An Open Letter from Your
Sound Department - Part Three
Click here to read An Open Letter from Your
Sound Department - Part 1
Click here to read An Open Letter from Your
Sound Department - Part 2
"An Open Letter from Your Sound Department" -
Part 3
This letter is being written by audio
professionals to help directors and producers understand how good sound
can be recorded on the set. We want to help you make the best film
possible.
PRODUCTION MANAGERS
Budget in a third sound person and the proper
amount of audio equipment. A third person is invaluable in getting
sound problems fixed in the crucial moments between the takes and
scenes. Don't say "no" to any additional sound related costs without
considering the entire post budget too. Book and check that stages are
quiet. Even the newest and most modern stages often have dimmer banks
located on or so close to the stage that they are a terrible problem.
CAMERA DEPARTMENT
Camera assistants:
When (not if) there is camera noise, make all
reasonable efforts to contain it by using barneys, glass, blankets,
tweaking, etc. Don't turn the slate on and off as time code will then
be wrong. Let the mixer know as soon as a slate shows any problems. Let
the sound mixer know what frequencies are being transmitted in case it
steps on wireless mics or comteks. Be prepared to kill the panatape
when it causes microphone interference.
Operators:
Hold only the frame size to be used and no
more. Communicate and work out any problems with the boom operator
before the first team is called in. Be willing to operate in a pinch
with cover or blanket over a particular noisy camera.
Directors of Photography:
Light the set so that a boom can swing
overhead. Don't use Xenon lights unless the director was informed ahead
of time that the whole scene will have to be looped. Don't ever say
"loop it"! It's not the DP's prerogative! If the DP conveys to the crew
that sound matters to the film, they will follow that lead and be more
attentive to potential sound problems. When shooting practical car
scenes, try to consider sound problems and light so that windows can be
closed where possible.
SPECIAL EFFECTS DEPARTMENT
Make a reasonable effort to keep the offstage
noise making devices away from the set and baffled whenever there is
dialogue in the same scene.
When making rain, put the rain machines and
water truck as far away as possible. Use hogs hair to muffle raindrops
on roofs and when it's seen out a window. When a fan is used to blow a
curtain or plant, work it out with the sound mixer before the noise
problem crops up after the first take. When using fireplaces, try to
limit the hissing gas sound. Heaters close by on cold sets need to be
shut off well before rolling to eliminate the crackle and pops from
shutdown.
WARDROBE DEPARTMENT
They can help in creatively placing the
wireless in the best possible position on the actor's body, when asked.
They should never make negative comments about bulges that make the
actors overly conscious about wearing a body mic on them. Think about
avoiding noisy clothing, especially when the principal actors will wear
much of the same clothing throughout the film.
Never allow the actors to wear silk
underclothes, especially bras. Cotton tank top T-shirts should be put
on actors when possible to help avoid clothes rustle. Silk ties should
be avoided or at least modify the inside with cotton for primary actors
wearing the same wardrobe in several scenes. Be sound conscious when
choosing chains, necklaces and other jewelry.
PROPS DEPARTMENT
Make an effort to keep noise making props as
quiet as possible. Especially in the following most common problem
areas:
With guns, always let the mixer know if it's
full, 1/2 or 1/4 loads, and how many shots plan to be fired and when.
With table scenes, try to put down a pad or felt underneath the
tablecloth to muffle dish-clattering noise. Use fake ice cubes in drink
glasses. In kitchen scenes, put a cloth down where possible dish noise
will occur. Spray shopping bags with water mister to get rid of paper
noise.
GRIP DEPARTMENT
Use cutters to kill boom shadows. Use all
reasonable measures to reduce dolly squeaks. Put a dance floor down if
floors creak. Use talcum powder when needed. Use blankets to deaden
outside sound from open doors and windows. Make baffle covers for the
loud set machines, fans and ballasts. Fasten down scrims that rattle in
the wind. On insert cars keep extra stands attached to speed rails from
clanging.
ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT
Keep the generator as far away as is reasonably
possible. Always use a minimum of 3 banded lengths (150 feet) to the
first box, and go back from there. Supply base camp power where
possible to avoid loud generators. Use all reasonable measures to keep
lights and ballasts from making any noise on set, and use extension
cabling to keep noisemakers off set. Run cables so that windows and
doors can close. Put variacs on problem dimmers. On insert cars, clip
and wedge funnels to keep down the rattling sound.
CRAFT SERVICE DEPARTMENT
Set up away from sets so that the coffee makers
and other devices can't be heard, especially on stage.
TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
Plan on pushing or pulling a particularly loud
vehicle out of the scene using human manpower when it's possible during
close-up shots. Park the trucks as far away from set as reasonably
possible and keep the individual generators off during the shot. Put
base camp at least 1000 feet from set in quiet locations such as
deserts and mountains, and 500 feet away in city locations. Help keep
insert cars quiet. Be prepared to park a truck in front of the
generator. Instead of running car engines, use alternate quiet power
for picture vehicles that must run flashing light effects during the
coverage. Reward the companies who have taken reasonable steps to keep
quiet driving to a maximum. Especially ask if the tail pipe has been
rerouted to the front of the truck and if the on board gennie is quiet.
Use only one key alone in the ignition to eliminate clanging keys.
