Post production process research

Audio Post Production Research Regarding LO2

Before I look into more detail about sound design and post production I want to research and define audio post production, what is involved and what the roles are involved. filmsound.org is a great site used to learn more about film sound. It contains articles and tips to improve your film sound skills.

One of the pages in this site called “Post Audio FAQ’s” does a great job at defining audio post production and what is involved:

“POST AUDIO FAQ’s”

Frequently Asked Questions About Film & TV Post-Production

What is Audio Post-Production?

Audio Post-Production is the process of creating the soundtrack for a visual program of some kind. Ever since silent movies began to talk, filmmakers have been looking to control and improve the quality of the sound of their creation. As soon as creators realized there was a way to control and enhance the sound of their pictures, Audio Post was born, and has been a fact of life ever since. In Television, audio was originally “live”, like the visual program it was part of. As TV evolved, and the art form grew to include “videotaped” and “filmed” programming, the need for Audio Post increased. Nowadays, it would be difficult to find any feature film or television show that hasn’t been through audio post.

What is involved in Audio Post ?

Audio Post usually consists of several processes. Each different project may need some, or all of these processes in order to be complete. The processes are:

Production Dialogue Editing
ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement – if needed)
Sound Effects Editing and Design
Foley Recording (human sound effects recorded in sync with picture)
Music Composition and Music Editing
Mixing (also called re-recording)

What does all that mean in English ?

It’s really pretty simple, once you know the breakdown::

Production Dialogue Editing – In order for the production audio recorded on the set or on location to be properly mixed, a Dialogue Editor needs to properly prepare it. This means locating the proper take from the recorded production audio, checking sync (so it actually works with the picture properly), and eliminate extraneous noise so the Mixer has clean dialogue to use during the Mix.

ADR [Automated Dialogue Replacement] – In cases where the production audio is too noisy, or otherwise unusable (bad line reading, airplane fly-by, etc.) theDialogue Editor will “cue” the line for ADR. This means replacing that line or lines of dialogue using theAutomated process of Dialogue Replacement. This process takes place on the ADR Stage, a specialized recording studio where the actor can record lines in sync with the picture.

Once a replacement line of dialogue has been recorded, the Dialogue or ADR Editor will check the sync carefully, editing the take if necessary to precisely match it to the picture, and prepare it for the Mixing Stage. This process is also known as “looping“.

Sound Effects Editing and Design – Ever wonder how they made the sound of Darth Vader’s helmet breath, or the Empire’s Tie Fighters, or that great train wreck sequence from “The Fugitive”? – Sound Effects Editorsand Sound Designers are how. The process of adding sound effects (backgrounds like: air, rivers, birds, traffic, and hard effects like: gunshots, door slams, body falls, etc.) has been the domain of sound effects editors for years. Although originally edited using 35mm magnetic film, recent years have seen the development of many different Digital Sound Editing systems. More and more projects are using digital technology because of the efficiency and quality it can bring to sound effects. Sound Designers use digital and analogue technology to create sound effects that have never been heard before, or to artistically create specific “mood” sounds to complement the director’s vision of the visuals.

Foley – Taking its name from Jack Foley, the Hollywood sound effects person generally regarded as the “father” of these effects, Foley effects are sounds that are created by recording human movement in sync with the picture. Different from the environmental backgrounds and hard effects that comprise edited sound effects, Foley effects are sounds like footsteps, prop movement, cloth rustling, etc. The players involved in this process are the Foley Mixer, who records the sounds, and theFoley Walkers who create those sounds. After the Foley Effects are recorded, the Foley Editor will make any slight timing adjustments necessary to ensure that they are exactly in sync with the final picture.

