MATTHEW BOGAN
Sound Design | Film | Television | Video Games
BSC AUDIO ENGINEERING HONOURS PROJECT
Year Four | UW310842
Since the beginning of the lockdown of 2020, I have focussed most of my work onto sound design; particularly for video format, however I have also dabbled within videogames. During these projects, I focus on foley work, composition, mixing and mastering. This work results in a large output of audio files and sound effects, maintaining an optimal level of organisation becomes difficult very quickly - meaning that files are misplaced or forgotten about, which wastes time through re-recording or producing files.
This current workflow results in projects taking an extended period, something that should not continue as I approach graduation and working within the industry. Therefore, it was decided to create a library of sound effects that would store all files I have created throughout my academic career.
Not only would creating a sound library benefit my current workflow and approach to projects, but it could be used to showcase my portfolio within future interviews and even be monetized later using online distribution.
THE SOUND LIBRARY
What makes this one different?
This is not a unique initial concept - in fact it has been monetized by several companies. Three standout companies include Boom Library, Pro Sound Effects, and Sound Morph.
The main concept this sound library has been formed around is to provide a starting point for all sound design projects, offering a high-quality foundational tool will improve the workflow throughout the project but the final product too. To maintain a high level of quality, all standard legislation that has been put into action by the broadcast industry must be applied - this includes the DPP’s technical delivery standards and EBU R128 rating for loudness levels.
The requirement for improved organisation has been implemented using the Universal Category system. This is an initiative formed with the intention of standardising the labelling of all audio files across the media creation industries. This system operates as a spreadsheet which is used to generate all metadata and assign a category ID.
To connect this project to my research this year, it was decided to appeal this library to the emerging technology of Virtual-Reality. As VR systems become commonplace in more households, the need for 360 video production is growing. Therefore, to familiarise myself with the concepts and tools needed for 360 video production, a short film reel of 360 videos was created in addition to a small collection of B-Format ambisonic recordings. This is something that will be expanded upon in the future to aid my chances of employment within this niche field of expertise.