YES! if you are going to mix for theatrical you must do the mix in a calibrated facility so that it sounds the same in the theatre. The room you mix in needs to be calibrated at -20 dBFS = [...]
SUB-FRAME editing in FCP for AUDIO
Final cut is a FRAME based editing tool. So you have to create a loop that is FRAME accurate in order to “loop” in FCP. You can edit your audio in FCP in SUB-FRAMES if you want, here’s how: You [...]
Use of Sound Effects in Post
In the sound effects world, SFX libraries are buy-outs… you pay for the SFX library and you are given the rights to use for SYNC to picture or as a part of a mix for audio. You are not allowed [...]
Producing a Reality Show – Here are some thoughts.
Here are some of my thoughts on Reality TV producing: 1. own the access… own the show. (at least until they find another talent with similar aspects) 2. Trusted Show Runners / Producers only 3. Characters, Consequences, Comedy, and Conflict… [...]
Dolby Digital Cinema Processor – level scale
In case you we’re wondering about Dolby Digital cinema processor setting versus loudness levels in the theater…. 10=95dB 9.5=93.33dB 9.0=91.66dB 8.5=90dB 8.0=88.33dB 7.5=86.66dB 7.0=85dB 6.5=83.33dB 6.0=81.66dB 5.5=80dB 5.0=78.33dB 4.5=76.66dB 4.0=75dB
Should I still use 2-pops on my video and audio projects?
I was asked today if an editor should still use traditional synchronization markers in projects, even low budget ones… I responded: 2-pop – one frame visual and audio mark 2 seconds before first frame of action. the audio is normally [...]
Sound Formats and Definitions
AAC AAC_MP2, Advanced Audio Coding, MPEG-2 AAC_ADIF, Advanced Audio Coding, MPEG-2, Audio Data Interchange Format AAC_MP4, Advanced Audio Coding, MPEG-4 AAC_MP4_LC, AAC (MPEG-4) Low Complexity Object MP4_FF_2_AAC, MPEG-4 File Format, V.2, with Advanced Audio Coding QTA_AAC, QuickTime Audio, AAC Codec [...]
Delivering the Mix… Don’t forget the documentation.
The 5.1 mix and the various 5.1 stems should be printed such that when the stems are combined, they create the exact same mix as the 5.1 mix. All the stems and the mix should be delivered according to the delivery [...]
Printing a Mix for your Film
The black hole between you and the final print! I’d like to begin a post discussing the steps and stages of Post production from the point of the final mix beging Finished, to the 35 mm or Video being Show in a threatre or on DVD. I’ve [...]
Some audio / video guidelines for shooting HD and dealing with audio in the new HD world
Some audio / video guidelines for shooting HD and dealing with audio in the new HD world…. enjoy…. Audio/Video Guidelines for Separate Sound Recording Record video at 23.976 fps (not 24 fps) This is to allow a field down converter [...]
Audio Levels for Picture – Overview
Dub-Stage / Theatrical Mix To calibrate your room, read this: DUC: Room Calibration for Film and TV Post (or, in a nutshell) (or, a tutorial video) (or, as a last resort, if you can’t get an SPL meter) ”If it [...]
Planning for Filled M&E deliverables for your Film.
When it comes to delivering Filled M&E’s, it always helps to plan from the start. But, if you are the sound crew or post team… when it comes to deliveries for a feature film, it all depends on the film. [...]
Sound for Picture? why bother…. well , here’s why!
Have you ever wondered if assuring your projects sounds as good as it looks is worth it? 1. ”Audio is the single most important technical factor governing viewer retention.” – A quote directly from DISCOVERY CHANNEL PRODUCERS 2. bad [...]
GOING TO THE MOVIES THIS WEEKEND? Probably not.
GOING TO THE MOVIES THIS WEEKEND? Probably not. How come people aren’t going to the movies so much anymore? Over the past 16 years BOX OFFICE revenue has declined…. In my opinion, this is why…. 1. COST: For the past [...]
Dolby E setup for laybacks – DP571 setup
Dolby E and setup for DP571 to proper Dolby E encoding.
