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Stereo Mix - scripted series


mikerobertson

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A post supervisor is insisting on a specific track order I’m trying to wrap my head around. ( I’m asking to just provide a mono mix + Isos)  Before I push back, I was hoping to hear some thoughts. Here is what they are asking for:

 

”track 1 - mix boom”

”track 2 - mix lavs” 

“tracks 3-12 ISO’s”

 

does anybody here work like this for a TV show? It’s scripted, and I will have a full team with me. 

 

On a wide shot would “boom mix” just be really low?

 

I think it’s odd to have my recorded tracks be micro-managed towards something more complicated.

 

any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

 

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I would think a mix is a mix... your providing YOUR concept of what the actual track for the show should sound like...  by simply combining the radios on ch.2 "mix lavs" is not actually a mix, but a sum of all the radios.. you could auto mix them though .. and same for the Boom (s) on Ch1, that would be simply a boom or a mix of more than 1 boom.. again, not really a mix...

 

Ch 3-12 ISOs would be a boom ISO, and all the radios ISOed... 

So, there does not seem to be an actual Production "Mix"  at least to me..  sounds strange to me, but who knows... At first glance, It is actually an easier way for you to deliver in my pea brain...  Your just passing the tracks to them for re mix... and you don't have to take a stab at the mix yourself..

 

They can micro manage all they want... it's their show...LOL

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You‘d still do your regular mix, just like you would when mixing down to just one track. The difference is that you record your mix on two tracks. If the two tracks were played back in the center, they’d sound exactly like your normal 1-track mix. 

I have been asked to provide a split mix like that. It helps the picture editor 

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Not too common out here...  Most of us provide a Mono LEFT mix track and ISOS...  

Interesting way to do it...  I guess the reasoning as has been stated is ease for post...  I do not care for this method though, but would most likely grow accustomed to it over time...  Nobody I know does the booms on left Radios on right thing..

As I said, whatever they want...

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46 minutes ago, afewmoreyears said:

Not too common out here...  Most of us provide a Mono LEFT mix track and ISOS...  

Interesting way to do it...  I guess the reasoning as has been stated is ease for post...  I do not care for this method though, but would most likely grow accustomed to it over time...  Nobody I know does the booms on left Radios on right thing..

As I said, whatever they want...

 

Yes absolutely. I think you would get used to it very easily, as I did, because I set up my recorder once amd that’s it. I still monitor both tracks in mono, so it sounds exactly the same as your way would. 

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I'd push back... gently. Not common at all in Los Angeles. And any workflow that editor and post sound and dailies house aren't used to will cause problems at first. Post supervisor is not always knowledgeable and sometimes just a promoted post coordinator. Although in your case they may be. Look them up. They simply might be confused, or might have come from docs or reality where this work flow is more common. I would ask that they confirm with the editor and the planned post sound house that this is also what they prefer to work with. The post supervisor doesn't actually do any of the technical or creative post work. In the end, if it's what they want, then you just have to do it, as the others have described.

 

This method always requires a remix, but I suppose if they're summing the L/R to achieve your mono mix anyway, then I suppose it's whatever they're used to.

 

The problem I would have with it in Los Angeles anyway, is that they'd default to making dailies with track 1 on left and right side, and it would sound bad to the rare few who actually listen to dailies. If you could be assured that the sum would play as a mono mix on both sides for dailies, then no big deal. It would be even more weird if tracks 1 & 2 were played L & R.

 

For me, however, working with a 788T, I'd not want to give up an ISO for this unnecessary and old-fashioned work flow. 

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  • 2 months later...
On 4/23/2018 at 4:15 AM, Dave Pullmer said:

As a utility I havent seen this workflow with narrative work. I find most mixers simply provide a mono mix.

 

Ive seen this requested more often for unscripted/reality, when theres less time/money in post and they want to avoid digging into the ISOs.

Yep Dave

 

But if you are recording an ad-lib discussion using 4 radio mikes you cannot achieve a polished mix!

 

Maybe a blend so providing ISO tracks supports post audio

 

mike

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I did this for many years here in the UK on scripted drama. Generally it worked fine, as on many scenes it was pretty obvious that either the radios were working best, or the booms were. Generally I would monitor (mostly) the mix that I thought would be the one that the editor would prefer for the scene, however, sometimes this might not be clear.

 

It would mess with my head if I felt that both mixes might or could be used, as I would want to monitor/mix both..... and I am not that ambidextrous 😉

 

Often, I would 'throw away' the radio mix (ie not mix it or listen properley) for the wide shot, as I knew that the booms would be nicer for the close ups, and it wouldn't matter for the wides.

 

More recently I find that most productions just want one track of mix to work with, so I mix the radios into the wide shots, and then take a view on which to send to the mix for the close ups.

 

I like the idea of sending booms to one channel post fade, and radios to another channel post fade, but for me to be monitoring both (in mono) whilst mixing. Edit can then sum the two mixes to get what I was hearing in my headphones. That said - I have never been specifically asked for this.

 

I I were in your situation I would go and see and talk to whoever is asking for split mixes and discuss.

 

Hope this works out well in the end.

 

Simon B

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