Welcome back to my podcasting adventure – Part II! If you missed the first installment, check out this post where I navigated the pre-production phase and laid the foundation for my episode. This week, I’m diving into the production and post-production process where I took the leap from listener to creator. Let’s get into it!

Reading & Writing

Like in pre-production, research played a key role here. Combined with the script I carefully prepared, I focused on thoughtful sound design techniques to create a podcast that feels memorable and engaging for my audience.

In his article, 7 Secrets for Getting Pro-Sounding Vocals on Home Recordings, Filippo Gaetani explains that professional-sounding vocals are achievable at home. By using a neutral and dry room for recording (like a bedroom with sound absorbers) and experimenting with mic placement, you can easily create a comfortable and relaxing environment to get the best results. Other practices include using a pop filter to manage plosives, keeping your vocals below the peaking threshold, and doing multiple takes to improve performance.

The author also says that while editing tools can help refine sound, capturing larger portions of a take leads to a more organic outcome. Ultimately, good audio comes from proper preparation and experimentation until you find what works best for you and your listeners.

The Videomaker article, Sound Advice: Editing Audio for Video states that effective audio editing is key for compelling video content. Understanding concepts like A-roll (primary footage) and B-roll (supplementary footage) is crucial, as is the importance of A-roll quality versus B-roll quantity.

The article emphasizes the prioritization of audio editing in post-production, as the logical order of sound can make or break a video’s impact. By focusing on consistent and high-quality audio first, creators can better meet audience expectations and set a solid base for the visual elements.

With this information locked in, let’s look at examples of well-produced projects where the audio really elevates the video content.

Research to Inform

Top Gun Maverick

While the original 1986 movie was considered revolutionary for its sound design at the time, its 2022 counterpart, Top Gun Maverick, is even better. According to the Enhanced Media article, The Hypersonic Sound of Top Gun Maverick, its audio “was created by combining recordings of real aircraft carrier sounds, jet engine sounds, and other various effects which spin around the same concept from the first movie” (2022). Sound designers visited GE Aviation to capture these samples, and they were carefully mixed to immerse the audience in intense flying scenes. 

A Quiet Place

The sound design of A Quiet Place plays a critical role in its success by using silence as a powerful tool. With minimal dialogue and sound effects, the stripped-down soundscape makes every noise feel amplified, especially ambient noise. In a 2018 Vox article, sound designer Erik Aadahl revealed that “it was about really stripping everything out and building up what we needed, which is sometimes kind of the opposite of what happens when you’re putting the sound together for a movie” (St. James). This unconventional approach forces audiences to become active participants, heightening tension as they become aware even of their own breathing.

Side note: I’ve only been able to get through one sitting of this movie because of how unsettling it is. That is my sincerest compliment to the sound designers.

Stranger Things 4

The evolution of the clock sound in Stranger Things 4 is a prime example of how sound design becomes an important part of storytelling. Beginning as a simple Westminster clock chime, sound designers on the show used creative techniques such as pitching the audio down and slowing the tempo to turn it into a pivotal audio cue. It starts as a subtle signal of Vecna’s arrival (the antagonist) but becomes so much more haunting as the episodes progress. In a 2022 Hollywood Reporter article, creators of the show referred to this morphing of sound as becoming “Stranger Things-ized” (Strause). It’s what transforms seemingly minor details into central plot points.

Create

My podcasting project focuses solely on audio, without any video content. But, with this new knowledge, my goal was to make the most of that audio to deliver a powerful listening experience.

I used my laptop microphone for recording, Storyblocks for music and certain sound effects, and Adobe Audition for editing. You can listen to the full episode below and click here for more details!