For many young people, adulthood is presented as a milestone to look forward to different achievments such as, getting a job, moving into your first home and building your future. But for a growing number, these milestones are becoming increasingly difficuly to reach. The gap between what young people can earn versus what it costs to live independantly deservers far more sustained media attention.
Housing is a particularly important part of this conversation. Rent, deposits, household bills and everyday essentials can make moving out feel financially out of reach, even for those who are working or studying towards a qualification. At the same time, young people are encouraged to gain experience, pursue education and become financially independent, often without a clear understanding of how these expectations fit together in practice.
Coverage of the cost-of-living crisis frequently focuses on household bills, mortgage holders and pensioners. These are important stories, but younger people navigating the transition from education into employment can face a different set of pressures. Their experiences risk being reduced to statistics or stereotypes about spending habits, rather than explored through meaningful reporting.
The media should do more to investigate what independence actually looks like for people entering adulthood today. This could involve speaking directly to apprentices, students, young workers, housing advisers and employers, examining the relationship between entry-level salaries and living costs, and exploring how access to family support shapes people’s opportunities.
Crucially, this should not become a story that portrays an entire generation as helpless. Young people have ambitions, make difficult decisions and find creative ways to manage financial pressures. Their experiences deserve to be represented with the same depth and complexity given to other groups.
Better coverage would help audiences understand not only the financial barriers facing young adults, but also the wider consequences for opportunity, wellbeing and social mobility. If becoming independent is an expectation of adulthood, the media should be asking whether the economic conditions exist to make that expectation realistic.
This week, I spent my time creating radio sweepers for our one hour radio show, The becnhwarmeds. The aim was to create a collection of short and engaging pieces of radio imagaing that could be used to introduce and remind people about the show.
The target audience is primarily listeners interested in sports, entertainment and energetic radio content. I wanted the sweepers to appeal to this audience through their pacing, sound design and delivery, while remaining clear enough for listeners to recognise the show.
I created the sweepers using Adobe Audition 2026, working with voice recordings, music beds, sound effects and different audio effects. I also organised my sound library so that I could find suitable audio elements quickly when building each sweeper.
Research
Technical
For this project, I used Adobe Audition 2026 because it provides the tools needed to edit, process and layer audio. As the sweepers needed to sound punchy and professionally produced, I experimented with different effects to improve the quality of the voice recordings and give them more character.
One of the main techniques I used was parametric EQ. This allowed me to adjust the frequency balance of the vocals and make them sound cleaner and more defined. Rather than leaving the recordings completely unprocessed, I used EQ to help the voice sit more effectively within the overall sound of each sweeper.
I also experimented with noise reduction to remove unwanted background noise from the recordings. This was important because I wanted the vocals to sound clean and clear, particularly when layered with music and sound effects.
Another part of the process involved using dynamic processing. I experimented with tools including the DeEsser, Multiband Compressor, Dynamics Processing and Hard Limiter. These effects helped me control the vocal dynamics, reduce harsh sibilance and create a more consistent sound. The Hard Limiter was particularly useful for controlling peaks and preventing the audio from becoming excessively loud.
Story
Stylistic
Stylistically, I wanted The Benchwarmers to have an energetic, modern sports-radio sound.
I experimented with layering vocal recordings alongside music beds, impacts and other sound effects. The aim was to make the sweepers feel engaging from the beginning, without allowing the additional sounds to overpower the voice.
Problem Solving
Problem: The sweepers needed to sound energetic and professional without making the vocals difficult to understand.
Solution: I experimented with parametric EQ, noise reduction and dynamic processing to improve the clarity and consistency of the recordings. I also considered how the music and sound effects interacted with the vocals, making sure that the spoken words remained the main focus.
Problem: Using the same style of sweeper repeatedly could make the show’s imaging sound repetitive.
Solution: I created different variations using alternative vocal deliveries, sound effects and music beds. This gave me more options when deciding which imaging to use throughout the hour and helped establish a more varied identity for The Benchwarmers.
Problem: Finding suitable music beds and sound effects could become time-consuming when working on multiple sweepers.
