Students from Ringling College of Art and Design’s neighbor, Booker High School immersed themselves in Ringling’s Studio Labs this month, learning about sound design. The students are all part of Booker’s Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Film program, Sarasota’s first magnet program, where they spend half of their school day working in their chosen field. Beginning in the summer of 2022, students have been invited to work in Ringling’s state-of-the-art Film facilities, and learn from award-winning sound designer Nick Palladino and Ringling Film alumni Troy Logan ’22. The workshop gives students an introduction to the world of sound design. They learn the basics of Foley design, scoring, and diegetic sound in film, and how to construct dynamic film soundtracks.
Logan shared his excitement for the program, “This is our second year working with Booker High School to deliver a group of their film students an incredible hands-on experience with industry leading equipment and instruction from award-winning sound designers. Both years we have had students walk in with an interest in film audio, and walk out as budding sound designers.” He said, “This year, students got to mix projects in surround sound in our Dolby Atmos theater, run Foley and ADR sessions, and get hands on with field recording for sound effects. It’s a joy seeing the students’ eyes light up as we work through each of the exercises, and it is so special to give them a look behind the curtain of just one of the many departments in filmmaking.”
Students split their time between working with Logan creating sound effects on the ADR/Foley Stage, taking turns crunching on ground layers of leaves and earth, and with Palladino in the theater, where they learn the basics of sound mixing using professional equipment and industry- standard mixing programs. After their introduction to the processes, students had the chance to work on individual projects, layering sound effects onto provided video.
Palladino extolled his love of hosting the workshop, “It is truly my honor to be able to lead these workshops with the Booker high school students. Beyond the technical skills on offer, I want to emphasize that this workshop is also an opportunity for personal growth and self-expression. Sound design is a medium that allows you to tap into your creativity, explore your unique perspective, and discover your own voice. I am blown away at how the students embraced this chance to experiment, take risks, and let their imaginations soar!”
The Ringling College Studio Labs is the first commercial and academic film and post-production facility of its kind in the state of Florida. Students in the Film Department are introduced to the film industry with industry professionals who utilize the facilities and have the option to add talented, hardworking students to their crew. This program connects aspiring film and production students to the best known filmmakers, screenwriters, producers, directors, and actors from around the world.
