Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1353865
M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S I 61 re-recording mixers because we always want to move an audience in a particular way, emotionally. While technology has advanced, has it in a way stunted the way we use (our emotions) our skills to get the end result? I would say that technology has certainly made our job of completing multiple or complex tasks much easier. If you think back to the example I gave earlier, where it took six 18-hour days for an assistant, an editor and a mixer to track lay and mix Spitting Image, a 26-minute TV show, these days something of that nature would have the producer sharpening their pencil and then probably allocating half that time and half the human resources. Similarly, having to sit through multiple passes of a programme to create the mix stems is now not a necessity, thanks to better processing power. But do soundtracks sound better because of our capability for achieving higher productivity? No, I don't think so— it still requires sublime skills and sensitivity to capture and marshal audio assets and then arrange a mix that delivers the kind of subtlety and clarity that are the hallmark of a beautifully crafted soundtrack. And whilst some types of human behaviour have evolved over relatively short periods of time to take account of us interacting with ever-changing technology, deeper human traits remain embedded and universal; and our emotions are a case in point: professor Antonio Damasio from the University of Southern California is one of the world's leading experts on the neurophysiology of emotions and he suggests that without exception, men and women of all ages, social, cultural, and educational backgrounds are subject to emotions. In his book, The Feeling of What Happens (2000), he goes so far as to say that 'fine human emotion is even triggered by cheap music and cheap movies, the power of which should never be underestimated.' So, whilst we now have these wonderful tools to create movies—cheaply or otherwise—we should never lose sight of the fact that as sound designers, we are primarily creating an emotional experience with our soundtracks; and the Four Sound Areas framework is specifically designed as an aid for practitioners engaged in that process. What's next moving forward in 2021? I'm excited that the book will be supported by a companion website at www.soundformovingpictures .com (the full site will go live to coincide with the launch of the book on April 26, 2021) and on the site we have built a forum area—I decided to call it our 'family area'— where experienced professionals will be able to talk informally amongst themselves, sharing their ideas and thoughts; but also, it is intended that non-sound professionals such as directors, picture editors and even industry newcomers—who prior to reading the book might have only considered the visual side of filmmaking—will find a safe place to explore the gaps in their understanding of sound; particularly by being able to talk openly with others who are more experienced, in a supportive environment. By accommodating this wide range of experience, I hope that some kind of osmosis will start to take place—a kind of collective consciousness— which in turn might possibly lead to a more ready acknowledgement, recognition and understanding of the work that we as sound professionals can (and do) carry out for directors; particularly those who are open to, and truly understand, the potential of sound to be a powerful emotional component of their movies. I have several well-established and long-standing industry colleagues ready to help contribute to the anticipated topics, such as location sound recording, ADR, dialogue editing, sound effects editing, Foley recording, and all aspects of mixing; as well as the consideration of picture editing topics that impact on sound with the help of some highly experienced picture editing colleagues. After all, as Steven Spielberg famously said: "The eye sees better when the sound is great." "The desire to evoke an emotional response in the audience through the thoughtful use of sound—still remains at the epicentre of our endeavours as sound designers, sound editors, and re-recording mixers."