P1. Research into Recording Ambient Sounds and Dialogue

Ambient sound is recording the background noise of the location you are filming. It is used to make the audience feel involved and as they are there. This makes it more realistic. For example for the jungle location in Hunger Games - Catching fire Jeremy Peirson physically went out and recording sounds of a jungle,ocean and bamboos."Hard cuts" are also used in the Hunger Games. It isn't very good for ambient sound but is useful for guiding you from scene to scene. For example it is used in the city scene, the jungle noise starts 6 seconds before the scene is shown. The advantage of recording on location rather than relying on the sound library is that you get the right "room tone" to suit your scene. For example the library may have a sound that would go however filming on location would give a more realistic atmosphere and would make the audience feel like they are there with the characters. Another advantage of recording on location is that if you don't have weird silences. For example in James bond one minute you can her talking in a Caribbean hotel with the ocean, fans whirling and drinks clinking in the background to a one word dialogue that has no background noise.The software that is used in the Hunger Games is called Atmos by Dolby. Atmos brings high definition and makes it feel like they're surrounded by all angles. 

There are many ways you can film the dialogue and background noise at the location without the dialogue being affected.For example:

1. Having the right microphone and placing it in the right position helps keep the balance of ambient sound and dialogue. 
2. Placing the microphone as close to the actor/s as you can so the dialogue would be louder than the background. 
3. Re-shoot the scene multiple times. 
4. Use an external mic rather than the microphone on the camera.
5. Looping - actors re-record lines while watching their original performances in looped playback.
6. Slowly bring up the room tone volume.
7. Make sure you can't hear the cameraman moving. 
8. Recording in forest - record clean dialogue in the studio then superimpose ambient sound recorded in the forest.

These tips would help a lot with my film I just created. The recording in forest tip relates well as mine was set in the woods, which we found difficult because of the location noise e.g wind. Also maybe using an external microphone instead of camera's microphone. Another thing we could of done is record 30 seconds of room tone/ambient noise. 


Notes

Hunger games-catching fire:
- Background noise added to the scene 
- More realistic 
- Sonic feel
- Dense,busy,exotic,claustrophobia 
- Jungle,ocean,bamboos 
- 70ft away from each other 
- With characters - always surrounded 
- Jungle ambience comes in 6 seconds before shown
- Guides you in to the next scene 
- Feel like you are surrounded
- Dolby Atmos 
http://www.askaudiomag.com/articles/tips-recoding-sound-location :
- Room tone - 30 seconds of "room tone" which is the ambient noise 
- James Bond - Talking in Caribbean hotel,ocean in background,fans whirling,drinks clinking at the bar to word with no background 
- Loud room tone under warm audio - dialogue sounds the same 
- Slowly bring up room tone volume 
- EQ filter settings to footage with dialogue, reduce the loud hum
- Doesn't cut the sound of peoples speech
- External mic , physical microphone of the camera 
- Hear cameraman 
http://www.lavideofilmmaker.com/location-sound-recording/location-sound-recording-shotgun-microphone-placement.html
- Right microphone - ultra-directional for external locations, directional (shorter) for interiors 
- Place microphone close to actor/s
- Louder than background 
- Shoot scenes multiple times 
- 30 seconds ambient noise - every location 
- Never record without sound 
- Recording in forest - clean dialogue in studio,superimpose ambient sound recorded in the forest 
http://library.creativecow.net/cowdog/ADR/1
- Looping - actors re-record lines while watching their original performances in looped playback