The Dolby Institute, which seeks to empower content creators by teaching them
how to use creative visual and audio tools, capitalised on a unique opportunity
to train YouTube contributors. In collaboration with RED Digital Cinema, leaders
from the Dolby Institute held a two-day workshop for the content creators with
over 10,000 subscribers on the website, intent on learning new techniques and
improving their videos look and sound.
With viewing stats that rival those of leading television networks, online video
content aggregator YouTube boasts outstanding success, despite its content
mostly being generated by amateurs using low-priced production tools.
At YouTube Space in Los Angeles, a creative studio space dedicated to helping
YouTube users’ videos, the RED team trained participants on how to use the
RED digital camera system while Dolby delivered a seminar on how to capture
good quality sound. Users then shot their own video on site and were guided by
Dolby Institute Director Glenn Kiser and Sound Designer and Mixer Steven Cahill,
on how best to record voice-overs, select sound effects, and prepare a fast
sound mix.
Kiser explained, “When RED approached us about collaborating on their training
program at YouTube, it was appealing to us because we’ve been looking to
work with a strong imaging company. They had a great training program but no
audio component. They asked us to set up a sound module, and it went really
well. The students learned a lot, especially some handy tricks for cleaning up
bad production recordings. They all said it made them think much more critically
about sound as they head out to shoot their next round of projects.’
