Final Project Proposal and Guidelines⌗

Ambisonics or Dolby Atmos Immersive Audio

You’ll create an immersive audio piece using either Ambisonics or Dolby Atmos. This is your chance to bring together the skills we’ve explored in class, whether you’re making a musical composition or designing sound for a short film. The process has two parts:

  1. A proposal (15 points) that lays out your concept, goals, and approach.
  2. The final project (100 points) that develops your idea into a finished piece.

We’re using an ungrading approach—your work will be evaluated based on how you set goals, work toward them, and reflect on what you’ve learned.

Part 1: Proposal (30 points)⌗

Your proposal is a roadmap for your project. It should help you think through your creative and technical plan before you start. You don’t have to follow it perfectly, but your final project will be partly evaluated on how it grows from what you outline here.

Structure

  1. Project Title

    • This can change later, but it can give you a sense of direction.

  2. Project Description (1–2 paragraphs)

    • Will you use Ambisonics or Dolby Atmos?
    • Is it a musical composition or short film sound design?
      • If a film, name it and describe how you’ll approach the sound.
      • If a composition, explain what sonic materials you’ll use (instruments, Vital Synth, Spitfire Labs, etc.).
    • What’s the concept or story? What do you want the listener to feel or experience?
    • Who or what inspires your project? (artist, film, soundscape, genre, etc.)

  3. Project Goals

    • List 3–4 specific things you want to accomplish with this project.
      • These can be technical (e.g., “successfully record and mix in Ambisonics”) or creative (e.g., “create a soundscape that shifts from calm to chaotic in a smooth spatial transition”).
    • These goals will be the main reference point for your self-assessment later.

  4. Creative & Technical Plan

    • What tools, techniques, and workflows will you use?
    • Include microphones, plugins, virtual instruments, or spatialization methods you expect to try.

  5. Timeline

    • A simple plan for when you’ll record, edit, mix, and revise.

Part 2: Final Project (100 points)⌗

Length: 3–5 minutes Format: Ambisonics (B-format) or Dolby Atmos (ADM file)

What you can make:

  • Musical composition – original music, soundscape, or electroacoustic piece.
  • Short film sound design – new sound effects, Foley, ambience, and/or spatial mix.

What I’ll look for:

  • Clear connection to the goals you set in your proposal (even if the piece evolved).
  • Creative and intentional use of immersive audio techniques.
  • Evidence of iteration—recording, editing, experimenting, refining.
  • A technically solid and artistically engaging final mix.

Ungrading: How You’ll Be Evaluated⌗

Instead of traditional grading, you’ll get detailed feedback and a chance to reflect on your own work. The final grade will be based on:

  1. Process – Did you stay engaged and work consistently toward your goals?
  2. Growth – Did your skills and ideas develop from proposal to final piece?
  3. Final Piece – Does the immersive mix feel intentional and connected to your concept?
  4. Reflection – Did you thoughtfully assess your own work?

Final Self-Assessment⌗

Included with the project files, you’ll submit a 1 page self-assessment answering:

  1. Goals Review

    • List the goals you set in your proposal.
    • For each goal, explain how you met it, partially met it, or changed it.
    • Describe why any changes happened.

  2. Process Reflection

    • What did you learn from making this project?
    • What challenges did you face and how did you handle them?

  3. Future Directions

    • If you had more time, what would you improve or explore next?