Distribution and Audio Post

[filmelife]

Hi everyone,

please i need good advice. I may strike a distribution deal and wondering something. I cut the film in sony vegas shot in HD, i have a locked picture.

1.should i do the sound post or leave it up to the distributor as i heard you can include that in the deal?

2.how should i export the tracks if they'll be mixing in protools?

3.or should i just buy nuendo and finish it my self?

4.or is vegas good enough to do a final mix?

 

[Noiz2]

Distribution for what? DVD, Broadcast, Theatrical?
I would recommend that you use a professional who has experience mixing for the destination format. If your providing the mix they are going to some specks on deliverables and if you don't understand or cant meet the specs you might be liable for getting it fixed. This is not a small expense, but the price varies quite a bit depending on delivery requirements. You also, of course, need to have all the rights cleared and any applicable licenses. Have an attorney look over the deal, and at least talk to pro's before agreeing to any of it your self. In other words if it's anything other than you give them the DV file with the audio and it's all up to them get someone to figure out exactly how to meet the deliverables.

That was sort of a general warning.
1. probably neither. You want to be around and have a say in post, but you don't want to do it.

2. OMF. But you probably can't do that so your only option is bouncing full tracks at a time. That is a bad alternative but probably your only one. If that is what your doing ideally you would first remove all volume automation and plugins etc. You hamstring the folks down the line being able to fix anything if you have mucked with the tracks. The best would be to bounce each track (from two pop till the end) of each track plain and with all your moves on it. That way they can go with your mix as much as possible but still have the plain vanilla tracks for fixes and changes. Un fortunately there isn't much a mixer can do except levels on this kind of output. If your sending to someone figure it's going to take them probably a week to get the tracks ready for mix, if your lucky, and a week to mix. If you have done this before and are very well organized in your tracks it could go faster.

3. No

4. NO, well depends YouTube? Something that you want someone to pay money for and not be disappointed, not likley

 

[wabbit]

Except a few rare exception (ala El Mariachi) I have never heard of a movie being picked up by a distributor without the bulk of the audio work done. Certainly distributors will almost always recut and remix the film after they bought it (sort of like pissing on it to mark their territory) but that is with the audio already done to a satisfactory point.

Assuming some distributors do buy films with unfinished audio I am certain they are going to assume a maximum work load at a maximum day rate; building the whole track from scratch at the top end of studio rates. They will then deduct this expense from any deal they are making with you.

To that end you will do better to have the audio completed before selling it. That way you can get only the work done that is needed and at a rate you negotiate. Also a finished soundtrack will just make the whole picture appear to have greater value to the distributor then an unfinished one; sort of like detailing your junker car before selling it. A polished sountrack also demonstrates a certain professional level as opposed to some amatuers the buyer can take advantage of.

Cheers