Voice Dubbing Movies The Cartoon Way?

[Seun Osewa]

Cartoons start every movie with the audio track and then sync the video to match the audio. Why not make normal movies this way?

How? We record the audio tracks first in a sound studio and then play that on location for actors to sync their lib movements and voices to. Later, the on-location dialogue and the original dialogue would fit like hand in glove.

Short example: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xBqnPTanieI

What's your take on it?

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Seun Osewa

Cartoons start every movie with the audio track and then sync the video to match the audio. Why not make normal movies this way?

How? We record the audio tracks first in a sound studio and then play that on location for actors to sync their lib movements and voices to. Later, the on-location dialogue and the original dialogue would fit like hand in glove.

Short example: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xBqnPTanieI

What's your take on it?

Acting is not just the recitation of lines of dialog and mimicing of action. Many actors will get into the character and get into the scene in order to create a believable performance. Timing develops from the actors interaction with other actors, emotionally living the scene they are in as if it were real life. Timing of lines, the emotions they engender, and items of physical business evolve as the scene is played out and may well change from take to take as the director and cast mutually explore the scene for its meaning. I think using very much of the technique you suggest would produce films spot-on accurate to the script but devoid of much life. And to what purpose? Audio and video aren't especially difficult to sync up in most cases.

Just one opinion

[Seun Osewa]

I think you're right. Maybe straightforward dialogue replacement would be better. Dubbing that way is probably easier than I thought. Thanks.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Seun Osewa

I think you're right. Maybe straightforward dialogue replacement would be better. Dubbing that way is probably easier than I thought. Thanks.

Even better is to get the sound right while on the set, taking the time and paying attention to proper technique to record the highest quality sound on the spot whenever possible. ADR is a common enough tool in theatrical features when the situation demands but it can be expensive and time consuming even with seasoned professional actors and is not usually the sound recording method of choice. It is even more rarely used in broadcast television where tighter production schedules and budgets often just won't allow for it. It's always best to get it right the first time whenver possible.

[Jon Fairhurst]

In post I can cut, shift, boost, cut, EQ and process audio to match the video.

Asking somebody to act in real time to the audio is asking a lot from them. Just ask any musician about how easy it is to overdub a multitrack recording with perfect timing in a single take.

The exception is in shooting film for a musical or music video. In that case all of the music - and the lines - need to be on tempo, so you really need to start with the song, or at least a click track.

[Seun Osewa]

I tried dubbing my voice over an existing video recently, and I couldn't do it.