An introduction into the world of “Sound Design and Music”
by Susanne

On our second day in HCMC we explored the “Cinema Stage College”, where we found ourselves in a class room filled with future Vietnames directors. That afternoon we were allowed to observe the students in instructing their fellow classmates in acting a scene. Last Monday I found myself once more in that class room. This time however I was returning the favour by introducing them into my world: sound and music for film.

So far sound has been a subject they never had to take care for, but when entering the working field, very soon they will probably be confronted with editing sound and music themselves. Besides, it seemed to me to be a a great opportunity to emphasise the fertile cooperation between directors and sound people, if started in an early stage.

Except of a few hours of basic booming, they have never been talking about sound and the power of telling and supporting a story. Therefore I decided for a brief overview through the most important stages of the soundtrack for a movie. Covering the whole work process by starting with what to take care for when still in the stadium of writing the script, to what to take care for before the shooting begins, and what to take care for on location, I explained what happens in postproduction, and which options they have to fix a bad recording.

Most of the time we spent on watching a trailer to which I played several different soundtracks. It was very interesting to see their reaction and comments. Every body agreed on the impact sound and music have in suggesting different situations or feelings while using the same pictures. The demonstration stressed the significant of making a conscious choice to support the story, and to even take it a step further and “push” the story by using the right sounds.

I ended the overview with offering some tools they can use in case they ever need to edit audio themselves.

Afterwards some of the students came with specific questions about sound/music for their own movies, which they are currently shooting.