Fiddler On the Roof

Well, my sound design was nominated, once again, for best sound in Theatre Ontario's THEA awards last night.  I often call myself the Susan Lucci of Sound Design, as I've been nominated quite a few times, and I've never actually won.  Oh well, some day, and in the meantime, it's nice to be nominated.  I never actually go to the awards, as I'm always working on Saturday nights.

The nomination was for Oshawa Little Theatre's production of Fiddler On the Roof.  It was a pretty easy one for me, as shows go.  As it is a musical, there was a live orchestra so I didn't have to worry about music, just sound effects.  Here's the list:

1.  A Rooster crowing, to start the show

2.  Ambient farm sounds.  Lots of chickens and cows.  A few horses and sheep.  This sound is meant to loop.  Of course, start a little louder, then gradually lower volume until it's there, but not obtrusive.

3.  Crickets.  Meant to loop.  Play softly--it gets pretty annoying after a while, in my experience.

4.  Owl.  I'm not sure if this is a specific cue, or just meant to be played once or twice in the night scene.

5.  1905 Street Sounds.  Meant to loop.  A busy street, before cars and airplanes.

6.  Shattering glass.  MS (director) wanted about 30 seconds worth.  Here's 15, and I think it's plenty.  If he really wants 30, play it twice.

7.  1905 Street Sounds.  Again.

8.  Wind.  Meant to loop.  During "Land I Love"

9.  Ambient Farm Sounds. Again.

10.  Wind.  Again.

These are the directions I sent to the person operating the sound for the shows.  I, of course, am busy at my paid theatre job so I rarely get a chance to work for any other theatres.

Anyway, no real stories here.  Everything came from the Internet, or sound effects CDs.  I had to make the "farm sounds" by layering individual sounds from those sources.  The trick is to make it long, three to five minutes so it can loop without being an obvious loop, and don't lay it on too thick.  Farms aren't generally noisy places, so remember that.  Lots of silences in between the animal sounds.  And, because it is Fiddler On the Roof, no pigs in the mix.

The street sounds were similar.  Horses, buggies, people chatting, dogs barking.  Just make sure there are no modern sounds, airplanes, cars, cell phones, etc.

The cricket sound is one I got from a sound effects CD years ago.  I've used the same one in a dozen shows, as it is perfect.  It is a very clear sound of one cricket.  I usually double it, a few seconds apart, once in the left speaker and once in the right speaker.  Apparently the adjudicator loved it, and made a comment during the adjudication about how good it was.  And never play it too loud or the realism is gone.

Fiddler On the Roof wasn't the only show I designed sound for this past year, but it's the only one I got nominated for.  I wasn't even particularly proud of my work for this show, as it was so easy.  But you never know what an adjudicator is going to think.  Over the years I've had adjudicators praise me, and criticize me, and it means nothing when it comes to the ACTCO awards.  I think the key is to get them to notice you, good or bad, then you have a shot.

I design sound for six shows a year at the dinner theatre but, as we are all paid, we are not Community Theatre and not eligible.  Too bad.  I do some pretty good stuff here, but only the audiences get to appreciate it.

Michael