Another exclusive behind the scenes interview from The Storyteller. Learn more about how the film was made and see footage of the making of!

This video features Bud Osborne, sound mixer of The Storyteller.

More videos with Heika – and many other exciting young filmmakers and entrepreneurs – are posted all the time, so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel.

ROUND 1 of the Song Search generated a ton of great submissions and presented the producers with a lot of inspiration for how to move forward. Of the many submissions, six were chosen for ROUND 2, in which the songwriters are asked to write and record a rough demo of an original song specifically for The Storyteller. The six are now hard at work and we’re pleased to introduce them all, one by one.

And so, please meet Billy Bouchard.

Billy Bouchard is an independent singer and songwriter with roots in folk, punk and garage. Originally from Providence, Rhode Island, Bouchard grew up listening to almost entirely country music radio in his working class boyhood home. As soon as he could force his hand to shape power chords, Bouchard started forming punk and hardcore acts playing in and around the Providence area. The first time he set foot in a studio his band would be signed to a label (Atlantic Records). The independent ‘noise’, art rock and theatre scenes in Providence would prove to have a lasting effect on his approach to music in the years to come. After a decisive move to Oakland, California, Bouchard would go on to collaborate with dozens of artists (Bart Davenport, Christian Burns, Aaron Pfenning of Chairlift, The Greater Good, The Plus Ones, Samiam) recording for a slew of labels, write and record with grammy award winning producers (Jeff Saltzman, Chris Dugan) and playing live in over 40 different countries.

Residing in Brooklyn for the better half a decade now, has furthered the evolution in Bouchards approach. The influences are many and Bouchard seems able to humbly meander from one aesthetic to it’s kin with aplomb. If you weren’t paying close enough attention you might dismiss him as another in a series of folky troubadours pawning off their nostalgic wares without shame. But upon closer inspection, it’s clear Bouchard is reaching much deeper. Touches of psyche, country, blues and a strong penchant for fascinating guitar approaches (including some adept finger styles) get sprinkled into his repertoire. Bouchard has come a long way from his humble start, but if you’re listening closely enough, it’s chronicled beautifully.

You can learn more about Billy Bouchard on his website, on BandCamp or on SoundCloud.

Please enjoy Billy’s submission for The Storyteller Song Search, Brackishly:

When Heika Burnison and her team at White Light Audio Inc. begin post-production on any given project, they are taking it through what’s been aptly dubbed ‘The Seven Stages of Sound Design.’ Order and approach varies, but all seven will at the very least be carefully considered. So what exactly are these seven stages of sound design?

ADR. Foley. Dialogue Editing. Sound FX. Background Editing. Music – and Final Mixing.

Heika, co-founder of White Light Audio Inc., will take you through the specifics.

White Light Audio Inc. is a new and exciting sound studio specialized in both on-set recording and post-production. For more about their services, check out their website, and enjoy a quick pitch about what sets them apart from other studios.

As you’ll see, this is particularly important to know if your script calls for a character writing a song or playing in a band, but also if you need a song with lyrics or a melody specifically tailored to a certain scene. For example, in The Storyteller – the feature film for which we’re currently conducting (pardon the pun) a song search – music is an integral part of the story and several characters are singing and playing a song, which will be written specifically for the film.

Jongnic is a Los Angeles-based composer who has worked on anything from feature films to TV episodes to trailers to commercials to short form webseries. And no matter the medium, he approaches the project with the same level of respect, knowing that the music will have a profound impact on the viewer’s connection to the visuals.

We have many more videos with Jongnic on the way, so be sure to check back often. Or even better, subscribe to our newsletter and/or YouTube channel and we’ll let you know when the next one is online.

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Heika Burnison – an extraordinarily talented woman wearing many proverbial hats – about her sound design company White Light Audio and some of her favorite tools in the field and in the studio. In videos soon to come, we’ll also be talking about exciting stuff like how to run a small company that people want to work with, how to capture audio for 360° virtual reality films, and even her role as producer on million-dollar projects, how to find tax incentives and much more.

Since film is a visual medium, let’s skip the written bio for once and let you instead have a look and a listen for more on Heika and White Light Audio:

You – or someone else, it doesn’t matter, it’s a travesty regardless – have put blood, sweat and tears into getting your vision on camera. Whether it’s a short film, feature length, documentary, interview or improv, it takes time and effort to accomplish something watchable. And it can all be ruined by one thing, which a lot of amateur filmmakers fail to handle with the same sort of finesse and creativity that they would, say, a tracking shot:

Bad audio.

Ugh. I’ll say it again. It’s the worst.

But while lav mics, boom mics and a good on-set sound recordist all should be at the top of your priority list when making your budget, there are a few things you can do to up your sound game – even on a super tight budget. Hint: It’s in your pocket.

SIRI will never replace your boom operator, but your smartphone will be a welcome addition to your arsenal when you’re setting out to fight bad audio. Let’s face it, pretty much anything is better than your built-in camera audio. Here are a few ways you can use your smartphone (in this particular case it’s an iPhone) as a sound recorder on set:

1. Find an app you like (and use it often) – Apple’s Voice Recorder gets the job done, but you may find that you prefer working with Griffin iTalk. Do your research and try a few different ones – then buy the premium version, if such a thing exists.

2. Hide your phone close to your face – It sounds silly, but if your actor is wearing a button-down or a jacket, hide your phone in a pocket as close to the face as possible. It’s fairly easy to sync up the sound from your phone with the camera audio, especially if you have a slate or simply clap your hands before starting the scene, so you might as well use the extra source of audio. Even if it’s not perfect.

3. Your earbuds can double as a lav mic – Yes, that hands-free mic on your earbuds is not the pinnacle of audio engineering, but it’s essentially a lav mic just waiting to be put to good use. Put the phone in your pocket and tape the hands-free mic to the inside of your shirt, like you would any lav mic. Make sure the mic points in the right direction, as some earbud mics are directional. Instantly better audio.

4. Mix it up – Import your audio tracks from your iPhone directly into iMovie (or export the files and transfer them to any other editor) and sync up your audio. This is where the slate or the hand clap comes in handy. When your sound is in sync, play around with levels and EQ, so the different tracks blend together. Don’t take this step lightly – it’s all in the mix.

When you’re feeling second rate because you’re not using the fancy gear on your shoot, remember this.