We Got Movie Time! - Splice

[d100Productions]

Well. It's Friday and it's hopefully time for my weekly review of what's out in the cinema. This time it's Splice, a movie that surprised the hell out of me by being more than a horrible modern day revision of Species. It's new, it's smart, it's deep, and it's good. Hopefully you'll find this review accurate if you've seen it, and bolstering enough to see it if you haven't. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPElLv9-FOs

 

[Baby Tea]

Good review.
As a radio producer, I just have to complain about two things:
A) Mic quality. I bitched about this very thing with MovieBob at first, since he sounded like he was recording in a bathroom stall. This isn't that bad, as you don't sound all echo-y and tinny, but you DO sound like you either recording on a sub-par mic, or are saving it in a low-quality format (Under 192 kbps).

Get a decent USB mic if you aren't going to spring for a little mixer board and a proper XLR mic, or save the movie in a higher-quality format. Also: Learn to play with EQs. you don't want to sound like you recorded this in your bedroom. You want to sound like it was recorded professionally. I work with a recording studio, and the difference between the flat recording from the sound-booth, to the EQ'd recording is just massive. Learn to play with EQs. It makes a huge difference.

B)Diction. You delivery was good, well paced, and obviously rehearsed to a degree. Great. Now work on diction. Some words were slurred, especially when going over the 'fast' parts. I'm actually kind of nit-picking here, but when you're dealing with a primarily audio-sell of what you're talking about (With the visuals being more of a way to highlight), you want to make sure it's gold. The best way to help with diction is practice. Practice the script multiple times before recording. It helps.

Beyond those, I honestly enjoyed it. You kept me right until the end, and I was prepared to turn it off immediately (Call me cynical). The visuals were well placed, not too fast, not too drawn out, always appropriate (Except the Street Fighter video. I get what you were doing, but it just seemed out of place).

Keep it up! I'd watch more.

 

[d100Productions]

Actually. I did record this in my bedroom. And the mic... well. I guess it is pretty subpar as it's a loaner from my cameraman and he said it was like $30.00. Dicton... yeah. I did slur em together a few times, and I do regret that. EQs? And how would I save the sound in a higher-quality format? Sorry to bug you about this, but this is a very important area as you've noticed and as someone with not only knowledge of the subject, you've also got experience. So any tips or pointers in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

And thanks for the positive's. I did want to do a few more things with it... but time and other projects sort of pushed it to the back.

 

[Baby Tea]

EQs?
And how would I save the sound in a higher-quality format?

First, let's talk format.
What program are you using to record your audio? You're probably saving the audio as an MP3 before putting it in the video, so what quality of MP3? 192 kbps? 96 kbps? 128 kbps? Those options should be changeable if you're using a half-way decent program to record, either when you're saving the file, or when you're making a new file. Fool around with the options and see if you can find anything that lets you adjust quality. You want at least 192 kbps. More if possible. Failing that, and if you have the hard-drive space, trying just saving it in Windows PCM wav (Uncompressed WAV). No quality loss, but the files are pretty big.

Secondly: EQ.
EQ is short for Equalizer. You'll see it in all sorts of music play-back programs like Windows Media Player and Winamp. A graphic equalizer will let you change the dB (Or, basically, volume) of different parts of the audio range with a file. Basically, it allows you to adjust the high, medium, and low end of the audio frequency. Even more basically, it means you can increase or lower the bass (Low end), treble (High end), and...the mud (Mid range). Learning to adjust these to make your voice pop out like a pro is a 'must'. Any audio producer worth anything will know the value of proper EQ-ing.

Here is an example I threw together at work:
[audio=http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1545125/EQ%20Sample.mp3]
Adjusting the levels across the range can make all sorts of different audio effects, from the barely noticeable to the drastic. The trick is using it properly to maximum effect.

 

[Stranger of Sorts]

After watching the review I have to say that I rather enjoyed it. If you incorporate the things than Baby Tea has told you the I'm sure it will be even better.

One other note, if you didn't know you can embed youtube videos by cutting the URL before the equals sign, so in this case you're left with =WPElLv9-FOs.

Then type [

youtube=WPElLv9-FOs

] and you get this

 

[d100Productions]

EQs?
And how would I save the sound in a higher-quality format?

