Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1339678
72 C I N E M O N T A G E T E C H more than that would have been beyond the needs. She didn't need picture. There were no security issues because she didn't need picture, or soundtrack, or lines of dialogue. She didn't need special- ized gear, like a mic or audio interface." When Findley needs to record a few wild lines (but not in sync) he has the actor record them on their end and send the files to him afterward. But there are some steps to this process. First, Findley assesses the actor's level of technical prowess. Do they have their own recording gear ? Is it good enough quality for Findley's purpose? He explained, "About 25 % of actors I've worked with have their own gear because they do podcasts or voiceover work. Their mic might be fine for podcasts but not for television productions. We're go- ing for 24 bit/48k sample rate minimum. That's our starting point for quality. The mic also needs to handle the SPL of the performance. If we're doing a big battle cry, the A/D converter could fail at those higher levels of stress. So it needs a solid converter that can handle the type of performance the scene requires." When Findley needs to send a mic to an actor, he likes to keep it simple — a USB mic with a self-contained audio interface. This way, the actor only has to plug in one cable. "The Apogee MiC Plus is one example of a USB mic that would serve our purpose. That's my favorite one right now. I do a lot of ADR with that microphone," says Findley. He also sends a mic stand, shock mount, and isolation filter. Next, Findley helps the talent choose a voice recording app or software. There are numerous options on the Apple app store, or available from mic manufac- turers like Apogee's MetaRecorder or Shure's Motive app. "I would say it's mostly about ease-of-use. If an app can capture 24bit/48k recordings, then it comes down to the features and func- tions that the talent can make use of. We can pretty much use any software, such as Twisted Wave. It's excellent and very popular. A lot of voice actors use it. It's very straightforward but it also has some capabilities beyond just a voice recording app," he said. WALK RIGHT IN Findley then works with the actor to find an appropriate place in which to record. "I love walk-in closets. They are the most amazing sound booths. All the clothing in there just sucks up all of the reflections and they're perfect — the messier the better," he says. The problem with a walk-in closet is that it's not an iso-booth. There might be plenty of sound treatment (i.e., clothing) to absorb reflections, but they're not soundproofed. "Noise can get in, like air-conditioning, garbage trucks outside backing up, the neighbor's lawn crew always comes over just as we're about to record, smoke detectors beeping because the battery is low, dogs barking, and so on. But very rarely has a line been blown because of that, by the way. We ask every- one to be aware of their surroundings. So, if the actor hears their dog bark then we'll just do another take. It's not a big deal," Findley said. The other key aspect of remote ADR is communication. Findley, the filmmakers, and the talent need a way to talk back and forth to simulate the experience of being on an ADR stage. Findley notes that the videoconferencing platform used — be it Zoom, Skype, or a tool that's intended for picture approval like Frankie or Frame.io — isn't important. Since this is for an ADR session (in which they're listening to mono dialogue tracks and n o t a c o m p l e x f i n a l m i x i n At m o s ), Making "Ted Lasso".