Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1512183
M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S 59 working on a uniform horizontal task stretched more than 120 minutes with inevitable moments of procrastination disguised as improvement. After 10 days, we are already viewing half of the film in the mix stage. Yes, it is very raw and we don't dare to show it to the director immediately, but we see how all the elements work together. Commenting on such work is much easier and more effective than commenting on individual elements sent by a ghost worker, when inevitably the attention of both the director and supervisor switches from the overall dramaturgy to the small details of one element. Many important ideas emerge during discussions of "MVP" version with terms. In the next sprint, these episodes are shown to the director and his feedback is incorporated. As episodes are completed, groups take on other episodes, the volume of revisions decreases, and the sprint duration shortens. Once more than half of the episodes are ready, we move on to the final mix. The most frequent question is whether one can hear the style and sound of the film changing from episode to episode. In the initial viewings, they certainly differ. For instance, different doors are placed in the same locations and clocks tick differently. However, we quickly synchronize such concrete discrepancies choosing the best options. The more subjective differences actually become an advantage as the same locations have entirely different moods and states of the characters in various episodes. The fact that they are made by different teams is a benefit. If some effects are repeated in different episodes, one of the groups will develop it and then distribute it to the others for editing. Screenings after sprint, smooth out stylistic differences. I think there is also a certain positive competitive effect between the teams. I can't say that this method is suitable for all projects and is definitively better than the standard approach. It doesn't make sense to organize it remotely or try to gather random people—our teams are largely formed based on personal relationships which is very crucial. I can confidently say that it's quite effective for large projects with few recurring locations and many diverse effects where many original sound solutions need to be devised. It's especially useful when you need to "boost" the skills of designers with limited practice. They wouldn't have been able to start working as equals on such complex projects using a conventional approach so quickly. Yes, they take more time, make mistakes, pester more experienced members with questions, but within the framework of teams and iterations, this doesn't critically impact the timelines and results. It has a significant positive effect on their experience. Once we completed several projects in this new agile framework and adjusted our workflow, we received—under tight deadlines—the Union of Salvation project, a rather complex historical film about the Decembrist Revolt with many crowd scenes and diverse locations. We finished it in 2.5 months with four teams. The majority of ambiences, crowd scenes and FX (including the recording of historical drums for marches) were specifically developed and recorded for this film. When we added up all the hours we spent on this project, it turned out that a single person would've been working on this film for four years without any days off. We also understood that our permanent team would need replenishment. Inevitably, some people might decide to leave after 2-3 years, and for those who would like to join us, a lot needs to be explained. Drawing from my teaching experience, I realized that it would be very beneficial for our employees to conduct masterclasses to structure the knowledge they've Recording of sweetener for the sound of a Nebelwerfer flyby–a flame resonating in a pipe for Stalingrad (2013). Abandoned factory in the suburbs of Moscow. Pictured: Pavel Doreuli & Aleksandr Volodin (in foreground). Atmosfera Studio ©