Unit 6 – Production

Process

Radio Commercial Forms

• Straight-ReadCopy is presented with no music or other

effectsDepend on quality of one’s voiceEmphasis, Pausing, Inflection, and RateChosen based on tone of voice and

enthusiasm

Radio Commercial Forms

• Fact Sheet CommercialListing of basic information and

characteristicsAnnouncer must ad-lib the spotsSounds natural

• Straight Read and Fact Sheet are difficult because the only tool you have is your voice

Radio Commercial Forms

• Music Bed CommercialPunches up straight read commercialAppropriate moodNot distracting or too loudCould also use SFX to create a “natural”

environment

Radio Commercial Forms

• Music Bed CommercialPunches up straight read commercialAppropriate moodNot distracting or too loudCould also use SFX to create a “natural”

environment

Radio Commercial Forms

• Donut CommercialCombination of recorded message and local live copyJingle is at beginning and end, local

announcer is inserted in the middleTiming is essential

• Live TagRecorded info comes first and announcer adds a bit of information that connects

message at the end

Radio Commercial Forms

• Spokesperson CommercialWell-known person, owner or manager

• High Production Value (Dramatization/Slice of Life)

Collection of voices, music, sound effects, singersPresent everyday scenes and insert

commercial messageMini dramas with characters, settings,

Structure of Commercial

• 1. Get AttentionAsk a questionMake an unusual statementUse a sound effect

• 2. Create Need• 3. Satisfy Need• 4. Demand Action

Analyzing Commericals

• GoalSelling is not the only goalAlso interested in imageWhat are they trying to accomplish?

 • Mood/Tone

Read it to yourself firstTone of voice must be appropriateUnderstate the tone, don’t be too obviousIdentify changes in the mood

Analyzing Commericals

• Sincerity/EnergyMust attract and hold attentionHow should this sound?Be cautious when using humor

• MessageWhat is advertiser trying to get across?Action, Idea, UrgingIdentify key information and emphasize it

Analyzing Commercials

• Intended AudienceDemographicsListen to everyday conversationsHelps with dramatized commercials

 • Emphasis

Key wordsMark your copy

Analyzing Commercials

• Timing+/- 1 sec on targetPause, Tempo variation, Clarity, Phrasing

• Hard Sell v Soft SellHard Sell – tension and excitementSoft Sell – relaxation and conversational

Pre-Production• Very little radio happens by accident• Involves planning• Thinking, Writing, Gathering, Discussing• Always be on the lookout for ideas• Formal and informal research• Find Unique angles

Pre-Production• Think about WHY you are producing the project• Informative, Entertaining???• Motivation will affect how you put piece

together• What action do you want audience to take?• How do you want the audience to feel?• Create visuals with audio

Pre-Production• Think about WHY you are producing the project• Informative, Entertaining???• Motivation will affect how you put piece

together• What action do you want audience to take?• How do you want the audience to feel?• Create visuals with audio

Audience & Style• Demographics – age, sex, income, nationality,

etc.• Psychographics – hobbies, interests, affiliations• Same information can be packaged for different

groups

• Be original, bring a personality to your project• Serious, funny, silly, sarcastic, epic, etc.

Production Elements• Voice (VFX)• Host/Narrator• Actualities• Characters

Production Elements• Music (Audio Architecture Library)• Foreground (focus)• Background (bed)• Music Libraries• Usually sectioned by style• Can create your own beds• www.royaltyfreemusic.com

Production Elements• Sound effects (SFX)• Augment (add to) or Punctuate a point• Atmospheres (Effect It CD)• Natural environment• Stingers (Imagio Library)• Short and sharp to command immediate

action• SFX Libraries or create/record your own• Silence can be a SFX• Dramatic pause vs dead air

Production Elements• Scripting• Writing and collecting audio will happen

simultaneously• Ongoing process• Script is the blueprint• Beginning, middle, end construction• Script Format

