Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1504731
M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S 67 between the outside and inside of the train feel 'hard,' almost like the hard cut between boosters and the cabin of a rocket launch scene in some sci-fi films. This creates a sense of tension and breathlessness for the audience. When we cut to the outside of the train, the major sources of loud noise are the wind and the train's movement. Sound of the railway tracks can disrupt the rhythm of the music and create chaos. Therefore, I emphasize the wind, which is not visually evident in the shots, making it a prominent element and increasing the scene's pace. Of course, the wind also has its own tonality, and I need to handle it well in relation to the music, ensuring they remain distinct and don't interfere with each other. EM: What was your approach to cutting backgrounds for quiet dialogue scenes in the film? NZ: Since it's a spy film, we wanted to create a sense of mystery through the use of sound. In one scene, two agents are sitting in a café, monitoring the outside while occasionally crossing the street to check if the markings have been altered. When they are indoors, the sound of the wind is actually the same as what you would hear on the street, just lowered in volume. I didn't highlight the indoor sounds like the wind coming through the window cracks or add sounds such as ticking clocks, window frame rattling, or café ambience. I wanted to maintain a sense of solitude and desolation. When they walk from the café to the street, I didn't fully portray the sounds of people, cars, excellent dialogue editor/ADR recordist, Li Xinghui, on our team. She has been with us at Golden Cicada since the beginning and has been responsible for dialogue on most of our important projects. We used the iZotope RX series a lot for noise, and a lot of matching work was done for both production dialogue and ADR. Since the story is set in Northeast China during the 1920s and 1930s, and we filmed there in winter with extremely low temperatures, we preferred to use as much production sound as possible. It would have been difficult for actors to recreate the authentic sound performances in a warm ADR room. The main challenge on set was the noise from the snow-making machine, but we were able to overcome it using advanced sound processing software, which gave us more options to work with. EM: Did you record loop group for horse carriages, or the Japanese language. Instead, I blended them into the wind. I see it as creating an atmosphere, a feeling. JY: Many years ago, I once slept until late afternoon after staying up all night. I was in a 20-story apartment at that time, and when I woke up, I could hear the distant bustling city sounds. For a long time, I thought it was four or five o'clock in the morning. Sometimes I find that not being able to hear things clearly can be beautiful. With the advancement of technology, people are increasingly inclined to seek clean, distinct sounds. But I think there is something intriguing about 'not hearing clearly' or 'not being rich in detail.' EM: What was your approach to dialogue cleanup and editorial on this film? NZ: We are fortunate to have an Supervising sound editors Nan Zhao and Jiang Yang in their studio, Golden Cicada Film.