… Dominic Lawrence, sound engineer. It’s not all about the picture you know…

9:00 am (-ish): It’s either the height of nerdyness or a touch of laziness, but my computer is automated to turn on, open up my email, connect to all the necessary servers and start up ProTools on its own, so by the time I’ve turned on TV/monitors and sat down, I’m ready to go. I can’t quite quantify how much time it saves me but its bound to add up, surely…

9.05 am: Checking emails – unless it’s audio related mix notes most of it gets filed away or deleted. Then, bar the odd commercials VO recording (and a lunch time blast of anything guitar-based to erase that episodic theme you’ve heard over & over & over), it’s pretty much Noddy all day. What I get up to in a day pretty much depends on what Noddy gets up to on-screen. So for a recent underwater episode, these are some of things I did:

Obviously its pretty hard to recreate underwater ambiance in a sound studio and unfortunately the Brown Bag studio doesn’t have room for a swimming pool (something to do with desks and edit suites apparently – see how they did the Finding Nemo sound design here). So the low-tech alternative was a friend’s bathtub, an empty water bottle and a cheap microphone (ie. expendable if it all went wrong!) After filling the bath, I put a mic inside the empty bottle, weighed it to the bottom and hoped that it was watertight (i settled for just about…). You can see just how low-tech it was:

Then it was a case of swishing hands/combs/spaghetti/shampoo bottle in the water nearby – the raw sound wasn’t quite right but after some tweaking and processing, it sounded like watery swishes. Here are 3 of the better ones. The metal groaning from the submarine was a creaky door that was slowed down/pitched and pretty much processed to within an inch of its life, as you can hear here.

For treating voices underwater, I set up a trigger on some bubble recordings so that as soon as the characters spoke, the bubbles reacted to their words. Then, using a phaser and some reverse echos, you get that ‘wavey’ water distortion. Noddy was travelling in a submarine cockpit which is all glass, so to treat Noddy’s voice I used 2 layers. The first was a tweaked reverb impulse taken from a fish bowl (try talking into a glass jar and you’ll get the idea). The 2nd layer involved running the voice through a simulated subwoofer and adding a small reverb to it so it sounds very muffled and slightly resonant (like talking to someone through a closed window).

For the propeller sound, I used a mix of 4 samples: 1) A helicopter blade whoosh, 2) Some wind-up toy/rattle type noises, 3) A sample of a small outboard propeller taken from underwater, 4) A drone/low hum noise made from some bass guitar samples. Then I automated the pitch and speed of the samples to go with what the propeller was doing ie. when it slows down, you get big, slow deep whooshes. After some filters and echos, it sounded pretty good. Like the underwater voices, I triggered bubbles and some watery swishes to react to the propeller and used tremolo (with its tempo automated) to create rhythm in the swishes/bubbles so it didn’t become a wishy-washy mess. All this was then mixed in with some ambient effects so everything meshed together nicely. Here is the raw propeller sound, followed by versions processed with effects, then bubbles/swishes and lastly with the ambient effects. The final mixer looked a bit like like this:

My end of day varies really. Depending on deadlines,  I could work till 6.30 pm or 6.30 am so when possible I try and leave the easier work till the end of the day and get the creative stuff done when I’m fresh. I’ll often record sounds in the evenings or weekends (eg. the ‘bath-tub sessions’) so its pretty time-consuming and a lot of work for 3 mins screen time! As always, the subtle stuff gets a bit lost under dialog (VO is nearly always king of a pre-school mix) but hey, there’s always the ’sound designers’ cut…..

Jamie J Johnson and Stephen Woolley

Jamie J Johnson and Stephen Woolley at the Radisson Hotel, Dublin.
Photos by Nerea Aymerich.

Gordon Gaffney of Film Ireland talks to co-producer Stephen Woolley and director Jamie J Johnson about Sounds Like Teen Spirit, an uplifting comic documentary following the contestants of the Junior Eurovision song contest which goes on limited release in Ireland on Friday 15^th May , certificate G.

