Sound off about sound and audio

[Joel Kaye]

I think you are getting more on track, although once again I'll say it's best to become expert at step 0: learning to tightly edit, to organize your tracks nicely, etc. It makes mixing so much easier.

Also, the steps 2-4 that you described MUST be done non-destructively.

Right - I'm trying to stick with VST plugins so everything can be changed later. I'm also seperating tracks so it's easier to mix. I have a mixer with automated faders so I'll play with that. This mix isn't too tough at all. It's not like 64 tracks or anything. It'll be maybe 8 tracks with foley etc. I just want to use this simple project as an opportunity to build the workflow and educate myself before the next bigger thing happens.

@Josch - yeah, overcompressed doesn't sound right. I want to keep it as natural and dynamic as I can while keep the peaks under control.

@Vanguy - Great work on the radiator nightmare. Those are some good techniques. I'm going to do the same on the score. I'll probably create my own because I play keyboards and guitar - but I'll get other people involved later. To me the score is a place where you can always experiment... it's not like it's a one time shot. Even after a festival it could be redone. (As with everything else)

Even though I'm singing to the choir here - I've been told by several distributors and reps that audio is consistently the one place new film makers blow it and it ruins their chance for distribution. It's just a different skillset than most rookies bring to the table. We might have great camera work or acting or lighting or stunts or vfx or stories... but none of those matter if your audio is annoying.

 

[Jim Hoffman]

Just want to put a few things out there...

Spending time in pre/production thinking about sound and working to get the cleanest sound possible will save you time, money and heartache down the road in post. While there are somethings we can do to "fix" audio in post there really is not much latitude before voices start sounding processed and unnatural - hence ADR when available.

As for preparing tracks for a conform/mix - try and work in a nondestructive world. In other words, if you can avoid processing audio or clipping sound files so your mixer can have the flexibility they need to alter things...cool. It is very difficult if not impossible to correct preprocessed sound. Make sure there are heads and tails to the audio clips. Also provide any ambient track that was hopefully recorded in the on screen environment. This might me used to smooth over difficult edits or transitions (ac noise - cars - room tone etc.) Keep all channels of recorded audio available on adjoining tracks - (ie lav on ch1 boom ch2) I've had editors make choices based on what the hear between the 2 channels and discard what they thought was not the best sounding. Sometimes the choice is obvious, especially when there is a technical problem. But other times it is not as clear. A boom mic may sound better but with some good EQ the lav might match other dialogue tracks and offer a more unified sound for a scene. Sometimes its about choosing what works in the whole versus an individual line.

So many times I have work come through my studio where an editor has added sfx and music to sell a cut that isn't as well thought out as it could be. Like other aspects of our evolving techo-creative world just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you should. Try not to get overly excited about the idea you can use Garage Band to create loops that "work" - and forget to think about the creative role of sound in your project. Although it is often under appreciated sound is vital to the success of ant project. You can often get away with picture anomalies with a creative solution - but bad sound will kill you.