Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1314367
Fall 2020 – LOCAL695.ORG 15 I am also conscious that if I was the Dialog Editor, I would use the mix as a starting point, but go through the ISO tracks and listen to other choices. Even if the PSM made all the correct choices, I would still go back and rebuild the fades and balance levels using the ISO's in the comfort of a quiet cutting room, listening through studio monitors critically, with the time to audition a mix, replay and adjust if necessary. Rebuilding the mix using the ISO components allows the Dialog Editor and the Re-recording Mixer the opportunity to "steal" words or even syllables from previous takes to help performance, or remove unwanted background noise that is unfilterable. When I spoke to Re-recording Mixers and Dialog Editors about this article, what was most prominent was their use of de-noising plugins in subtle and creative ways with the ISO tracks. They can achieve finer detail with each ISO track rather than far broader brush strokes leading to obvious artefacts when using the same process on the mix track. This workflow is incredibly important to reduce ADR, and protect the creatively fragile original performances we capture on the movie set. Mixers on the set have read the script, understand the story, and do their best to convey the narrative that best fits the Director's vision. Once shooting wraps, the Director and Picture Editor may decide that two scenes in the script in linear form will be better served by intercutting to build tension or other qualities the Director wants to convey. Let's say on the first scene the PSM has mixed using the booms, with beautiful perspective; the wides sound wider, the mid shots sound mid and the close-ups sound close. In the next scene, there was an ambience or background noise issue with the booms, or perhaps the Director wanted to shoot wide and tight at the same time, so the booms never got close up coverage, forcing the PSM to prioritise the lavaliers in the mix. This scenario is very common, and it simply doesn't work to be cutting between the two scenes with one playing air around the mics with camera perspective on the booms, and the other scene using the forced perspective of the lavaliers. Thankfully, the Dialog Editor has the ability to completely remix the first scene with the lavalier ISO tracks to intercut seamlessly with the second scene. When the audience watches those scenes in the theatre, there are no uncomfortable shifts in audio perspective that takes the viewer out of the cinematic experience. Another pertinent point in this discussion is the picture cut and the relationship with the score. The Director may have been presented with a beautifully written and performed score by the Composer. The Director decides that this new piece of music really enhances the emotional performances in the scene and he/she asks the Re-recording Mixer to really push the volume. In our example, the PSM has been presented with a beautiful location or set to record in, with no acoustic or background noise issues, a single camera or two with matching headroom allowing us to play the camera perspective, letting the acoustics breathe and use the booms alone in our mix. Now that the Director has asked to push the volume of the score, they will reach a point, while using the fantastic sounding camera perspective boom mix, that the Re- recording Mixer has to say to the Director, "We can't push the score any louder without swamping the dialog on the wide and mid shots as there is room acoustics and the dialog is less upfront." The Re-recording Mixer can offer to use a lav-only mix which allows the score to be pushed a few decibels higher without swamping the production dialog, as the lav perspective is all close regardless of camera angles. A second bonus is that the louder score will potentially hide any clothing/costume rustle from the lavalier tracks that we were concerned about while shooting the scene! There are numerous ways in which ISO tracks are being used creatively to support the Director's vision, both visually and acoustically. I am particularly proud we are able to supply the components, and it is wonderful that we are able to give creative choices to our Directors and colleagues in picture and sound post that previously we were unable to. With this reason, I see no negative in the fact that on films and higher budget television shows our production sound mix is usually re-mixed to support the narrative and final picture cut. It simply means MORE production dialog is likely to make it into the movie theatres with LESS reliance on ADR for technical reasons, which can only be a good thing for our craft, the theatre- going audience and the protection of the actor's original performances. " It is wonderful that we are able to give creative choices to our Directors and colleagues in picture and sound post, that previously we were unable to."