Curriculum
The field of sound design for film, television, and games demands a high calibre of results and resourceful, knowledgeable professionals. That is the focus of your education in the VFS Sound Design for Visual Media program.
Along with Avid Pro Tools, you will be trained in the industry standard software, such as Max/MSP, that you will need in your career. With our studio production facilities at your fingertips, you learn mixing, video game audio, dialogue editing, sound design, and recording. Instructors mentor you through the design and production of audio for original film and digital media content and you graduate with an original demo reel showcasing your achievements and professionalism.
Program & Term Overview
Weeks 1-8 (Term 1)
You begin by developing a conceptual framework in sound design, and put into practice the physical basis of audio, the psychology of sound, synthesis fundamentals, analog signal flow, film concepts, and recording . You will also become familiar with the main audio tool of the industry, Pro Tools.
Weeks 9-16 (Term 2)
Building on the theory and tools in Term 1, Term 2 will see you begin to implement concepts. You will learn the basics of audio editing for film sound, such as background or ambience editing, Foley editing, dialogue editing, and sound effects editing. This term also introduces video game audio and its unique challenges in using sound. Other introductory classes include MIDI & Synthesis, Music Editing, and Intro to Sound Designing. You will build on your recording skills by using higher-end portable recorders and microphones and going onto film sets to act as production mixers and boom operators.
Weeks 17-24 (Term 3)
This term builds on the previous terms' post-production and game audio courses by engaging you in more complex techniques and concepts. You will reinforce fundamentals through in-depth instruction in Max and Sound Designing 2, preparing you to work on games and films created by the Film Production program and Game Design campus. You will also gain access to mix labs with Pro Tools HD3 and Control 24s.
Weeks 25-32 (Term 4)
You will explore advanced post-production through practical sound editing, synchronization, and intro to post-production mixing. You will learn advanced game audio techniques and tools such as Wwise.
Weeks 33-40 (Term 5)
A primary focus of Term 5 is instruction in large-scale film mixing in a true 5.1 re-recording mix stage. Understanding how the whole system is set up, and the workflows of such systems, is vital to understanding how films are mixed. This includes the specialized training required to operate Avid's large-scale mixing consoles, such as the ICON D-Control ES. You will observe and practice true re-recording mixing by mixing student films created by the Film Production program, and continue your progress with more game audio classes.
Weeks 41-48 (Term 6)
To prepare for graduation, you will complete audio for your final post-production audio project and author your portfolio on DVD. Your final post-production project is presented to a jury of industry experts and you will field questions related to your work. You will also create original sounds for an Electronic Arts game using a proprietary Electronic Arts tool which can be demonstrated in your portfolio. Finally, you are provided with necessary professional skills, such as resume writing and the basics of business, to help you launch your career after graduation.
Sample Classes
Term 1
Intro to Film Sound Concepts
Intro to Mixing
Intro to Portable Recording
Intro to Post Recording
Intro to Pro Tools
Intro to Sound
Post Recording 2
Portable Recording 2
Term 2
Intro to Game Audio
Intro to MIDI and Synthesis
Intro to Post Audio Editing
Mixing 2
Post Recording 3
Intro to Sound Designing
Production Sound Mixing
Term 3
Game Audio 2
Intro to Max/MSP
Music Editing
Post Editing 2
Sound Designing 2
Protools 2
Mixing 3
Term 4
Post Audio Editing 3
Synchronization
Intro to Post Mixing
Post Mixing 2
Game Audio 3
Sound Designing 3
Term 5
Game Audio 4
Post Mixing 3
Intro to Professional Skills
Term 6
Final Post-Production Audio Project
Final Game Audio Project
Professional Skills 2
Portfolio Production