In the first installment of Filmmaker IQ's series on sound, host John P. Hess guided you through the the origins of sound in cinema, from early inventions like the sound-on-disk Kinetophone to the very first talkie, The Jazz Singer. But, what's sound, anyway? And how do we get it into our movies? Hess explains all this and more in the second video in the series, giving us a simple, but comprehensive rundown on the science and engineering of sound, how microphones convert sound energy into electrical signals, as well as the varying kinds of mics used in film production.
The video starts at square one: air molecules, then dips into engineering territory, like what loudness is, and ends with an in-depth explanation of how microphones capture sound. I'm not afraid to admit that sound is not my forte, which is why I recommend this video so highly. Hess (as always) does an impeccable job explaining the scientific concepts of sound -- how a sound wave is created from the compression and rarefaction of air molecules, measuring amplitude and frequency, and what all of that science-y mumbo jumbo has to do with you as an indie filmmaker.
You may not walk away knowing how to record perfect sound, necessarily, but you'll certainly have a great foundational knowledge to build upon. Check out the video below and get a damn good introduction to the world of sound:
If you missed our coverage of Filmmaker IQ's first video in their sound series, you can check it out here. And be sure to check their website for the next one.
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