As you will see, this "Letter" was put together by some outstanding people in the business, and has circulated in different forms on the Internet.
It was originally aimed at a production´s Producer(s) and Director. I make it a habit to hand it out or email it to everyone on each production I work.
A copy of this, suitable for printing and emailing, is available HERE.
Note: I have edited this work of art. Any error in delivery is solely mine.
This letter was written with input from audio professionals to help directors and producers understand how good audio can be recorded on the set. We share a common bond to help you make the best film possible.
For this piece, we will not discuss the topic of mixing itself, as this is the "hocus pocus" part of the process that you trust us to do so well. The same audio principles would also apply to high definition and video shoots.
We want you to have information that will enable you to evaluate what is interfering with the recording of good audio, before you make a hasty decision that is harmful to the quality of YOUR film´ss audio. To help you make your decision, you need to know about some of the obstacles that YOUR Sound Crew faces, before we can even begin to get usable production audio.
This is, after all, the age of digital audio. Theaters have wonderful SDDS, DTS, Dolby, THX (the audience IS listening) and surround. Even home audio is often better than many theaters, now that a sophisticated audience demands DVDs with high quality digital audio... Yet today´s Production Sound Departments face more problems and greater apathy than ever.
We, YOUR Sound Crew, are the ones that you depend on to create and protect YOUR original audio tracks during Production.
Unlike the work of the majority of the people who are working for on-camera results, the Mixer´s efforts can´t be "seen" on the set. Almost no one hears what the microphone picks up. Too few are sure just what we do. Only the most obviously bad noises are brought up for discussion.
Included in our job is monitoring the set for unnecessary, accidental, ignorant and sometimes even malicious actions (or lack of actions) that may compromise YOUR audio tracks. To emphasize this point: WE DO THIS SO YOU WILL HAVE THE BEST TRACKS POSSIBLE, IT IS NOT JUST FOR US.
Too often, we are frustrated by the state of conditions that now exist on most sets. Many times, we are expected to solve all audio problems alone. Instead, this should be a cooperative effort with the assistant directors and other crafts, some of whom create these problems for us.
Sound Mixers are often perceived as pests or even a hindrance to the film´s progress. We don´t like being put in this untenable position because it´s humiliating and unnecessary. We don´t like to be considered adversarial to the rest of the production, and we certainly don´t want to be the "sound police"!
A Mixer on a tough show, who fights alone like a black sheep trying to get good audio, stands a good chance of burning out from all the excuses and defenses put up by others. It´s hard to put it all out there without the above-the-line support. The temptation is to cave-in to the pressure and just go with the flow. No good can come from this.
The problems that we face may lead you to believe that good audio cannot be achieved without set disruptions and added costs. This would not be necessary if reasonable measures are anticipated and endorsed by you, in both Pre-Production and Production. We know the limitations of our equipment. For example, microphones are just tools. They don´t make miracles happen. If on-set audio problems are not dealt with immediately, they will come back to haunt you again in Post Production.
Most often, good audio can be achieved by using reasonable preparation to avoid pitfalls. You can help us do a better job for you. We need your understanding and your backing.
To understand the sorry state of audio affairs today, we must go back in time.
There once existed a major studio system where an assembly line of crafts worked together to churn out film products. No matter which studio we worked at, all crafts understood they were expected to take reasonable measures within their purview to allow for good audio recordings. It was instilled as part of their job description. These duties were passed on to the young apprentices. Grips cut microphone shadows sharply with flags. The electric department would change out a noisy light that buzzed. Camera assistants would try everything possible to quiet camera noise, and there were many times that an operator quickly put blankets and pillows over themselves and a really noisy camera.
Every other craft would do whatever was deemed reasonable to help get good audio, because it was considered to be part of their job. No one had to try to persuade them to do it. It was an era where reasonable co-operation with the Sound Department was the normal way to make good movies.
Today´s crafts still have pride in their jobs but it seems they NO LONGER consider Sound assistance to be a part of their job description. The problems began when the in-house studio training system broke down and non-union independent films proliferated. Along the way, the process of learning what their jobs entailed changed the way they perceived production audio.
Now, the other crafts don´t think they should do anything to help YOU get good audio for YOUR movie. There is no longer an apprenticeship system to pass along this knowledge. Newcomers to the technical crafts now learn on the job under fire through a kind of osmosis process. They must be requested, in each instance, to do reasonable things necessary to protect YOUR audio tracks because they just don´t consider it to be part of their job.
