The dialog editor is responsible for going through all of the dialog tracks for the following: Organizing files on audio tracks Sorting through tracks and removing regions so only usable or preferred/best mics are remaining. Once the appropriate mics are in place: adjusting fade ins, fade outs, cross fades, and filling in holes as necessary. … Read More
Dialog organization There’s a lot of different ways to organize dialog and the style can change depending on a few factors (like the genre of the project or the mixer you’re editing for). Here’s a general overview. Documentary/Reality tv When working on reality tv shows (or documentary), it helps to have two sets of dialog … Read More
While you’re editing, there’s a few things to look out for: Shifts in Ambience The ambience is the background sound of production dialog. What you need to listen for is: Shifts in ambience when switching between mics Background noises that come and go unnaturally (like an airplane noise or lawnmower that come and go because … Read More
A frankenbite is a slang term used typically in reality television. It’s when a picture editor assembles together dialog from multiple sources or interviews to make someone say something they didn’t actually say. While that sounds bad (or potentially unethical), you have to consider that sometimes picture editors have hundreds or even thousands of hours … Read More
If you are delivering an audio edit to a mixer, the process is fairly simple. Save session as a new file name (for your own reference, so using the same naming convention with “delivery” at the end) Delete Unnecessary Tracks Do a Save Session Copy Get copy to the mixer The goal of this process … Read More
In the music world, the “Loudness Wars” have been a topic of discussion for decades. Even Wikipedia has a page about it! Over time, music has become increasingly loud but critics say it decreases fidelity and enjoyment for the listener. Good mastering can tighten up a mix and make a song pop but bad mastering … Read More
Recent question to the website: “How will a person go by finding a dialogue editor job rather it freelance or remotely? I did online searching but don’t know where to start.” I offer some tips on this in Searching Online for Audio Jobs – how good gigs get tons of responses, there’s fake ads, and … Read More
When I first started looking for the earliest women in sound recording history, I really didn’t think I would find anyone prior to 1950. If the culture of recording studios wasn’t welcoming of women in the 1970s, why would it be in the 1950s or 1920s? I’ve been surprised how many women I have found … Read More
Music Books Al Schmitt’s autobiography, Al Schmitt on the Record: The Magic Behind the Music (Music Pro Guides), is a fantastic read. Al has been hanging out in recording studios since he was 8 (his uncle, Harry Smith, owned the first independent recording studio on the East Coast). He talks about his years at RCA, … Read More
