Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1351516
46 S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y With some adjustments to your template, you can have objects available for music. And, as far as putting reverbs in the uppers and getting separation, you can have dedicated reverb tracks that go to your ceiling or walls. With slow-moving sound effects, that's where Atmos is the champion. A quick plane fly-by moves from the front of the room to the rear of the room in a frame. It doesn't matter if you're in 5.1 or Atmos because the image doesn't last long enough anywhere so it's not that different of an experience. Slow, small things like a guy walking around in the upstairs apartment or a helicopter that's slowly moving is where Atmos shines. With Atmos, you can be extremely specific where sounds are placed. We'd never done that before. With 5.1, things were either on the screen or in the room. With Atmos, you can put things where you never could. How different is mixing in Atmos? For mixers who are not working in Atmos, it's not a large change. When going from 5.1 to 7.1, all the reverbs changed. So, that's something you'll need to add to your template. When DTS and SRD came out, people were going nuts with it. "Put everything in the subwoofer and get those things behind us!" But then you realize that what you're doing has to support the story. Just because you've got it, doesn't mean you have to use it. It has always been this way. Whether you're working in Dolby Stereo, Atmos, or Mono, it has to support the story and the picture. What about your reverbs? I'm using 7.1 reverbs and sometimes I'll have a dedicated reverb upstairs for my objects. It can open up the mix. If there is a disconnect between the sound and the reverb, then you need to get reverbs up into the objects. 99 percent of my reverbs are 7.1. What are some things to watch out for when mixing in Atmos? Realize that the 5.1 will never sound exactly like the Atmos mix because 5.1 isn't Atmos. If it did sound exactly the same, there would be no need for Atmos. With some experience and setting things up right, it's very easy to prepare things for Atmos, mix them in Atmos, and get your 5.1's to sound good. It can be an intimidating thing because people go into a big theater and say, "Oh my God, this is Atmos? We can't do this! I've got to put something in every speaker and I'm going to have to cut 10 times as many backgrounds…" No, your sound still needs to support your story. Atmos can help with that and make it a grander story. What is your approach with monitoring the deliverables? The end product of our work is the masters. We can't let masters leave the room without listening to them. When you're working in the 5.1 world, you get notes, do fixes, the clients leave, and we're done. Now we need to tell them, "When you guys leave (and you're more than welcome to stick around), we've got to listen to the 5.1 and the 2-track because we've never heard them. " What do you know now that you wish you'd known when you started mixing in Atmos? I realized how effective Atmos is for music. Also, fast bys (.25 or .5 seconds) like arrows sound no different as objects than they do in the 7.1 bed, so I save time by not moving the arrows to an object track. Don't keep things only in the top of the dome. Split speakers instead of using discrete speakers. Use more of the sound field for effects and backgrounds. You can use a phantom image to use the middle height of the room. It really opens up the room as opposed to having something only on the wall or only in the overhead. Taking a chopper and bringing it a little bit lower in the room really makes it more effective. Common Thoughts on Mixing in Atmos for Broadcast Hopefully, getting some insight from these Atmos pros has taken a little anxiety out of getting into Atmos for broadcast. If you want to get your hands dirty but don't have access to an Atmos stage, download the Dolby Atmos Production Suite with its 90-day free trial. It's a great way to get started. https:// developer.dolby.com/forms/dolby-atmos-production-suite-trial/ • Don't overdo it. Remember, everything we do serves the story. • It's not too different from mixing in 7.1. • You've got upper speakers, use them wisely. • It's great for music. • While the native Atmos mix might not take longer than a 7.1 mix, you must listen to the re-renders for 7.1, 5.1, and stereo.