Sound mix for TV or film

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demariai

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Hey guys, I just finished my first TV spot and the client is happy with the result. Im just wondering, for example:
if I have channels 1 to 5 of dialogue, 5 to 7 FX and 7 to 9 music. How loud do you keep the dialogue so when you add fx and music dont peak. I dont know if there's any guide or something to keep all dialogue's volume at the same, etc. Again, client was happy but I know I have a lot to learn. Any guide, tutorial around?

thanks to all!!
 
Well...I would think the level of the dialogue will dictate that.

IOW...no matter what level you set the FX and music at...the dialog always needs to be on top, level wise.

So...first find the correct balance between the three...and then either bring up or pull down all three equally so that the mix is not peaking too high.

-3 dBFS is safe enough for peaks, though you could go as low as -10, -14 even -18 dBFS and it would not hurt the sound quality.
 
Look up side chain compression and ducking. That will reduce the level of one input when the other is present using a compressor.
 
Yeah...ducking with a comp is good for a live broadcast with music & dialogue...but with pre-recorded tracks, I would think just mixing it with appropriate levels in the DAW would be the way to go...don't you think so?

Why duck with comp...when you can just set the level of the FX/Music relative to the dialogue in the DAW as needed from the git-go?

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think the OP is just asking about the overall level mix so as not to overload the output/DA.

Hey NYMorningstar...what part of Upstate NY are you in?
I'm in the lower Hudson Valley area...Middletown, Newburgh - Orange County...but I lived up in Columbia County (Red Hook/Rhinebeck) for about 15 years prior.
 
miroslav said:
Yeah...ducking with a comp is good for a live broadcast with music & dialogue...but with pre-recorded tracks, I would think just mixing it with appropriate levels in the DAW would be the way to go...don't you think so?

Why duck with comp...when you can just set the level of the FX/Music relative to the dialogue in the DAW as needed from the git-go?

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think the OP is just asking about the overall level mix so as not to overload the output/DA.

Hey NYMorningstar...what part of Upstate NY are you in?
I'm in the lower Hudson Valley area...Middletown, Newburgh - Orange County...but I lived up in Columbia County (Red Hook/Rhinebeck) for about 15 years prior.
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Albany/Saratoga area.

Yeah, I don't know what he's asking for exactly. Lots of tv is live so I was just thinking options.
 
I'm not sure about this, but I think there are actually some specifications/guidelines for dialogue levels and levels in general for TV and movies.

The guy you want to track down and ask is "Benny Chico" (Ben Anderson). I haven't seen him on this board for a while now, but if you look him up in the member's list here, you should be able to find a link for sending him an e-mail.

Why Benny? He's a great guy and a pro audio-for-video editor out of Kansas City, and really knowledgable about subjects exactly like this.

G.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
I'm not sure about this, but I think there are actually some specifications/guidelines for dialogue levels and levels in general for TV and movies.
G.
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I believe you are right about that...but I'm wondering if they just use a comp/AGC like radio does to set that final level...?
 
In my TV experience the best advice I can give you is to make sure there isnt any white in the background in the video...the stations allways pump up the attenuation so the commercials get peoples attention...but that also effects the peaks of the irising and it will distort every time.
So no white letters and especially no white in the background.

What you need to do is compress the music more than the voice...but squash them both.
 
thanks for the info guys. Im just trying to find out if the dialogue have like a specific db that when you add music and fx well mixed it should sound good. On my case I didnt duck because It was easy but Im trying to learn as much as I can because I might have some bigger promos coming, so I wanna be prepared

thanks
 
I would think promo's should be relatively straightforward as they are only very short and self contained. They just have to sit well in the chain of all the other promos which you're competing with.

Feature length movie sound tracks would be much more complicated as you are setting levels of dialogue, ambience, FX, music over the course of a two hour period. The dynamic range possibilities are much more open for setting mood, realism etc. You might be holding back all levels for the one big kaboom when the inevitable explosion happens!
 
Tim Gillett said:
I would think promo's should be relatively straightforward as they are only very short and self contained. They just have to sit well in the chain of all the other promos which you're competing with.

Feature length movie sound tracks would be much more complicated as you are setting levels of dialogue, ambience, FX, music over the course of a two hour period. The dynamic range possibilities are much more open for setting mood, realism etc. You might be holding back all levels for the one big kaboom when the inevitable explosion happens!
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well said. thanks man
 
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