First, let's talk format.
What program are you using to record your audio? You're probably saving the audio as an MP3 before putting it in the video, so what quality of MP3? 192 kbps? 96 kbps? 128 kbps? Those options should be changeable if you're using a half-way decent program to record, either when you're saving the file, or when you're making a new file. Fool around with the options and see if you can find anything that lets you adjust quality. You want at least 192 kbps. More if possible. Failing that, and if you have the hard-drive space, trying just saving it in Windows PCM wav (Uncompressed WAV). No quality loss, but the files are pretty big.

Secondly: EQ.
EQ is short for Equalizer. You'll see it in all sorts of music play-back programs like Windows Media Player and Winamp. A graphic equalizer will let you change the dB (Or, basically, volume) of different parts of the audio range with a file. Basically, it allows you to adjust the high, medium, and low end of the audio frequency. Even more basically, it means you can increase or lower the bass (Low end), treble (High end), and...the mud (Mid range). Learning to adjust these to make your voice pop out like a pro is a 'must'. Any audio producer worth anything will know the value of proper EQ-ing.

Here is an example I threw together at work:
[audio=http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1545125/EQ%20Sample.mp3]

Adjusting the levels across the range can make all sorts of different audio effects, from the barely noticeable to the drastic. The trick is using it properly to maximum effect.

I'm using Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum to record with. And they're saved as wav files and not MP3. I've dicked around with the equalizer quite alot actually, though I only use it for volume, haven't used to to make things clearer. I'm looking into getting a new mic, about $120.00 retail, shooting for 60-90 off of Ebay. I've also got a good voice modulator... I've used it in the Comovie on my YouTube page for The Emperor and The Sith Girl. But I want to just use my own voice rather than altering it to sound better. Seems kind of like cheating.

After watching the review I have to say that I rather enjoyed it. If you incorporate the things than Baby Tea has told you the I'm sure it will be even better.

One other note, if you didn't know you can embed youtube videos by cutting the URL before the equals sign, so in this case you're left with =WPElLv9-FOs.

Then type [

youtube=WPElLv9-FOs

] and you get this

Thank's Stranger, glad you enjoyed it. Yeah, I can't wait til I get that mic; probably settle on it today with my new HD.

 

[Burningsok]

I swear the first thing that comes to mind when I hear about this movie is Bioshock

 

[Baby Tea]

But I want to just use my own voice rather than altering it to sound better. Seems kind of like cheating.

Movie trailers, movie voice-overs, radio DJs, Radio imaging, gaming voice-overs...voice over of every kind actually, musicians...all use EQs to enhance their voice. Every. Single. One. It's still you, you're just making your voice 'pop'. You don't change the pitch, just what parts pop out. The high end? The low end? The mid range? The right combination makes a massive difference. Movie trailer guy does have a huge deep voice, but it's bigger, better, and...boomier with the right EQ.

I'm just offering my advice to help you sound pro, as opposed to 'a guy who made this in his bedroom'.
You may, of course, take or leave my advice as you see fit.
I'm just saying: The right mic and recording system will only take you so far.

 

[d100Productions]

But I want to just use my own voice rather than altering it to sound better. Seems kind of like cheating.

Movie trailers, movie voice-overs, radio DJs, Radio imaging, gaming voice-overs...voice over of every kind actually, musicians...all use EQs to enhance their voice. Every. Single. One. It's still you, you're just making your voice 'pop'. You don't change the pitch, just what parts pop out. The high end? The low end? The mid range? The right combination makes a massive difference. Movie trailer guy does have a huge deep voice, but it's bigger, better, and...boomier with the right EQ.

I'm just offering my advice to help you sound pro, as opposed to 'a guy who made this in his bedroom'.
You may, of course, take or leave my advice as you see fit.
I'm just saying: The right mic and recording system will only take you so far.

Oh no, I'm not the kind of guy who doesn't listen to constructive criticism. You make alot of good points and I'll take a look and see if some different sounds are better.

 

[d100Productions]

Thanks PayJ. I'm really glad people are enjoying this one, and YES I do agree that reading reviews isn't the same as watching and hearing them. Hopefully my next review "The Karate Kid" will be better than the last.

 

[d100Productions]

Easy evil. I guarantee you, you won't regret it. I think my review is spot on in what this movie is all about, and there is really nothing bad about about it. And thanks for the compliment ^_^ helps me feel like I'm doing something right.