Solution: I organised my resources into separate beds and imaging folders. This made it easier to find suitable audio elements and helped me maintain a more efficient workflow.
Evaluation and Reflection
What Went Well (WWW)
I think one of the main successes this week was creating a variety of sweepers for The Benchwarmers rather than relying on a single piece of imaging. This gave the show a stronger identity and provided different options that could be used throughout the hour.
I also developed my understanding of vocal processing in Adobe Audition. Experimenting with parametric EQ, noise reduction, dynamic processing, reverb and delay helped me understand how different effects can change the character of a recording. I was able to consider not only whether an effect sounded interesting, but also whether it improved the overall quality of the sweeper.
Another positive was my use of multitrack editing. By arranging different audio elements across multiple tracks, I could build up the sweepers and experiment with how the vocals interacted with the music and sound effects. This gave me more creative control than simply editing a single audio file.
Even Better If (EBI)
I could improve the project by developing a more consistent sound across all the sweepers. Although having different styles is important, I could establish a more recognisable audio signature through recurring sound effects, vocal treatments or musical elements.
I could also experiment further with transitions between the vocals and sound effects. More precise timing and layering could make some of the sweepers feel tighter and more impactful, particularly when using shorter, energetic radio IDs.
Another area for improvement would be to compare the different versions in the context of the actual radio show. Listening to them individually is useful, but hearing them between presenter links and other programme content would help me understand whether they work effectively in a real broadcast environment.
For this week we began and completed the Matthew Gamble golf interview. the original inerview was around 20 mins long and the aim was to condense this into a shorter 5 min piece that told a clear and impactful story.
Matthew is a golfer who plays with one hand, so rather than simply creating a shortened version of the interview, I wanted the final edit to focus on his story, the challenges he has faced and his experience within golf. The main challenge was deciding which parts of the original 20-minute interview were actually necessary to tell this story while still allowing Matthew’s personality and experiences to come through.
The target audience for the piece was primarily people interested in sport and human-interest stories, particularly audiences who may not necessarily follow golf but could still connect with Matthew’s story.
Research
Technical
We did this piece on Adobe Priemere Pro as it is generally the industry standard to edit highlights packages on, we also researched different editing applications such as final cut pro which we could not use due to its exclusivity to apple branded products, and divinci resolve. Premiere pro was really useful because I needed to work with multiple video and audio tracks, as well as broll, music and sound effects.
One technique I used more heavily within this edit was the J-cut. Instead of always cutting the audio and video at exactly the same point, I allowed the audio from the upcoming section to begin before its corresponding visual appeared. This helped connect different sections of the interview together and made some of the transitions feel less abrupt.
I also organised downloaded sound effects into a separate SFX library before bringing them into Premiere. This meant that I could find and reuse sounds more efficiently rather than having individual files spread across different folders.
Story
The story was the most important part of the edit becuase I had around 20 mins of matherial but 5 mins of a finished piece.
Instrad of simply taking 5 mins of the original interview I listened through the questsions and answered that proved to be the most impactful parts, I wanted the audience to understand who he was and his relationship with golf.
This meant that some answeres had to be shortened considerably or removed completley.
I also used B-roll to support what Matthew was saying rather than simply covering cuts. For example, when he discussed some of the social challenges he had experienced, I selected relevant footage of him that kept Matthew visually present within the story.
Stylistic
For the style, I wanted the piece to feel calm and reflectiverather than the fast paced sports highlights we had previously done.
I layered the music underneath setions of the interview to establish this atmospehere. The music kept under the dialouge rather than overpowering it because Matthews story was the main focus. This gave the audience something visually relevant to watch while still hearing Matthew tell his story.
Problem Solving
Problem: The original interview was approximately 20 minutes long, but the finished piece needed to be around 5 minutes.
Solution: I identified the strongest sections of Matthew’s interview and prioritised answers that either introduced important information, revealed something about him or progressed the overall story. Repeated or less relevant sections were removed.
Problem: Cutting heavily between different parts of the interview sometimes made the edit feel abrupt.
