DP and some sound design questions... Please advice.

[Kubi]

I definitely always print music stems with all effects, every dub mixer I worked with expected nothing else. Now, I could see printing a separate reverb stem if you have the extra tracks and the score in question is somehow tricky (i.e. because the music relies heavily on lots of reverb). But so far all stems I've ever delivered have been mixed with all FX married into the stems.

This of course means, yes, you need separate effects for each stem. I find I do fine with one large and one small verb for each stem, and I usually print four stems: Percussions, Instruments (that'd be essentially all pitched "rhythm section" type instruments), Melodies and Layers (that'd be pads and other amorphous stuff. All other effects (delays etc.) I usually run with the instruments and/or subgroups, so they simply get bussed with their respective instruments.

Among these four stems, what usually happens in the dub mix is the perc stem occasionally gets lowered, the layers occasionally get raised, and the instruments and melodies get ridden around. But I always deliver them premixed so they sound exactly as originally intended. (I also always deliver a pre-mixed stereo stem as reference.)

The few times I have delivered full sound design (a couple documentaries and one campaign of national TV ads), I delivered a LOT of stems for the SFX. Where it was extreme, I definitely would deliver the reverb printed separately, but like with everything else at the proper premixed level (so if you open up everything at unity, you got the full mix as I had it.) If the verb was just a simple natural ambience I'd print it married to the sound.

For ads and TV you also want to deliver a LOT of stems for the music - time is of the essence, tracks are never a problem, and a lot of decision makers will hear the stuff for the first time on the dub stage, so you need full flexibility. So for those I essentially deliver the music one stem per instrument/element, but each fully premixed and printed with all effects.

[martian]

for me the stems are a delivery requirement- if I have used a reverb to make the SFX sound big it is part of the SFX..

I think Kubi is talkin about split tracks and thats sensible..

with DP's awesom BTD dont worry about seperate effects for music dialog etc..


@ shooshie - surely I loose on post count? 18000 versus my meagre 1800 - clear winner there.

altho I could do with a new car...
( personal story - wife is preg an twins on the way! )

[Shooshie]

altho I could do with a new car...
( personal story - wife is preg an twins on the way! )

Just talk to Doris in accounting. She'll get it all set up! Micro Machines is ok, right?



And seriously: congratulations on the new buns in the oven. They'll grow up with music, and that's already a gift, both to them and to the world.

Shooshie

[Steve Steele]

Among these four stems, what usually happens in the dub mix is the perc stem occasionally gets lowered,

Ha. Happens almost every time.

About sound design, I normally really enjoy it. Foley too. Maybe I haven't done enough of it to get sick of it. I also enjoy underscoring. On the last project I worked on, which was a bit of a favor, I was brought in on an indie after some of the audio team was let go, and asked to do the score, underscore, some of the sound design and foley that was left, the "band" songs and some of the dialog and ADR mixing (which included some not so fun noise reduction). I don't mind doing jobs like that on occasion because I get to mix it up (and my name is all over the credits, and I get paid more). I like the creative jobs as I'm sure everyone does. This one had a decent budget too. Although I don't think it's a good idea for one person to do that many tasks.

Anyway, since i didn't have anyone to give stems to, I BTD the entire score and underscore, with some of the sound design elements in one big pass. Luckily it worked out.

Is anyone else being asked to "wear all of the hats" with some of these indie filmmakers? Maybe that's more common than I realize.

[martian]

if u want some ideas about sound design - this site has some good stuff and interviews with sound designers like Gary Rydstrom.. and a few lesser known in the US sound designers

http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2008/ ... lack-hole/