The Zen of Film Soundtrack Mixing
Tuesday, January 29th, 2008
Blending the layers of any soundtrack together is naturally an exercise in compromise. Many fall prey to volume wars: make THIS louder, no make THIS louder, wait now I can’t hear THIS…. until most sound elements in the mix are hitting their head against the ceiling and the subtle beauty of dynamic range has gone out the window.
Dialogue, especially, is the number one volume concern for filmmakers. Rightfully so, most of the time the dialogue is the sonic layer that is telling the story.
Most filmmakers want the magic number for where the dialogue level should sit. If it did exist, this decibel level would at the least need adjustment for whispers, shouts, and perhaps when characters are nearer to/further from the camera. Fact is, the spoken word has quite a dynamic range and the art of the engineer is knowing how to shape it so it comes through a speakerbox in pleasing ways.
Ironically, getting levels right in a mix has more to do with getting the studio sounding right, not the mix. Experienced Re-recording Mixers - they are the engineers who have to negotiate sonic space for dialogue, sound effects, ambiences, and music (in other words, they mix the picture) - speak in a zen-like tongue, frustrating those who want to mix their own soundtracks. The pros talk more about getting your ears adapted to defining what is loud and what is soft. They plug proper bass management, room calibration, and acoustical treatments. Everything except the magic number.
Aspiring engineers who want to get their mixes sounding more to broadcast standards should take a tip from the pros: get the studio sounding right, and the mixes will follow.
photo courtesy http://www.flickr.com/photos/36429573@N00/
Watching American football in recent years is a much more immersing experience than years ago. Of course the HD revolution brought us gorgeous picture detail, ability to rewind/replay/record, and closer cameras that put us right on the field. But let’s talk about some of the audio engineers’ more subtle techniques for getting us all riled up.
