Wildlife
Sound Recording
 The
importance of the sound track and the role of the sound recordist
is often over-looked in the production of wildlife films. The successful
recording of wildlife sound, and creation of the film's sound track
is a crucial and major part of the creative process. With new digital
equipment available for recording and editing sound it requires
skill and experience to do the job justice.
This
two-day course aims to teach you the skills necessary and give you
hands-on experience with some of the latest equipment. The course
is suitable for aspiring wildlife film-makers, camera operators,
camera assistants, producers and sound recordists. It is taught
by Chris Watson, one of the world's top wildlife sound specialists
who regularly works for the BBC, and assisted by audio specialist
Jez riley French.
 The
location is Whitwell
Hall Country Centre in the centre of Norfolk, UK. Accommodation
is shared rooms (or there are nearby bed and breakfasts/hotels if
you prefer), and there will be excellent home-cooked food.
No
experience or equipment is required, but do bring your sound recording
equipment and/or camcorder if you have any.
Itinerary
 Day
1 : Aim to arrive by 6pm, directions will be sent when
you have booked your place.
7pm - evening meal served (no problem if you arrive later)
8pm - introductory chat - who we are, who you are, and what we will
be doing over the next two days.
Day
2:
8am - breakfast
9am - course starts - we will be covering:
- An introduction
to film sound and learning to listen.
- What good
quality sound can bring to a production - Sound is not a problem
to be overcome, rather it is a creative opportunity to improve
and enhance the overall quality of a film.
- All aspects
of wildlife sound recording for film & tv in order to provide
the dubbing editor with useful, high quality material for track
assembly.
- The importance
of being able to follow a soundtrack through from location to
transmission.
 The
above points will be demonstrated by;
- Playback
of recorded examples
- Giving an
understanding and hands on examination of microphones, recorders
and accessories including the latest file-based recording systems
- An overview
of batteries, power supplies and tape stocks
- Sound recording
fieldcraft and techniques - awareness of legislation and ethical
considerations - recording in hostile climates and environments
- Assessing
sound recordings and quality control
- Post Production
requirements e.g. formats. logging and good communications
- DV sound
operations
- Use of radio
mikes and links
- Surround
sound on location and post production
- Hydrophone
(underwater) recording
- Practical
session; location recording and critical analysis back at base
- Putting together
a recording kit for particular requirements.
7pm - evening
meal served
Day
3:
We will have an early start to head for the North Norfolk coast
for practical work.
1pm - lunch
2pm - critical analysis of recordings
4pm - course ends
Staff/Tutors
 Chris
Watson (pictured right) - experienced sound recordist specialising
in wildlife - Chris also runs courses in wildlife sound recording
and post production at the BBC Natural History Unit, and lectures
internationally on location sound and sound design. He has worked
closely with two of the most high-profile natural history presenters
in the business, David Attenborough and Bill Oddie. He is Oddie's
favourite sound man and the TV veteran says of Watson: "I don't
know anyone who is so intense yet so splendidly frivolous."
Chris became a sound recordist in 1981 when he joined Tyne Tees
Television and is now widely regarded as one of the most creative
sound artists in the business. His recent credits include the hugely
popular Springwatch and Autumnwatch, and he received
the Wildlife Film Asia Award for the BBC's Galapagos: Born of
Fire. Watson also creates for the radio, with credits including
Soundscape: The Sea Swallow, Watersong and The Estuary
all for BBC Radio 4. See www.chriswatson.net
A selection
of superb natural sound CDs by Chris Watson are now available from
our Wildeye Shop at www.wildeye.co.uk/chriswatson.html.
 Jez
riley French is an audio specialist whose output involves
elements of intuitive composition, field recording (using conventional
& extended methods) photographic images (including their use
in photographic scores) and improvisation. He has performed, exhibited
and had his work published widely across Europe and also lectures
in both field recording and intuitive composition as a guest lecturer.
He is currently resident artist at Hull School of Art & Design.
Jez
also makes & sells his own hydrophones and contact mics + runs
the ‘in place’ project with a website exploring various
aspects of field recording & related work. In recent years Jez
has been working closely with specific architectural spaces, capturing
a sense of place that is both highly personal and yet offers the
audience a fascinating opportunity to look and listen anew to the
environments in which we spend our time. http://jezrileyfrench.blogspot.com/
 Piers
Warren - Principal of Wildeye - Piers is well
known throughout the wildlife film-making industry as the editor
of Wildlife Film News and producer of wildlife-film.com,
which he created in the 1990s. With a strong background in biology,
education and conservation, he has had a lifelong passion for wildlife
films and has a wide knowledge of natural history. He cut his teeth
in the industry as a sound engineer and multi-media producer, running
a studio for many years. He is one of the founders of the international
organisation Filmmakers
for Conservation and was Vice President for the first three
years. Piers is the author of many magazine features and several
books including Careers
in Wildlife Film-making and Go
Wild with Your Camcorder - How to Make Wildlife Films.
 Booking
Information
Costs:
£245 per person
This includes tuition, accommodation, and meals.
Dates:
3-5 Sep 2010
10-12 Dec 2010
To be informed of future courses please add your email address in the column on the right to receive Wildeye Bulletins.
Booking:
If the home page shows that there are places available for the course of your choice - please complete the online application form and send in your deposit/fee as detailed.
Recording Grey Seal pups in Norfolk
On
31 January 2007 - The Guardian featured an article on our
tutor Chris Watson and the wildlife sound recording course we ran
in December 2006
click here to view online
Staff and students November 2009
Staff and students December 2009
Recording the sea at Horsey
Thanks
to the following companies for loaning equipment for the training:
Korg - MR-2 1-Bit Portable Recorder
Olympus - Linear PCM Recorder LS-11
Rycote
- windshields, windjammers etc
SCV
London - Fostex recorders and microphones
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