Communicating sound ideas

As research I would like to ask you all for some thoughts on this subject.

Specification of sound
.

How do you communicate the design requirements for particular sounds? Either as the designer receiving a spec, or as the writer or director providing a spec.

Do you work best with examples or established reference points?

Are written descriptions with metaphor, simile, and onomatopoeia important ways of describing sound?

Or do diagrams and character sketches play an important role?

Or do you simply prefer to work without guidance using your own interpretations and imagination, reworking any material that the rest of the team doesn't feel is working?

Do you find yourself making weird noises to studio colleagues in order to get sound ideas across?

This is a very open question so please answer freely without any prescriptive presumptions - I'm looking for diversity in how we get around the "communications barrier" of sound.
-Andy


All of the examples you outlined
are fantastic tools for communicating ideas! As you know, the core of our profession is selecting and using the most appropriate sound elements for the situation. Similarly, using the most appropriate method of
communication for specification of sound is also an artform. It is also one I'm still learning.


In sales, it's important to "qualify" the customer by quickly figuring out the language the customer speaks. Are they experienced, novice, more technical or artistically inclined? What are their interests?

Tailoring the language of direction to the sound designer will prevent your team mates from getting offended by talking down to them or getting lost by speaking about things outside of their realm of understanding.

How I communicate my descriptions depends on a number of factors.

Knowing both the legal ramifications of creative direction in a formal environment and having an understanding of the creative process are important. When collaborating, it's important for me to understand my role and the role of the person either giving or receiving direction.

In the U.S. games industry, creative control is a very important concept. Having creative control over content is what often distinguishes a salaried employee from being qualified for overtime pay or not.


With that in mind, a huge amount of trust must be placed in the hands of the professional salaried sound designer to allow them to make informed decisions about the most appropriate content. This is where hiring the right talent and letting go of control comes into play.


In a situation where I'm giving direction to another sound designer, I might describe what the sound supports on screen, it's context, how the should should behave in an interactive environment and what the deadlines and memory budget restrictions are.

Additionally, I may suggest processes or source material that I think would be appropriate. I've heard of others describing the "feel" that they want the sound to have rather than the sound itself.

After giving direction, listening to feedback and criticism of those ideas from your sound designer is important. They may have a suggestion for how to make things sound even better or may have questions to clarify the request.

In a situation where I'm receiving direction, I may ask leading yet helpful questions about direction that could help guide my director to a clearer vision of their own request. Putting together an audible palate of examples as you mentioned, is great for creating a tangible point of reference.

Finally, onomatopoeia always puts a smile on peoples faces. :)
-Adam


I'm very interested in the _language_ you might use for this part. How formal is that? Just some friendly words from time to time, or writing up a hard spec?

Prefacing all direction with "Slack-jawed philistine!" or "transient swab!" provides an extra layer of motivation when communicating ideas while at the same time earning respect and admiration from team mates. ;)

Seriously though, respecting your colleagues even when things get difficult is important. I can't say that there is a right answer to these questions. There will be times when different levels of formality are appropriate and times when speaking in person is more advantageous than writing.

Written specs create a paper trail which can be useful but generally take more time than speaking in person. Discretion about the most appropriate methods will come with
experience, or so I've been told...
- Adam


In sales, it's important to "qualify" the customer by quickly figuring out the language the customer speaks.


Yes, many tribes and dialects to learn about. Movies, games, advertising, radio, music ... all different worlds.

Are they experienced, novice, more technical or artistically inclined? What are their interests?



Yep, finding the right level, that's a good one (one I'm still learning)

How I communicate my descriptions depends on a number of factors. Knowing both the legal ramifications of creative direction in a formal environment and having an understanding of the creative process are important. When collaborating, it's important for me to understand my role and the role of the person either giving or receiving direction.



I included a couple of paragraphs on requirements specification. In software industry generally rec specs are the bread and butter of the contractual prelude. Everything has to nailed down with formal decriptions, test plans and whatever. Are such things seen in film or games sound design. Could such a thing ever work for sound? I'm just not sure it's possible given the diversity of culture, terminology and practice.

The analogy I give is, you ask a painter to paint your house. You just show then the colour and that's it. You don't micro-manage what kind of brushes to use and where to put the ladder.

What I'm interested in is how that differs between areas of the industry. Stories, anecdotes (names changed to protect the innocent), that illustrate implied trust (you're a professional, just get on with it) vs fine grain specification (turning the designer into nothing but a button pusher).


In the U.S. games industry, creative control is a very important concept. Having creative control over content is what often distinguishes a salaried employee from being qualified for overtime pay or not.


That's an interesting one. Imho _not_ having creative control can be the more difficult gig, unless you have "mindreader" on your list of skills. :)

With that in mind, a huge amount of trust must be placed in the hands of the professional salaried sound designer to allow them to make informed decisions about the most appropriate content. This is where hiring the right talent and letting go of control comes into play.


Not sure if we ever got into the subject of reworks on GAF, but it's a fascinating topic. We all expect a certain number of reworks and should budget for them, because nobody does perfect work first time - but where is the happy medium somewhere between total delegation (abandoning control), and neurotic oversight and interference. This surely has a lot to do with the "vibe", relationship between designer and director. Sometimes you work with people and strike up an almost telepathic bond that means very little needs saying.


In a situation where I'm giving direction to another sound designer, I might describe what the sound supports on screen, it's context, how the should should behave in an interactive environment and what the deadlines and memory budget restrictions are.

Additionally, I may suggest processes or source material that I think would be appropriate. I've heard of others describing the "feel" that they want the sound to have rather than the sound itself.


That seems a reasonable way to steer. Practicalities, aesthetic requirements,
some guidance on method. I'm very interested in the _language_ you might
use for this part. How formal is that? Just some friendly words
from time to time, or writing up a hard spec?


After giving direction, listening to feedback and criticism of those ideas from your sound designer is important. They may have a suggestion for how to make things sound even better or may have questions to clarify the request.


Cool, glad you mention this one. I've put down "post spec research"
and "the importance of maintaining dialogue with the team", to keep
it a two way conversation.

In a situation where I'm receiving direction, I may ask leading yet helpful questions about direction that could help guide my director to a clearer vision of their own request. Putting together an audible palate of examples as you mentioned, is great for creating a tangible point of reference.


Great thoughts Adam, thanks for sharing these. Hopefully there will
be some more people with ideas about process and communication.
-Andy


Thread from Sound Design List May 2008