Solution: I used J-cuts and allowed audio to overlap some visual transitions. This meant the audience could begin hearing the next section before seeing the corresponding footage, creating a smoother transition between ideas.
Problem: A five-minute interview using mainly the same camera angle could become visually repetitive.
Solution: I used relevant B-roll of Matthew and the golf course throughout the piece. I tried to make the B-roll relate directly to what Matthew was discussing rather than adding footage purely for visual variety.
Evaluation and Reflection
What Went Well (WWW)
I think I successfully condensed approximately 20 minutes of interview footage into a 5-minute story without simply making the interview feel shortened. I focused on selecting the moments that contributed most to Matthew’s story and removed information that did not progress the piece.
I improved my use of B-roll as a storytelling tool. Instead of placing random golf footage over cuts, I tried to select footage that related to what Matthew was discussing. This made the visuals feel more purposeful.
I also developed my audio editing within Premiere by using music, natural sound, separate audio tracks and J-cuts. This helped transitions between different sections feel smoother and gave the final piece a more polished and cinematic feel.
Even Better If (EBI)
I could improve my workflow by creating a paper edit or transcript-based rough cut before beginning the main timeline edit. With around 20 minutes of interview material, identifying the strongest quotes beforehand would make it easier to construct the 5-minute narrative.
I could experiment more with the pacing of the B-roll. Some sections could potentially hold on a shot for longer during more emotional moments, while other sections could use quicker cuts depending on what Matthew is discussing.
I could also develop the sound design further by recording or using more natural golf-course ambience rather than relying mainly on downloaded sound effects. Sounds such as wind, birds, footsteps on grass and golf shots could help establish a stronger sense of location.
For this week we began and finished another Staines Rugby highlights package building on the foundations feom last time, the aim was to condense the full match into a shorter package, thatc learly showed the story of the game. This included kickiff, tries, conversions, half time and full tume whistles. The target audience remained generally male viewers aged around 11–35 who are interested in rugby and particularly supporters who want to catch up on their local team’s games without watching the entire match.
Research
Technical
We did this piece on Adobe Priemere Pro as it is generally the industry standard to edit highlights packages on, we also researched different editing applications such as final cut pro which we could not use due to its exclusivity to apple branded products, and divinci resolve. One area I focused on more during this edit was the audio. When cutting a long match down into a much shorter package, the audio can suddenly jump between completely different sections of the game. To prevent this, I used separate audio tracks and layered sections of the crowd sound underneath certain cuts. I then crossfaded between them so the background atmosphere continued naturally rather than suddenly changing.
Story
I had a better understanding of what needed to be included to tell the story of the match. Instead of treating every moment equally, I focused on selecting the events that actually progressed the game, such as kick-off, tries, conversions and the half-time and full-time whistles.
I also considered how long I stayed on each moment. For example, after a try I allowed enough time for the audience to understand what had happened before transitioning into the replay. This prevented the package from feeling rushed while still maintaining the fast pace expected from sports highlights.
Stylistic
For the style of the package I continued taking inspiration from professional rugby and sports highlights, where the edit moves quickly between the important moments but still allows the atmosphere of the match to come through.
One technique I carried over from the previous edit was using a 12-frame cross dissolve when transitioning from a try into its replay. Rather than placing dissolves between every clip, I specifically used the transition to visually communicate to the audience that they were moving from the live sequence into a replay.
Problem Solving
Problem: Cutting between different parts of the match caused noticeable changes in the crowd audio.
Solution: I layered sections of crowd audio onto separate tracks and crossfaded them so that the atmosphere continued naturally across the cuts.
Problem: Moving directly from a try into its replay felt too sudden.
Solution: I used the 12-frame cross dissolve from the style guide specifically between the original highlight and its replay, creating a clearer visual transition for the audience.
Problem: Some replay sections sounded disconnected from the original highlight because both the video and audio changed at the same time.
Solution: I allowed the crowd and clapping audio to continue across the transition and crossfaded it into the replay audio, making the edit sound smoother.
Evaluation and Reflection
What Went Well (WWW)
I improved the audio continuity of this highlights package by layering and crossfading crowd audio, which made cuts between different sections of the match sound much more natural.
