Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1178376
54 F A L L 2 0 1 9 C A S Q U A R T E R L Y The themes and period time capsule used for this film's undertaking was explained as using "Five levels of Vintage Sound." Having hours of AM station KHJ radio songs from the 1960s, which would start as a mono, practical source on screen then had to transition into full-bodied 7.1 immersive audio seemed to be the biggest challenge. Matching songs from different sources was a painstaking process, especially since many of the radio-sourced songs were broadcast 20 percent faster to attract more viewers to the failing AM radio format at the time. The post-production mixers then had to transition to the CD, vinyl, or whatever other source material director Quentin Tarantino wanted to use for the remainder of the song. Two big take-aways from this information-packed panel of veteran sound pros are: 1. Certain big, complex films have the absolute need to have a sound editorial "presence" actually in the picture editorial room. Not so ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD: RECREATING THE SOUNDS OF '69 MODERATOR: Matt Feury (artist relations Avid) PANELISTS: Chris Minkler CAS (re-recording mixer), Michael Hertlein (dialogue supervisor), Mark Ulano CAS (production sound mixer), Harry Cohen (sound effects designer), Lindsey Alvarez (dialogue editor), and Jim Schultz (music editor) OBSERVATIONS b y J a m e s R i d g l e y C A S much as any kind of problem solver but so later the sound department has less surprises to contend with. 2. Any sound engineer who can answer the director's question about what they might plan to do, BEFORE the film is shot and edited, probably shouldn't be hired to work on that film. The reason is that their job can't really be done until the picture edit is seen and they can work toward making sound as true to picture as humanly possible. One of the more interesting comments from the panel that I heard came from production sound mixer and former CAS President Mark Ulano CAS. When asked what's it like to know that Tarantino does not do ADR, so the pressure to get usable tracks in every shot must be like a pressure cooker, said, "Fear and anger don't succeed in that; open heart and mind prevails." He went on to say that Quentin shows no hierarchy of departments and that if anyone comes up with a great idea and he uses it— they get five dollars. The Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood panel.