Media Information Literacy Reporting

I. Introduce the Topic: Audio and Motion Dimensions of Information and

Media
II. Learning Objectives:
Learners will be able to understand:
1. Audio information and media
2. Motion information and media
III. Focused Topic
Hearing, as defined in www.umn.edu, is simply the act of perceiving sound by ear.
However, listening is a conscious experience that requires concentration so that the
brain can process meaning.
Audio Media Sound is an essential component of media. Your choice of sound and
means of sound production can make or break the information you wish to convey. The
sounds that are used in multimedia presentations come in different types. What are
these? Marshall (2001) cites three:
Types of Audio Media:
1. Music often elicits emotions and arousal from listeners Calvert (2014). It is
effective in mood setting and stimulates listeners in performing various personal
tasks such as studying and meditating, as well as social functions like for
courtship rituals, for the creation and maintenance of friendships, as a topic of
conversation, and as a way to encourage dancing (Roberts & Christenson, 2001
on Calvert 2014). Adolescents use music primarily for mood regulation
(Christenson & Roberts, 1998). Females consider music as a means to improve
their mood or dwell on melancholic emotions, while males are more likely to use
music for excitement. (Larson, Kubey, & Colletti, 1989, on Calvert, 2014)
2. Sound effects makes specific points, provides hint to the setting in the absence
of visuals (e.g., squeaky doors, explosions, rustling leaves, etc.) Sound effects
are grouped into four (Schneider, 2009)
a. Hard sound
Those that appear on screen and are synchronized to the picture, recorded directly
as what they are.
b. Foley sounds
Equally synchronized on screen but are not the original sound as what they appear
to be. That means that they are recorded and mixed to appear as another sound on
screen.
c. Background sound
All sounds that indicate ambience settings. They do not need to be synchronized to
the picture. Ambience sounds are usually recorded in real life application in nature
 and then mixed. Common background effects include weather ambience and forest
ambience, traffic sounds, etc.
d. Design sound
Describes a palette of sounds that usually do not occur in nature (laser weapon).
They may be created from scratch with various audio editing tools and with the help
of effect processors.
3. Narration is spoken message that often gives the most direct information. This is
the most essential content in some media formats, such as audiobooks designed for
the visually-impaired people or for those who want an alternative listening
experience in novels and other traditional reading content. Henriques (2018) says
that there are four types of narration:
a. Fully-Voiced Reading (solo narration) Probably the most recognized style
of reading. All of the characters are vocalized in a dramatic fashion or in a
way that makes the characters distinguishable from one another,
maintained throughout the entire audiobook, and usually all done by one
voice actor/narrator.
b. Partially-Voiced Reading (solo narration) Made when the voiced
production (usually done by one narrator) focuses on giving certain
characters a distinguishable voice – most commonly the protagonists or
any character who has a distinctive voice in the narration. The other
characters, normally the minor ones, do not need to sound dramatically
different from one another.
c. Unvoiced Readings (solo narration) The narrator reads the story in a
natural, more straightforward tone. There are no changes in voice for
different characters. The story is told in the narrator’s voice and the whole
book is usually voiced by one voice actor.
d. Multicast Readings / Full Cast Readings There is more than one voice
actor hired to read the audiobook. This can range from two characters
(duet narration) or more.
Audio File Formats
Sound comes in various digital formats. Schmidt (2020) posts 7 popular audio file types
in www.canto.com:
1. M4A is a mpeg-4 audio file or audio-compressed file used because of increased
quality demand as a result of cloud storage and bigger hard drive space in
contemporary computers. It is preferred due to its high quality.
2. FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an audio file compressed into a smaller
size of the original file. It is not frequently used compared to other sound file
formats because it often needs special downloads to function. The advantage of
FLAC is, being a lossless audio file, its compression can save size and promote
sharing of an audio file while being able to return to the original quality standard.
3. MP3 is an MPEG audio layer 3 file format preferred because its compression
saves valuable space while maintaining near-flawless quality of the original
 source of sound. MP3’s high quality and small size is very popular for all mobile
audio-playing devices. It is compatible with nearly every device capable of
reading audio files. The MP3 is probably best used for extensive audio file
sharing due to its manageable size. It also works well for websites that host
audio files.
4. MP4 is an audio file type is a comprehensive media extension, capable of
holding audio, video and other media. The MP4 contains data in the file, rather
than code. This is important to note as MP4 files require different codecs to
implement the code artificially and allow it to be read.
5. WAV is a Waveform Audio File that stores waveform data. The waveform data
stored demonstrates strength of volume and sound in specific parts of the WAV
file. It is entirely possible to transform a WAV file using compression, though it is
not standard. WAV is typically used on Windows systems. They are usually
uncompressed audio files, though it’s not a requirement of the format.
6. WMA (Windows Media Audio) is Windows-based alternative to the more
common and popular MP3 file type. Its advantage is its lossless compression,
retaining high audio quality throughout all types of restructuring processes.
Despite its quality, it is not the most popular do to its inaccessibility to many
users, especially those who don’t use the Windows operating system.
7. AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is an audio file that delivers decently highquality
sound and is enhanced using advanced coding. It has never been one of the
most popular audio formats, especially when it comes to music files, but the AAC
does still serve some purpose for major systems. This includes popular mobile
devices and video gaming units, where the AAC is a standard audio component.
Some Tips
1. Never underestimate the power of natural sound.
The sounds made by nature and by industry is the best musical score you can use in
your videos. When you shoot a scene, keep everybody silent and let the natural
ambient sound go with the action.
2. Create your own sound bank.
A sound bank comes in handy in case you need all natural and original sound. Keep
your sound recorder (your phone, that is) handy at all times. Record a quiet night with
only crickets and cicadas making sound, a rainfall, a busy street, strong winds, and
more. When the time comes that you would need ambient sound, you will already have
something available.
3. Go for original music, otherwise, search for royalty free music.
When you upload a video with an incorporated copyrighted music, social media might
instantly mute it because it violates copyright rules. In case you really need that
particular song, ask somebody to do a cover of it for your use. Social media will not
mute covers. Aside from this, you may opt to use royalty free music. Often times, the
creators of this music do not ask for any royalty or talent fee except that their works
must be duly cited in the end.
 4. Eliminate unnecessary noise as much as possible.
Sometimes, you cannot demand complete silence because of some circumstances.
Based on our experience, our most common sound problems are wind, industrial noise,
neighborhood noise (including the videoke), uncontrollable bystanders, and unmindful
production team. The remedy is simple: shut them up or move away.
5. Be careful with your voice recordings.
Some video contents rely greatly of voice component, like the instructional video
materials currently being produced for DepEd TV, and poor sound can affect the
content’s effectiveness, especially if the message is on the voice component itself. This
is one of our downfalls in some filmmaking competitions, so we have been very cautious
about this. The basic rule in sound recording is to direct the recording equipment as
close as possible to the sound source.
6. Balance layers of sound.
This is a problem we encounter when there is more than one layer of sound in a video,
say, a layer for voice, a second layer for music, and a third layer for ambient sound.
Remember to decrease the volume of the secondary and tertiary sound in order to
highlight the primary sound. For instance, your video may begin with music, but lower its
volume once the voice over enters. You may increase the music volume again after the
voice over narration.
Motion Media
Movement is another dimension that affects media and information. Every single
movement that is incorporated in a video production contributes to the storytelling
process or to elicit the desired emotions from the viewers.
Purposes of Movement in a Video
1. Creating Dynamics

