If you’ve ever predicted the outcome of Masterchef eliminations based on the soundtrack, put on your headphones for a better video game experience, or been transported by birdsong to a different place and time in a nature documentary, you will know how important the integration of sound with other creative elements is in conveying meaning and emotion to an audience.

In this unit you will be introduced to techniques to capture and use sound, using everyday technologies and readily accessible equipment (such as a smartphone). You will make considered decisions about recording (including portable field recording and studio recording) and production of sound, and its integration with a variety of media. These practical experiences will assist you in critically analysing the use of sound across a range of media and platforms, from the commercial and mundane such as advertising and websites, to the conceptual and creative such as contemporary art installations and films.

This unit will also interrogate how journalism and scholarly criticism describes and accounts for the impact of sound on listeners. You will consider sound in terms of  affect and audience experience, and will be introduced to methodologies for documenting and evaluating audience responses. In a major project, you apply your critical and creative skills to understanding the why and the how of using sound.