Normalize or compress as last audio post step?

[James B.]

Hi
I'm learning by testing to see what quality I can get out of my limited audio gear.
My main audio for a shoot i just completed comes from an ATR3550 lav into a Zoom H1.

My audio 'sweetening' consists of
1-equalization
2-slight reverb to add some room presence
3-normalization

Only noticeable when wearing headphones but AFTER normalization I can hear some slight noise...I assume I'm hearing mostly the noise floor of the inexpensive lav mic.
I've avoiding using ANY noise reduction filters since they all seem artificial(but perhaps I don't know how to use them properly).
I've read on other audio forums that compression INSTEAD of normalization is a recommended last step.
Does anyone else agree-disagree?
If yes, what are some recommended compression settings?
If not, what are some recommended normalization settings?
Another 'tip' I recall reading for equalization is to only apply half the amount of equalization you need, reverse your track(so it plays backwards) apply a 2nd time, reverse back to normal.
Supposed to canceled the phase anomolies caused by EQ's.
Anyone try this?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Marc Wielage]

There is no "one size fits all" compression ratios or settings, as well as EQ, because it all depends on the sound of the material.

I wouldn't try to mix anything on headphones -- they're going to throw you off drastically from what's heard on a regular TV set, let alone in a theater. In the past, when I've cut dialog, I often used headphones to get "on top of" the sound and to jog through individual pieces of syllables, but I'd never mix that way.

My suggestion is that you use a sound mixing program to manually tweak all the levels from every character and every line of dialog, and make them all sound very consistent. You'll probably have to drop in an extra track of room tone or presence just to cover up edits, perspective changes, and other problems.

Read John Purcell's book Dialogue Editing for Motion Pictures: A Guide to the Invisible Art. It'll give you a great deal of insight as far as how to balance out, EQ, compress, and otherwise massage dialog to make it sound consistent and real. Be warned that the book is very Pro Tools-centric, but that's what's used for 90% of dialog and sound mixing in LA.