Consider the camera as the viewer’s eyes on a story; therefore, how the camera moves
dictates how the viewers see a scene. Movements can make a scene more interesting.
Say for instance a basketball scene wherein the camera moves inside the court
throughout the game. It conveys the idea that the viewer is one of the players in the
game. On the other hand, that same basketball scene shot from afar makes the viewer
a spectator of the game. Which of these two is more exciting?
2. Influencing audiences’ emotional reactions:

As movement stands for the audience’s view, it can also influence emotions.
Shooting a gang war scene with shaky hand-held camera lets the audience feel the
chaos of the event, swaying the camera on a boat scene commands sea- sickness. I
remember watching “Saving Private Ryan” which begins with a prolonged war scene
perfectly executed with hand-held camera tracking the struggle of soldiers in the epic
Battle of Normandy. The movement was so disturbing and dizzying, I just prayed war
would stop soon.
3. Directing audiences’ attention:
Camera movements can hide audiences’ vision and pull audiences away from
certain elements on-screen.
4. Controlling reveals:

Adding camera movements is also a great way to provide narrative information,

reveal new subjects that were once offscreen, and even foreshadow or create ironic
tension that characters are unaware of.
Basic Camera Movement
The camera is the basic equipment to record movement. Other devices, like the
tripod, sliders, gimbal, dolly, and drone contribute to the quality of the captured
video. They can be improvised, though. All it takes in a bit of creativity to get things
done.
Clark (2016) mentions six basic movements that are doable even with minimal
equipment:
1. 566

Here are some other useful camera movement styles.

2. Zoom This technique allows you to move closer (zoom in) or farther an object
(zoom out) without physically moving the camera (Leu, 2020). Instead, the
camera’s lens does the job. This might lessen the image’s quality, that is why the
dolly becomes a better option.
3. Following shot This is a type of tracking shot in which the camera continuously
follows the subject’s action. (Leu, 2020). Following shots using handheld camera
results to bumpy or shaky video, which may convey a realistic sense.
Steadicams and gimbals may be used to create smoother following shots, but if
you do not have this, you can still opt for the hand-held style, but stay relaxed to
avoid the shakes. To execute this, I normally bend my knees a bit to lessen the
impact of walking.