Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1546135
62 FA L L 2 0 2 6 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y itself by adding more of the same noise that is already present. The separated noise track offers a different possibility. Because the environmental information already exists independently of the dialogue, it becomes possible to establish a scene's background character only once—directly from production recordings—and then extend that material wherever necessary. This became particularly useful when dealing with ADR. Since all dialogue had been processed clip-by-clip with three- second handles, both preceding and following noise segments could often be extended naturally across ADR gaps. More importantly, those extensions contained not only the ambient background of the location but also subtle movements of the characters in that very moment. Rethinking PFX The separated noise track also raises interesting questions about production effects. In traditional workflows, dialogue- free sections, footsteps, doors, and other production sounds are often transferred to PFX tracks for independent control and eventual use in M&E versions. With permanent separation, much of that material already exists in the noise track. After appropriate cleanup, that track can frequently contribute directly to M&E creation while preserving details that help foreign-language versions feel connected to the original production recordings. In fact, many mixers are already moving in this direction. During M&E mixes, tools such as Hush and Clear are often used to remove dialogue and its reverb from production tracks while retaining environmental content. Seen from that perspective, our traditional workflow begins to look surprisingly inefficient: We de-noise during dialogue editorial. We often de-noise again during the mix. Then, during M&E creation, we effectively perform the process a third time—only in reverse— rendering yet another balance between voice, reverb, and noise. Permanent separation eliminates much of that repetition. Taken to its logical conclusion, one could even imagine replacing the PFX tracks with the noise tracks entirely. Doing so would require careful consideration of signal flow and delay compensation, particularly if this track were to undergo a different signal flow than the dialogue, for instance, to avoid compression or de-essing. Even so, the possibility is difficult to ignore. Checkerboarding Becomes More Nuanced In a traditional workflow, alternating boom recordings across separate tracks often serves practical mixing purposes. One character may require a different EQ than another. A reverse shot may need different treatment or panning than the corresponding wide. A passing airplane may need to be faded out on one take while another plays in parallel. Once voice, reverb, and noise exist as independent elements, however, those decisions become far more flexible. Material that naturally belongs together can often remain together. Checkerboarding can then be introduced only where it genuinely improves the workflow. For example, voice and reverb might alternate between tracks to accommodate changing perspectives or characters, while noise remains continuous. In other situations, voice and reverb may stay inline while noise alternates to accommodate that airplane fade-out or a character's footsteps as they leave the room. Checkerboarding may be applied as a mixer's preference