| *V*I*R*G*O* AUDIO NEWSLETTER - January 2010 |
Well, 2010 has gotten off to a running start! My run as the Sound Engineer for Pinkalicious has ended, and I'm currently enjoying some time down in picturesque Bristol, PA, working as the Sound Designer and Engineer for Bristol Riverside Theatre's production of Larry Shue's hilarious play, The Foreigner.
With some exciting new projects looming on the horizon, 2010 promises to be a year of new adventures for me. I hope it is for you, too!
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Audio Tech Talk - Saying goodbye (for now) . . .
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Well, it was a tough decision, but I've had to put my Audio Tech Talk blog/podcast series on indefinite hold. As much as I've been enjoying it, I'm just not able to balance my workload with the amount of time it takes to produce a quality edition each month.
I have a few unreleased editions partially completed, and I'm hoping to bring the series back at a later date, if possible. We'll see what the future brings. In the meantime, I hope you've found the series both entertaining and informative. Thank you all for tuning in! |
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Project Spotlight: The Foreigner at Bristol Riverside Theatre
When you go to see a theatrical production, you don't usually think much about the placement of the speakers. If it's done right, that is. It's very important for the sounds in a production to emerge from their supposed visual source onstage. For example, if a character reacts to a ringing telephone, and the audience hears the sound clearly coming from the speakers above the proscenium, they are instantly brought back to reality and removed from the fantasy of the story taking place.
Larry Shue's brilliantly funny play, The Foreigner, takes place in a very realistic setting. So in designing the sound of Bristol Riverside Theatre's production (now running!), I made the decision NOT to use the existing house sound system. I didn't want the audience to hear sounds coming from speakers on the sides of the stage, or over their heads. I wanted them to be totally immersed in the story and to hear every sound as an inherent part of that story.
My solution was surprisingly simple: I placed two speakers behind the scenery, one on each side of the stage, positioning each speaker carefully to get just the right balance between the two. Sounds that were supposed to come from sources on the left-hand side of the stage were routed to that speaker only, and sounds that came from sources on the right-hand side were routed to the other. The interesting part is that any sound with no identifiable source onstage (like thunder, rain, or crickets outside) could just be routed to both speakers, and it would fill the space just as in the real world.
This very basic design ensured that each sound seemed to emerge from the same physical location as its apparent source, keeping the audience in the world of the play at all times. Sometimes the best solution is the simplest! |
New/Recent Projects
Bristol Riverside Theatre: The Foreigner (Sound Designer/Engineer)
The Wavos (aka Rubberlegs): "Aerobic Commuting" (Producer)
Regena "Mama Gena" Thomashauer: CD: "The Art of Conjuring" (Producer)
Pinkalicious: Off-Broadway (Sound Engineer)
Pen Parentis Reading Series: (Sound Engineer) |
Sound Byte
Monthly tips, musings, and other audio-related randomness.
This month's Sound Byte is another great interview on Broadway sound design, courtesy of The American Theatre Wing. This 2008 edition of ATW's "Downstage Center" series features an insightful interview with veteran Broadway sound designer Tony Meola.
Enjoy! |
That's it for this month. If you haveany questions about anything you read here, or if you have a new audio project in the works, I'm here to help you. Just email me at william@virgoaudio.com!
Sincerely,
William Neal
*V*I*R*G*O* Audio Production Services
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