Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1543070
44 S P R I N G 2 0 2 6 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y These days, more audiences than ever depend on subtitles to follow the plotlines of their favorite streaming shows. A panel of experts along the entire audio production chain convened at the 2025 AES Show to examine a growing industry concern: "Why can't we hear the dialogue?"—and what can be done about it? b y C A S A s s o c i a t e S a m C a s a s Dialogue Intelligibility from On-Set Capture to Broadcast Moderator Charles Dayton CAS MPSE shared a startling data point: Nearly 70% of viewers rely on subtitles when watching broadcast and streaming. He explains that this is not an issue of incompetence as many of the people creating these soundtracks are highly experienced and highly skilled professionals. So, what's really going on here? As each panelist spoke, it became quite evident to me that this issue doesn't sit on one department's shoulders, but rather dialogue intelligibility is a cumulative product. To me, it's like a game of Jenga. As filmmaking has evolved over the years, small changes in the process in each discipline are like little Jenga blocks being removed and repositioned. Casting, production realities, post workflows, mixing philosophies, broadcast standards, and even consumer playback environments all work together to keep the tower standing. Here's a brief recap of the discussion, but first the players. Panelists included production sound mixer Amanda Beggs CAS, supervising sound editor and dialogue specialist Doug Mountain, re-recording mixer Marc Fishman CAS, re-recording mixer and audio standards authority Jon Greasley CAS MPSE, and Dolby Fellow Jeffrey Riedmiller, Vice President of Advanced Technology. Moderated by Charles Dayton, the discussion traced intelligibility from set capture through broadcast delivery and home playback. Production sound mixer Amanda Beggs outlined what often goes unsaid: Dialogue intelligibility begins before microphones are deployed. Casting, performance style, and location selection frequently override technical considerations. When an actor is chosen for emotional authenticity instead of enunciation, production sound must work harder to support those choices, not fight against them. Beggs noted that while performance and direction are beyond a sound mixer's control, mic choice and communication are not. "I've learned to communicate in a way that non- sound people understand. By adjusting my language and approach to be less technical, I've gotten what I need for sound with less resistance." Veteran dialogue editor and mixer Doug Mountain argues the industry's Amanda Beggs CAS Charles Dayton CAS MPSE Doug Mountain