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Producers of
Wildlife Film News
The free monthly e-zine for the wildlife film-making industry

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 weekend 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.

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

Friday: Aim to arrive by 6pm on the Friday the course starts, 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 this weekend.

Saturday:
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

Sunday:
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 teaches location sound and sound design at the university of fine arts in stockholm. 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)

Piers Warren (pictured left) - Principal of Wildeye - conservationist, writer, photographer and teacher of wildlife film-making. Founder of Filmmakers for Conservation, Executive Producer of wildlife-film.com and Editor of Wildlife Film News. Author of Careers in Wildlife Film-making and Go Wild with Your Camcorder - How to Make Wildlife Films.Through Wildeye, Piers leads wildlife tours and training expeditions around the world

Booking Information

Costs: £220 per person
This includes tuition, accommodation, and meals.

Dates:
5-7 December 2008
12-14 December 2008

Booking: Initially contact info@wildeye.co.uk to check if any places are left. If so you will be put on a short list and required to pay a deposit to secure your place. Places are limited - so you are advised to book early. View our Terms and Conditions for Booking Courses.

Recording Grey Seal pups in Norfolk on a previous course

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

Comments from previous students:

What a great weekend. I came with very little knowledge of wildlife sound recording except I knew I wanted to add this extra dimension to my work and left realising the huge creative possibilities. A great credit to you for once again producing another fulfilling course. Chris has been fantastic, his willingness to share and his sheer enjoyment for sound was wonderful. I've come away feeling as if I've been given a new toy.

Once again I'm very impressed at the quality of the weekend. I've learned to listen and trust my ears more

I really enjoyed the weekend and did indeed make some new friends. I would recommend the course and your company to anybody

I certainly enjoyed the weekend, and got a lot from it. I look forward to attending some of the other sessions that you run.

Just wanted to say thanks for the wildlife sound weekend, I thought it was superb, and I really enjoyed myself.

Staff and Students 16th December 2007

Staff and Students 9th December 2007

Thanks to the following companies for loaning equipment for the training:

Rycote - windshields, windjammers etc
SCV London - Fostex recorders and microphones