by Emily Reuben
It would be a massive understatement to say that the creation of film takes an enormous amount of work. Camera operators, editors, light departments, producers, set designers and actors all must work together in perfect harmony if they want to craft a brilliant piece of art. Neglecting even one department can result in absolute disaster. Despite the necessity of various departments and specialists, the first thing that comes to mind for many when discussing film is often the various visual components that make up a film. Editing, staging, choreography, acting, and camera-work often the most discussed aspects of a film, but visuals are hardly the only important aspect of filmmaking.
And similarly to how sound is usually thought of after visuals in film, women working in film live a similar experience, usually being thought of after men in the industry are recognized (if they are thought of at all). One Ball State professor and a team of students sought to change both paradigms by recognizing the work and experiences of the women in the film and television industry who bring sound to life.
Their short film, Amplified: A Conversation with Women in American Film Sound, was created through Ball State’s Virginia Ball Center for Creative Inquiry and crewed by a total of 14 Ball State students. The film celebrates the women who work in Hollywood’s sound departments. From Foley artists to sound editors, Amplified gives a platform to 30 different women working in the male dominated film industry, allowing them to tell their unique stories. After the initial premiere on December 3rd, 2017 at Muncie’s AMC Showplace 12 theater, Amplified was nominated for best documentary at the Long Beach Indie Film Festival and has been featured in various film festivals including Heartland's Indy Shorts Film Festival 2018 and the UFVA film conference. Amplified will also be screening on October 11th at the LA Femme Film Festival.
The film’s director and producer, Ball State Telecommunications Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Endowed Chair Vanessa Ament, has had an extensive career as a Foley artist. Over the course of her career, she has worked on popular titles such as Beauty and the Beast, The Goofy Movie, Edward Scissorhands, and Predator just to name a few.
There is a lot that went into making Amplified, and we spoke to the director wanting to learn more about her thought process as she made her film as well as to learn more about her career working in film sound.
Q: How did you get into sound editing and Foley artistry?
Q: It’s interesting because when you think of people going into sound, I always wonder, how do you discover that interest?
Ament:Q: How have your feelings changed about Foley and sound since you've actively started getting more involved with it?
Ament:Q: Amplified highlights other women who are Foley artists. You include yourself in the film for a small segment, but it is mostly about 30 other women who work in film sound. Why focus on highlighting the contributions made by women in film sound?
Q: Why did you feel it was important for the interviews in the film to be personal and conversational?
Ament:Q: A lot of the platforms that you've been given were given to you by men. You've done interviews with big names like David Letterman and Ben Mankiewicz, but you're on their male platforms. This project offers a female platform. What can we as a society do to make these platforms for women more common or accessible?
Ament:Q: Like you've been saying, so you've been giving excellent advice for women that are a little more skeptical to jump into these projects. Do you have any advice for maybe how to build that confidence or anything like that?
Ament:Q: Where can people watch Amplified when it's available?
Ament:Additional Sources: Amplify's Website Amplified Film's Facebook Page Featured Image: Amplified Film's Facebook Page Images: Amplified Film's Facebook Page Graphic: You can follow the Amplified film on Twitter, Facebook or the film's official website.
