Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544300
M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S 71 final mix stage, the editorial work transitions into stems—organized groups of sounds that can be controlled independently during the mix. Typical stems include dialogue, music, Foley, backgrounds, and effects. For a film like Tron: Ares, those categories become more complex, with additional layers devoted to mechanical design elements and digital energy textures. Once the editorial work is complete, the soundtrack moves into the final mix stage—where all of the elements come together. or Tron: Ares, Ringnes worked closely with re-recording mixer Ron Bartlett. "The mix is where everything comes alive," Ringnes says. The final mix for Tron: Ares was designed for Dolby Atmos and IMAX exhibition formats. Ringnes explains, "We did two different mixes and it was definitely a good thing. We had the time and the experience of re-recording mixer Ron Bartlett. Of course, we did the Dolby Atmos first. And what I like with the Dolby Atmos is that you can be so precise with the immersive sound. The LFE is very technical, but you have control of the LFE. But in IMAX, it's more a bass management. But at the same time, you know when you do IMAX that it's always going to be shown on a big screen with a fixed level. So, we spend a lot of time mixing the IMAX for the big screen. So maybe it was a little bit bolder with some things. But we always try to replicate the original mix. It's not different, but we tweaked it." Dolby Atmos allows sound designers to place audio objects anywhere within a three-dimensional environment. Sounds can move above the audience, travel across the theater, or swirl around the room in ways traditional surround systems cannot replicate. For a film set inside a digital universe, this flexibility proved invaluable. Energy pulses could ripple through the theater like waves of electricity, while vehicles racing through the Grid could sweep overhead or move behind the audience. IMAX added another layer of impact. The format's powerful low-frequency capabilities allow sound designers to create moments that audiences feel physically. "You feel it in your stomach," Ringnes explains. These visceral sensations are carefully controlled so they enhance the storytelling rather than overwhelming it. Ultimately, the technical complexity of modern sound design serves a single purpose: storytelling. Despite the enormous number of sound layers involved in creating the world of Tron: Ares, Ringnes believes the audience should never consciously notice the work itself. "If people leave the theater talking about the story instead of the sound," he says, "we probably did our job well." That philosophy echoes the lessons F Re-recording mixer Ron Bartlett and supervising sound editor and sound designer Tormod Ringnes.