What I Do
“I have an amazing job, and I enjoy it a lot. However, it appears that not everyone is aware of the specific tasks involved in my work, so I would like to take the opportunity to describe the different stages of my job.”
Production Sound Mixer & Boom Operator
In the film and television industry, the Production Sound Mixer is the person who captures the audio on set during production. They are responsible for ensuring that the audio is high quality and suitable for use in the final product. This involves selecting and positioning microphones, operating the mixing console, and monitoring and adjusting audio levels to achieve the best possible sound. The Production Sound Mixer works closely with the Boom Operator, who captures the sound using a boom pole and a microphone, to ensure that all dialogue and sound effects are captured clearly and effectively.
Dialogue Editor
The Dialogue Editor is responsible for ensuring that all dialogue recordings on a film set are cleaned, synchronized, and edited to create a seamless and polished soundtrack. This includes removing any unwanted noises, adjusting volume levels, and making sure that the dialogue matches the visuals. The Dialogue Editor also plays a critical role in ensuring that the film’s dialogue is clear and intelligible, as well as helping to identify and address any inconsistencies or errors in the recordings. Additionally, the Dialogue Editor is responsible for coordinating any automated dialogue replacement (ADR) sessions, where actors re-record dialogue that was not captured adequately during filming. The Dialogue Editor works closely with the rest of the sound team to ensure that the final soundtrack is cohesive and complements the overall vision of the film.
SFX Editor
The Sound Effects Editor is responsible for selecting, editing, and mixing a variety of sound effects to create a comprehensive sound library for a film. This includes creating or sourcing sounds such as gunshots, explosions, and other sound effects that are required to enhance the visuals and create a more immersive experience for the audience. The Sound Effects Editor works closely with the sound team to ensure that the sound design complements the visuals and contributes to the overall mood and tone of the film. This job requires strong technical skills and creativity, as well as a keen ear for detail and a thorough understanding of sound design principles.
Foley Artist & Foley Recordist
The Foley Artist and the Foley Recordist are responsible for creating and recording sound effects that synchronize with the visuals. The Foley Artist is responsible for performing the sounds in real-time while watching the picture, using a variety of props and tools to simulate sounds such as footsteps, clothing movements, and object handling. The Foley Recordist operates the recording equipment to capture the Foley Artist’s performance, ensuring that the sounds are properly recorded and synchronized with the visuals. Together, the Foley Artist and Foley Recordist play an essential role in bringing a film’s soundscape to life, adding a layer of realism and depth to the overall sound design.
Background Editor
The Background Sound Editor is responsible for creating and editing a variety of ambient sounds and background noises that are necessary to enhance the overall soundscape of a film. This may include adding or creating sound elements such as natural ambiences like wind, water, and birds, or artificial sounds like traffic, crowds, and room tones. The role of a Background Sound Editor is vital in creating a realistic and immersive sound experience for the audience, while also serving to emphasize particular moments in a film.
ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement)
Automated Dialogue Recording (ADR) is a process used in film and television production to replace or re-record dialogue that was recorded on set, but is unusable due to technical problems, such as background noise, wind, or other audio issues. ADR involves having the actors watch the scene they performed and record their dialogue in a studio or soundstage while listening to the original audio playback.
ADR is used to ensure that the dialogue in a film or television show is clear and of high quality, even if it was not captured properly during filming. It is also used to record dialogue in other languages for international versions of a film or show. ADR can be a time-consuming and expensive process, but it is an essential part of the post-production process for many productions
Walla (Loop Group) or Crowd Recording
During the filming of a scene, Walla, which is the vocal sounds that people make in the background, is recorded by a Loop Group because background actors typically remain silent. This adds realism to the scene, such as the murmur of a crowd or specific reactions. A few to 20 voice actors may stand around a microphone during post-production to murmur indistinguishable words or have real conversations appropriate to the scene, and the group vocal tracks are then mixed in with the production track in the final sound mix of the film
Music Editor
The Music Editor is the person who takes charge of the music once it has been selected by the Music Supervisor or composed by the Composer, and fine-tunes it so that it perfectly aligns with the visual narrative of the project. This involves editing, arranging, and mixing the music tracks to ensure that they are synchronized with the on-screen action, dialogue, and emotions.
Sound Designer
The role of a Sound Designer is to produce and design a range of sounds that do not naturally exist, such as atmospheric soundscapes or unique creature noises, with the aim of evoking emotional responses in the audience. This requires the Sound Designer to be imaginative in how they manipulate or create sound effects to achieve their desired outcome and to possess strong technical skills in the use of sound editing software and equipment.
Re-Recording Mixer
As the final step in the audio post-production process, the Re-Recording Mixer takes on the task of harmoniously combining all the audio elements together. With the guidance of the director and producer, the Mixer uses their expertise in balancing the levels, equalizing the sounds, and adding special effects to create a unified and emotionally impactful soundtrack.