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On a technical level, post-production mixing for film and television - whether for a TV spot or for a film's theatrical release - requires observing guidelines of dynamic range, acceptable noise levels and other sonic elements to create a pleasing and believable soundtrack that SOUNDS GOOD in the intended playback environment(s). Before any creative, special effects enter the picture, time must normally be spent on getting the dialogue noise/hum/buzz-free, natural and robust in tone, and its relative levels across the whole piece consistent. Any re-recorded dialogue (ADR) must be made to sound as natural as (or tonally consistent with) original dialogue. Background ambiences -whether in stereo or surround - need careful management so as to add to the production quality while not distracting the viewer. Music and sound effects should be carefully sculpted to maximize the range of frequencies and dynamics that the intended distribution medium offers. These however are only the basics of a good mix.
An impactful, creative mix manipulates dialogue tone quality and levels not only for audibility and consistency but for dramatic impact. A plethora of processing effects are at the experienced engineer's disposal to achieve any sonic result that adds to the story. The same goes for music, sound effects, and ambiences. This all starts with well-recorded dialogue (and re-recorded dialogue) creative choices of impactful, hi-fidelity sound effects; appropriate musical passages; and believable foley. The post sound engineer considers these elements one at a time and gets them to 'play well together' enhancing the narrative for the most appropriate effect or dramatic impact.
The technical process of cleaning up and designing a soundtrack is quite involved, and could take dozens of sound editorial specialists to perform on a major feature film. Noise and hum reduction is only one part of the dialogue editorial process that prepares the dialogue for final mixing. This stage can be very time-consuming in itself, replacing lines and words of dialogye and managing proper room tone. Next, audio clips are added from sound effects libraries to enhance the sonic impact of the picture. Music is obtained from the composer or from stock libraries and fitted in time with the picture's editing. Body noises, animal and machine noises, backgrounds and other foley and ambiences complete the picture, surrounding us in the world of the picture. The sounds for these foley and ambiences are either recorded on-location as 'wild sound' (without picture) and provided to the post-production sound engineer as separate audio files, or they are obtained from stock libraries owned by your audio engineer (or their studio).
Many filmmakers wonder about the proper levels of dialogue and other elements in their mixes. Certainly there is no substitute for years of mixing experience, and the answer has little to do with absolute decibel references (the 'numbers'). The fact is that sound for picture is part science, part ears. Where does one start to build the aural sensitivity required to mix music and film? The most important step toward achieving this is calibrating the listening environment. Without a sonically accurate studio, including high-quality audio monitors and acoustical treatment, one can only dream about creating a soundtrack that can compete with its peers in the genre. Look for more information on studio setup on the LINKS page of this site.
Expect your post sound engineer to work closely with your film editor on the technical exchange of files from editing platform to sound engineer's desk. Also ensure that he or she pays close attention to the 'feel', the moods, and the dramatic impact of every layer of the soundtrack that you as director or producer wish to achieve.
- Mark Scetta, 2007
If you're curious about how film soundtracks are made, or want to learn how to create your own complete soundtrack, pick up a copy of my book,
"Gardner's Guide to Post-production Audio." |
