Production Sound Mixing: The Art and Craft of Sound Recording for the Moving Image

The latest hot camera is pretty irrelevant if one can't understand what's happening on screen. The key to any narrative is in the dialogue and voice over, but if this is unintelligible or difficult to hear, viewers will soon lose interest. With real world applications and a narrative to keep the reader's interest, Production Sound Mixing is the indispensable guide for film and video audio recording. Written by veteran sound mixer John J. Murphy, the book offers a step by step collaborative journey through the basic physics of sound, concluding with a practical guide of the latest techniques and equipment available to all who are interested in the best audio for their projects.

Structured to mimic a 14-week semester, each chapter begins with an audio problem to be solved and ends with a solution drawn from information gleaned from past chapters. Suggested movie scenes that demonstrate the relevant audio techniques will also be included. Equally applicable to studio and location recording, the book is oriented toward commonly accessible environments such as conference rooms, hallways, beaches, car interiors, bathrooms, and so on. The intent is to allow the student to make the best of a location no matter how challenging it might be. Most importantly, this book will make one aware of the potential of sound on screen, for it is truly 50% of the viewing experience.

John J. Murphy, a member of IATSE Local 52 Sound Department, has worked as a sound recordist, boom operator, A2, camera operator, and director of cinematography. He has shot and sound mixed feature films, commercials, documentaries, industrial films, corporate videos, music videos, direct-to-consumer DVDs, and reality television, including 10 of the 12 seasons of Project Runway as an audio mixer and A2. He has taught filmmaking since 1980 at various schools including Pratt Institute of Design, NY, USA, for the last 13 years.