I became more confident with the structure of a rugby highlights package. As this was my second time completing this type of edit, I was able to identify important moments and organise the footage more efficiently.
I used transitions more intentionally. Rather than placing cross dissolves throughout the video, I limited the 12-frame cross dissolve to transitions between the main highlight and its replay.
Even Better If (EBI)
I could improve my workflow further by watching through the original match and placing markers for every try, conversion, kick-off and whistle before beginning any cutting, rather than identifying some moments while already editing.
I could experiment with additional graphics, such as the current score, team names or try scorers, which would give the audience more information and make the package feel closer to professional sports coverage.
I could spend more time mixing the different crowd audio sections, adjusting their levels as well as crossfading them so there is an even more consistent atmosphere throughout the entire package.
For this week we began and finished the Staines rugby team highlights package, with graphics at the beginning and the end. The goal was to summuraise the story of the game in an efficient manner, this was showing: kick off, tries and conversions in between, half time and full time whistles. This was to target generally male audiences around 11-35 who are interested in their local rugby club games. The specific game that we edited was the Staines rugby team vs Farnbourgh.
Research
Technical
We did this piece on Adobe Priemere Pro as it is generally the industry standard to edit highlights packages on, we also researched different editing applications such as final cut pro which we could not use due to its exclusivity to apple branded products, and divinci resolve. We settled on Adobe Priemere Pro as we had already been familliar with the application.
Story
I interpreted the brief was too ensure that the highlights pacakge told the story without showing the entire game, this meant identifying the moments that were necessary for the audience to understand.
I prioristised the kick off, tries and conversions with the half time and full time shistles, while removing the sections where there was little or no action what so ever as it was not important. I also made sure I did not cut too quickly after important moments allowing the audience enough time to understand what had happened.
To orginise this I placed markers on the timeline and temporarily moved clips to the higher tracks to orginise my self and complete the work in an efficient manner. Once I had selected the clips I used the ripple delete function to close the gaps.
Stylistic
My idea for this piece of work was to complete a fast paced highlight reel but also ensure how natural it feels, the inspiration mainly the Sky Sports Rugby highlights which easily show the kick off, half time and full time whistles with tries and conversions in between.
When showing a try and moving onto the replay I used a 12 drame cross dissolve as detailed in the style guide, the match was shot in 24 FPS so a 12 frame criss dissolve would have been a dissolve lasting half a second between the replay and the main highlight
I also used graphics at the beginning and end of the package to give the edit a clearer introduction and conclusion and make it feel more like a complete highlights package rather than simply a collection of clips.
Problem Solving
Problem: I used cross dissolves on every transition Solution: Got rid of the majority of them and ensured that the only cross dissolve was between a try and a replay.
Problem: Removing large sections of footage created gaps in the timeline Solution: I used the ripple delete function to remove the empty space and bringing them together
Problem: Some cuts in some sections felt too sudden Solution: I prioritised the main events such as kick-off, tries, conversions, half-time and full-time so the audience could still understand the progression of the game.
Evaluation and Reflection
What Went Well (WWW)
I successfully condensed a much longer rugby match into a shorter highlights package while still maintaining the main story and progression of the game.
I improved my organisation within Adobe Premiere Pro, particularly through using markers, multiple tracks and ripple delete to manage a large amount of footage.
I also became more intentional with my editing decisions, such as considering the frame rate when setting transition durations rather than adding transitions without thinking about their exact timing.
Even Better If (EBI)
I could mark all of the tries, conversions and other important moments before beginning the main edit, which would make the editing process quicker and more organised.
I could experiment with more sports-specific graphics, such as score updates or try graphics, to give the package more information visually.
I could also improve the pacing further by reviewing the finished package multiple times and identifying any sections that could be shortened without removing important context.
For this week we began and finished the Chris Powel radio interview alongside the Joe Cole and Owen Hargreaves interveiew, the goal was to cut it down from 20 mins all the way down to 3 distinct sections to be included within the radio links, the target audience for this was around 15-35 years old who are intrested in general sports and insights into sports players and what they do etc.
