CineMontage

Winter 2017

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52 CINEMONTAGE / Q1 2017 capabilities. Some would purchase the MTE system, others would purchase RCA's. And a few facilities would march to their own drummer and build their own. According to ADR mixer Bob Deschaine, CAS, Gomillion Sound built its ADR-style system from scratch and had it operational by 1973-74. A search of trade journal back issues shows that MGM had its ADR stage up and running by late 1974, Universal by 1978, The Burbank Studios (Warner Bros. and Columbia) by July 1978, and Saul Zaentz's facility in Berkeley by 1980. ADR became the accepted nomenclature throughout Hollywood, and then the rest of the country; the New York term, EPS, faded away. In looking back over the advertisements and articles introducing ADR, I am struck by how they all trumpeted that this new system of post- synchronization would eliminate the need for a lot of sound editorial labor. From the Magna-Tech Electronic ad that appeared in the September 1969 issue of Journal of the SMPTE: "The Electronic Looping System precludes the need for cutting loops and eliminates the need for editing of the track.... From this point the track is ready to go to a mix and no further editing is required [my emphases]." From the American Cinematographer magazine October 1968 article about the MTE system: "Some of the advantages of the Electronic Looping System are self-evident. Except for the spotting of scenes, all editorial work is eliminated [my emphasis]. The recording produced is immediately ready for a mix, or preview." From the RCA ad in the June 1973 issue of Journal of the SMPTE: "It is an electronic system for post-sync recording that works automatically, without need for cutting and splicing film loops. With this system...the OK'd dialog [sic] is ready for transfer immediately [their emphasis] for final mix." And finally, from the Ryder Sound ad in Daily Variety, May 6, 1969: "At the completion of the recording session, you will walk out with a new dialogue track, in sync with picture, ready for composite re-recording." As it turned out, these promises of "no editing required" proved to be wildly optimistic. In conclusion, I now have a better answer to my director's original question. Here in Hollywood, ADR started between 1967 and 1968, with Glen Glenn Sound being the first to have a working system in place. In 1968, New York's Magna-Tech Electronic Company introduced its electronic looping system, which was a full package of projector, recorder and controller. It became the model for all subsequent systems. In Hollywood, the process was originally known as Automatic Dialogue Replacement, while in New York it was called EPS or Electronic Post Sync. Ryder Sound was the first Hollywood facility to install the MTE system, having its stage open and ready for business by May 1969. In 1973, Goldwyn Sound redefined ADR to mean Automated Dialogue Replacement, and the Hollywood sound post-production community came to adopt that as the "official" meaning, as evidenced by MPSE choosing that definition for its award category in 1983. It's not a quick, pithy answer, but it's thorough. The author wishes to acknowledge the generous help and guidance of the following individuals: Emory Cohen, Leo Chaloukian, Bob Deschaine and the late Marvin Walowitz. Also, this article would not have been possible without the resources of the Margaret Herrick Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). f in Berkeley by 1980. ADR became the process was originally known as Figure 7: Ad for RCA AL-70 Automatic Looping System, Journal of the SMPTE, June 1973, courtesy of AMPAS Margaret Herrick Library CONTINUED FROM PAGE 50

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