre. At the end of the process, I also put a little thumbnail over the podcast describing the podcast and who was narrating it.
Evaluation
How it went:
In honesty, it was pretty easy and went quickly, the recording didn't take long. But that was because of coarse, because I didn't have a conversation with anyone in the podcast, it was just me reading from a script. But putting that aside, I think, in itself, the podcast was well done. I managed to cover all the things I wanted to say, all the research I had done, and I spoke clearly and confidently.
How I showed my professionalism:
As said above, I didn't have a guest in the recording, so I couldn't show my professionalism working with other in the podcast. But I guess, if I did have a guest on board with me, I don't think I would have been very professional. Evidently, as I didn't invite a guest in the first place.
How organised I was:
I think I was pretty organised. As said before, I didn't have a guest who I had to ask questions to, so it made it easier to keep track of my information and to follow my script more fluently, without stopping and waiting for my guest to finish. And I think I managed to organise all of my research and information that I put in my script. So that it made sense and had a flow to it.
What I would have done differently:
There were a couple fo things I think I could have done differently during this project. One of them was trying to look for the selection of music to implement into the podcast. I struggled with that task more than I should have, and I should have had a clearer idea and plan of what music I wanted and where to find it. Another thing I would have done differently was just my entire plan and script in general. Putting aside my original plan by doing the podcast solo, the initial task of this podcast was to talk with a guest, and I didn't do that, so basically I should considered actually inviting a guest for my podcast and resolve it all around that.
What I learnt about getting a job in the media industry:
From the research I did for my script, I used some fo the research I did at the beginning of this project. With what qualifications are needed, for which types of animation there are, how to start and what kind of jobs there are. So most of it already is stuff I already knew, so in honesty, I didn't really learn much from researching it. There were only a few things I picked up from the research I did.
How it will change my own path and future:
This research for my podcast changes and improves my insight on the animation industry, and it will help me with what I need to do to get into the industry. What I need to do to improve my animation skills, what kind of genre of animation I think is best, what qualifications I need to get a job in the world, and the easiest way to do it.
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