AUTOR: Watson Wu, Sound Effect Recordist
What made the Gran Turismo movie such an incredible experience?
It was the team of talented sound people. I was one of the sound effects recordists hired by Source Sound (Charles Deenen) to record race cars and track ambience sounds. I chose a Schoeps MS stereo rig for this job as the recordings were to be done during official race days.
Inside the small system were the MK 41 supercardioid capsule connected to the CMC 1 L amplifier for the mid mike. It was paired with an MK 8 figure-eight capsule, also connected to a CMC 1 L, as the side mike.
The choice of the MK 41 was crucial because it allowed me to isolate the specific moving race car that I was pointing at, much like using a laser pointer. This capsule is excellent at rejecting unwanted sounds despite its tiny size. Sounds captured from these capsules and amplifiers can really cut through busy mixes, which was perfect for Gran Turismo.
I always record in raw format, allowing me to post edit however we want it to sound in the end, using either the mid channel alone or a mix of the mid and side channels for a stereo sound. Schoeps’ clean sounds allows for easier pitching up and down as well as sound design “mangling” while retaining high sonic quality.
Another reason for this small setup was to give me enough room to contort my body and squeeze in to tight spaces (around objects and pit crew), letting me point and capture the race cars. A larger, standard-size shotgun mike was definitely out of the question; it wouldn’t have allowed me to get close enough to the action.
Most of the time I pointed specifically at cars, while other times I pointed in between cars and walls, since concrete and pavement surfaces reflect sound quite well. After several successful captures of in, out, startup, shutdown, etc., I then placed the mike on a stand or held it upright by hand to record track ambience sounds.
Race tracks cover great distances, so I used my mountain bike to enter areas where motorized vehicles aren’t allowed. My Schoeps equipment, a small recorder, and a small, lightweight stand all fit into my backpack for ultimate portability.
To this day I still can’t believe how directional and far this tiny Schoeps package can reach, behaving more like a long shotgun mic. This Schoeps MS stereo system is truly the smallest pro quality, all-around useful mike when I can only take one microphone with me.
Most of my sounds can be heard in scenes showing the race pit areas, especially towards the end. It’s wonderful to regularly hear people say how great the Gran Turismo movie sounds. Thanks to the great joint efforts of the whole audio team!