Sound Work From Home - Remote Audio Workflow Asbjoern Andersen


If you're used to working in a studio, the transition to working from home may seem impossible. Don't panic. We've put together some resources on how to make the transition to remote-based working. We also reached out to Steve Campagna at Philadelphia Post, who has successfully switched from working with clients in his editing suite to working at home.
Interview by Jennifer Walden, photos courtesy of Steve Campagna
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Animal Hyperrealism IV Is Here!

I n response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies are switching to remote-based workflows. The bright side: the commute is amazing. The downside: the transition is stressful!

Here, we talk to Mixer/Editor/Producer Steve Campagna at Philadelphia Post about making the move to working remotely. Philadelphia Post works with clients from the advertising, film, television, and radio industries. Typically, their client interactions are face-to-face and their recording booths are talent-occupied. But Campagna is now handling his workload at home. Find out his recommended ways of sharing assets and choosing the right gear for remote recording sessions. He also talks about addressing client changes ‘after hours.’

 

Remote-workflow-1

Steve Campagna, Mixer/Editor/Producer at Philadelphia Post

For a studio that typically works with clients face-to-face, what are some important steps to take in order to move to a remote-based workflow? What should the studio keep in mind? What should clients be aware of?

Steve Campagna (SC): Clients should be aware that the session will move slower; you can’t give feedback as quickly or even read the room. It’s much easier to step on someone else’s words when you can’t see them or if there is latency through the line. Or sometimes someone might experience tech issues that need to get fixed before the session can proceed.

I think it is important to be concise with your words but also make sure you have a light and relaxed tone. Sometimes, remote sessions can feel a bit cold and distant so you want to make people comfortable.

 
What are some recommended ways to share assets (videos or audio files) for review? Any particular file sharing platforms (like Dropbox or Google Drive) or project management tools you recommend?

SC: We use Hightail here. I can set up a “Space” where people can comment or review and I can update the files with newer versions as we go. This is especially useful because they will always know where to go to get the latest version. In the past, I’ve used WeTransfer or Dropbox but it’s easy to get mixed up with what revision you are on. We work with larger studios and productions on our ADR stage and we’ll use the client’s Aspera or Media Shuttle account for this.

 

Gear-wise/tech-wise, what should a studio have in order to make a remote-based workflow possible?

SC: The one piece of tech we couldn’t do without is Source-Connect. It enables high-resolution audio through the internet, user to user, but I’m sure most readers at this point already know what it is.

I believe you can also bridge an ISDN line through Source Elements (the company that makes Source-Connect). This will allow us to connect to a VO in NYC. Then, using our phone-patch dial-up, our clients can listen in to the recording session and direct the talent if needed.

We also use Source-Connect to connect actors with studios in LA. By either sending LTC on channel-2 of a stereo connection or using the RTS function within Source-Connect itself, we can drive the Pro Tools rig on the stage remotely from our studio.

Source-Nexus is probably a close second as far as tech is concerned. It is a 24-channel audio driver and AAX plug-in that allows you to access all of the I/O connected to the computer. So, for instance, you can have a send/return AUX for Skype, or Dialpad, or FaceTime, or whatever you want. We’ll use this in conjunction with Source-Connect Now (the free version of Source-Connect) to have the director call in and be able to hear the talent perfectly clear.

There are some other pieces of gear that come in handy too. Comrex makes a VoIP hardware unit called “Access” that allows full bandwidth, has extremely low latency and a solid connection. This unit was popular with studios but is very popular with broadcast folks. We use this to connect remote guests on NPR live shows.

More resources to help you get through this:

• To help you power through this, we’ve compiled a free Audio Community Power Pack for you here.
• If you need to work from home, get a temporary license for REAPER here
• Avid is also offering temporary licenses here
• The Tonebenders Podcast is keeping an eye on companies providing additional help and support during this time here
• If you need to study from home, check out this guide on effectively taking classes from home
• For those of you who do teaching, much of that has now moved online, and here’s a great overview of resources that’ll help you run virtual classes.
• Women In Sound has an overview of resources that can come in handy in these challenging times here

Is it possible to have a video conference with the client while recording talent remotely, to simulate how a recording session would happen if everyone was in the studio together?

SC: Absolutely. Again, Source-Nexus is your friend. If they want to use Skype to connect, just simply send from Pro Tools to Skype using the Source-Nexus plug-in. Then, in the booth, I’ll use an iPad signed into a second Skype account and add that user to the call (making sure to mute the input and output of the iPad). If talent is also remote, it’s the same setup but you’d have the talent group-call from their studio.

