Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1535806
To enhance the feeling of historical fidelity, Tod used period- accurate microphones, including the Neumann M249C, RCA 77DX, and Shure 55 Unidyn to capture the nuances of each performance. "We had always planned on doing the non- performance music pieces live—basically any music pieces that didn't have stage mics. For all the performance pieces, the stage mics added another dimension to the sound. We sourced 42 pristinely sounding period mics from before 1960 to 1965. We used them strategically with the progression of time. Early mics from the '50s had a classic mid-range sound and got fuller/richer sounding as time moved forward. From the production sound standpoint, it went from recording a regular music-based film to recording an album while recording a film! A great challenge," explains Maitland. "For all the non- performance pieces (whenever there wasn't a stage mic), we used a variety of techniques, wiring the inside of the guitar for everything, double booming—one from above, one from below. But what worked best was wiring Timmy in his hair; it was clean and was a nice mix of vocals and guitar." Executive music producer/scoring mixer Nick Baxter's role was pivotal in shepherding the music performances on set through to the dub stage. He made great strides to ensure the use of period-accurate instruments and recording techniques. "We approached each scene independently with a goal of best serving the story and capturing the best musical and visual performances," explains Baxter. "Having been on set for the unique journey of shooting each scene was super helpful in post-production. It saves a lot of time when building the scenes, helps maximize full use of the on-set recordings, and integrates set material with studio material. We used as many vintage period-accurate stage and studio mics on set as possible, along with lavs and booms. Tod and his team were great with adding several plant/room mics when needed to supplement the recordings, and constantly tweaking our lav placement to capture Timmy's voice as cleanly and detailed as possible." Maitland concurs and adds, "Workflow-wise, it added a lot more mics; first were the live stage mics, then everyone was wired, then boomed whenever possible, and we added, on average, four audience mics and other ambient and effects mics." The depiction of the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, where Dylan performed a controversial electric set, is a stunning showcase of an effective marriage of production and post- sound. For this section, the production sound team, comprised of production mixer Tod A. Maitland, boom operator Jerry Yuen, technician Terence McCormack Maitland, and Pro Tools operator Derek Pacuk, recorded 20-minute extended live sets to capture the original concert's atmosphere. The sound design and production blend created mixed audience responses and enabled clear and smooth perspective shifts. Separating elements was crucial for the post-production team to be able to create these integral individual "moments." This posed a challenge, but the pickup limitations of the historical mics proved advantageous. Maitland explains, "On set, we did everything to separate the sound sources. One benefit of the period mics is that they aren't very sensitive, so L-R: David Giammarco CAS, Paul Massey CAS, Tod Maitland CAS, and Nick Baxter