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BBC Viewers Complain About 'Mumbling Actors'


Marc Wielage

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At some point in this discussion there was a point brought up about where the speakers face on modern TVs.  Down into the stand on straight back to the wall. There aren't speakers on the front of TVs any more.

 

I was watching TV the other day, and a movie trailer came on. Several bits of dialog were unintelligible. Loud, but unintelligible. Dramatic music didn't help either.  Out of curiosity, I searched the same trailer on my phone, and the words were perfectly clear.  Not an issue at all.

 

I wonder, perhaps, if part of the issue is EQ for TV.

 

Not a good excuse for movies in theatres, but certainly an issues for movies played through TV speakers.

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At some point in this discussion there was a point brought up about where the speakers face on modern TVs. Down into the stand on straight back to the wall. There aren't speakers on the front of TVs any more.

I was watching TV the other day, and a movie trailer came on. Several bits of dialog were unintelligible. Loud, but unintelligible. Dramatic music didn't help either. Out of curiosity, I searched the same trailer on my phone, and the words were perfectly clear. Not an issue at all.

I wonder, perhaps, if part of the issue is EQ for TV.

Not a good excuse for movies in theatres, but certainly an issues for movies played through TV speakers.

Good point. A lot of new TVs also have fake surround sound features. Basically does phase tricks with the 2 speakers to make it sound like there are rear speakers. Can't imagine the tricks that does on some dialogue.

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On a film I mixed last summer, there was an ensemble cast of 7 fairly well known and established young TV/film actors. I'd say about 4-5 of the 7 mumbled and whispered constantly (with occasional outbursts of laughter and loud lines). Drove me nuts! 

 

That's awful. I don't mean to single a particular actor out, but I watched an interesting show on the SyFy Channel over the last few months called Helix, which had about a dozen experienced actors on it. What was perplexing was the star of the show, Billy Campbell -- who's an excellent actor who has done some terrific movies in his career -- did a hoarse whisper throughout 90% of the episodes. Everybody else spoke normally. Every so often, Campbell would raise his voice and sounded fine. But the rest of the time, he was talking down here. I have no explanation for it, but at least the mix was good overall and I could tell they worked on it a bit. Very bad special effects, but an entertaining show on several levels. 

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RPS: " Actors should get their heads out of their asses and find the same compromise for their "art" as they find when they have to hit their marks or wear a costume they don't like, etc. "

Remember the Academies are of the: "...arts and sciences".

we are the sciences part, and actors need to get the sciences part right in order to allow the arts part to be effective.  It is part of their job!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Radio Times (the BBC's official listings magazine here in the UK) now continues to take the piss (whether against itself or a perceived hierarchy within the auntieship ...?) ... in the 'what's on highlights' section before each day's listings they've started adding an info balloon named MUMBLE WATCH warning the viewer (listener) about such things as Yorkshire accents (today), bellowing music (last Sunday) and tomorrow one actress' performance ... described as "a kind of Nnnng sound" in the UK/US series Episodes ...

 

Jez

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Radio Times (the BBC's official listings magazine here in the UK) now continues to take the piss (whether against itself or a perceived hierarchy within the auntieship ...?) ... in the 'what's on highlights' section before each day's listings they've started adding an info balloon named MUMBLE WATCH warning the viewer (listener) about such things as Yorkshire accents (today), bellowing music (last Sunday) and tomorrow one actress' performance ... described as "a kind of Nnnng sound" in the UK/US series Episodes ...

Jez

If it has arrived at this point, where an independent entity is acknowledging the issue, it should be a wakeup call to actors and directors everywhere.

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  • 3 weeks later...

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