Sound effects workshop

For several years, in partnership with the town of Aubagne, the Festival combines the elementary school students to its goal of discovering the cinema. Due to the positive feedbacks, the Festival renews the workshop for young audience by offering an exploration of sound and music in filmmaking. Participants are asked to interactively explore behind the scenes of a movie soundtrack. The young audience is led to understand the role and importance of sound and music in cinema, especially through the soundtrack of an animated film. The sound effects are staged in spectacular fashion, through a live concert, with a focus on "sound color" that underline the relationship between sounds and images. Organizers, promoting a fun and unusual approach, guide participants through many experimentations.

Workshop

Based on the combined efforts of three sound professionals, Julien Billeau, Arnaud Roy and Mary Doyeux, the workshop includes three parts. First, the sound effects in all its forms (cartoon, musical, realistic) is mis en scène through a "sound effects concert" that get along with sequences of short animated films. This is an opportunity to sensitize participants to the live recording and the vocabulary used, what is a "whoosh?" or a "walla”. It is also an opportunity to present the various steps of soundtracks making-of and recording equipment. Having laid the foundations of the world of sound design, organizers help the children to reconstruct live the soundtrack and the music of de “Monstres & Co” et “Shaun the Sheep” Including their sounds, their voices, their moods, etc. We learn by doing. In the last part of the workshop, the film is screened with his new soundtrack composed by children, followed by a screening of the same film but this time with live music (the organizers play with musical intentions, allowing children to understand the importance of music into a movie). The film is finally presented with its original soundtrack. Throughout these specific comparisons, the young audience is able to understand the differences and the results obtained with different soundtracks. The participants are having fun while understanding the importance of the sound and music into cinematographic environment. This experience is a fun event, in perfect harmony with the festival's artistic and political views. It offers a workplace where everyone can display his creativity. This creation, original and unique, encourages the exchange, dialogue and encounter.

Organizers

• Julien Billeau: sound-effects engineer, accompanies the children in the process of making sounds. He shares some tips about famous sound effects and explains the importance of Listening in everyday life.
• Arnaud Roy: Musician and sound designer, he runs the session. Through a small set of questions and answers, he explains the process of soundtrack creation. Arnaud is the mediator between the public and Julien. In addition, he plays different instruments during the workshop, always with the goal of demonstrating the emotional use of music in the soundtrack.
• Marie Doyeux: Editor and soundman, she’s in charge of recording and editing sound live, with the use of a microphone and soundtrack software. It allows children to see how is the recording and editing of sounds, she is what makes possible the final play of all the sounds recorded during the session.