Atmos bed - underneath the scene dialogue - establishes scene location or scenery
| The scene location or scenery is shown by the atmos. EXAMPLES: (REALIST) 'open country', 'street with traffic', 'large factory', 'cathedral'; (NON-REALIST - FANTASY - SCI-FI) 'space-ship - on the captain's deck', 'urban horror like "Blade Runner"'. |
| ATMOS is mixed underneath the recorded dialogue from ATMOS SOUND FILES. See SOUND BOX - production sound effects archive |
| ATMOS forms a 'bed' (technical term) underneath the scene dialogue. and |
| ATMOS in INTERIOR scenes (REALIST) is ROOM TONE - the air that defines the location of a scene. |
| NEUTRAL (no ATMOS at all - only dialogue) is rarely the best choice. |
| PRODUCTION EXAMPLE - INTERIOR. LOCATION: STUDENT DINING HALL. JUKE BOX FAR IN BACKGROUND. STUDENTS EATING LUNCH - 'The Canterbury Vampires 6.1-3 |
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Acoustic - the way sound behaves in a particular environment
'Mise-en-scène' - representation of the play scene, locations, spaces and perspectives
Signposting - technique for establishing the location at the beginning of a scene
OB - recording outside the studio
| Every scene needs background sound effects - ATMOS - to create the sound picture. Even a quiet conversation in the middle of the night. |
| ATMOS opens out the sound picture and creates an outer frame for the dialogue and action. |
| ATMOS creates mood and rhythm. It helps motivate the characters' actions. |
| Creative use of FXs and silences - Silences - different sorts |
ATMOS under DIALOGUE: establish at top - bring down under dialogue - nudge up occasionally
| Location and atmos FXs need to be used sparingly throughout the rest of the scene. |
| RULE: Get a new pair of ears to listen to your postproduction work |
| (1) Establish this 'bed' of sound effects to let the audience know where the scene is taking place. |
| (2) You BRING DOWN the ATMOS under the dialogue. |
| (3) DURING THE DIALOGUE, you nudge it up the ATMOS occasionally. Just nudge it up at bit, and then down again. Do this at suitable places in the dialogue that you choose carefully. See example in 'The Canterbury Vampires' 6.3 |
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The art of radio drama is miniaturist, intimate. It's NUDGING skills! |
RADIO DRAMA TECHNIQUES OF REALISM
Signposting - further definition
Signposting - more - Signposting and establishing location
'Mise-en-scène' - representation of the play scene, locations, spaces and perspectives
See POST-PRODUCTION - Once a scene has been established, reduce the SFXs (on the RADIO SOAP SITE)
To Analysing radio drama
To Radio Drama Theory Lesson
Plan
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