Incorporating Production Techniques From Professionals LO14, LO16, LO19

Based on my Previous Blog, I will elaborate on the Current Post-Production project I am working on and how Glenn Freemantle and Skip Lievsay have inspired me to Mix my project. For this Trimester's Studio Unit in my University, I have been asked to recreate a Classic Movie to Sound Modern. This will not only include Automated Dialog replacement for all actors but also Recreating Sound Effects and Foley. For the Project I have Chosen the Film, Sherlock Holmes : The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1939 ) . I have selected a Five minute Scene which me and my Team will be Re-creating. This Scene Includes one of the most thrilling section of the Movie where the characters come face to face with the villain they have been hunting for. In the original movie, there is no Score for this scene.

 In term of foley, although there is some foley work, it is not very detailed. in the Course of working on this production, my main focus has been to incorporate score in the Scene. This not only builds the impact of the scene but initiates a Fright Response align with the suspense that this scene delivers. Since the objective of this production was to make a Classic movie Sound Modern. I will be using Scores from The more recent sherlock movie and the series. Therefore, when the Viewer watches the 1939 scene with this new mix, although in black and white it will remind them of the Modern Version of Sherlock. Most of the Score is Orchestral which I will be re-creating through Midi, The Scene will Fade to Black with the Title track of the Sherlock Series for which I have recorded Live Drums. In Terms of ADR, our team has worked relentlessly with Voice-Over Artists to Ensure we get the best of them. While Kim was the Recording Engineer and Gin, the assistant recording engineer, I would come in the Studio Mainly to direct the Artists. This Meant telling them in what tone to speak, Story-telling to make them feel they were in the same situation the character was in, and also sometimes giving them technical cues or tips like whether to talk in legato or staccato.

Just like the Sound Engineers from Gravity, my goal is to re-create the Audio and Mix in such a way that the listener feels the are in the movie themselves, The orchestral score will not only help build the adrenaline rush to zone them into the tense environment the character is in, but the Ambient Noises will also provide for a mock environment where the listener will feel they are in. In terms of Production Progress, We have completed the ADR, SFX and Re-creation of score on MIDI, so our focus now will be to mix it in 5.1 and Master it.

We also have two graphics designers, Vidi Dhakan and Anmol Dhakan, who are designing for our team business cards, posters and a website. All promotional tools will be featured on this blog as well.Once the Production is complete, I will also post the before and after on my Website so you guys can have a look !

Inspired by Skip Lievsay and Glenn FreeMantle LO 10

Skip Lievsay, is not only a brilliant sound engineer but also a phenomenal Re-Mixing engineer. He is the 2013 Grammy Winner for the best mixing sound. Not only does his work evoke a real-life experience for all his audiences but indeed leaves them baffled. He is well-known for his pure talent in re-Mixing popular hollywood films like "Gravity", "True Grit", "I am Legend" etc. Further in this Blog Post, I will discuss the secrets behind the Masters of Sound for the movie Gravity.

The Film Gravity was Sound Desgined by Glenn Freemantle and Re-recording mix engineer  Skip Lievsay. These men not only defied the Laws of Physics to create noise in a Vacuum, but also made it seem effortless. In Terms of Post-production, This movie not only raised the bars for creating an exceptional and un-conventional Mix but inspired many in the field of sound with a Breath-taking Score and even better Sound Design. Glenn FreeMantle began working on Gravity, when he was first offered to sound design a 45 minute previsualisation to be screened for studio executives. Following that in the coming weeks, he designed a 5.1mix with Cuaron that gave the Listeners an Idea of what the Film was going to sound like .The Objective was to hear Each sound like how every character wold hear this. This meant Setting the right tone, the Right environment and using hyper-realism to initiate an adrenaline rush for the listener when the character would feel so. ( Bishop, 2013 ).

Glenn FreeMantle, Sound Designer (Receiving Grammy Award for his work on Gravity, 2013)

Glenn Freemantle also elaborated that his vision was to design sound by using perspective of Vibration, touch and contact throughout the Film. Even on the Temp Mix, they said, although not that elaborate they tried to include this production Technique. At the beginning this was merely a revolutionary concept for Glenn and Skip, but their motive was to make it a reality. They wanted the audience to feel everything, right from as if they were really in space to Sandra Bullocks breathing and Gasping for air. He said everything in terms of sound in the film was about, "Contact". Be it contact with another person, contact with the environment or the contact of a person with a thing, The Whole Production, right front the start was so intricate and well-planned that to the Listener it would feel effortless to experience the real thrill. According to me, this is what made the Sound of the Film so outstanding. The mix was so well balanced that it beautiful laced every sound effect with the visuals  that everything was sound was felt but nothing would be thrown right in your face.

Skip Lievsay, Re-Mixing Engineer,( Sound Technician for over 100 feature Films)

Skip Lievsay had another take on this which also made me think. He said that we take sound for granted, like a comfort zone. Sound keeps us safe and cautious without us realizing it, He further adds if a car was coming towards you at a high speed and the car honked, We would know exactly where it came from. He also said that if we removed sound from everyday things we would be removing a huge sense of safety and comfort.

In my next Blog, I will let you guys in on a production I am currently working on and how these two gentle men have inspired be right from the beginning ! Stay Tuned !

Bibliography:

http://www.mixrevu.com/?p=article2&id=37
http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/10/4822482/the-sound-design-of-gravity-glenn-freemantle-skip-lievsay