Locking HD systems for Live and Post
you will need a time code reference signal for positional reference and a clocking signal for frame synchronization. You will need to gen-loc the cameras or at least jam sync them…
AUDIO PULLUPS and PULLDOWNS
AUDIO PULLUP and PULLDOWN Frame Rates The are several frame rates that you will come across in the post production world.The most common ones are 29.97(NTSC), 23.98(NTSC), 24(Film), and 25(PAL). When a picture gets transferred from one speed to another [...]
Loudness and tehniques for maintaining loudness
Here’s a document that talks in detail to loudness and tehniques for maintaining loudness. here’s an overview of the Document: Despite the conclusion of the DTV transition, many broadcasters and the production community have been slow to effectively adapt to [...]
Video and Audio frame rate mismatch in FCP – potential fixes.
Video and Audio frame rate mismatch in FCP – potential fixes. First rule of FCP… don’t mix frame rates and, don’t mix Video speed (23.97 fps) with film Speed (24 fps ) material in one time line. FCP “frame rate” [...]
DOLBY DMU
Dolby DMU Stuff Hmmm… lets see. The one I use is all AES Digital IO. Just place it in record chain plug in timecode and 48Khz black sync and Bobs’ your uncle. the unit takes 6 channel discreet and records [...]
HD Video Shooting formats
Notes on shooting formats… FYI 720p 720p is one of the HDTV formats. It means the image has 720 lines of “vertical resolution”, i.e. 720 pixels from top to bottom. The p stands for progressive, which means that each frame [...]
Film and Video Speed
Film / Video post speed/frame rate issues… PLEASE: Before you start a sound project find out the: 1. frame rate 2. project speed 3. post production life cycle A. how the project was shot B. how the project was captured [...]
what makes a good cable good?
Here’s some more trivia for your sunday reading…. What Makes a Good Audio Cable? Criteria for what supposedly made one cable perform better or worse than another is remarkably inconsistent. One manufacturer’s claims countered and negated the claims made by [...]
tri-level and bi-level sync
tri-level bi-levle sync SD and HD are 2 different standards. They require two different types of sync. SD bi-sync and HD tri-sync are different signals. SD Bi-sync supports computer video, composite video, s-video, and component video, by using 2 voltage [...]
Down Mixing
Stereo downmixes (or fold-downs) Left total/Right total (Lt/Rt) Lt/Rt is a downmix suitable for decoding with a Dolby Lt = L + -3dBC – -3dB(Ls + Rs) Rt = R + -3dBC + -3dB(Ls + Rs) (Ls,Rs 90-degree phase shifted) [...]
Sync in Audio & Video
Sync in audio / video systems Another writ up from Tim Carol I thought interesting. Let’s explore some long-held beliefs about the perceptibility of A/V sync. Most film editors can easily detect sync errors of plus or minus one-half of [...]
Beyond Dolby – delivery
BEYOND DOLBY DIGITAL There is little sense in having an emission coding system such as Dolby Digital (AC-3) that can carry 5.1 channels of audio if you can’t get 5.1 channels to the encoder. In 1996, all commonly used VTRs [...]
Some Mixing level hints
Some mixing info… cool stuff. Standard Mixing Levels for Movie Theater, DVD, TV, Radio and Games This post should serve as a little guide to the resources available on-line on the topic of audio levels in different media. It has [...]
Lt/Rt information
Dolby Surround LtRt info DOLBY surround. LtRt Left total, Right total vs LoRo L only R only.. it started as a consumer version of Dolby’s multichannel film format. LtRt is a L C R S ( left center right and [...]
some salaries in the industry
wages for industry personnel… here’s some starting points for wages in the industry…. hourly and weekly rates are listed. Z-1 Motion Picture Editor ” On Call ” 5-day week $2,653.16 Trailer Editor Weekly Guarantee 45 hrs 1.5x after 40 $37.682 [...]
troubleshooting APPLE and PROTOOLS
Some Misc troubleshooting for APPLE and PROTOOLS Some Troubleshooting tips for APPLE based PROTOOLS system that I’ve collected: Pro Tools Tech Support Folder , tools and utilities to assist in diagnosing and troubleshooting is here: Digidesign | Support | Tech [...]
notes on PAL / SECAM / NTSC conversion
Some notes on CONVERSION of Audio for PAL / NTSC / FILM If the PAL version was a frame-to-frame transfer, and is thus running faster than the original film (25fps vs 24, or even PAL video at 25 and HD [...]
