Sound for Film and Television [Paperback]

Sound is the most neglected part of filmmaking, and yet it is so very important for effectively conveying the narrative structure in any motion picture. "Sound for Film and Television" (Third Edition) is a very technical book. In film school, I have taken college-level courses for audio and sound and this is a very professional level book that is more technical than any of our current textbooks. It is definitely on the level of what you would expect from someone who works for THX / Lucasfilm. There are really not a great many illustrations in this book. The reader will have to have at least a little basic knowledge on how sound works, and if you are looking for a weekend filmmaker's how-to type of manual for doing things on the cheap, this book is not it.

All of this having been said, as in the introdction, depending on who you are and why you are studying the book, there are various approaches to the text. If you have to be on the set before sunrise the next morning, a thorough study of chapter 4, Capturing Sound, can get you to a place where you are at least reasonably competent. Subjects such as psychoacoustics and getting the most effect out of sound in film and television are also covered early on in the book. The chapter on editing is quite extensive and covers basic micing of both film and television sets for sitcoms, dramas, snd includes pre-mix operations for sound editors as well as a very good section on documentary and reality production. The eleven commandments of film sound are quite enlightening and give a really good insight as to the dos and don'ts. Keeping the sound in synch with the picture is the surest way to tip off the audience that they are dealing with amateur filmmakers. Silence is rarely found in the natural world and should not be found in film. It is the balance of dialogue, music and effects is of paramount importance and although these elements may shift in importance on the screen, it is the effective film editor that can bring out the narrative in the editing process. Sound for Film and Television covers the most effective ways to make all the pieces work together in the final sound edit. Tomlinson Holman adroitly shows these things in depth and does his best to explain them and eliminate confusion for the reader.

There is an included DVD can be played on stereo or surround sound systems. There are setups snd tests for signal present checks, demonstration of full or dramtic fall of and direct sound, boinks, 400Hz tone with a variety of waveforms such as square or triangle waves. Radiation patterns of the voice shown by multiple recordings of simultaneous angles.

Again, this book is very helpful and it is very succinct, but you need to have a strong focus on the importance of good audio engineering and sound editing. You definitely have to have your mind on what you are reading and possibly with your hands on the equipment itself to get the most out of the book.

Right from the Preface and Introduction you can tell the author is a genius. He brings together a vast array of topics, explains them very well, and enables you to get everything right in a top quality professional Film or Video Production.

You can really tell the author has experience in the industry too. He includes warnings about things such as slight speed differences when syncing spoken dialog, etc...

There are intricate technical explanations of everything from why sound behaves the way it does to how electronics work, and so much more...

And there are in depth, step by step instructions on actually achieving good sound from microphones and recorders to the finished product, and everything in-between.

The DVD included contains only Audio Demonstrations of a very wide variety of sound issues. But it is really helpful, and very well done. You quickly get the idea loud and clear, in an unmistakable way.

Quality of The Book
Large bright white pages, with medium small print, although the contrast is nice and high, and the text is sharp and clear, so it's easy to read.

Quality of The DVD
Chapters and subchapters are clearly marked in the menus. Sound is excellent (of course).

Here's a thoroughly up-to-date introduction to a complex and fascinating craft, written by an undisputable authority.

Holman begins with a basic description of audio physics, but quickly moves on to the practicalities of recording, editing, mixing and delivering a soundtrack. Past practices are duly noted, which helps to explain the sometimes arcane ways some things are done today. A very broad range of topics is covered. Nothing is discussed in much depth, but this is to be expected in an introductory overview.

Despite many years of experience in this field, I came across several nuggets of wisdom and insight.

If you want to get your feet wet, it's hard to imagine a better place to start. Perfect for first-year media students.