I don't see why you wouldn't want to get the best audio you could on set if anything, just to fall back on. You don't have to get an audio guy if you're low on funds, but it's not that hard to find someone to hold a boom pole who's fresh out of film school. You could also get a boom stand. Better than not getting anything at all.
All sound in post...
- Thread starter g3nov3s3
- Start date
I appreciate your input, but it sounded great in the theater, and it got me the money to make the movie, so it served it's purpose.
-- And I happen to like Star Wars
What kind of budget are you looking at, when do you start filming?
El Director
Veteran
Right now, it's close to $500,000 but that may go up as I set up more meetings. We start filming in August.
Look, I think you guys are missing my point- Of course natural sound will sound better. I don't deny that. Heck, I'm going that route for "Rise of the Beast". But like I've said, when you're learning how to make movies by making movies, ADR is a good way to go. When you're starting out, you know that no one is really going to see your film, so save the money you'd spend on sound guys on set. Do the ADR method. If someone does happen to see the movie, hopefully you'll sound better than Open Water. The OP asked about tips for doing it all in post. Don't try to convince them otherwise. I'm sure they've read through many threads and know that location sound is better. But they, like I did, have chosen to do it all in post. So let them be and offer some tips to help the post audio sound as good as possible rather than trying to change their mind.
Look, I think you guys are missing my point- Of course natural sound will sound better. I don't deny that. Heck, I'm going that route for "Rise of the Beast". But like I've said, when you're learning how to make movies by making movies, ADR is a good way to go. When you're starting out, you know that no one is really going to see your film, so save the money you'd spend on sound guys on set. Do the ADR method. If someone does happen to see the movie, hopefully you'll sound better than Open Water. The OP asked about tips for doing it all in post. Don't try to convince them otherwise. I'm sure they've read through many threads and know that location sound is better. But they, like I did, have chosen to do it all in post. So let them be and offer some tips to help the post audio sound as good as possible rather than trying to change their mind.
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j1clark@ucsd.edu
Veteran
I think they've rereleased "Hercules in New York"(1970) on DVD with his original voice...
Thanks for sharing this info. I think some people will knock you and say they can do it better but it comes down to contacting the investors. Congratulations! What genre are you in on that feature?
Gohanto
Veteran
If someone walks into a hardware store and says "I'd like to know what the best wrench is to pound nails into a piece of wood"
Do you reply -
A. Get this wrench that costs $50
B. Get this hammer that costs $5
C. Well you could get a $50 wrench and it'll be a complete pain in the butt for no reason. A hammer is the better tool for the job and it's cheaper.
If you want professional sound, a location sound guy is cheaper than ADR for MANY reasons posted earlier. If you want "okay" sound then finding a film school student working for food is STILL cheaper and will sound better than ADR.
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Chadfish
Veteran
I see you're making Christian films. Did you get the funding from a church or some religious funding? I take back what I said earlier. It is totally believable that you got 500,000 from religious organizations. Churches have a lot of that tithe money to put into projects that promote the message. Nice score! We have a giant Christian studio out here in Humboldt named after some old bomber plane. They have the nicest studio I have ever seen. They do only Christian work though. You won't even see them advertised, as all their projects are paid for before they are even done. Good money there if you believe what they believe...
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Paul Hudson
Vacuum Tube Member
I shot this spot last month.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THeIz2h49So
The airport changed the runway from the scout day. There was no way we could get usable audio. I took all the actors into the RV and had them read their lines wild and looped it back in post. It works pretty well.
Give me your thoughts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THeIz2h49So
The airport changed the runway from the scout day. There was no way we could get usable audio. I took all the actors into the RV and had them read their lines wild and looped it back in post. It works pretty well.
Give me your thoughts.
El Director
Veteran
I'm good salesman. I had a great script, and visually the investors just wanted to get an idea as to how the film could look, hence the video.
You're welcome. Yes, I know I'm going to get knocked, but I'm used to it. People also don't like that I run camera, direct, and edit, so if it's not one thing, it's another. The film will be a Christian version of "The Bourne Ultimatum" in that it's a game of cat and mouse with a specific agency hunting down Christians. Add to that some cool fights, an explosion, and a car chase (and yes, we can do this all on said budget) and it should be pretty good. =)
El Director
Veteran
Wild? Nice work. I can't really tell about sync on this connection, but it sounded good.
Paul Hudson
Vacuum Tube Member
As they say, "It is better to be lucky than good".
I can hear it... but that's because I know how it would sound when it was boomed. And the opening of the package is not 100% sync. But that's a detail.
It's very nice I have to say.
Chadfish
Veteran
To be fair for anyone attempting this: The kids said very little, and the cuts sometimes happened mid-word to cover for the lack of sync.
Here's a free sync job. No dialog, but everything was played without hearing anything else.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qARD55AJxrc
GRENCH
Well-known member
Sounds like EL Director is using his gifts of convenience to his advantage. May not be someone else's advantage, but to each his or her own. I would definitely go with a sound man but I must admit that I have entertained the notion of ADR being that I know my way around a studio. What ever gets it done, and done well for you I guess is ultimately the right way. And what I mean by right is that your investors, and you are happy with the final product.
j1clark@ucsd.edu
Veteran
Lucky you had that full orchestra an chior playing the music of a deaf man...
In San Diego during the sommer there's musicals performed in the park, which just happens to be right under the flight path in to Lindbergh Field... the planes are about 400-500 feet off the deck at that point. So everyone on stage 'freezes' while the plane passes over...
When I was young rock bands would perform there as well... for some reason no one seemed to notice the planes...
j1clark@ucsd.edu
Veteran
Lucky you had that full orchestra an chior playing the music of a deaf man...
In San Diego during the sommer there's musicals performed in the park, which just happens to be right under the flight path in to Lindbergh Field... So everyone on stage 'freezes' while the plane passes over...
When I was young rock bands would perform there as well... for some reason no one seemed to notice the planes...
Alan H. Chang
Veteran
Noiz2
Sound Ninja
I thought I had commented here but it may have been where ever the short was hosted.
Anyway a few points. One it's a myth that a lot "big" films use a lot of ADR. It's a lot more common for little films to do ADR. Partly because the BIG films actually hired competent sound crews. Films like StarWars use a lot of ADR because the set is made out of cardboard and wood and doesn't sound like a spaceship at all. So all the sound gets replaced on interior sets. Exteriors not so much. ADR is hard and expensive to do right. Your short definitely falls into the indi sound category, but it could be upped quite a bit with some post. There was a BIG lack of Foley and that really screams ADR. The dialog wasn't always where an audience would want it to be. You can cheat close most of the time because we are used to that but it still felt off in a lot of places.
Bottom line. You got investors to had you cash. It may not be "Big Budget Hollywood" sound but it was obviously enough to get the job done. It may be harder to make it work in a long format but? The thing is, and your going to like this coming from a pro, perfection is a goal but it's not really an attainable one. The trick is to make the compromises that won't disturb your audience. Some of that has to do with who your audience is and what their expectations are. This kind of film has a limited market and a somewhat self selecting audience. Their standards/ expectations/ needs are not nec mine or this lists etc. That's not a knock, in some areas they are going to be a lot "higher" than mine. The point is there is a formula of what an audience wants to see and if you hit close to that formula then your gold. That formula is different for different films. People accept sound and image in docs that they would never put up with in a big budget narrative. So it sounds to me like you have the formula down pretty well, at least for your investors. So congratulations. As much as I would not recommend working the way you do to other filmmakers it seems to be working for you so go for it.