Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1399159
24 PRODUCTION SOUND & VIDEO – Fall 2021 one person. It also had the ability to become a true "bag" in a matter of seconds, simply by detaching from the cart and switching the power source. This was especially useful for interior car shots, or any ridiculously difficult locations that needed accessing. Our main Eurocart, once it had been on its 'diet,' was fairly easy to get into places so we only used the Super Zuca about three or four times while we were in Matera. When we did need the Zuca, it was invaluable and did its job adeptly and elegantly. The only compromise I had to make was mixing without Penny and Giles sliding faders! The vast majority of our work in Matera were action sequences, generally involving vehicles. Cary and his stunt team worked with the mantra of 'keeping it real' on the stunt and driving sequences. If Bond and his passenger had key dialog in a vehicle as it was being driven at speed, Cary still wanted to capture it, rather than putting the car on a low loader, limiting the speed the vehicle could travel and, consequently, the energy that real driving brings to the screen. A long time ago, I decided when faced with this kind of scenario, rather than try to keep within radio range in a follow vehicle, which is notoriously difficult to trust with so many elements that could conspire to leave us too far away. My strategy would be to use the huge dynamic range digital recording affords us by placing a bag in the trunk of the hero vehicle, strap it in, set reasonable levels based on my knowledge of what the vocal performances will entail, and leave the recorder running without me directly monitoring as we shoot. This means I am less able to supply an elegant mix for Picture Editorial, instead simply opening up the actors' mics onto the mix track. The positive is, in my opinion, that sound post and the final movie will get better production dialog as the antennas and receivers are inside the vehicle with the actors, so range is perfect throughout. It also allows me to hardwire the Schoeps CMC6/MK41, so I am delivering a lav and a hardwired hyper-cardioid on each actor (the latter generally rigged in the header or the sun visor, depending on the shot). When using this methodology, I have some limiters set up at the higher end of the dynamic range, so if there is a sudden scream or a shout, the limiters save the recording from square wave or digital overload. In the same token, I make sure I am using enough gain and set the mics close enough that if an actor reduces their level to a whisper, I still capture that and, though it may be at -40dBFS or -50dBFS, it can be boosted by the Dialog Editor without increasing electronic noise/hiss. For me, this is the safest way of delivering high-quality dialog in this kind of extreme circumstance, rather than trusting radio range and working from my cart in a follow vehicle. Although I can't deliver a more crafted mix track, I know the Dialog Editor will remix the ISO's in Pro Tools anyway. I still ride in a follow vehicle, monitoring a Sennheiser EW pack (the UK version of a Comtek), so I can get a feel for the performance and hear if something disastrous happens, like a lav falling off an actor or a battery mysteriously running out. That way, each time we stop at the end of the 'travel,' I can get out, access the sound bag in the trunk, and fine-tune the ISO track gain levels based on the performances I am listening to. If necessary, I can also adjust the input gain settings on the actors' Lectrosonics transmitters with the app. On these types of days, I would recognise the fact that my crew would probably have some downtime and sent our 2nd AS, Ben, out to capture stereo atmosphere tracks of interesting sounds unique to the location. This was something Cary specifically asked for, as he prefers using real ambience, feeling there is a truth within them, rather than synthetic or 'built' atmospheres. He likes to use a real atmosphere 'bed' for his sound designers to then build layers. At each location, at those times where I did not require my full crew, Ben would go off to harvest interesting sounds in M&S stereo, using my Neumann 191 mic. Oliver Tarney had asked that these tracks be delivered in M&S so he could decide later whether mono or stereo was appropriate, depending on the finished scene, the rest of the sound design, and the exact ambience he was using. When we arrived back in the UK, our work was mainly on interior studio sets. There were a lot of important storytelling scenes taking place in the MI6 offices, including M's office. I have always loved these scenes in Bond movies, feeling they provide a quintessential British charm, in which Bond's colleagues are usually relaxed, unruffled, and professional, despite the frenetic and energetic action sequences of the story they are often intercut with. I really wanted to use sound to help support this. I decided that all of the MI6 scenes were an excellent opportunity to let the dialog breathe by prioritising camera perspective. I knew that much of Bond 25 would require the Re-recording Mixer to use the close-up mic perspective Director Cary Fukunaga (center) with Daniel Craig (left) and Lashana Lynch (right). Simon Hayes embracing the camera barney and celebrating filming in 35mm.