Research
Technical
We researched multiple different editing daws to edit the peice of audio such as, audacity and adobe audition. And I ended up using adobe audition because of its user friendly enviorment in comparision to audacity alongside that we had already been familliar with it from last year.
Story
The way I interpreted this brief was to research different features and editing techniques that I could use in my own editing forms. Such as ensuring to cut and delete long pauses and filler words in the vocals, ensuring a high quality fast pace turn out good for broadcast. We researched different sports based radio stations such as talk sport and bbc 5 live and saw how they did theirn interviews and how we could adapt it to ours.
Stylistic
Our inspiration for this was largley taken from different talk sport interviews due to how they edit them, with their quick cuts maintaining their fast paced format all the way through the interview.
Problem Solving
Problem: Cutting a 20-minute interview down without losing key information. Solution: I selected the strongest and most relevant answers.
Problem: Filler words and long pauses slowed the interview down. Solution: I removed them carefully in Adobe Audition.
Problem: Some sections lacked pace for radio. Solution: I used quicker cuts inspired by talkSPORT and BBC 5 Live.
Evaluation and Reflection
What Went Well (WWW)
I successfully cut the interviews down while keeping the strongest content.
The final edits had a quicker, more professional radio-style pace.
I used Adobe Audition confidently to clean and structure the audio.
Even Better If (EBI)
I could plan my chosen sections earlier to speed up the editing process.
I could improve the consistency of audio levels between speakers.
I could use more advanced transitions and processing to make the edits even smoother.
On this week of my FMP, my main focus was completing the standalone sports focused episode of my running series, The Playbook. Titling it “Broken Bodies.” This was also while beginning and completing the practical skills section of my FMP. Although Broken Bodies was not directly apart of, Echoes of Then, it directly supported the wider development of my audio documentary and sound design skills.
Researc
Story
The narritave focus of broken bodies was centred around athletes struggling with injury, pressure and failed comebacks. My main inspiration for this was after hearing about Jack Wilshire, someone who was regarded as the future of english football. But he was prone to injury but he still kept trying to come back to the sport. But it was never the same.
The video I saw is linked below.
The episode was designed to feel more emotional and cinematic than factual. Focussing heavily on story telling and atmosphere rather than statistics or traditional sports reporting.
This was useful for my FMP overall because it allowed me to continue developing documentary narration techniques and emotional pacing outside the scope of Echoes of then,.
Alongside this, the practical skills section of my website became a major focus this week. I researched what evidence is required for a Level 3 FMP practical skills page and developed the page further. more professional pridcution evidence and clearer technical explanations.
We were provided with a template on things that we should include for a good turn out and that has been attached below.
Stylistic
Broken bodies continued to build on the documentary tone, developing throughout echoes of then. The episode used slower pacing, cinematic music and layered ambient sound design to create emotional weight around athletes being discussed.
I focused heavily on allowing narration and atmosphere to work together rather than constantly filling yhe documentary with sound. Silence, slower transitions and structured rather than simply becoming a large collection of screenshots. S
Technical
Technically, this week was heavily focused on editing and documenting workflows professionally. Broken Bodies was edited in Adobe Audition using multitrack sessions with layered narration, cinematic music beds and atmospheric sound design.
I continued using my vocal processing chain including:
De-Esser
Parametric EQ
Dynamics Processing
Multiband Compression
Hard Limiter
Screenshots are shwon below
Practical Skills
The practical skills this week were heavily focused on organisation, documentation and professional presentation. I completed the practical skills section of my website by structuring all evidence into clear production stages including pre-production, recording, editing, sound design, processing and exporting.
I added:
script drafts
cue sheets
production schedules
raw and processed waveform screenshots
vocal chain screenshots
automation evidence
LUFS/export screenshots
equipment comparisons
sound design explanations
This allowed the website to feel much more like a professional production portfolio rather than just a collection of edits and screenshots.
Alongside this, I completed the full production workflow of Broken Bodies, from scripting and narration through to final editing and sound design.
