Audio levels all over the place, can you help?

[Ty Ford]

Originally Posted by Mike Demmers

Sounds like a really fun month!

This should be in a separate thread in the Techniques for Independent Production section. It looks like a pretty darn good way (and example of a way) to sell a script.

Is it common now to do something this extensive? I normally think of 'previsualization' as something considerably less polished.

-Mike

Heh, well I was surprised by the offer. I'm not sure how common it is. The idea came from a very savvy casting gal here; Pat Moran. After reading the script, pulling the scenes and writing the VO parts, we talked about how much money to throw at the screen. These are all local/regional SAG actors except the two young men in the jeep.

It was very fun and the actors came to me after the shoot to say what a great shoot it had been. Our client and benefactor owns an Italian restaurant, and the craft services and meals were better than I have had on major film sets.

The camera was a 1080p Sony EX3 and yes, that's me on the VO. I was able to boom about 95% with one Schoeps cmc641>Sound Devices 442>Sony EX3.

Dad in the living room chair when they come in was on a Countryman B6 and AT U100.
As was:
Friend walking with her down the front walk "make it a good change"
When she walks out to get in the convertible.
Mom walking out of the bedroom after sex.

My only bad audio was mom's line "groovy" because the neighbor's HVAC was cranking. I trimmed the word after doing some NR, but it's still a little fuzzy. I've heard worse.


Regards,

Ty

[Rick Reineke]

Ty, Well done. Very impressive on all accounts.
The sound was particularly good.

[Ty Ford]

Thanks Rick,

Rick Diamond shot it. Tom O'Connor lit it. David Deboy directed. This was my hand-picked crew. I have worked with Rick and David before and knew Tom through David.

It was like kids at summer camp without he pink bellies; a truly pleasant experience.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[Mike Demmers]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

It was like kids at summer camp without he pink bellies; a truly pleasant experience.

That shows. And so does the casting.

When I first started watching this, it already had three strikes against it:

1. I was still slightly embarassed about saying somethng foolish. (which should not affect objectivity, but...us humans...)

2. I immediately saw it was a type of genre I usually don't care much for.

3. The file you linked to was (unexpectedly) very large and failed to download properly, so I had to download it again. (You really need to warn people about 129MB files!) So I was a little irritated.

Despite this somewhat less than receptive frame of mind, by the time I was three quarters through it I was using the name in IMDB search to see if this was in production, and what the release date was. ;-)

So - I don't know if this will sell a script, but I would sure be surprised if it didn't open some doors.

I'm really curious to see how this turns out. (which could take years, in that business).

Sure beats a one page script synopsis.

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

My only bad audio was mom's line "groovy" because the neighbor's HVAC was cranking. I trimmed the word after doing some NR, but it's still a little fuzzy. I've heard worse.

When I first heard that, I assumed it was weirdness in her voice because she had just been shocked, and was quite deliberate. I'd make it even fuzzier...

Never confess unless questioned ;-)

-MD

[Ty Ford]

Mike,

Thanks for that. Interestingly, if I just plug in the url, it streams. If I click on the file in the actual directory, I have to download it.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[Rick Reineke]

I didn't hear anything that said "bad audio", at least on my 2:1 Genelecs'. If I listened a few times, for sure I could dissect it, but that goes for anything I've ever done in my 30+ year music/pro-audio career. Though I did find the "old lady in car underwear" shot rather disgusting.. (a creative issue)
Streamed perfectly on my FIOS connection.

[Mike Demmers]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

Interestingly, if I just plug in the url, it streams. If I click on the file in the actual directory, I have to download it.

It's how your browser is set. Mine is set to NOT automatically play or execute stuff from the web - helps keep viruses and spyware off my system.

Also, the filetype setting for a directory listing is handled differenlty by the web server - this is actually a special function of the server, and is often set to binary, whch will force a download. This is again often done for security reasons (so people cannot just drop viruses into folders and infect the too-trusting).

-MD

[Ty Ford]

Originally Posted by Rick Reineke

I didn't hear anything that said "bad audio", at least on my 2:1 Genelecs'. If I listened a few times, for sure I could dissect it, but that goes for anything I've ever done in my 30+ year music/pro-audio career. Though I did find the "old lady in car underwear" shot rather disgusting.. (a creative issue)
Streamed perfectly on my FIOS connection.

Rick,

A very curious scene. Those I expected not to laugh, howled at it. Proving again that humor is a complicated thing.

Regards,

Ty Ford