Dialogue Editing

312 THE MIX
Given its schizophrenic mandate, what exactly are we hoping to accomplish
in the dialogue premix?
• Establishing a smooth fl ow of room tone within each scene.
• Establishing a warm, pleasant color for the voices in a scene.
• Removing unpleasant vocal sounds, most notably whistling sibilants.
• Removing excess ambient noise both from the entire scene and from
specifi c shots to eliminate imbalances between takes.
• Adding focus and perspective to shots.
• Controlling dynamic range. This doesn’t mean “fl attening” each scene
but rather containing what’s there within sensible limits while keeping
the scenes dynamic and interesting.
• Matching the ADR to the rest of the scene.
• Controlling the level and treatment of PFX.
• Recording the results in a way that preserves options.
• Preparing good notes of how the premix tracks are recorded to facilitate
the fi nal mix.
With all these objectives, you have to become part artist, part traffi c cop, and
part perpetual cheerleader and facilitator. There are as many fl avors of dialogue
premix as there are fi lms, dialogue editors, and mixers. Sometimes
you’ll be a major player in the process, and sometimes you’ll be little more
than a pair of hands. But the objectives remain the same.
Working with the Mixer
Why are you in the mix? You’re there for three reasons:
• You’re the human representative of the tracks, so you have to make
sure they’re allowed to do the talking. If you did your job well, the
premix should be pretty straightforward. Speak for the tracks only
when they’re having a hard time expressing themselves.
• You shepard the fi lm. You know it well, whereas the mixer is likely
meeting it for the fi rst time. With all the junctures in your tracks that
can lead in unforeseen directions, you have to guide the mixer in
moving the sound narrative in the direction you want it to go. At the
same time, the mixer’s freshness and experience will result in new,
exciting options you may never have considered.
• As the representative of the production, you see that the premix is up
to par. This is the tricky part because it involves egos and personalities.
The way to negotiate this is to present yourself as a supporter
rather than a supervisor. If you’re not getting what you want, seduce