 

When recording VO talent remotely, what are some things to consider on the studio side? What are some things that are expected on the talent’s side?

SC: Always make sure to connect 10 minutes early. Tech issues do and will happen, and you’ll need to troubleshoot those before you dial into the clients.

Also, make sure you’re sending things at appropriate levels. For instance, you don’t want your talkback to be too quiet or playback of a VO take to be too loud. I usually just look at the meter to judge this roughly. I like to chime in if we are discussing things on our side without the talent listening, just to let the talent know that we’re still there and that we’ll give more direction to them in a minute.

For the talent, again it is wise to connect a few minutes early to get everything set. Sometimes I may have you change a gain setting or be slightly further or closer to the mic. It’s always good to get those things sorted out before the clients join in.

Other than the tech, it’s pretty much like any regular session.


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    NEW: ANIMAL HYPERREALISM IV contains animal vocalisations – from hippos, hyenas, vultures, dwarf mongooses, elephants, African cranes, parrots, tigers, pigmy hippos, rhea ostriches, to brown bears, pheasants, wildebeests, African wild dogs and many more. Features 2000 individual sounds in 294 files.
     

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    ANIMAL HYPERREALISM VOL I is a library containing themed animal vocalisations & sounds, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 1300 individual sounds in 290 files.
     

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    METAMORPHOSIS is a huge collection of recorded source, synthesized material and hybrid sounds – more than 2300 sounds total.
     

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    ROCKS MOMENTUM gets you more than 1100 sounds of rocks, bricks, wood logs, stones, impacting on different surfaces, rolling, being scraped one against the other and so on. The library was recorded in the Italian alps, and in Inverness, Scotland.
     

    WATER VOLUMES delivers you over 300 sounds of natural hot-springs, bubbles, and liquids of various densities boiling under the effect of dry ice.
     

    METAL GROANS AND SLAMS is a library for which metal was kicked, hammered, bowed and… induced to vibrate through feedback loops?! The collection features 346 unique sounds recorded through field trips in US, UK and Italy.
     

    CRUNCH MODE & THE BORAX EXPERIMENT are also included as a bonus: Crunch Mode features 230 crunchy sounds made with a variety of vegetables, fresh bread, pizza crust & frozen goods, and The Borax Experiment gets you 158 squishy, gory, slimy, gooey SFX.
     

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    GEARBOX:
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    SORCERY:
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    4 ELEMENTS:
    Harness the raw power of fire, water, earth, and air with over 3000 elemental sounds crafted for limitless creativity.


    OVERKILL:
    Unleash pure audio carnage with OVERKILL – a brutally detailed 5.7 GB sound library featuring 3390 hyperreal gore sound effects across 607 files.


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    What’s inside:

    • APU start ups, takeoffs, landings, and hovering sequences.
    • Close and medium imposing fly-bys
    • Interior and Exterior perspectives
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With a remote-based workflow, the entire studio doesn’t have to stay open for sessions that go overtime. And with email, there’s basically 24-hour access to the mixer/sound designer. How do you set boundaries so that clients aren’t asking for changes/fixes/edits at all hours? Is it important to define ‘hours of operation’ up front? Or, is 24-hour access considered a perk of the remote-based workflow?

SC: This can be tough, but I think most reasonable clients would expect you to fix something after hours. Sometimes there is an urgent request and you’ll need to use a remote workflow to make them happy and I consider that a great thing. If you can save the day by getting a last-minute change out at 10 pm, then I would say it’s a perk of remote working.

On larger or longer projects, it’s definitely a plus to be able to work remotely. Previously, I might have needed to stay late or come in after hours.

On the other hand, if it’s something I know can wait until the next day and they don’t need it ASAP, then I’ll just respond with “I’ll take care of it in the morning.” I’ve yet to have someone get upset by anything.

I think one take away is to not advertise to people that you are available 24/7. Everyone has their own lives and, for the most part, expect you to have one too.

Sound community roundtable on the current situation:

The Tonebenders Podcast has just published this roundtable with Kate and Jeff from Boombox about the current coronavirus situation and how it affects the sound community:

Any specific tips or strategies or resources you’d like to share to help other studios make the transition to a remote-based workflow in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic?

SC: Make sure your clients know you can still work! Send a newsletter out to them explaining your working situation.
 
