1. Audio for Picture Overview
• Sound for picture can be grouped
into the following stems:
• Dialog (ie. Spoken word)
• Sound FX
• Music/Score
• Often different “teams” of people
work on producing the audio for each
of the above 3 elements.
• During the final mix or “dub” these 3
elements are brought together.
1

2. Picture Soundtrack
Overview
Production Dialogue
Dialogue / Narration
ADR
Narration/Voiceover
Animation Dialogue
Picture Foley / Sound FX
Foley
Soundtrack Sound FX
Ambience
Musical Score
Jingle Music (Ads.)
Music Environmental Music
Soundtrack Music
2

3. Dialogue
• Dialogue (spoken word) is
usually recorded on location
during filming (production) by a
team consisting of the Boom
Operator, Sound Mixer and
Cable/Utility Person.
• The sound crew’s aim is to
capture dialogue from the
actors as cleanly as possible
• They may also attempt to
capture some “room tone” and
a few environmental sounds
3

4. Location Audio Equipment
• Recording dialogue on-set is
usually done using a boom
microphone. These mics tend
to have a highly directional
polar pattern to avoid spill
Sennheiser MK416 Boom Mic
Mackie 1202 Mixer
and noise.
• Small lavalier (spot)
microphones are also used in
some cases.
• Recording is done via a small
Countryman B6 Lavalier Mic - used in
mixer to a portable medium
addition to boom mics.
such as a Nagra, DAT or
Nagra V Digital Recorder
4 Hard Disk Recorder.

5. Location Recording Formats
• Location (aka production)
audio was originally
recorded to analog tape
(usually 1/4 inch and in
Nagra III - 1962. This was a mono deck that used 1/4 inch mono).
analog tape.
• The de facto standard
device for many years was
the NAGRA tape deck.
• Later versions had 2 tracks
plus a time-code track
Nagra IV - 1971. This upgrade included 2 mic inputs and
a built in limiter (Nagra IV - STC)
5

6. Location Recording
Formats
• Analogue formats
were eventually
replaced with digital
devices.
Nagra V - 2002. This device records in stereo at a resolution of up to 24
• Nagra has brought out
bit/96 kHz to an internal hard drive. It is fully SMPTE compatible and records in
BWF (Wav) file format.
the Nagra V which
records to an internal
hard drive
6

7. Location Recording Formats
The Nagra VI digital audio recorder was awarded the TEC Award for “Outstanding Technical Achievement” at a
ceremony in New York on Saturday October 10th 2009 during the 127th AES show.
What has happened to the Nagra IV?
7

8. Location Recording Formats
• Other hard disc based
Fostex FR-2. Records 2 tracks of audio with time-code to a PC
recorders have been
released most of
card at a resolution of up to 24 bit/96kHz.
which can transfer files
directly into Pro
Tools.
Zaxcom Deva V. This device records up to 10 tracks to an internal
hard drive and backs up to a DVD drive.
8

9. ADR - Automated Dialogue
Replacement
• ADR is the process of re-
recording dialogue from an
actor once filming has ceased
(post production).
• ADR is (usually) done in a
studio with the actor viewing
themselves on screen and re-
speaking their lines.
• ADR is often required for
scenes that contain a lot of
background noise and the
location sound is unusable.
9 • NB - Narration is also recorded in this way.

10. Foley
• Foley effects are sounds that
accompany live action/movement on
the screen.
• They include footsteps, clothes
rustling, doors opening etc - sounds
that are difficult to capture during
filming.
• Foley sounds are recorded during
post production on a dedicated
foley studio/stage by a foley artist
whilst viewing the picture.
• Foley is named after Jack Foley
(1891-1967) who is credited as
being the inventor of foley.
10

11. Sound FX
• Sound FX are classed as any
other sounds, besides Foley,
that are non-dialogue and non-
musical. Example - explosions,
gunshots, mechanical sounds
etc.
• Sound FX also includes any
non-synchronous sounds (eg.
off camera sounds that don’t
require sync to picture)
11

12. 12

13. Music in Picture
Empire Strikes Back (1980). Soundtrack
Contains the score written by John
Williams
• Music included in film/TV etc
can take several forms:
• Score
Walk The Line (2006). Soundtrack album • Performed/environmental
contains songs performed by the actors in the
movie music
• Soundtrack music
• Music is usually included to
create/convey a “mood” for
Top Gun (1986). Soundtrack
album contains several songs
the visual action. It can also
heard during the movie. be, in some cases, part of
the action.
13

14. Musical Score
• Often a composer may be
hired to write a musical score
for a picture.
• A rough “cut” of the film will
be given to them after shooting
and the composer will work
Warner Bros Scoring Stage
from that.
• The method of
production/recording for the
score will depend on the
budget for the picture. Larger
budgets allow for a full
14
orchestra (see left).

15. 15

16. The Final Dub (Mix)
• Once all the elements of the
soundtrack have been
recorded and edited, they are
then mixed together.
• This process is referred to as
Film Dub Stage at Soundfirm Studios. Melbourne “Dubbing” and is carried out
(usually) on a Dub Stage.
• A dub stage will be located in a
cinema-type area and (usually)
house a large format console
to handle the multiple signals
involved in a soundtrack.
Film Dub Stage at Twickenham Studios, London
16