Evaluation and reflection
What Went Well (WWW)
1. The practical skills section became much more professional and detailed. The final website now clearly documents all stages of the production process, including scripting, recording, editing, sound design and exporting. This makes the workflow easier to understand and properly evidences the technical skills used throughout the project.
2. The pacing and atmosphere within Broken Bodies were effective. The slower narration, cinematic sound design and quieter reflective moments helped create emotional weight and made the documentary feel more mature stylistically.
3. My technical workflow became more organised overall. Using clearer session organisation, markers, bricking and stepping techniques improved efficiency while editing and made larger multitrack sessions easier to manage.
Even Better If (EBI)
1. Some sections of the practical skills page could still be simplified visually. Although the page now contains strong evidence, there are some sections where the amount of screenshots and text becomes visually dense. Breaking some sections up further could improve readability.
2. More original sound creation could improve the documentary further. While the sound design was effective overall, recording more custom Foley sounds or atmospheres would help make the documentary feel even more unique and cinematic.
3. The scripting process could be refined earlier. Some sections of narration were adjusted repeatedly during editing, which increased production time. More detailed scripting drafts earlier in production would make the workflow more efficient overall.
For this week on my FMP, my main focus was completing the third episode of my project, titling it “out of time.” The episode was again targeted towards an audience of 16-23 year olds with a secondary audience of 26-33 year olds. The episode was designed to act as the conclusion to the three part documentary, bringing together the emotional themes of episode one and the more analytical themes of episode into a final reflective piece.
The aim was to provide clarity around the idea of nostalgia, explaining war the feeling actually is and why memories often feel more meaningful after a time has passed. I also needed to subtly integrate a sporting influence into the episode without changing the core theme of the project
Research
Story
The main focus this week was developing the script structure for the final episode making sure it acted as a real conclusion to the series. Another focus was after recieiving feedback on my research section of my amp and had to adapt the context section and the main research section tpp.
I also developed real life examples throughout the script to make the concepts feel more relatable and grounded. Using football, basketball and live match experiences allowed the spiked to subtly connect back to sport while still remaining focused on nostalgia and memory.
Stylistic
Stylistically I was more inclined to take the ideas from other audio documentary titled, “The story of the Nike in football, which is linked below. This was to further evoke that sporting imagery within the episode and how much of anything especially sports can be nostalgic.
I needed episode 3 to feel calm and grounded, this is in comparison to the darker tones of episode 2 and the warm and reflective idea of episode one. The sound design in the episode relied on creating a very calm environment with some birds chirping but also relating the episode to time hence the clock ticking at all times.
Technical
The technical focus was to refine my pace as said in the last weeks EBI, narration and atmosphere to create a polished outro to the series. The narration was recorded in a treated environment with an AT2020 and edited using Adobe audition on a MacBook Pro M2.
I further used my vocal chain within the edit to have refined vocals and maintain consistency throughout the episodes. Such as:
Parametric EQ
Dynamics Processing
Multiband Compressor
Hard Limiter
De-Esser
Practical Skills
This week’s practical skills were based around scripting, recording and editing the final episode of the documentary series. A major focus was making sure the final episode felt like a conclusion rather than just another instalment.
I experimented more with pacing and silence, allowing certain sections to breathe rather than constantly layering sound effects underneath the narration. I also developed stronger scripting techniques by using real-life examples and metaphors to explain more complex ideas around nostalgia and perspective.
Evaluation and Reflection
What Went Well (WWW)
1. The final episode successfully concluded the series.
Episode 3 brought together the emotional and analytical themes explored throughout the project and provided a clear ending to the documentary series.
2. The sporting examples felt natural and subtle.
Using football, basketball and live match experiences helped connect the project slightly back to sport without distracting from the main topic of nostalgia and memory.
3. The pacing and atmosphere were more controlled and mature.
The slower pacing, softer sound design and use of silence helped the episode feel more reflective and polished compared to earlier episodes.
⸻
Even Better If (EBI)
1. Some sections of narration could still be shortened slightly.
Although the reflective pacing worked well, a few sections could be made more concise to improve overall flow and maintain engagement.
