GPS Radio
Our recent work for CJRW and the Arkansas State Police Highway Safety Office features the voice of a GPS unit that starts giving it's driver a little bit more than simple driving directions. This spot stars Kelly Klemonlin as the voice of the GPS, Tracy Thibodeaux as the announcer, and the sounds of a Garmin GPS.
Listen to GPS :30 (Garmin version)
A previous version of the spot, mentioned here and here, was mixed with the sounds of a Magellan GPS unit.
Listen to GPS :30 (Magellan version)
BEEP vs BOOP 2
The day before yesterday, we thought we were being soooo clever. We were working on a spot that required GPS SFX so we hopped in the car with Scott's Magellan GPS unit, programmed directions to Lucky Dog Audio, took a spin around downtown Little Rock, and recorded the Magellan beeping and cooing at us as we made all the right turns to get us back home. Awesome idea! Good job, Lucky Dog! Home run on the foley work there boys!
Nope.
The spot went to the client for approval and out came the gong. Spot's no good. Turns out the client has a Garmin GPS in their car, so all those Magellan bells and whistles mean nada.
Now it is time for reflecting on the task of creating authentic simulations of specific audio events when using new gadgets that are, as of yet, unfettered to concrete audio signifiers. And yes, we've been through this before. Several months ago we were working on a spot that needed a cell phone ring. We dropped a fairly ubiquitous ringtone into the spot and the client said, "Hey, that cell phone ring doesn't sound like my cell phone ring!" Not to sound like old man Wilson down the street, but it used to be a phone sounded like a phone. Not anymore.
Silent reflective pause.
So yesterday, our buddy Gary graciously lent us a Garmin GPS. Here's a shot of Scott pointing our Rode shotgun microphone at his (Gary's) unit (please refrain from commenting on this sentence).
We thought we were being soooo clever. . .
