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Unit of Study: DESC9117 - Sound Design for New Media

The objectives of this unit are to introduce essential sound design concepts including editing, synchronisation, rhythm and audiovisual counterpoint; to provide an overview of the sound design for visual media process including development an understanding of the historical impact of film 'factory', radio and television broadcasting production antecedents on the design language; to learn skills in track-laying, mixing and mastering audio for different media and genres; to learn essential sound recording skills; to learn the creation of various psychoacoustic effects and atmospheres; and to learn essential file management and archiving skills; to learn essential post-production skills in computer-based sound design in a studio environment.This unit is intended to give an understanding of the theory and practice of digital audio production for various visual media including digital video, web-based and interactive media.Using the industry standard ProTools software the unit will look at current computer-based tools and techniques available to the sound designer, as well as examine the various underlying strategies, processes, and sound design philosophies. The unit will offer a grounding in the history, theory and criticism of sound design and its applicability to current digital visual media. It will introduce conventional and non-conventional production models across a range of media production modes in broadcasting and multimedia.The sound designer's role in the process of creation of meaning will be examined in cultural as well as technical contexts of compositional practices. It is anticipated that the unit will encourage debate about and a demystification of current production practices. It will aim at developing and extending production techniques towards an individual aesthetic.At the completion of this unit students will be expected to: understand the aural medium, essential concepts and terms; have an overview of film 'factory', radio and television broadcasting production antecedents on the design language; be acquainted with the history, theory and criticism of audiovisual technology and design; develop an audiovisual language; understand spatial aspects of sound design; and develop technical and conceptual skills in preproduction, general miking techniques, post-synchronisation dialogue, editing dialogue, producing sound effects, multi-track laying, selecting music, creating atmospheres and various psychoacoustic effects, synchronisation and related issues, and mixing sound for vision.

Unit coordinator: Assoc Prof Bill Martens/Mr Michael Bates

Classes: Lectures, computer lab, and studio sessions

Assessment: Project work (50%), written assignment (35%), class attendance and participation (15%)

Courses this subject is available in

This unit of study can be undertaken as a part of the following degree programs:

Graduate Certificate in Design Science (Audio and Acoustics)

Sound is a constant throughout our lives - involving, informing and profoundly shaping our experience of communication, entertainment and architectural spaces. This degree is unique and challenging, giving students a solid foundation in the design, measurement and theory of audio and acoustics. From this foundation students can choose to specialise in their area of interest including acoustics, audio systems and audio production.
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Graduate Certificate in Design Science (Building Services)

Building Services is a degree aimed at giving a broad knowledge of all areas of this discipline. This includes all of the environmental systems that make a building usable – such as ventilation, air conditioning and heating, and lighting. It also embraces the supply and distribution of water electricity and communications; the provision of fire detection and fighting equipment; lifts and escalators – essential, but largely unseen.
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Graduate Certificate in Design Science (Illumination Design)

Lighting design concerns the creation of interior and exterior spaces for work and pleasure. It is a vital part of architecture and interior design.
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Graduate Certificate in Design Science (Sustainable Design)

Sustainable design is concerned with both the process and outcomes of creating buildings to meet needs of a world that is growing increasingly conscious of the large impacts made by buildings on the worlds ecological systems and on human kind. As the world shifts to a more sustainable form of development in the coming millennium the task facing designers is uniquely challenging and different from previous eras.
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Graduate Certificate in Facilities Management

Every organisation uses buildings of some sort and their occupation requires recurrent resources for rent, rates, cleaning, energy, water, security, etc, amounting in time to more than the capital cost of creating the buildings in the first place. Facility Managers look after the Infrastructure of Business and have the responsibility of ensuring that their employers’ premises assist them in fulfilling their core business objectives, retain their capital value through appropriate maintenance, as well as obtaining value from their day-to-day operating costs.
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Graduate Certificate in Heritage Conservation

The Heritage Conservation Programs primary aim is to develop skills in the care and conservation of traditional and modern buildings, the latter a growing concern of contemporary conservation practice.
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Graduate Certificate in Interaction Design and Electronic Arts

The Interaction Design and Electronic Arts (IDEA) program is the first of its kind in Australia to prepare students in the skills and knowledge of interaction possibilities offered by modern computing technologies.
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Graduate Certificate in Urban and Regional Planning

The Urban and Regional Planning program teaches strong foundations in urban and regional planning, with the opportunity for students to develop more specialised knowledge in emergent areas, such as environmental design, planning for better structured cities, and sustainable management.
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Graduate Certificate in Urban Design

Cities are the most complex of human inventions and their design rests on knowledge that spans from philosophy and aesthetics to ecology and the technologies of waste disposal. They are also intensely cultural. In recent times, the professions of architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning have been the most conspicuous contributors to the shaping of cities. Urban design is at the nexus between these professions. The ability to perform in the field rest on additional layers of knowledge and understanding of the built form in its cultural and ecological complexities at urban scales of resolution.
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Graduate Diploma in Design Science (Audio and Acoustics)

Sound is a constant throughout our lives - involving, informing and profoundly shaping our experience of communication, entertainment and architectural spaces. This degree is unique and challenging, giving students a solid foundation in the design, measurement and theory of audio and acoustics. From this foundation students can choose to specialise in their area of interest including acoustics, audio systems and audio production.
more...

The course information displayed is applicable to currently available courses and is updated annually in October. Please use as indicative only as online information is subject to change without notice. Please refer to handbooks for further course information.


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