The gap between music production and media audio
Producers who move into film or game work often find that the skills do not transfer as directly as expected. Timing is measured in frames, not bars. Emotional cues come from the edit, not a chord progression. This course addresses that specific gap and gives you tools for working in a visual context from day one.
Tools used throughout
The course is built around Logic Pro X and Reaper, with sessions on free alternatives where possible. You will also work with a portable recorder for Foley capture, which you can substitute with a phone mic for the first two weeks while you decide if you want to invest further. No Avid Pro Tools license is required.
What the projects look like
You receive four short video clips across the program, each between 30 and 90 seconds. The first clip is a silent scene with ambient action. The last is a short animated sequence where every sound element must be created from scratch. Each submission is reviewed in a group session with written notes from the instructor, Renata Vosburgh, posted within 48 hours.
Scheduling and pacing
The program runs over six weeks with two sessions per week. Tuesday sessions are pre-recorded lectures and demonstrations. Saturday sessions are live and run 90 minutes. Recordings of live sessions are available for one year. If you miss a Saturday, you can submit written questions in advance and receive a timestamped response in the recording.
Who this is for
The program works well for producers wanting to branch into sync licensing, animators handling their own audio, and game developers who need to understand sound implementation before handing files to an engineer. Participants have ranged from students to working freelancers looking to add a specific skill.
Program Outline
Program stages
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Stage 1 - Weeks 1 to 2
- How film audio is structured: dialogue, Foley, ambience, music, and effects layers
- Spotting a scene: identifying what needs sound and why
- Recording Foley at home with minimal gear
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Stage 2 - Weeks 3 to 4
- Ambience design: building a sense of space without music
- Working to picture in Logic and Reaper: timecode, frame rates, and sync basics
- Sound effects libraries: where to find them and how to edit for fit
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Stage 3 - Weeks 5 to 6
- Layering and mixing for picture: how levels and EQ change in a visual context
- Exporting deliverables: stems, spotting sheets, and format requirements
- Final project: full sound design for a 90-second clip, reviewed by the group
Additional resources included
Participants receive a curated folder of royalty-free ambience recordings and a Reaper template pre-configured for video work. These are yours to keep and use on client projects.