Week One
Plan (add to over time)
- Set up journal
- Introduction to myself
- Summary of project: objectives and rationale
- Weekly blog on:
o Influences
o Experiments
o Technical learning
o Research Notes
o Outcomes
o Reflections
Notes:
As part of the journey to review the practice of sound recordists, both field and cinematic and how sound is incorporated with video or is a standalone piece.
Use Soundcloud to upload and share.
Add to my website on new page.
Understanding and making use of different microphones and recorders. File management, formatting, storage and sharing
In addition to develop recording and editing skills: field craft, technical knowledge and application and creating a good quality final multi-layered compositional edit. .
To undertake academic research into sound recording and its use in bio acoustics and value to conservation. Capture the learning and summarise.
Undertake a critical evaluation of the learning process. Notes for ongoing development
Technical:
Sound recording requires the use of technical equipment and many recordists will refer to themselves as Sound Engineers. I am not a technical person, and will rely on the expertise of others while developing sufficient knowledge supported by in-the-field trial and error to develop sufficient competence to experiment with natural sounds. Journal entries will make a note of the equipment used and settings and, where appropriate, I will provide a link to further technical information for future reference.
Fieldcraft:
My desire is to record the fullness of a natural environment: in situ and to include the wildlife living there. The recorded sounds will be, outdoor, in a mountain environment during all weathers. I foresee fieldcraft playing a crucial role: getting in position, protecting myself and equipment against inclement weather and the ever-challenging task of being close enough to the wildlife to record their calls, songs and sounds. As a wildlife filmmaker I am fully signed up to and commit to the ethical and legal considerations. All the recordings will have the integrity of having been captured in their natural setting.
Questions:
Can sound lead the narrative of the potential film? If there is no script- what is the story? Is it realistic in an era of attention economy to expect people to engage with a non-curated soundscape? Where will it be played. How will I test the audience response?
Distinction between narrative and plot (Barry, 1995 p224): the narrative to journey down the mountain from summit to fell gate. The plot the events recorded on route. The art of storytelling is contained in the plot: the media used (or not used in my case), pace, ordering, editing etc. What Barry terms as the “whole packaging”. Is this a useful artifice?