Music Composition – Music for film/TV falls into three general categories: Score, Source and Songs. TheComposer is the individual hired with the responsibility to prepare the dramatic underscore. Source music is that music we hear coming from an on screen or off screen device of some kind; some examples are radio source music, phonograph records, TV show themes, when seen on a TV set in the shot, and many other similar variations. Source music may be original, or licensed from a number of libraries that specialize in the creation of “generic” music. Songs may occupy either function, depending on the dramatic intent of the director. Using “Pulp Fiction” as an example, Director Quentin Tarantino hired a Music Supervisor (Karyn Rachtman, FYI) to “score” the picture using period music of the 1970’s almost exclusively. Most contemporary films use a combination of score and source music.

Music Editing – The Music Editor assists the Composer in the preparation of the dramatic underscore. Frequently working also with the Music Supervisor the Music Editor will take timings for the Composer, (usually during a spotting session )in order to notate the specific locations in the film where underscore or source music will punctuate the narrative. Once the underscore is recorded, and the source music gathered, the Music Editor will usually be the person who edits or supervises the final synchronization of all music elements prior to the mix.

Mixing (also called Dubbing) – The Mixers have the responsibility of balancing the various elements, i.e., – the Dialogue (and ADR), Music, Sound Effects, and Foley Effects, in the final mix. The Dialogue Mixer, (also called the Lead Mixer or Gaffing Mixer) commands the mixing stage; his partners in the mix are the Effects Mixer and the Music Mixer. On large features, it is not uncommon to have an additional mixer handling just the Foley effects. On huge pictures with tight deadlines, it is possible that several teams of mixers are working simultaneously on numerous stages in order to complete the mix by the release date.

Where does post-production begin ?

If you haven’t shot your film yet, it begins before you shoot – by selecting the finest production dialogue mixer you can afford. The little bit extra paid to a great production mixer can save you tenfold later in post-production.

What happens during the mix ?

During the mix, the edited production dialogue and ADR, sound effects, Foley and Musical elements that will comprise the soundtrack are assembled in their edited form, and balanced by a number of mixers to become the final soundtrack. In New York, single-mixer sessions are more commonplace than in Hollywood, where two-mixer and three-mixer teams are the norm.

The mixers traditionally divide the chores between themselves: the Lead Mixer usually handles dialogue and ADR, and may also handle music in a two-man team. In that case, the Effects mixer will handle sound effects and Foley. In three-man teams, they usually split Dialogue, Effects and Music; sometimes the music mixer handles Foley, sometimes the effects mixer covers it.

To keep the mix from becoming overwhelming, each mixer is actually creating a small set of individual sub-mixes, called STEMS. These mix stems (dialogue, effects, Foley, music, adds, extras, etc) are easier to manipulate and update during the mix.” (filmsound.org)

The Process that FilmSound.Org is describing also matches the post-priduction role flow chart, that was shown to us in a lecture from Grant Bridgman in the 1st and 2nd year:

The audio post production process in my project will work in a very similar way with some minor differences. In the section “what is involved in Audio post?” it simply says the different processes of audio post production. With the two films I am performing or undertaking different roles. For ‘All Ribbons End’ I will be undertaking all roles within audio post excluding music composition. With petal Child I will be undertaking a supervisory role as well as dialogue editing and mixing (dubbing). The rest of the post production will be completed by Sid including music composition, sound design and Foley.

My process will start also with production dialogue editing. This will be followed by any ADR, voice overs, dialogue recording that is required. On the two films there needs to become form of dialogue recording in the post production. All ribbons end needs the voice of a call operator and a bingo caller. Petal child requires the sound of someone shouting in an authoritative manor in the first scene. ADR may be required however due to strict time- restrains and actor’s availabilities this may not be possible. Therefore a lot of effort and attention to detail needs to be put in place to avoid the need for ADR.

This will then then be followed by Foley and then sound design. The reason Foley will be done (for all ribbons end) is because some of the Foley needs to be processed as sound design e.g. put through a sound effects to replicate the sound of a phone call.

The film will then be mixed. This may involve bouncing each different section (output of each role) into different STEMs e.g. dialogue, Foley, sound design, music. Another stem will be atmospheres, this may not be a stem that is commonly used but I feel that creating an atmosphere stem makes it easier to control the level of background noise compared with everything else.

Audio Project 2