Video: Projects: Sound Effects

Unit

  • Expanding Skillset

Questions

  • What are best practices for recording clear sound effects?

  • What are best practices for mixing sound effects to go with video footage?

What am I making?

  • Adding Sound Effects to a video, at least one of which you created, so that every sound in the video has a sound.

  • A web page (example) on your Google Site titled "Sound Effects" with a link to the Video including your Sound Effects

How do I make it?

  1. You won't have to record more than one sound effect, but here's great insights into the process from Hollywood foley (sound recording) artists: YouTube Video showing Hollywood Foley Studio

  2. YouTube Tutorial: Editing and Mixing Sound with WeVideo shows the following

    • Upload any movies with your sound effects that you recorded

    • Upload any audio files with sound effects you found on free websites

    • Trim those clips

    • Place trimmed video clips with your audio effects underneath videos so you hear the sound but don't see the clip

    • Place trimmed audio clips in the audio track

    • For video & audio clips, reveal the sound levels and add blue dots on the blue line to set level points and do fades

    • Double-click on a clip on your timeline to access tabs for muting sound altogether (and check out other settings)

  3. Check out the Audio resources for more ideas and tips

Steps

  1. Watch your original movie. Make a list of what audio sounds you want to add at which moments. (and also sounds you want to replace!)

  2. Look at WeVideo's audio library and see if any clips will match what you want.

  3. For the ones you can't find there, go to free websites in the Audio resources, and also record at least one sound using your phone or similar device. (Make sure nothing else is making noise in the background when you record!)

  4. Upload, trim clips, add to the timeline, and adjust levels in all clips.

  5. Watch and listen to your movie with the updated audio, and make any final adjustments.

  6. Use the Finish feature in WeVideo to export your movie.

  7. Upload edited movie to YouTube, and embed the video on a new Google Site Page called "Sound Effects" along with what you learned, then Publish the site, copy the page link, and turn it in Google Classroom.

Grading

  • 4/A = Do all the steps, detailed information about what you learned

  • 3/B = Do all the steps, better information about what you learned

  • 2/C = Do all the steps, basic information about what you learned

Career Connections

  • Sound is critical to successful videos; so being good at producing it and mixing it is helpful!

  • Lots of jobs in sound for film and video production and post-production

Resources

  • more Audio resources, including free sound effects!