Words are LEFT justified All other FX in brackets and RIGHT justified

Double spaced, All caps

Analog Audio• Analog is electrical signal whose shape is defined

by the shape of the sound• Can store a duplicate of this signal on magnetic

tape• Sound pressure changes result in changes of

voltage and are recorded as changes in magnetic strength

• Each new generation of analog recording will be subject to degradation, because signal slightly changes shape

• Depends on tape, and there could be defects or decreases

Digital Audio• Digital is electrical signal composed of series of

on/off pulses (binary numbers)

Filtering• Analog signal is stripped of frequencies above

and below human haring range• Aliased – inaudible frequencies are shifted into

audible ones• Anti-aliasing – they are not

Sampling• Analog signal is divided many times a second• Measures the amplitude at each moment a

sample is taken• More samples, more exact the reproduction• Much like motion picture• 32,000 44,100, 48,000 samples per second

are common• Rate must be at least twice as the highest

frequency• We hear up to 20,000 Hz, so 44,100

Hz rate is common

Quantizing• Rounds each amplitude sample up or down to the

nearest value• Bit Depth = rounding levels• Higher the bit depth equals better fidelity of

the recording• 1 bit = 2 levels (no amplitude or maximum

amplitude)• 2 bits = 4 levels• 3 bits = 8 levels• 16 bits is most common = 65,536 levels• 20 and 24 technology is now being seen

Coding• Putting 0’s and 1’s in a series to correspond with

each value• This binary code is what is actually recorded• So we can have numerous copies with not loss of

quality

Editing• -Won’t usually record what you want on the first try• Eliminate mistakes without rerecording entire

thing• Do it take by take• Take out vocal filler• Decrease length of production work• Must achieve exact length for your pieces• Manually edit pauses• Time compress• Record out of sequence• Rearrange order of recordings• Use portions of longer recordings

Digital Editor• 2 track and multitrack• Need a DSP Audio card• Software programs

Adobe AuditionDigidesign Pro ToolsSony Sound ForgeSteinber Cubase Studio

• Other TypesDigital audio workstationsPersonal audio editor

• Shortcut

Digital Pros/Cons• Accessing and cueing up is faster

Adjusting lengthEncode file with other labeling informationEase of repair

If it does crash you lose EVERYTHING though

-Backup your filesNoise problem (fans, disk drives)

MIDI & Latency• MIDI/SMPTE each allow operator to sync multiple

different pieces of equipment together

• Latency• Time to convert analog to digital, add digital

effect to audio, or to move audio from one place to another

• Usually only milliseconds• More complex the project, more you are

susceptible to it

Digital Audio Editing• Begins after you have recorded audio into the system or Ripped – pulling

audio from CD• Edit View: Record, process, edit• Waveform view: shows audio file you are editing• Transport buttons: control recording and playback functions• Timeline display: timing information and horizontal/vertical zooms to scale

the audio• File, new, select appropriate recording specifications• Sample rate: 44,100• Channel: Stereo (Mono if voice only)• Bit Depth: 16 bit• Clicking record begins the recording• Check your levels at the bottom (keep them around -6)• You can save from here• Region• Trimming• Shift + Click to adjust edit points (may need to zoom)

Nondestructive Nature

• Original audio isn’t actually altered • You can always save a copy of your master

unedited file• Undo feature allows you to go back a step if you

have not saved• Can use the same audio in many places within a

project

Multitrack Techniques• Each element can be recorded and placed on a

separate track • Manipulated individually and played

simultaneously• Pull down menus give you a variety of functions• Audio can be mixed, moved, copied, and deleted• Each track has pan and volume faders

Multitrack Techniques• Over-dubbing: Adding a new track to existing

tracks• Punch In/Insert Edit: Record over just the part

that has mistake• Bouncing/Ping-Pong: Combining two or more

tracks on a multitrack recorder and recording them on a vacant track

Multitrack Voice FX• Voice Doubling: Illusion of 2 people reading same

script at same time• Chorusing: Adding at least 2 more tracks on top

of double in sync• Stacking: Singing in harmony to existing track• Dovetailing: Appears to be 2 different

announcers