Audio Production for Film Short Course
Course description
Course overview
Explore the fundamentals of audio production for moving images with this immersive, beginner-level course. Designed for aspiring sound designers, indie filmmakers and students looking to enhance their portfolios, this course combines hands-on practice with foundational knowledge to bring audio projects to life.
During the course, students learn essential skills such as field recording with boom microphones, capturing sound on location and post-production techniques using industry-standard tools.
The course emphasises precision and critical listening, aided by the focused learning environment provided by headphones. Through A/B comparison exercises, you'll sharpen your ability to distinguish subtle differences in sound quality, helping you recognise what works and what doesn't in a professional audio mix.
With a project-based approach, students produce a polished audiovisual project to add to their portfolio. Whether you're pursuing a career in media or enhancing your creative skills, this course offers a practical pathway to mastering sound for film.
Who this course is for
This course is aimed at aspiring sound designers, independent filmmakers, media students and creatives in the film and media industries who want to develop foundational skills in audio production for film.
It would be an excellent fit for those interested in enhancing their portfolios with professional-quality audio-visual projects, as well as those looking to gain a competitive edge in the creative industries. No previous knowledge of audio production or sound design is required.
Key information
Topics covered
- Basic sound theory and troubleshooting: understanding audio fundamentals, signal flow and solving common sound issues
- Pre-production and planning: techniques for sound planning, equipment setup and organising a shoot
- Production: location recording - off-site field recording sessions using professional recorders and boom microphones to capture high-quality sound
- Post-production: sound design and editing - layering, mixing and refining audio using industry-standard software to create a polished product
- Practical project development: applying skills to create a portfolio-ready audiovisual project
Learning outcomes
- Set up and operate field recording equipment, including boom microphones and portable recorders
- Capture high-quality sound on location and understand the fundamentals of sound recording techniques
- Recognise and analyse audio quality using headphones to identify subtle differences in sound
- Edit and mix audio tracks using industry-standard software to achieve a balanced and professional-quality sound
- Understand the basics of sound design, including layering, timing and creating immersive soundscapes for film
- Apply project-based learning techniques to future sound production projects, building confidence and independence in the process
- Digital badge and certificate of attendance.
Materials
- You may want to bring your own headphones (if preferred) for familiarity, although headphones will be provided
- If you have any portable audio equipment such as a handheld recorder or lavalier microphones, you may want to bring them for practicev
- A USB drive or access to equivalent cloud storage is recommended for saving and transporting your project files
Tutor
Gareth Mitchell
Gareth is a sound artist practicing in composition, performance and installation. He has released albums for labels such as Kranky and Staalplaat and performed at festivals such as Online Flash Film Festival (Barcelona) and EARational ('s-Hertogenbosch), along with venues such as New York's The Knitting Factory and Berlin's Madam Claude.
He has created installations at locations such as Angus Hughes Gallery, Waterman's Arts Centre (London) and La Nuit Blanche (Calgary), and composed several works for theatre and dance at venues including Düsseldorf Opera House, Vault Festival, The Coronet Theatre and The Place (London). In 2024, he presented multichannel installations at UAL's Unfolding Narratives 4 exhibition and Spatial Audio Gathering (SAG) at De Montfort University.
Utilising extended techniques and samples of his recordings, Gareth also creates, composes and performs using voice and guitar, along with a wide variety of synthesis techniques. He is currently working on a PhD, based at London College of Communication, UAL, entitled Spatial Sonics of a Contemporary Tree, and lectures on the BA Sound Arts and MA Music Production courses, also at LCC, UAL.
Tamas Czuper
I am a sound designer and musician with more than eighteen years of experience in the creative industry delivering projects to clients including Lacoste, Speedo, Berghaus and Canterbury. My professional portfolio with showreel can be found here: https://www.monoxyproduction.com I have produced recordings of large events and performances (https://www.soocmedia.com/), developed sound design for advertising films, short films and installation works. Also, I have worked on a number of short and feature-length films as a sound designer and location recordist, including The Children of Wickerman.
After obtaining my BA Degree in Sound Design and Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education I have taught professional workshops and lectures at South Bank University and Ravensbourne University London. As associate lecturer at LSBU I am responsible for module leadership, managing the delivery and assessment of these modules. In addition to these I also run workshops about Sound for Film and Game Audio in Unity and FMOD.
Recently, I have also been contributing to University College London as an Audio and Studio Technician and Lecturer, where I support practical learning environments and deliver specialised instruction in audio technologies. This role further enhances my ability to bridge the gap between technical expertise and academic engagement.
My core expertise includes sound and music software including Pro Tools, Adobe Audition, Logic Pro, Sound Particles, FMOD, Wwise and Unity, training workshops, conceptual and creative project development and professional portfolio development for creative industries.
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