A big thanks to Steve Campagna for giving us tips on how to transition to a remote workflow and to Jennifer Walden for the interview! Have any tips or ideas to share? Please leave a comment!
 

Please share this:


 



 
 
THE WORLD’S EASIEST WAY TO GET INDEPENDENT SOUND EFFECTS:
 
A Sound Effect gives you easy access to an absolutely huge sound effects catalog from a myriad of independent sound creators, all covered by one license agreement - a few highlights:

  • ⏰ For a very limited time:
    Add this library to the cart and enter ah4launch in the cart coupon field – to sprinkle an extra launch discount, on top of the current discount!

    Animal Hyperrealism Vol IV is a sound library containing animal vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 2000 individual sounds in 294 files. The sounds were recorded in zoos, and wildlife centers.

    The asset list includes but is not limited to: hippos, hyenas, vultures, dwarf mongooses, elephants, African cranes, parrots, tigers, pigmy hippos, rhea ostriches, brown bears, pheasants, wildebeests, African wild dogs and many more. The content has been recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K, an Avisoft CMPA and a Sennheiser 8050 for center plus two Sennheiser MKH8040 for stereo image.

    The resulting ultrasonic spectrum is rich and allows for truly extreme manipulation of the content.

    15 %
    OFF
  • Bundles Mattia Cellotto – Complete Bundle Play Track 13100+ sounds included $1,162

    Mattia Cellotto’s extraordinary sound libraries are some of the most popular releases in independent sound effects – and here’s your chance to get them all at a nice discount. Here’s what’s you get:

    NEW: ANIMAL HYPERREALISM IV contains animal vocalisations – from hippos, hyenas, vultures, dwarf mongooses, elephants, African cranes, parrots, tigers, pigmy hippos, rhea ostriches, to brown bears, pheasants, wildebeests, African wild dogs and many more. Features 2000 individual sounds in 294 files.
     

    CATACLYSM is a collection more than 1400 sounds in 400+ files of recorded, synthesized and designed sounds created to support important destructive moments and add a stronger sense of extreme consequence to any sound.
     

    ANIMAL HYPERREALISM VOL I is a library containing themed animal vocalisations & sounds, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 1300 individual sounds in 290 files.
     

    ANIMAL HYPERREALISM VOL II is a library containing themed animal sounds & vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 2000 individual sounds in 283 files.
     

    ANIMAL HYPERREALISM VOL III is a library containing sounds themed animal vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 1700 individual sounds in 279 files.
     

    METAMORPHOSIS is a huge collection of recorded source, synthesized material and hybrid sounds – more than 2300 sounds total.
     

    GLACIER ICE is a library containing over 300 high quality sounds of ice cracking, breaking, shattering in various sizes of blocks – recorded entirely in the Italian Alps over the course of two winters.
     

    POLARITY delivers more than 950 sounds of electricity, science and technology – captured in several locations around the world, from electricity museums to science labs.
     

    ULTRASONIC DRY ICE is a library containing over 600 sounds themed metal resonances, scrapes and all sorts of weird.
     

    ROCKS MOMENTUM gets you more than 1100 sounds of rocks, bricks, wood logs, stones, impacting on different surfaces, rolling, being scraped one against the other and so on. The library was recorded in the Italian alps, and in Inverness, Scotland.
     

    WATER VOLUMES delivers you over 300 sounds of natural hot-springs, bubbles, and liquids of various densities boiling under the effect of dry ice.
     

    METAL GROANS AND SLAMS is a library for which metal was kicked, hammered, bowed and… induced to vibrate through feedback loops?! The collection features 346 unique sounds recorded through field trips in US, UK and Italy.
     

    CRUNCH MODE & THE BORAX EXPERIMENT are also included as a bonus: Crunch Mode features 230 crunchy sounds made with a variety of vegetables, fresh bread, pizza crust & frozen goods, and The Borax Experiment gets you 158 squishy, gory, slimy, gooey SFX.
     

    15 %
    OFF
    Ends 1759874399
  • Bundles The Vault – The Ultimate RTSB Bundle Play Track 29683 sounds included, 2459 mins total $1,159

    The whole 9 yards.
    Comprised of 11 heavy hitting libraries, this bundle includes SEISMIC CORE, OVERKILL, 4 ELEMENTS, COLLISION, INTERACTIVE, SCI FI, GEARBOX, SORCERY, HERO, BROKEN, and MELEE. Save by bundling all ELEVEN in a single library.