Stephen has produced many of Neil Jordan’s films and he talks about his development relationship with the Irish Film Board, and his interest in the differences of documentary filmmaking compared to his long list of feature projects.

Jamie starts us off by talking about his initial shooting of pilot material from the 2006 Junior Eurovision, before developing his relationship with Stephen’s number 9 films to shoot the feature documentary in 2007.

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Eran Creevy, director of Shifty, at the Irish Film Institute, Dublin.
Photo by Nerea Aymerich.

Gordon Gaffney interviews Eran Creevy, the writer/director of recently released thriller Shifty. His low-budget ( £100,000) debut feature was funded through Film London’s Microwave scheme, similar to our own Catalyst Project. Eran talks about the experience of shooting on film, working with actors for the first time, his scheme mentor Asif Kapadia, his meticulous preparation and why he was successful during the selection process.

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Neil Gaiman, author of the novella Coraline, at the Conrad Hotel, Dublin.
Photo by Adeline Pericart.

Duncan Molloy talks to author Neil Gaiman before the 3D stop motion adaptation of his fantasy novella Coraline is released in Irish cinemas on Friday 8th May 2009.

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]]> http://www.filmireland.net/2009/05/02/neil-gaiman-talks-about-coraline/feed/ Neil Gaiman, author of the novella Coraline, at the Conrad Hotel, Dublin. Photo by Adeline Pericart. Duncan Molloy talks to author Neil Gaiman before the 3D stop motion adaptation of his fantasy novella Coraline is released in Irish cinemas on Friday 8th May 2009. ______________________________________________________________________ Play Podcast ______________________________________________________________________ Play Coraline Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. ______________________________________________________________________ Duncan Molloy talks to author Neil Gaiman before the 3D stop motion adaptation of his fantasy novella 'Coraline' is released in Irish cinemas on Friday 8th May 2009. Fiml Ireland no http://www.filmireland.net/2009/05/01/how-do-they-do-it/ http://www.filmireland.net/2009/05/01/how-do-they-do-it/#comments Fri, 01 May 2009 15:29:08 +0000 alan http://filmireland.net/wordpress/?p=861 Liz Gill looks at the highly successful Danish film industry and wonders: could we learn a thing or two?

Imagine, if you will, that in one year in Ireland, 27 Irish feature films (meaning Irish written, directed, shot, set and edited) with an average budget of 2.6 million euros, are released theatrically on 51 prints each, taking an average of 1.2 million euros at the box office and 26% of the national market share. Imagine that six of these films are in the year’s top twenty gross receipts, giving Ireland the second-highest national market share in Europe after France; and imagine that they also travel well, with 33% of all tickets to these films being bought in other eu countries, and garnering over 90 awards at international film festivals. Imagine that these films go on to comprise 57% of the domestic DVD market. Imagine that these figures have been consistent since at least 2001. Imagine a perfect gender balance of male and female writers and directors. And imagine that a small band of Irish filmmakers created a world-renowned cinematic movement and went on to conquer Hollywood while also juggling low-budget projects at home.

You are imagining what it is to be Danish.

How do they do it? While some observers inside and outside Denmark attribute their success to social democracy and a culture of collaboration, there are some key structures in place that contribute to their sustained success. Beyond the dogme movement, which many dismiss as a branding exercise (as if that’s a bad thing!), the best Danish filmmakers are making great cinema on low budgets and for responsive audiences. Here are some of the key differences between the Danish filmmaking landscape and our own:

Magic hours
Firstly, training: there is only one real film school in the country, aptly called the National Film School of Denmark (NFSD), a state school financed by the Ministry of Culture. Entrance is competitive, with never more than 100 students enrolled at any one time. Students choose to study film, tv, animation or scriptwriting, and spend the next 2 years (scriptwriting) or 4 years (everything else) developing these skills in collaboration with other students working in complementary areas. By the time they graduate, these students are much closer to Malcolm Gladwell’s magic 10,000 hours of expertise, and they also have close working relationships with the other filmmakers of their generation. It’s no accident that the original dogme pioneers, Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, and those filmmakers who joined the movement such as Susanne Bier, Annette K. Olesen, Lone Scherfig and Søren Kragh-Jacobsen, amongst others, were all educated there. The NFSD creates a culture of collaboration: even after graduation, writers, directors and actors are often involved in a lengthy development process that involves much discussion, argument and experimentation before a script is ever begun. What is also unique is that often the various roles are exchanged: Anders Thomas Jensen, for example, writes for other directors and directs for other writers; the actress Paprika Steen is currently directing as much as acting, and directors often collaborate to create scripts. While some might argue that there is a conformity to the Danish film industry, the results are impressive.

