M A S T E R C L A S S    Nº 3

Presence and idea.
Introduction to the “SONIDISTA in the documentary filmmaking

by Álvaro Silva

In Spain, the person responsible for the sound recording of an audiovisual work is called “sound engineer of sound”. Usually this is true concerning the chain of industrial production, but in the field of documentary creation, many times the “sound technician” makes a work that is more than sound recording. Not only provides the technical means for the recording, but also takes part of the filming giving his intuition and a wide variety of ideas. He provides the sound track with an authorial stamp that concedes another dimension of the film. His experience and his “know how” furnish the filming team, and thus, also to the movie, with a determinant and modulating energy. In these cases I prefer saying SONIDISTA than sound technician.

In the present Master Class we will start raising the basic aspects of the sound register like: elements of the sounding process, types of microphones and how to choose them according to the needs, the recording levels, the monitoring levels, backups and menus of digital cameras, the synchronism and the direct sound, we will analyse some examples to provide the audience the main tools to confront and take care of the sound register of a documentary filmmaking.

On the other side, we will talk about conceptual elements of the sound track like: the voice-over, the interviews, the using of different ambients, silence, music and sounding, the sound editing, sound track construction and the mix. We will also talk about aspects that are related to the attitude of the sonidista during the filming, his relationship with the director, the characters and the cameraman.

The last goal of this Master class is sharing my experience of years working in the documentary field inviting you to explore the fascinating world of the sound narration and the documentary sonidista profession.

Álvaro Silva Wuth
Sonidista