The Sound Department would gladly cut the shadow on the back wall of the set ourselves or cover the noisy camera, but that´s not how the game is played. Instead, we have to convince, cajole, coerce, plead and use every other psychological persuasion technique to get the other crafts to help us prevent audio problems.
Last-second scrambling on set should only be used to fix the unexpected problems that will inevitably occur. Instead, that last second is too often the first time that the Mixer finds out about changes in dialog or staging, or discovers unwanted noise from on or off the set.
All of the other departments work for what is seen and not heard. Every single person on the production, from make-up and wardrobe to grip and props, concentrates only on what´s seen in the viewfinder.
Because of the tunnel vision of the other production crafts who work only for picture, they don´t know or care about what´s happening to YOUR audio. You are the only person on set with the power to allow us to get you good audio. It´s always tempting for Sound to give in and not go against the grain when circumstances impose impossible barriers to unappreciated efforts. Soon, film schools will need to add child psychology courses to their Sound Mixing curriculum.
We want you to know as much as possible about the audio minefield lurking on every set. What may often seem to you to be a lot of complaining, is simply communicating information about what you are getting on your audio tracks and what sound problems can be fixed now. The bottom line is: these are YOUR choices. Just because we hear a noise, it´s not just a Sound problem. It´s your problem too! After all, we turn the tracks over to you at the end of the day.
We hope, after reading this, it will be easier for you to make an informed decision about when it´s really time to loop a scene. It´s far too late to reverse an audio calamity later in Post.
Even though this topic is last in the chain of events, we should first start by talking about why ADR is not a fix.
It´s important to consider the gravity and consequences, when the words "We´ll loop it" are uttered.
You are obviously aware that extra ADR adds a financial burden to your budget, but the consequences are much greater than that. Looping is only an answer for situations where all else fails! It will not be a quick fix later, if the original on-set problems could have easily been rectified with just a little time, knowledge or communication. Looping means that you are also making a huge artistic compromise that damages the film in many ways of which you may not be aware.
Obviously, you realize that the actor´s performance is always better in production than in an ADR booth. Making a film is an artistic endeavor that lives forever! You cast great actors to bring their collaborative efforts together in the making of your film. Don´t lose the essence of the scene by looping! The voice of a great actor totally in character, moving and interacting with other actors in three-dimensional space, is a treasure. It breathes life into the film.
When ADR takes place, the actor must try to re-create a performance while sitting in a sterile booth, in front of a big microphone, matching lips to a performance in a scene shot months before. That is a long stretch from the true creative process on set.
Sure, ADR will be less noisy than even the best Production recording, but it lacks any spontaneity, as well as the emotional truth of what´s captured when you use your artists´ talents on the set. That can´t be duplicated.
ADR is not acting. The greatest method actors all hate it. At best, it only provides a close recreation of the original scene.
The Post budget would be better utilized by not going backward to fix audio tracks that are already recorded. The funds are better spent enriching the film with new Sound Design elements.
When you simply must loop, the new forward thinking by many respected Post sound professionals (such as Randy Thom from Skywalker Sound) is to loop immediately, on or near the set, and as soon as possible after the scene is shot. The performance will be better and the audio will be more natural this way. There are companies that specialize in on-set looping which use video assist tapes in portable studios.
At best, looping is often fiscally irresponsible. Be sure that the audio problem really can´t be fixed BEFORE you make a decision that you will regret later. Never allow the simple impatience of the moment on set to be your real reason to loop! Be sure you have first covered all reasonable alternatives.
The majority of events that ruin audio tracks are totally predictable and happen over and over, show after show, year after year.
These are obstacles that are clearly identifiable and quantifiable. The difference between getting good audio or bad audio is often determined by how many of these predictable negative factors take place on your particular show and how they are handled. There are few problems that don´t have solutions if proper diligence can be taken in advance. The Mixer is YOUR ADVOCATE here. Let´s try to identify the audio problems that each craft brings to your film.
Good audio begins by anticipating the outcome well in advance. Communicate early and often with YOUR Mixer in Pre-Production. Pay him/her to listen to potential problem sets ahead of time and make one or more test recordings to allow the Sound Editor to determine what noise can be removed in Post, just as the DP does with camera tests. Do this before the locations are locked in and before the scouts with your key department heads. If the Mixer is still on another show, have him/her designate a trusted associate to go for them. In the end, it´s cost effective.
More can be done here to save a film´s audio than by any other department!!!
Set selection should include the Sound Department. At the very least, consider environmental noise factors! We just ask that a minimal amount of consideration be given to potential audio problems. Often, we shoot in a place that could have easily been substituted for another location or another day. Many times, we film at a location that has construction, traffic, schools, aircraft patterns and other obvious background noise. Only shoot in those kinds of locations when it´s absolutely necessary and essential to the film.
