Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/600849
51 FALL 2015 / CINEMONTAGE Christian's final choice, of course. We met for the first time at 424 Post during dialogue pre-dubs after several phone conversations. I asked what Pro Tools templates he prefers." "Scott became my right-hand guy," Minkler offers. "I came late to the project, about a week before the start of the final mix, while John Ross completed his dialogue pre-dubs. But the picture editor talked me through the story arcs, and I caught up pretty quickly. It was a totally collective effort. "Playback on the stage at 424 Post was from three Pro Tools sessions containing effects and Foley, background and music, plus dialogue and ADR," recalls Minkler. "We sat together at the Avid/Euphonix System 5 console and I quickly assessed Christian's way of working," Sander adds. "We had three weeks to organize the tracks and get a feel for the 5.1-channel mix. There were no temp dubs, so we moved pretty quickly to print mastering." "With the emphasis on realistic sounds from that era, matching the quality of actual to newsreel footage became our challenge, using practical projector sounds and backgrounds," Minkler explains. "We also re-created the microphone quality of that time, without being too obvious. In essence, we were looking to create a documentary-type feel and capture that magic of the era." "Christian is very astute," considers Sanders. "I could offer input as he worked on the mix, including advising him of sections that were up and coming, as well as making suggestions about the mono feel during the newsreel sequences, the room ambiences I had cut to add richness, and the surround elements." Sanders' philosophy was to select a sound that sells the scene — "one that works with what's on the screen and doesn't call attention to itself," he elaborates. For the newsreel sequences, I had developed seven or eight projector sounds for different scenes — to offer Christian some options and to provide characters for each playback theatre. We chose two or three sounds that were not exactly the same. For example, Kirk Douglas' screening room has its own unique sound." "All the newsreel sounds were treated differently," Minkler confirms. "Using just a touch of my distortion plug-in — in addition to subtle compression, limiting and EQ to match the period — like during a scene from Spartacus, which was intercut with our actor [Dean O'Gorman] playing Kirk Douglas." All in all, the seasoned sound effects editorial and mixing team that worked on Trumbo, which already is attracting a positive Oscar buzz, seamlessly blended sound elements to create a film- centric world from over 60 years ago. f Perry Robertson. Foley became a sound character in Trumbo.