Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1535880
82 M PS E . O R G mixers who help us immensely in capturing the authenticity of these sounds on the set. One of my favorite scenes was Mariko Osama's solo fight on gravel, which had a very dynamic and emotional feel to it, and as I was recording it, I would ride the faders for the far shot,s then close shots and off-camera shots to have the right feel as the fight is happening. I had visual markers for the camera cuts so I could tell when the sound would need to change or have more of the room mic or if it was a super closeup of a foot slide on gravel, in order to achieve a natural one- take recording as the Foley artist was performing it spontaneously in character, catching the sync, the emotions and dynamics of the fight as if she's one with Anna Sawai's legendary performance! Most mixers wouldn't do this, because it's too much work and weight on their shoulder to record a scene like that in one take without having to stop the artist for every single camera perspective change. Surely, you can record that same scene with 30 different takes and cuts, and put them together, but it's not going to sound or feel the same. Shogun has definitely made me a better mixer, and that's how I look at music and learning songs by ear. Each song will have certain challenges that you need to practice until you're playing it with ease and it advances your techniques as well as your deep listening abilities, and once you're really good at it, then you automatically become fast, but not cheap! ;) At the end, I have prepared a list of 14 questions I ask myself when I cue or record a show that may help some of you who are reading this: Thank you so much for reading. Please feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn or by email: Behind every cue, there's a solid reason. Ask yourself some of these questions when cueing or recording Foley to help you identify whether you need it or not. 1. Is this important? 2. Does it make a sound? 3. Is this helping the scene? 4. Is that prop part of the story? 5. Is it going to distract the audience? 6. Is it close enough or too far to be heard? 7. What category does this prop/cue belong to? 8. Do we want to hear this sound at that moment? 9. How many separated layers of sound should this be? 10. Is there a critical dialogue line happening in that moment? 11. What can I do to make it easier for the Foley crew and mixers? 12. Would it help to make a separate track for a prop? (If it's repeated) 13. Is there any ADR going on that needs help filling to support the dialogue? 14. What environment are the actors in? (Crowded bar, basketball court, etc.) If you ask yourself all these questions and you're still not sure? Follow this rule below: WHEN IN DOUBT, DON'T CUE IT!! areyousoundaware@gmail.com Arno Stephanian MPSE CAS Multi-Award Winning Post Production Sound Mixer/Foley Supervisor