VIDEO AND SOUND PRODUCTION ( PROJECT 1/AUDIO EDITING EXERCISES )
April 21,2025
12/05/2025 - 01/06/2024(Week 3 - Week 6)
ZHANG TIANYAO / 0376838
Video and Sound Production / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Project 1
LIST
1. Lectures
2. Instructions
3.Project 1 / Audio Editing Exercises
4. Feedback
5. Reflections
Lectures
Week 3
Task Overview
The goal of this task is to enhance a given video by adding dialogue and sound effects using Adobe Premiere Pro. Background music is not required—the main focus is on syncing speech and sound accurately to strengthen atmosphere and audience engagement.
Key Requirements
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Dialogue:
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Record character lines using a mobile phone.
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Sound Effects:
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Hard Effects: Action-specific sounds such as doors creaking, glass breaking, or gunshots.
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Ambient Effects: Background sounds like wind, traffic, or crowd noise to build environmental realism.
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Workflow
Start by watching the video carefully in Premiere Pro. Create a spreadsheet to document each scene along with its required sound elements (refer to the provided Google Sheet example). After recording the dialogue and sourcing necessary sound effects online, import all audio files into the timeline and sync them to the video content.
Technical Setup
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Audio Tracks:
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3 tracks for character dialogue
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4 tracks for hard sound effects
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3 tracks for ambient background audio
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Audio Editing Tips:
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To modify voice tone (e.g., male to female, adult to child):
Go to Audio Effects > Pitch Shifter > Semi tones in Premiere Pro -
Recommended volume levels:
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Dialogue: between -6dB and -12dB
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Ambient sound: below -20dB
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Sound effects: adjust according to the scene for impact and clarity
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Week 4
Notes
Goal
- Add sound, sound effects, and ambient audio to a video using Premiere Pro.
- The sound needs to be synchronized with the sound effects to provide viewers with a better and more comfortable viewing experience.
Necessary elements
Scene sound effects- Record voice-over
- Specific object sound effects
- Scene/background sound effects
Workflow
- Watch the original video.
- Use a table to fill in the tasks or sounds required for each time segment, for example reference spreadsheet: Google Sheet Example
- Insert pre-selected audio clips and find suitable sound effects for each scene.
- Add the sound effects into the audio tracks and blend them seamlessly with the video content.
Technical requirements
- Audio track adjustment
- 3 dialogue tracks (one for each character)
- 4 sound effects tracks
- 3 ambient sound tracks
Audio editing
- Sound pitch adjustment（e.g., male to female, adult to child):
Premiere Pro → Audio Effects → Pitch Shifter → Semi tones
-Volume Levels:
-Dialogue: -6dB to -12dB
-Ambience: below -20dB
-Sound effects: adjust as needed）
2. Instructions
For Project 1, our task was to add a custom voiceover and sound effects to a selected scene from Everything Everywhere All At Once, provided by our lecturer. We began the process by focusing on the audio breakdown, as this step was more manageable and suitable for group collaboration. To organize the work effectively, we were split into teams of five, and each group used a shared Google Sheet to map out the necessary sound elements according to the video timeline.
Within our team, we ensured an efficient workflow by assigning each member a specific portion of the video to work on. This included not only editing their assigned section but also handling specific individual responsibilities to support the overall project.
Fig 1.2 Audio Breaking Sheet Link
I recorded the dialogue using my phone and then brought the audio into Adobe Premiere Pro for editing. As per the lecturer’s instructions, each character needed to have their own dedicated audio track. After placing my voiceover into the timeline, I carefully synced it with the visual elements of the clip. Because the original character had a deeper voice than mine, I applied the Pitch Shifter effect in Premiere Pro to lower the pitch of my recording and create a closer match to the character’s tone.
This project gave me practical experience in audio editing, from recording voiceovers and gathering sound effects to adjusting pitch and layering audio within Premiere Pro. Working closely with my team helped us divide the workload effectively and stay organized throughout the editing process. By using tools such as the Pitch Shifter and carefully managing volume levels, I was able to modify my voice and produce a well-balanced audio mix. Once all elements—including dialogue, effects, and ambient sound—were finalized, I exported and submitted the completed video from my computer, successfully wrapping up the Audio Editing task.
Project 1: Sound Shaping
Voice coming from inside of the closet.
Feedback
Week 3:
Specific Feedback:
This week marked the beginning of hands-on work for Project 1, where the goal was to create a full audio dub for a silent video clip. I started by downloading the provided materials from Teams, including the script and the muted footage. I then planned out the voice recording process and began sourcing relevant sound effects from online libraries. During class, we focused on how to organize multiple audio layers in Premiere Pro and the importance of syncing sounds accurately with on-screen actions.
General Feedback:
The session gave me a deeper appreciation of how dialogue, sound effects, and ambient audio work together to build a believable atmosphere. It was also my first time setting up structured audio tracks within Premiere Pro, which helped me better understand the technical side of post-production. Although matching the timing precisely is still a challenge, the reference spreadsheet and class instructions gave me a solid framework to build on. I’m looking forward to exploring voice modulation tools in the coming lessons to further enhance the realism of my edits.
Week 4:
Specific Feedback:
During this week, my main focus was completing my assigned section for Project 1’s audio editing task. I handled the voiceover for one character, starting with a collaborative breakdown of the audio components with my teammates. After recording my lines on my phone, I brought the audio into Adobe Premiere Pro and adjusted the pitch using the Pitch Shifter tool to match the character’s deeper tone. Once that was done, I aligned the voice with the video timing and layered in the appropriate sound effects and ambient audio. To help the group stay organized, I also uploaded all the collected sound effects to a shared Google Drive folder. As a final step, I ensured the ambient volume stayed under -20 dB before exporting the complete video.
General Feedback:
This week’s in-person session was especially useful in understanding how audio post-production works from start to finish. Mr. Martin demonstrated useful techniques, including how to shift voice tones and manage different audio layers within Premiere Pro. Being part of a team gave me a better sense of how audio work is divided in group projects and taught me how to coordinate tasks effectively. I also developed new technical and creative skills in voice editing and sound mixing, which gave me more confidence in working with audio for future video assignments.
Reflections
Working on this project gave me a much clearer understanding of how sound plays a crucial role in shaping the narrative of a video. Instead of simply watching a film, I became an active creator of its audio world—starting from a blank, silent clip. I went through the entire production pipeline: scripting, recording, sound selection, editing, and layering, all within Adobe Premiere Pro. Each step helped me appreciate how sound builds mood, pace, and realism.
A particularly interesting part of the process was voicing a character with a tone far deeper than my natural voice. I recorded my lines on my phone, then used Premiere Pro’s Pitch Shifter tool to lower the pitch and better match the character. Syncing that audio to the video was tricky but rewarding. I also experimented with environmental ambience and sound effects to give the scene more life, carefully adjusting the levels so the mix remained clean and balanced.
This wasn’t a solo journey. Working with my group taught me a lot about collaboration in post-production. We divided responsibilities, shared audio assets via Google Drive, and gave each other feedback during editing. That kind of teamwork mimicked a real production setup and gave me insight into how coordination and communication are just as important as technical skills.
In the end, I walked away from this project not just knowing how to edit sound, but understanding how to use it to tell a story. The experience has made me more confident in working with dialogue, effects, and ambient sound in a professional editing environment—and more aware of the emotional weight audio can carry.
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