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Audio for Indies Small budgets don’t keep these pros from delivering big-sounding features. By Marc Loftus I ndependent films are popular because of their subject matter, often telling stories off the beaten path. But these films are usually shot on budgets well below what a larger studio feature has to work with.This can mean small crews, less expensive gear, and shorter timelines for the post production process. Still, audio post houses take pride in deliver- ing the best film soundtrack possible, regardless of a film’s budget. Here, several post houses and an independent filmmaker discuss their work, the challenges they were faced with, and how they delivered products on par with audience expectations. THE MIRA CLE OF SPANISH HARLEM This past summer, Juan Aceves joined Sound Lounge (www.soundlounge.com) in New York City, as part of an initiative to grow the studio’s Hispanic mar- ket business. He’s since worked on a number of pro- jects, including the independent film The Miracle of Spanish Harlem, a drama about a single father who questions his own faith. Aceves handled all of the audio post for the film, including sound design, Foley, dialogue editing, music editing and the final mix.The film was completed in October in time for a screening in Harlem, but at press time they were shooting additional holiday footage that would be added to the film and which would require additional audio services. “He is a single father of two girls, and he has basi- cally had it rough all his life,” explains Aceves of the film’s storyline. “His faith is pretty shaky, and the only thing that could save him would be a miracle. So he creates his own miracle, but in doing so, stumbles upon the real miracle.” Aceves was brought on board by the film’s co- producer Karen Torres, who once repped him when he ran his own studio, Light At The End of the Tun- nel.“We had wanted to work together for along time,” says Aceves. At Sound Lounge, Aceves works out of his own room — Studio G — which is based around a Mac running Avid Pro Tools.There is no console, instead, he mixes virtually, and recently came upon an iPad app that allows him use the tablet for mixing. For a film project, he will initially have a meeting with the production team and watch the film together.“We talk a little bit about what the concept is [and] what the director is looking for.Then, I like to be left alone. I show my work in progress every now and then,when I hit milestones — the dialogue is mixed, leveled and edited. I would do a screening to show [the director] the dialogue, but I like to work by myself.” Aceves works on dialogue, effects and music si- L-R: Jet Stream’s Steve Cahill and Rick Larimore: Both of the studio’s mix stages feature Pro Tools and an Icon console. multaneously, but the production sound is always the initial focus.“There are segments where I bring in a little of the ambience, just to get a feel for how the dialogue is going to cut through and how much noise I want in the scene. I work in tandem with the different elements. I work in sections more than in certain processes.” 38 Post • January 2011 www.postmagazine.com