Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1491103
60 S P R I N G 2 0 2 3 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y gets combined in the recorder session, Steve has to manage bed and object counts between dialogue, music, and FX, so he has to communicate with each mixer to figure out how many objects each person can use. "Part of the job is to figure out how I can help the mixer mix into a limiting process. With the recorder process, we find ways to do what I call 'trickle down limiting,' where we start from your session, then we go through all the different stems and stuff, to where it's not just literally a brick wall." Karol adds, "I've noticed on my stage if there are QC reports that come in, you'll be the first person to get that typically, correct?" "Yes, and depending on the show, sometimes I'm responsible for doing all that work, or I'll also be doing the M&E's." Karol followed up, "He's got the widest perspective of the dub stage. If we don't know how to access an obscure mode on the board, the mix tech will work in the background and come back to us with the solution." Steve adds, "That's a super fun part of the job too, just keeping up with everything." Most of us are aware of the people and the pieces that contribute to the end sound product, though we may not fully know exactly what these team members are doing. Hearing from these partners in sound crime was insightful, educational, and fun. the original takes. When the assembly happens with any software you use, it's not always frame accurate. So, after the assembly, I go and listen to every single cut in the film, play it down against the AAF track, and listen for phase. If it goes out, I put it back in. Then when the dialogue editor gets it, he's not worried about sync, he's just cutting. The thing I like about assisting over editing is there's just more variety. In the feature world, I have additional responsibilities such as hiring editors, making budgets, tracking things, and talking to filmmakers." The fifth partner in our sound crime discussion was mix tech Steve Neal. "I get on a show after everyone else has been working on it. I get a list of all the reels we have, which version of picture we are on, and editorial sessions for each mixer. The main goal [of my job is to make sure] the mixer can come in and just start working." Karol then points out, "And you build the recorders as well." A recorder is a separate Pro Tools machine designed to generate the various stems and deliverables a show requires, but it is also where the elements from the two mixers get combined to create the full mix. Steve confirmed, "Yes, that's the main thing and it changes drastically feature to feature versus a streaming show. Then you also have to worry about limiting, dialogue loudness, and all that stuff." With Atmos, for example, since everything