2. More experimentation with ambient sound could improve immersion further.
While the atmosphere worked effectively overall, adding a wider range of subtle ambient textures could help make certain moments feel even more immersive.
3. The editing workflow could be prepared earlier.
Preparing more sound assets and music choices before editing would help make the post-production process faster and more efficient in future projects.
On this week of my FMP, the main focus was recording and editing the second episode of my project titling it, “Repackaging the past”
This episode was a direct build from episode one, which setup the foundation as to what was the main subject of the documentary series. I wanted EP2 to look from more of an anlylitcal point of view being much more aggressive in its style, feeling like more of an accusation rather than a calm vibe EP1 was aiming for.
The aim was to challenege the listener’s perception, showing that nostalgia is not just a feeling but it can be some thing that is deliberatley constructed, edited and used. I ensuured for the episode that it remained accessible and engaging for the primariy audience of 16-24 year olds, while maintaining the depth for the secondary audience of 25-36.
Research
Story
I did not want to simply explain what nostalgia was, episode 2’s aim was to focus on how the past can be repackaged and presented back to audiences. The structure of the script was designed to guide the listener through the idea step by step, allowing them to take in the thoughts and ideas I was attempting to represent.
The episode still connects back to my core research into memory, media and nostalgia but applies it in a more critical and thought provoking way, helping to develop the overal direction.
This also entails within the script which can be found here. And the script was designed to be shorter and more hard hitting with more impactfull wors that allowed to sink into the audience.
This is all coupled with me experimenting with more of a narritive structure in comparison to episode one, introducing moments that directly distrupt the listener’s expectations.
Stylistic
Stylistically, this episode is in a direct contradiction to episode one while it still manages to remain as a step up and a build from the foundations that episode one layed out
The first episode focused on warmth and reflection, episode 2 introduces a more unstelling and controlled tone. I used sound design to manipulate the listenr’s ecxpectations, including moments where the audio creates a false sense of comfort before being interuptted.
An example of this is shown below
I introduced a jazz style track at the beginning to create a calm, familliar atmosphere before cutting it and replacing it with glitch effects, to act as iot something was wrong with the vhs tape that was put in, a rewind effect then comes in with the idea of “attempting to fix” the problem but now the truth was going to revealed in the broken tape.
As the episode progresses the tone becomes darker, with pulsing sounds and more unsettling audio designed to feel like an accusation as iof the listneer was being cornered. This then shifts into reputting a different VHS which does work “properly” at the end which fits for a familliar, nostalgic ending.
Technical
The technical focus was to aim for vocal clarity and complex sound layering
All annoted screenshots are shown below
The narration was recorded in a treated environment and edited using Adobe Audition on my MacBook Pro M2. I used the same vocal processing chain as Episode 1 to maintain consistency across the series. This included:
DeNoise
De-Esser
Parametric EQ
Dynamics Processing
Multiband Compressor
Hard Limiter
Practical Skills
I completed the full scripting, recording and editing of Episode 2, while also developing more advanced sound design techniques.
A key skill I developed was manipulating the listener’s expectations through audio. This included:
Creating a false sense of security using music before disrupting it
Repeating and glitching dialogue to simulate audio corruption
Cutting audio abruptly to create tension
Using silence and empty space strategically to emphasise key moments
I also continued using bricking and stepping methods within the multitrack to organise the session and layer multiple sound effects effectively. This was particularly important due to the increased complexity of this episode compared to Episode 1.
Volume automation and fades were used more precisely to control how sounds entered and exited, ensuring that the narration remained the focus while still allowing the sound design to have impact.
Evaluation and Reflection
What Went Well (WWW)
1. The episode successfully developed the project’s narrative. Episode 2 clearly builds on Episode 1 by shifting from emotional reflection to critical analysis. This progression makes the overall documentary feel more structured and purposeful.
2. The sound design became more creative and impactful. The use of glitches, repetition and abrupt transitions helped create a more immersive and thought-provoking listening experience. It also reinforced the core theme of manipulation within nostalgia.