The full article is printed in Film Ireland 128

Jim Sturgess at the Clarence Hotel in Dublin. Photo by Nerea Aymerich.

Gordon Gaffney talks to Jim Sturgess in the plush surroundings of the Clarence Hotel as he discusses his role in Fifty Dead Men Walking. Inspired by the true story of Martin McGartland who was recruited by the British Secret Service to work inside the IRA, the film is released nationwide on Friday April 10th, certificate 15. Jim talks about his research for the role, including living in Belfast and never slipping out of his Belfast accent in parties, working with director Kari Skogland and co star Ben Kingsley and how he first got into acting.

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Welcoming new board member appointments Simon Perry IFB Chief Executive said “In these uncertain times, it is tremendously reassuring that our Chairman James Morris is remaining with us for another year. We are also delighted to welcome two new Board members and to welcome back the majority of a Board which has always been nothing but supportive of the IFB’s work to date.”

Paying tribute to the outgoing Board members Alan Gilsenan and Peggy McCarthy McIntyre, James Morris, IFB Chairman said “For as long as the Irish Film Board has members of the calibre of Alan and Peggy, film makers and the film industry will be well served. On behalf of everyone at the Irish Film Board, both Board members and staff, I would like to thank them, not only for the quality of their individual contributions but also for their commitment, precious time generously given, and support.”

Board Members – Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board
James Morris (Chair) is a graduate of Trinity College and trained as a Film Editor in London. He founded Windmill Lane Pictures and Recording Studios on his return to Dublin. He led the Windmill Consortium to win the television franchise for TV3 in 1989. In 1990 he founded The Mill – Film and TV Post Production Company in London. He was appointed non-executive Chairman of TV3 in 1998. He joined the board of the International Dublin Film Festival in 2004 and the Board of the Irish Music Rights Organization [IMRO] in 2008.
Johnny Gogan founded Bandit Films in 1989 and has directed and produced over ten films for cinema and TV, including the award-winning features The Last Bus Home and Mapmaker. Founding editor of Film Ireland magazine in 1987 for Filmbase, more recent innovations have included the world cinema exhibitor Cinema North West, the organisation he chaired until 2007 and Adaptation, the Leitrim based festival which celebrates the relationship of literature and cinema.
Barry Grace is a composer and producer. As well as scoring a number of short films such as Zanzibar, he has provided the music to numerous television commercials both here and abroad including Guinness, Kellogg’s and Cadbury’s. He has scored a number of television dramas and documentaries such as ‘Dear Daughter’ and recently ‘Grandfather, speak to me in Russian’. He is currently producing his first commercial album.
Lesley McKimm is a producer with Newgrange Pictures. She is currently producing the romantic comedy film ‘Happy Ever Afters’, and has exec produced and produced a number of television dramas such as ‘Whistleblower’, ‘No Tears’ and ‘Any Time Now’.
Kevin Moriarty is Managing Director of Ardmore Studios. He is Chair of the Kerry Screen Commission and a board member of the Wicklow Film Commission and the Irish Film Institute. Kevin is also Chairman of the MEDIA Desk Ireland.

