Our next interview is with the sound team! In such a big production, sound is an important factor that should not be overlooked. It’s important to be able to create the correct atmosphere. So sound effects here and there can give an animation just that little extra that makes it complete. Today, I would like you to meet our music composer Tiaz and sound designer Jonah.
Please tell us a little about yourself.
Tiaz:
Hello I’m Tiaz, the music composer here at Affect3D. Some people know me as Tiaz-sfm on Tumblr. I do adult animations on my free time.
I have been composing music for some years and have been working with Affect3D for 5 years now.
Jonah:
I’m a part-time freelance audio engineer as well as a full-time web developer, and I’ve been working with Affect3D for about a year and a half. My partner was doing audio work on G4E for a little while before handing it off too me, and we got introduced to the project by our mutual friend and former classmate who had been doing rigging for it.
Outside of this, I’m also a musician – I studied Music Composition in addition to Recording Arts.
So Tiaz, for Bloodlust Cerene, you are providing the background music, correct? Could you tell us a little something about the process?
Tiaz:
I’m composing the music for the title yes.
Regarding the music itself, it actually depends. I usually develop some very early themes based on the script and the discussions I have with Miro about the story, characters and mood. I try to come up with a palette of sounds, based on them.
If we are talking about “when does the process of composing music comes in,” it actually comes pretty early. I get to compose on footage that is not rendered yet, but is already in preview stage – usually with voice acting already in place. This way I have time to develop musical ideas and change some things if need be, without having to re-work the timing every time.
And then, it’s just about trying out things, finding the right sound and hoping they will work!
Who or what are your biggest inspirations? For example do movies or famous composers have any influence on your musical creations?
Tiaz:
I’d say my inspirations mostly come from my everyday life. I think we process things without knowing, then they come up later out of nowhere. But I also look for them whenever possible. For example, every time I watch a movie, a series or play a video game, I pay very close attention to the music. I just can’t help it. I try to understand why the composer did that at that particular moment and how he did it. It forces me to try things I never thought of. New ways of expressing musical ideas.
As for composers that influence my work, Howard Shore, Paul Haslinger and Hans Zimmer (to name a few) have at one point or another, changed the way I approached film music.
Any specific music you used as reference for the Bloodlust Cerene project?
Tiaz:
Not really, no. I try to come up with something original for each scene.
When it comes to illustrative music, you are serving the image. You have to come up with something that is original to the scenes. Or should I say, understand what is really going on and translate it into music.
And Jonah you are the audio editor and SFX person, correct? Could you tell us a little something about your tasks and the process?
Jonah:
That’s correct 🙂 Most of what I do falls into the following steps:
- Listening to voice takes and selecting the portions that sound best, cutting those out, then reassembling them together to form a cohesive composite using DAW software
- Cleaning up voice recordings in cases where there is a noticeable amount of extraneous noise using noise-reducing DSP
- (Occasionally) Cutting out pauses and stretching playback time to fit timing within the correct boundaries, or changing pitch of voice takes to more appropriately portray a character
- Processing the final takes with EQ, compression, and reverb to create as polished and professional a sound as possible
For Bloodlust Cerene, there will also be foley/sound design work that will entail recording sounds to go along with the action on screen then processing and placing those sounds at the appropriate times.
With regards to the SFX, how do you go about deciding what effects to add and where?
Jonah:
What sounds need to be added I determine by watching the scene and looking for things that “should make a sound.” A lot of times this is a matter of something feeling awkward with no audio queue associated. Then, usually I will record objects that make the correct kind of sound to reflect that action, or in some cases, take a previously recorded sound and modify it to fit the context.
What do two you think about the importance/ the role of sound in an animation (in general and with regards to Bloodlust Cerene)?
Tiaz:
I think sound in animation and in general is extremely important. It creates space and weight, and elevates the feeling of reality. As for music, it illustrates the scene’s subtext to an almost unconscious level.
For Bloodlust Cerene, we are telling a story. So every aspect must be covered. The goal is for the audience to forget they are watching 3d animation. We wish to give life to the characters. Sound in general, and music are one of the tools we can use to create that feeling.
Jonah:
The role of audio in animation to me is mostly a psychological matter of putting the audience in the right “space.” Ideally, the viewer will not notice the sounds and simply “believe” that what is happening on the screen is “real.” In Bloodlust Cerene, as with other adult-oriented CGI, the voice acting is crucial in creating the human aspect and very real erotic environment.
Do you have some favorite programs or instruments you use when making music?
Tiaz:
I guess it’s more about what instruments and how I use them than the programs. And I think it’s the same for every composer. It depends on every project. For Bloodlust Cerene, I wanted the tone to be radiant but also dark. A clash between good and evil, righteousness and trickery. I also wanted the sound to be mostly organic, with orchestral music.
Jonah:
For editing, I usually use Logic Pro, and I’ve recently been using Soundforge more for audio cleanup tasks.
Any other things you would like to share with our readers?
Tiaz:
I’d like to say that I’m very happy to be here, working with such a great team. And I hope you will be pleased with what we came up for you.
Jonah:
It’s been really awesome to be a part of what Affect3D does. Pushing the boundaries of adult entertainment is a really exciting new avenue that is just beginning to be explored, and is something that I feel is extremely important for the progress of the culture we are all a part of 🙂