3. The editing structure was well organised despite increased complexity. Using markers, bricking and stepping methods helped manage a much more detailed multitrack session, making the workflow more controlled and efficient.
Even Better If (EBI)
1. Some transitions could be refined further. While the disruptive style worked well, a few transitions could be smoothed slightly to maintain clarity without losing impact.
2. The balance between narration and effects could be improved in places. At certain points, sound effects compete slightly with the vocal. Further fine-tuning would ensure the narration always remains dominant.
3. Planning sound design earlier could improve efficiency. Although experimentation led to strong creative outcomes, pre-planning certain sound design sections could reduce editing time while maintaining quality.
A link to this episode will be attached when the series is complete
For this week on the FMP, my main focus was moving on from the previous research page into the first stage of production, writing, recording and editing my first episode for the project being, “Why do we miss the past?” The aim of this episode was to bring in the theme of nostagia, and help the listneer understand what the feeling actually is. Making sure to tailor it to my primairy audience of 16-24 yer olds with a secodary audience of 25 – 36 years old.
Research
Story
This week the main priorty was making sure the script was completed which is now in the practical skills section of my website. And also making sure the theme was properly introduced and answering the main question. I wanted the episode to feel reflective, informarive while still sounding natural and easy to follow.
The script and the recording had to establish Echoes of then ads a concept and also act as a strong opening to the three part series.
Stylistically, this week ws about making sure Episode one had the right atmosphere. Taking a lot of the sound design techniques from a previous audio documentary mini series of mine, The playbook, mainly the first installment The revival of british basketball.
I wanted the tone to feel calm, reflective and layered so that the audience could properly understand the rmotional side of nostalgia before flipping the script in later episodes to show them a more anylitical side. I used a mixture of narration, ambient sound design, old school effects and music beds to make the episode feel more immersive rather than simple spoken all of the way through.
Technical
The tehcnical focus was making sure my main vocal was serisouly on point along with all of the other effects. I recorded the narration in a treated space and editied the episode on Adobe Audition on my Macbook Pro M2 . I used a full vocal processing chain, all of the screenshots of the process has been attached below. This was all to improve clarity and includes the, De-Esser, Parametric EQ, Dynamics Processing, Hard limiter and the multiband compressor.
Practical Skills
The skills this week were fully based around production and post production. I first scripted the entire episode then recorded and edited the final peice. In the intro I ran a focus group too to help me select a specific sound track for the intro.
Below I have attached the 3 options to focus group could choose from, for context, I wanted to evoke a warmth feeling alongisde nostalgia etc. The group selected the second one which I did agree with.
I further used techniques such as bricking and stepping to keep the session irginised, layered with so many different sound FX. This was all to create a powerful opener to the series. I also adjusted fades and volume automation to make key moments so much more effective.
Evaluation and Reflection
What Went Well (WWW)
1. The script translated well into the final documentary. The script gave the episode a clear structure and made it easier to build a professional documentary flow. The final piece stayed close to the original intention and successfully introduced the topic of nostalgia in a calm and reflective way.
2. The vocal processing improved the quality of the narration. Using the de-esser, EQ, dynamics processing, multiband compression and hard limiter helped make the narration cleaner, clearer and more consistent. This gave the episode a stronger overall finish and made it sound more polished.
3. The sound design and multitrack structure were effective. Layering multiple sound effects, music beds and transitions helped the episode feel immersive and well-produced. The use of markers, bricking and stepping in the multitrack also kept the editing process organised and easier to manage.
Even Better If (EBI)
EBI (Even Better If)
1. The editing process could be made slightly quicker. Although the final outcome was strong, some of the editing took longer than expected because of how detailed the layering and refinement became. In future episodes, I could make this process more efficient by preparing the track layout earlier.
2. Some sound effects could be refined even further. While the sound design worked well overall, a few effects and transitions could still be balanced more carefully so that they support the narration without taking too much attention away from it.
3. The vocal chain could be tested earlier in the process. Although the final settings worked well, testing and locking the vocal chain earlier would make the workflow smoother for future episodes and save more time during post-production.