    GEARBOX:
    Boutique analog mechanical contraptions, steampunk gadgetry, gizmos and machines big and small.


    SORCERY:
    Spells, deflects, casts, blocks, beams, and more. Unrivaled wizardry at your fingertips.


    BROKEN
    Car crashes, explosions, crumbling buildings, earthquakes, ripping earth and metal, to debris, and more.


    HERO:
    HERO – Sword fights, stabbing, guillotines, impaling, battle cries, shields, drawbridges, armor, foley and more.


    MELEE:
    Punches, kicks, blocks, bodyfalls, grabs, slaps, bone breaks, blood splatters, and more.


    SCI FI:
    Spaceships, machines, mechanicals, weapons and more. Technologies exceeding your boldest visions of the future.


    INTERACTIVE:
    The ultimate Game UI SFX library including clicks, pops, whooshes, musical and tonal elements, and ready to use designs for every UI action and game style.


    COLLISION:
    The ultimate sound effects library for massive impact sounds. Stingers, crashes, hits, whooshes and fully designed impact effects.


    4 ELEMENTS:
    Harness the raw power of fire, water, earth, and air with over 3000 elemental sounds crafted for limitless creativity.


    OVERKILL:
    Unleash pure audio carnage with OVERKILL – a brutally detailed 5.7 GB sound library featuring 3390 hyperreal gore sound effects across 607 files.


    SEISMIC CORE:
    Unleash raw sonic power with SEISMIC CORE – a meticulously crafted 1.62 GB sound library featuring 548 impact-driven sound effects across 108 files.


    25 %
    OFF
Explore the full, unique collection here

Latest sound effects libraries:
 
  • All files are recorded 32bit, 192 kHz, with RØDE NTG1, Line Audio Omni1 and FEL Clippy XLR EM272 microphones, Sound Devices MixPre-6 II & Zoom F3 recorders. Library contains wav files of driving, foley, mechanical and electrical sounds. It is only available in UCS.

  • PLANES & HELICOPTERS contains flybys, takeoffs, and landings of 13 aircraft models and 5 helicopter models, including small and medium-range passenger planes, private jets, tiny planes and firefighting aircraft. Recorded as close as possible to the aircraft, in airports. You’ll find turbojet, turboprop, and propeller-powered aircrafts. You’ll also find military and civilian helicopters sound effects.
    The sounds can be used for a realistic purpose but you can design spaceships or futuristic vehicles.

    13 %
    OFF
  • Car Sound Effects Lada Riva 1980 compact car Play Track 218 sounds included, 51 mins total $65

    All files are recorded 32bit, 192 kHz, with RØDE NTG1, Line Audio Omni1 and FEL Clippy XLR EM272 microphones, Sound Devices MixPre-6 II recorder. Library contains wav files of driving, interior and exterior foley, mechanical and electrical sounds. It is only available in UCS.

  • Electricity Sound Effects Fridge Hums Complete Bundle Play Track 60 sounds included, 130 mins total $24

    A comprehensive fridge hum library with 60 sounds / 2+ hours of hums, buzzes, beeps, industrial room tones, clicks, drips and more

    20 %
    OFF
  • Helicopter Sound Effects CH-47 Chinook Helicopter Play Track 40 sounds included, 46 mins total $80

    This library delivers the raw power of this legendary military transport helicopter. Originally recorded for the acclaimed Netflix series Money Heist: Part 5, this library captures every rotor, engine, and maneuver with pristine detail and fidelity—now available for your own productions.

    From the thunderous rotor blades slicing through the air, to the deep roar of its twin turbines, and the massive fly-bys that shake the ground, this collection delivers 46 minutes of sounds from one of the most iconic helicopters in history.

    Recorded using a multi-mic setup, every nuance has been preserved – from the hurricane-like rotor wash to the natural echoes bouncing across the runway and hangars. This library is a perfect fit for war films, military documentaries, AAA video games, or any production in need of authentic and cinematic helicopter power.

    What’s inside:

    • APU start ups, takeoffs, landings, and hovering sequences.
    • Close and medium imposing fly-bys
    • Interior and Exterior perspectives
    • Fully edited and UCS-compliant metadata for fast and easy search

    With CH-47 CHINOOK, you’ll have a rock-solid, versatile, and epic sound resource at your fingertips – ready to take your projects to the next level.

    Note: The SoundCloud demo contains radio communiactions and some cockpit switches. These are not included.

    20 %
    OFF

   

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