Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/757053
40 F A L L 2 0 1 6 C A S Q U A R T E R L Y Mark: Once I brought a dear mentor and friend, Mark Mangini, a scene where I had cut hundreds of tracks. He took me aside and said, "Mark, it's not about cutting sound—it's about cutting the right sound." I took it to heart—it's not as easy as it sounds. The reality is we can load our systems up with so much stuff that we break our own purpose. Our pur- pose is to find the right thing—the right sound. So, I think the first thing we all need to look at when we jump in, is to understand the car we're driving. If it's a smaller room, don't cut 1,200 sounds and don't have 1,300 plugins. Understand the capabilities of the software products—that you can freeze, you can bounce, etc., and stay on target. You have to realize the tools you're using and use them responsibly. For signal flow, are you utilizing Dante? How are you exchanging info throughout the facility? Nate: In Sony's small rooms, we're using Dante and BluLink and MADI from Pro Tools. With the bigger rooms, we're still using that back end (Dante to BluLink). Bill: Formosa is heavily into RedNet in the big and small rooms. It's relatively inexpensive, scales up incredibly well. Using it with HD32R interfaces on Pro Tools. Tom: We're software only, running into QSC for monitoring. Mark: We use a Dante card to BSS for EQ and MADI bridges to a Dante card. Mark: I've never heard a great mix not sound good every- where. We just have to learn from our mistakes and just go for it. Don't be intimidated and think that there's a perfect way to make a great spaghetti sauce because there's lots of ways to make great spaghetti. Production Sound Pavilion Events at the pavilion included "Remastering Cinema Audio for ATSC HDTV," presented by Lou Neumann CAS, "EQ and Noise Reduction in the Field," presented by Bob Bronow CAS with Joe Foglia CAS, and The Parade of Sound Carts. All were sponsored by CAS. The first discussion was an overview of loudness levels and surround sound manage- ment when mixing for broadcast distribution. The second discussed why, although a growing trend, heavy noise reduc- tion on set is discouraged, as it can pin the hands of the post mixer to fully manipulate it in order to serve the narrative. And the third was a standout affair … The Parade of Sound Carts The Production Sound Pavilion was the newest addition to the annual Mix "Sound for Film" event held at Sony Pictures Studios. At the heart of the Sound Pavilion was The Parade of Sound Carts, formerly a standalone event held by the CAS, and a pair of audio workshops presented by guests and mem- bers. This event was heavily attended and highly reviewed by participants. Mark Ulano CAS offered, "Over the past decade, production sound has become much more complex, as technologies and workflows evolved both on set and in post production." The Parade of Sound Carts gathered more than a dozen production rigs by many of today's working professionals in motion pictures, television, and commercials. The event was managed and coordinated by Chris Howland CAS and Don Hale CAS. The event kicked off two solid hours of presenta- tions and discussions of how each of these production carts are personally designed and crafted for the artist to work, capture, and deliver their sound mix and assets. Each presenter was able to have a few moments to dis- cuss their design and build for how they work and function— as well as how they often pack and move with the ever grow- ing speed of produc- tion. This event was unique in that the audience was highly comprised of post