Tristan Orpen Lynch founded Subotica in 1998 and has produced both feature films and television dramas, winning many international awards. His film producing credits include ‘Night Train’ 1999, ‘On the Nose’ 2000, ‘Song for a Raggy Boy’ 2003, ‘Small Engine Repair’ 2006, ‘The Daisy Chain’ 2008 and ‘El Juego Del Ahorcado’ 2008.
Kirsten Sheridan is a writer, director and producer. Kirsten followed her award winning college short ‘Patterns’ with an Irish Film Board/RTÉ short cut ‘The Case of Majella McGinty’. She directed her first feature, the critically acclaimed ‘Disco Pigs’ in 2001 and went on to co-write the Oscar and Golden Globe nominated ‘In America’. She directed the Oscar nominated film ‘August Rush’ in 2007 and is currently developing a number of feature films with Blindside Films. ]]> http://www.filmireland.net/2009/03/02/irish-film-board-welcomes-new-board/feed/ Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen has announced the new members of the Irish Film Board. The Minister has re-appointed current Chairman of the Board, James Morris, to this position for a twelve month period. Current board members Lesley McKimm, Kevin Moriarty, Tristan Orpen Lynch and Kirsten Sheridan have been reappointed to the Board for the next four years. In addition Minister Cullen has appointment two new Board members, composer Barry Grace who has worked on a range of TV commercials and TV programming including ‘Dear Daughter’ for RTÉ and film director/producer Johnny Gogan, whose credits include ‘The Last Bus Home’ and ‘Mapmaker’. Welcoming new board member appointments Simon Perry IFB Chief Executive said “In these uncertain times, it is tremendously reassuring that our Chairman James Morris is remaining with us for another year. We are also delighted to welcome two new Board members and to welcome back the majority of a Board which has always been nothing but supportive of the IFB’s work to date.” Paying tribute to the outgoing Board members Alan Gilsenan and Peggy McCarthy McIntyre, James Morris, IFB Chairman said “For as long as the Irish Film Board has members of the calibre of Alan and Peggy, film makers and the film industry will be well served. On behalf of everyone at the Irish Film Board, both Board members and staff, I would like to thank them, not only for the quality of their individual contributions but also for their commitment, precious time generously given, and support.” Board Members – Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board James Morris (Chair) is a graduate of Trinity College and trained as a Film Editor in London. He founded Windmill Lane Pictures and Recording Studios on his return to Dublin. He led the Windmill Consortium to win the television franchise for TV3 in 1989. In 1990 he founded The Mill – Film and TV Post Production Company in London. He was appointed non-executive Chairman of TV3 in 1998. He joined the board of the International Dublin Film Festival in 2004 and the Board of the Irish Music Rights Organization [IMRO] in 2008. Johnny Gogan founded Bandit Films in 1989 and has directed and produced over ten films for cinema and TV, including the award-winning features The Last Bus Home and Mapmaker. Founding editor of Film Ireland magazine in 1987 for Filmbase, more recent innovations have included the world cinema exhibitor Cinema North West, the organisation he chaired until 2007 and Adaptation, the Leitrim based festival which celebrates the relationship of literature and cinema. Barry Grace is a composer and producer. As well as scoring a number of short films such as Zanzibar, he has provided the music to numerous television commercials both here and abroad including Guinness, Kelloggs and Cadburys. He has scored a number of television dramas and documentaries such as Dear Daughter and recently Grandfather, speak to me in Russian. He is currently producing his first commercial album. Lesley McKimm is a producer with Newgrange Pictures. She is currently producing the romantic comedy film ‘Happy Ever Afters’, and has exec produced and produced a number of television dramas such as ‘Whistleblower’, ‘No Tears’ and ‘Any Time Now’. Kevin Moriarty is Managing Director of Ardmore Studios. He is Chair of the Kerry Screen Commission and a board member of the Wicklow Film Commission and the Irish Film Institute. Kevin is also Chairman of the MEDIA Desk Ireland. Tristan Orpen Lynch founded Subotica in 1998 and has produced both feature films and television dramas, winning many international awards. His film producing credits include ‘Night Train’ 1999, ‘On the Nose’ 2000, ‘Song for a Raggy Boy’ 2003, ‘Small Engine Repair’ 2006, ‘The Daisy Chain’ 2008 and ‘El Juego Del Ahorcado’ 2008. Kirsten Sheridan is [...] Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen has announced the new members of the Irish Film Board. The Minister has re-appointed current Chairman of the Board, James Morris, to this position for a twelve month period. Current board [...]