module specification

Module Brief:

The digital entertainment market has a high demand for creative and innovative talents in music, sound design, and audio production. Successful graduates are expected to become specialised practitioners, with skills in sound and audio design that compliment and add to their music production techniques, ready to fulfil the demands of this highly competitive market.
This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the broad domain of sound and media production, allowing students to develop the various practices that interface with audiovisual media. This module is focused on student practice, offering the opportunity to learn through creative, experimental, and technical exercises.
This module is generally taught over 30 weeks. Formative assessment points are in place throughout the year to provide on-going feedback as the module develops. Practical interventions addressed in-class culminate in workshop sessions designed to provide support for the first project in week 10 and the midterm submission in week 15. The final submission in week 30 will draw on each of the skills learned throughout the year.

Aims of the module:

● To devise the study of theory, literature, and techniques of sound for media
● To provide students with key skills and knowledge in music, sound, and media
● To explore practical, hands-on examinations of the technical and creative processes of sound design
● To develop students’ ability to describe working processes and to present work-in-progress for different audiences
● To develop students’ ability to be analytical, reflective, and critical.

N/A

• Social Media Video for Musicians (LO1, 3, 4)
• Non-linear Editing Systems and Audio/Video Synchronisation (LO1, 2, 3)
• Sound Design: Core Concepts, History and Terminology (LO1, 4, 5)
• Creative production techniques: Sound Effects and Foley (LO1, 2)
• Working with Audio Cue Sheets and Scripts (LO3, 4)
• Studio recording techniques for film: Foley, ADR and SFX (LO1, 2, 3)
• Critical Listening: The role of sound within audio-visual productions (LO1, 4)

The balance between independent study and scheduled teaching activities within this module is 70% and 30% respectively.
Scheduled teaching follows the average contact time, per standard 30-credit module across the University, at 90 hours (3 hours per week). The scheduled teaching is divided in Lectures, Workshops, and Seminars and they take place in the Computer Lab and in the Music Studios.

Students have access to the Computer Lab, the AV Suites (part of the Music Studios), and Library facilities at London Met. Blended Learning is maintained via Weblearn Course and Module pages with full documentation of the activities developed in class. Opportunities for reflective learning/PDP are promoted through feedback and written reports, embedded in all assessments with emphasis on reflection of their work. Formative assessment and feedback is planned to address their learning development needs and to capture their learning achievements with a regular request of reflective commentaries in all written submissions.

At the end of this module you should be able to:

LO1. Demonstrate an understanding of sound and video creation for media products.
LO2. Demonstrate techniques in audio post-production and sound design.
LO3. Produce work collaboratively, sharing skills and responsibilities.
LO4. Demonstrate reflective practice and critical thinking.
LO5. Demonstrate understanding of the core concepts, techniques and terminology.

Media For Musicians – 20% weighting
For this first assessment students will be required to create a video product for a social media channel relevant to their chosen project. Students will be given the option of creating a video for a music track of their choice, demonstrating a music production technique or a live performance-based video. The video will be submitted alongside a 500-word appraisal of the project.

ADR Project: Midterm– 20% weighting
For this assessment a short extract from a video will be provided, with which students will be required to apply ADR techniques to recreate the dialogue track. The project will be submitted including a 1000-word technical report.

Group Final Sound Design Project – 60% weighting
The Final Project requires students to work collaboratively in small groups to produce a fully mixed stereo soundtrack to a selected clip. Students are free to select their own choice of clip from any existing, commercially available animation, film, or game title. This project will combine all the techniques and skills acquired throughout the course of the module and is submitted alongside a 1500-2000-word individual technical report that evidences the technical processes, skills and techniques employed in the creation of the work, as well as a critical, self-reflective analysis of the final product.

Core and Additional Reading list available on:

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/3E8936EF-61D4-8D76-E621-3F4E9AB0F322.html?lang=en-GB&login=1