audio dubbing too live

[kelly tippett]

I'm dubbing audio onto a super 8mm film. The voices are sounding too canned. I didn't use any thing on the walls and it was done in an office. The voices sound like they are too clean and up close. I've heard two people say this is called "too live." I'm using adobe premier and it has audio effects. Does anyone know if adobe can correct the sound a biut to make it sound more like it is on location?

[Hal Smith]

I'm dubbing audio onto a super 8mm film. The voices are sounding too canned. I didn't use any thing on the walls and it was done in an office. The voices sound like they are too clean and up close. I've heard two people say this is called "too live." I'm using adobe premier and it has audio effects. Does anyone know if adobe can correct the sound a biut to make it sound more like it is on location?

Add reverberation, look for a setting that mimics the space you shot in, small office, hallway, etc.

[kelly tippett]

Add reverberation, look for a setting that mimics the space you shot in, small office, hallway, etc.

 

thanks, i'll try that.

[James Steven Beverly]

To me there is no such thing as too clean, but be that as it is, you could also add additional tracks of abient sound, muffeled traffic, indistigushable conversation in another room, an airconditioner, ect, sweeten and adjust the levels so it's barely audible then mix it into the scene. That should breath some life into the surroundings. Most major motion pictures recreate like 90 percent of the abient sound in thier films. The sound for scene in the hall in The Green Mile was total recreated. It makes sense because it gives you total control over what the audience hears so you can use sound to enhance the mood of the scene and create what ever emotional response you want them to feel at that moment. Give it a try. Figure out what you want your audience to be feeling at that very moment and use the abient sound to help shape that moment. For example, if you want to create the feeilng of tension, try putting a distant abulance siren in the background, or a constant loud ticking of a clock, or both. play with it. Also don't forget about music. Music is VERY powerful for creating mood and tempo within a scene. It may even effect the way you cut the peice together. Sound is half your scene, so don't blow it off. B)

Edited April 30, 2007 by James Steven Beverly

[Hal Smith]

To me there is no such thing as too clean, but be that as it is, you could also add additional tracks of abient sound, muffeled traffic, indistigushable conversation in another room, an airconditioner, ect, sweeten and adjust the levels so it's barely audible then mix it into the scene. That should breath some life into the surroundings. Most major motion pictures recreate like 90 percent of the abient sound in thier films. The sound for scene in the hall in The Green Mile was total recreated. It makes sense because it gives you total control over what the audience hears so you can use sound to enhance the mood of the scene and create what ever emotional response you want them to feel at that moment. Give it a try. Figure out what you want your audience to be feeling at that very moment and use the abient sound to help shape that moment. For example, if you want to create the feeilng of tension, try putting a distant abulance siren in the background, or a constant loud ticking of a clock, or both. play with it. Also don't forget about music. Music is VERY powerful for creating mood and tempo within a scene. It may even effect the way you cut the peice together. Sound is half your scene, so don't blow it off. B)

Hi Cap'n. Are you certain your middle name is Steven, not Foley?

 

Cue timing is also very important. I just saw a live production of "Our Town" where the sound cues came in after the dialogue: The STAGE MANAGER would say something like "We have a factory in this town" and then there would be a factory whistle sound cue, etc. NO! NO! NO! Cue first, then dialogue.

 

I totally agree about clean locattion sound: record it as dry and clean as possible and add ambiance in post. You can create anything after the fact but it's just about impossible to clean up sound afterwards without radically altering its timbre. Sound Soap, etc. can help you if you've got a teensy bit of camera whine, etc. but nothing will take out ambiance, random sound, etc.

 

On a parallel subject, my Arri 120 blimp project is coming along, I've got the mildew killed and now am trying to decide whether or not to kill the dumb side follow focus to facilitate stuffing my Tobin crystal motor in the blimp without modifying the motor. The darn motor cost me over twice what the blimp cost - I'm leaning towards mutilating the blimp, not the motor. I asked Clive if he had any cases left over so I could butcher a spare case but no luck, they're all gone.

[James Steven Beverly]

If the blimp is fiberglass, I'd be easier to fix, that's for sure.

[Hal Smith]

If the blimp is fiberglass, I'd be easier to fix, that's for sure.

But look at the bright side of having a 120, I can go out an shoot in tornado weather and not have to worry about getting blown to Oz. I'm seriously thinking about that - keeping a couple of 400' mags loaded and in the fridge and my 35mm gear packed up and ready to go. Catching a good tornado on 35mm would be a first I believe. Certainly would one-up the kids running around chasing them with miniDV gear.

 

Before you call the men in white coats - I'm an advanced NOAA storm spotter, I've been to both their schools and know how to chase a tornado safely. I've also got a ham license and can keep in touch with the spotter networks if need be while out chasing. Ham call? W5OZ.

[James Steven Beverly]

Isn't "chase a tornado safely" an oxymoron like military intelligence, business ethics or a good song by Usher?

[Christopher Kennedy Alpiar]

I used to keep ambient loops that I made on hand in a video tracking studio I built in Seattle. I had nice up close 5 mins of the HVAC at the coil and just room ambience from a large diaphragm condensor about 2 inches from the HVAC vent into a conference room, some other stuff too but I used those 2 loops more then anything for adding live sound to an ADR based project. the key is that its familiar to be unobtrusive and since you created the loop you control its dynamics exactly. Good stuff James :)

[James Steven Beverly]

Thanks Amigo. B)