Technology and Innovation

Also impressive in the looks department is the SC-DM3.This slim and slinky one-box Micro DVD AV system can be stacked either horizontally or vertically, again offers Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic and DTS decoding, a sub/sat speaker system and an integral amp capable of delivering 200W power output. The SC-DM3 is available in June.
The final piece of the AV puzzle arrives in the shape of the SA-XR10 home cinema receiver. Designed to partner the DVD-XV10 DVD player (reviewed on page 112), this 55mm high box of tricks uses digital tech to deliver 100W into all five AV channels and comes with Dolby Digital

Buyout music is the obvious choice for most video projects. There are no copyright issues and plenty of variety, and most vendors offer full- and broadcast-length edits of each piece. But what if the supplied versions don’t suit your project? Thai’s where music editing comes in. Most popular music uses standard verse/chorus/bridge structure, and instrumental music is no exception. Forget that there are no lyrics, and listen closely to the music. You’ll hear repeating sections, themes and hooks. Your first step is to identify and mark the beginning and end of each.

One of the toughest things to do in audio production is to create a three dimensional aural landscape that matches the level and tone of the audio with the physical space in which it is created. For example, a lav microphone placed on an actor that you see at a distance will sound very unnatural. Use a shotgun and place it at a distance from the actor, so that the voice matches the distance we see. These will not be equal. The microphone will be much closer to the actor than you might think. To practice mic placement, choose a favorite scene from a movie and try to duplicate the sound you hear.

Unfortunately, new filmmakers often overlook audio. When studying films, listen to the audio without watching the picture. Does the audio convey the story and provide a sense of what is happening? Is the audio clean and consistent, and does it show good dynamic range? Are there any points where the audio is overmodulated and fuzzy? Is the dialog clear and concise?

Wireless Microphone System
The U100 series from Audio-Technica is equipped with 100 tunable IMF channels and offers true diversity operation for reliable reception. The transmitter features an input level control to help keep your signal in check and the all-metal receiver provides balanced XLR output. Available with either an MT831 carded or MT830 omnidirectional lavalier.

Don’t just edit it, improve it – with slick sound editing tricks to make your audio come alive. igital audio editing has been around longer than digital video, and pretty much everyone has edited some kind of audio at one time or another. Those who have know all the standard tricks: normalizing, trimming and basic EQ. But what do you do when the tried and true isn’t enough anymore? How do you solve those complicated audio mysteries on time and undeDr budget? This month’s Sound Advice looks at four audio situations and the advanced editing techniques required to move your project forward.