Don't Armor-All the dashboard, and use Simple Green to remove it where
mics need to be planted. Keep car interior floor area free of all the
noisemakers such as the chains, removed side mirrors, nuts and bolts.
ACTORS
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.
Don't refuse to wear a wireless mic when it is
necessary. Don't ask a boom operator to get out of their eye line.
(Acting has been done with the boom for decades. This is a dangerous
precedent we have recently started seeing.) Warn the sound department
when you will do a much louder or quieter take than was rehearsed.
Please speak louder when asked. We only ask when we really need it.
DIRECTORS
Collaborate frequently with your sound mixer as
you would an editor, composer, DP or writer. We can also enrich your
"vision" through sound 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 sound 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
sound, 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 enough to hear through the microphones.
The shot sometimes evolves into a sound problem that was unanticipated.
Also, we may need a moment or two to make adjustments when creative
changes have been made on the spot. Like it or not, sound is a part of
your entire film making process from pre-production through production
and on to post production. You might as well do it right. 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 film making.
Remember that certain crew departments such as
the UPM and ADs are compelled to watch their production budget, and are
not always concerned about the entire cost of a film all the way
through post production.
The difference between good sound and bad sound
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, another take may be in order. ADs or other crafts who
stifle this process will cost you dearly later in post.
OVERLAPS - When possible, it's always better
not to have them at all unless absolutely necessary because you can
only be in one cut or the other. You may decide later you want to see
both sides of the actor's dialogue. Remember, it's always easy to
create an off camera overlap later if you still want it. Usually, the
overlaps are simply because of a belief that the performance will be
hindered. That argument loses credibility when the face of one of the
overlapping performers won't be able to be seen at all. Of course there
are times that overlaps must happen and both sides must be miked. USING
TWO CAMERAS - There is a proper way to use 2 or more cameras and an
improper way. It is perfectly acceptable to use 2 cameras of the same
approximate frame size at the same time. The sound mixer's nightmare is
running one camera wide and another tight at the same time. This means
that sound will be compromised because all the actors must be wired
because the wide camera will not allow a mic to get close enough to the
tight camera size. This can be resolved by the second camera only
filming non-speaking actors, or not working at all during the wide
master shot. Then, go to 2 cameras for all your coverage.
REHEARSALS - These are very important to the
whole crew. It's fine to have closed rehearsals for actors only, but
give one to the crew or at least let the boom operator see one.
Otherwise, we can only guess where and how the sound will be delivered.
The words we dread the most are "let's shoot the rehearsal". You might
get lucky, but don't shoot rehearsals unless you are willing to do a
lot more sound takes to work out the unknown problems. AD LIBBING -
It's impossible to mic lines no one knows will happen. If you want to
keep an ad-lib, do another take for sound if they didn't get the line
the first time. AIR TRAFFIC - Probably the single most frustrating
audio problem on set is being in a plane traffic pattern. It's a
problem that might have been avoided by better location scouting. You
know it's no good, we know it, the actors know it, the whole crew knows
it's no good. Yet, after awhile, you have no choice but to plow through
and start printing those takes anyway. In that case, rather than
looping, it's much better to get through the scene with lots of short
clean pieces that can be cut together later. LOUDER ACTORS - Sometimes
we really need you to get the actors to speak up in order to save a
scene. When in loud scenes such as a crowded bar or stock exchange,
it's best to force the actors to speak unnaturally loud. If not your
added post sound will be thin and they won't be able to add the rich
background effects that make it sound real.
FINAL NOTES
The key at all times with sound is the word
"reasonable". Reasonable efforts should always be made to do all these
things in a reasonable amount of time. We don't want to take over the
set and make the film, it's just about getting good sound. Nor do we
want to sit quietly in a corner while YOUR sound tracks are butchered.
We are only asking that we go back to a time
not too long ago where this was all common practice. We won't debate
why this happened, but there is no question that an anti-sound attitude
now prevails. That was then, and this is now. Being a set politician is
always an important forte, 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 sound
for YOUR picture. This can be easily instilled on the first day of
pre-production. Give all the keys a memo and a verbal direction that
you want every reasonable effort made to get good sound on YOUR film.
We are not asking for power on set, just a
little respect for your sound. With your newfound support, we promise
to act reasonably at all times and not expect that the sound be the
most important part of the film. We know there will be times that sound
must be looped after it was given due consideration. We just don't want
it taken lightly either. The word "reasonable" applies at all times.
Most importantly, find the time to communicate
with your sound mixer because you need to know if you are getting the
best sound tracks possible.
We have written this because we want your film
to be great! It will live forever and we always want to be proud that
our name went on your film.
Sincerely, Your Sound Department
An Open Letter from your Sound Department.
Written by John Coffey johncoffey@coffeysound.com, with help from Randy
Thom, Jeff Wexler, Noah Timan, Mike Hall, John Garrett, Scott Smith,
Rob Young, Mike Filosa, Wolf Seeberg, Darren Brisker, Charles Wilborn,
Todd Russell, Brydon Baker, Larry Long, Glen Trew, Dave Schaaf, Charles
Tomaras, Klay Anderson, Brian Shennan, Hans Hansen, David Marks, Bob
Gravenor, Von Varga, Mark Steinbeck, Carl Cardin, Eric Toline, Joseph
Cancila, Stu Fox, Peter Devlin, Matt Nicolay and many others.
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Peter D. Marshall/www.actioncutprint.com
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