Lock down all of the noise problems before we get to the set:
None of these implementation plans will succeed if the ADs don´t support YOUR film´s audio. Sometimes they don´t! The crew will take their cue to stop co-operating if it´s clear the ADs react at the expense of getting good audio. Derogatory statements like "waiting on Sound" and "just loop it" are unproductive and sap our spirit.
Make a reasonable effort to keep the offstage noise making devices away from the set. Baffle them whenever there is dialog in the same scene.
Cotton is our friend. Silk is our enemy. When requested, the wardrobe department can help by creatively placing the wireless in the best possible position on the actor´s body. They should be sensitive about making negative comments about bulges that make the actors overly self-conscious about wearing a body mic. Avoid noisy clothing, especially when the principal actors will wear the same clothing throughout much of the film.
Make an effort to keep noisy props as quiet as possible, especially in the following common problem areas:
Set up far away from sets so that the coffee makers and other devices can´t be heard, especially on set.
To Mixers, a good actor is a loud actor. Whenever we get together to discuss our jobs we always talk about how good a voice an actor has. Actors who have done a lot of stage work tend to have learned the art of projecting their voice.
Collaborate frequently with YOUR Mixer as you would an editor, composer, DP or writer. We, too, can enrich your "vision" through audio images.
Find out what problems and solutions exist. Don´t fall for the trap where you hate to see your Mixer coming because you know it´s just bad news. Your Mixer will feel that vibe and start telling you less and less, until audio is no longer a vital part of collaboration on your film.
A good rapport with your Mixer will allow you to know information about what was borderline and what you can barely get away with. If you simply trust that the Mixer is getting good audio, you may be mistaken. It is always possible that the Mixer has given up fighting the good Sound battle and succumbed to the lack of any positive response to their efforts.
Very often, sound problems are not discovered until the last moment after the other departments have done their work and the set is finally quiet for a rehearsal. Just as for the camera, the shot sometimes develops an unanticipated problem. In addition, we may need a moment or two to make adjustments when creative changes have been made on the spot.
Audio is part of your entire film making process from Pre-Production through Post Production. It needs to be done right the first time. If you convey this message to your troops ahead of time, you will be freed up to spend more quality time with other pressing areas of filmmaking.
Remember that the priorities of the UPM and ADs compel them to focus their attention on the Production budget. They are not always as concerned about the other costs of a film through Post.
The difference between good audio and bad audio on many shows is only about 5 to 10 minutes a day of doing some added tweaking here, another mic planted, a wireless changed there, quieting footsteps, siliconing a door squeak, room tone, a well placed blanket, killing a machine that came on during a take, powder on a dolly wheel, etc. Usually by the time you print a take, the problems have been solved. If not, do another take to be safe. ADs or other crafts that stifle this process will cost you dearly later in Post.
The key at all times with audio is the word "reasonable". Reasonable efforts should always be made to do all of these things in a reasonable amount of time. We won´t take over the set and make the film; it´s all about getting good audio. Nor do we want to sit quietly in a corner while YOUR audio tracks are being butchered. We care about our work.
We are only asking that we go back to a recent time when this was all common practice. We won´t debate why this happened, but there is no denying that an anti-audio attitude now prevails. That was then, and this is now. Being good at set politics is always a valuable asset, but YOUR tracks should not be forced to ride on the outcome of those verbal altercations.
Don´t tell YOUR Sound Mixer that you hate looping unless you are willing to back them up with your on-set support.
Today, it is up to you to demand better audio for YOUR picture. This can be easily instilled on the first day of Pre-Production. Give all of the department keys a memo and verbal direction that you want every reasonable effort made to get good audio on YOUR film.
We are not asking for special powers on set, just a little respect for YOUR audio. With your support, we promise to act reasonably at all times and not expect that the audio will be the most important part of the film. We know there will be times that audio must be looped after it was given due consideration. We just don´t want it taken lightly. The word "reasonable" applies at all times.
Most importantly, find the time to communicate with YOUR Mixer. You need to know that you are getting the best audio tracks possible. Sound and Camera should complement your film in proper proportion. The audience is WATCHING AND LISTENING.
We have written this because we like working on films and we want your film to be great! Our job may be finished at the end of principal photography, but we always want to be proud that our name went on your great film.
Sincerely,
YOUR Sound Department
Send questions or comments about this website to webmaster@SoundsOfNewMexico.com.
|
|