X-Curve History
X-Curve History by Tomlinson Holman A History of the X Curve The X curve celebrates nearly a quarter century of helping interchange in the industry. In the history of multichannel sound, the standardization of the electroacoustic frequency response for monitoring [...]
Drop Frame vs Non-Drop Frame
something I found that talks to drop vs nondrop Frame rate is the rate at which video plays back frames. Black and white video ran at a true 30 frames per second (fps). When the color portion of the signal [...]
Dolby Requirements
Jacobfarron posted this and its a great post of some of the Dolby requirements: Theatrical Sound Production Facility Requirements 1. Introduction Dolby Production Services contracts services and encoding equipment to content owners and distributors wishing to release their theatrical program [...]
Blue Ray Disc Specs
Blu-ray disc UDF 2.6 specs and stuff here’s some links and some blu-ray information. I needed to do my homework since I realized how little I actually knew about Blu-ray… Blu-ray Disc is a next-generation, optical disc format that enables [...]
HD audio Delivery Specs (example)
HD Technical Requirements for High Definition Programming 2. AUDIO SPECIFICATIONS Audio program material shall be produced using current industry standards and accepted norms. The audio portion of the master and source audio and videotapes must be produced so that no [...]
Lost Files from Disk.. here's one possible idea
DO NOT TRY THIS UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING I feel your pain. I had a very similar problem recently. I backed up a session then put it in the Trash and Emptied and then realized I had [...]
freq harmonics stuff…. good for cleaning up dialogue sometimes
freq harmonics stuff…. good for cleaning up dialogue sometimes Determining the Harmonic Frequencies speed = frequency • wavelength frequency = speed/wavelength f2 = v / 2 speed = frequency • wavelength frequency = speed/wavelength f3 = v / 3 The [...]
VVTR and SoundMaster notes
V V T R and Soundmaster notes: here’s some info about Soundmaster and VVTR.. Also Soundmaster now has a VVTR mode, a VVTR loose mode and a VVTR 1 frame mode. iF you have a video file that the frame [...]
Reverb data for various surfaces
Wallace Clement Sabine (1868-1919) Sabine’s Reverberation Formula Wallace Clement Sabine was a pioneer in architectural acoustics. A century ago he started experiments in the Fogg lecture room at Harvard, to investigate the impact of absorption on the reverberation time. It [...]
Why Reverb doesn't always make it sound better…
PAUL WHITE explains why a great reverb doesn’t always make a mix sound better. Most studio musicians appreciate the importance of reverb in recorded music, but a large number of demos are still spoiled either through over-use or inappropriate use [...]
Room Simulation for FIlm & Music
0. INTRODUCTION Typical production techniques involve only one or two inputs to the room simulation system, thereby limiting the precision of source positioning to be only a matter of send level differences and power panning. This “one source – one [...]
ISDN Primer
ISDN Primer…part 1 For those interested in ISDN and just getting onto delivering ADR/Dialogue/Mix/whatever via Telcom in realtime. Or as I like to say ISOCRONUSLY…. Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is an international standard that defines a worldwide, completely digital [...]
Film X-Curve
X-CURVE “X” CURVE Pink noise is played through each speaker or channel of a sound sound system. Then, equalization adjustments are made to each channel until the measurement of the pink noiseconforms to curve called the X curve. In the [...]
Great Primer on Post Production
This is a great primer on post written by Bruce C. Nazarian M.P.S.E. here’s the website Audio Post FAQ’s enjoy * Production Dialogue Editing – In order for the production audio recorded on the set or on location to be [...]