Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1314046
For ADR, Michael had to record in April using iPhone mics. He searched online for Shure mics, but the best mics were out of stock at many retailers. He eventually built a rig using a laptop, ClearView, a Focusrite preamp, a Zoom recorder, and people listening on Evercast. "Seventy percent of the time it worked well. But the other thirty percent dealt with bad room acoustics." Sean also started in April using iPhones to record wild, with no file names, etc. Eventually, Sean ran picture in Los Angeles while Matt Wood recorded on Pro Tools in San Francisco. He used Source-Connect with the Loop Group, using Focusrite Scarlett preamps through Source-Connect. The group gave him 12 actors on separate tracks. Parabolic NY sent rigs to 35 actors all around the world. "Two weeks ago, it was Anchorage. This morning, London." He appreciated the choice of mics supplied by Parabolic. Like most others, Mandell began with iPhone recordings, using Evercast with actors recording on iPhones wild. Eventually, he used Source-Connect for locations as far away as India. He used the Deluxe One Dub system that was introduced in May. "Group is the hardest to do. I had one actor who spoke into the wrong end of the microphone." Gary pointed out that the studio would not allow video of program material to be sent over Zoom. Actors recording their own ADR were asked to use a naming convention with actors' initials. "The whole process takes a lot longer now." Sean agreed, saying that it takes at least two to three times as long just to prep the group tracks. For playback on The Mandalorian, they used fiber and Source-Connect to send HD picture and 7.1.4 streaming audio from the Bay area to Jon Favreau in Los Angeles, where he would listen in his studio and give notes. An amazing system, but it requires fiber to get all that data in real time. Recap by Sam Casas The Sound of GREYHOUND During "The Sound of Greyhound" panel, Mix magazine's editor Tom Kenny sat down with three-time Oscar-winning re-recording mixer and co-supervising sound editor Michael Minkler CAS to discuss various aspects of the film's soundtrack. Kenny and Minkler agree that sound designing for a war film is much like being in a sound designer's playground. Capturing these intense images is no small feat. Noisy on-set situations and computer- generated images often make the use of production audio for action scenes simply not an option. Everything from atmospheres to weaponry must be created to build excitement. "It's almost like doing an animated movie," explains Minkler. Communication on the ship (where much action takes place) plays a large role in telling the story, and authenticity was a prime directive from the filmmakers. Dialogue over various devices such as loudspeakers, headphones, and even a man called "the talker" who shadows the captain and relays orders had to feel true to the scene. With such a large crew, production mixer David Wyman CAS chose to wire every actor who could possibly speak, resulting in up to 25 tracks of dialogue. This enabled the actors to respond and react in real time from different locations on the ship, helping the performances feel real. Another amazing anecdote was Minkler's unique opportunity to ride on a 440-foot clipper ship going 22 knots under pure sail—no engines! He was able to lay on the bowsprit netting with microphones for an hour while recording "bow wash, and the pounding, and the strain." This was many years ago, but "a lot of that was used." When it comes to dynamic elements, Minkler stated, "I don't like loud … I have a limit … I like big and fat … I'm way more conservative than most mixers. I set my threshold 4 dB or 5 dB down from peak." When describing his other mixing tricks and techniques, Minkler explained how he likes to keep everything moving. "Every sound effect, every piece of music, and every bit of dialogue, they're just moving, moving, moving. Moving in level, moving in frequency, moving in position on the screen. Everything is moving, but you don't notice it." Minkler naturally shared credit with his friend and co-supervising sound editor Warren Shaw. After working on seven films together, the choice to collaborate on this project was an easy decision to make right from the beginning. MICHAEL MINKLER CAS Re-recording Mixer