Sound Mixing Audio post-production at Todd-AO Studios with director, Brian Baugh Andy Crisp Multimedia Teacher Laguna Beach Unified School District July 27-28, 2009

Todd-AO is a full-service audio post-production facility, with locations in Hollywood, Burbank, and Santa Monica. The studio is recognized as a pioneer and innovator in mixing and delivering audio post production services. Todd-AO has won an academy award in sound 6 out of the last 8 years. Todd-AO Sound Studios

Sound Mixing a Feature Film To Save a Life (2009)

There are two mixers and one technician on smaller budget feature films. One mixer is in charge of dialogue and music and the other is in charge of effects and foley. The technician handles all the technical elements of the mix, allowing the mixers to focus on the creative tasks at hand. Mixers use a combination of sophisticated sound boards and Pro Tools software to achieve a professional sound mix, while the sound technician ensures the proper function of all technical elements.

Dialogue Music Effects Foley Four Components to a Sound Mix

To Save a Life (2009) Dialogue Mixing

Dialogue mixing includes balancing audio from one actor to another and from one scene to the next. Once the dialogue is clear and balanced, the mixer will apply any necessary effects to the vocal tracks. While the mixers are busy working away, Director Brian Baugh watches intently and provides intermittent feedback...letting the artists perform their job efficiently and effectively.

To Save a Life (2009) Music Mixing

After the dialogue is mixed, the primary mixer will start at the beginning of the reel and work on music. The music includes songs licensed from bands and orchestrations created by a composer. Music editing is an artistic and technical process with the primary goal to invoke a certain feel during a scene and/or scene transition, often times in the form of underscoring.

To Save a Life (2009) Effects Mixing

The second mixer is responsible for assessing the quality of sound captured on location for all things other than dialogue. In this particular scene the mixer needed to replace the location sound of a mouse click with a better, ‘canned’ mouse click. The Director and Producers often attend and provide input to the mixers during the mixing session. While each director has his/her own style, the process is very collaborative. Brian plays an active role in all aspects of the film’s production, but balances this with allowing the mixers to be creative.

To Save a Life (2009) Foley Mixing

Foley is the process of creating sound not captured (or not captured clearly) on location. The day before I was at the studios, Brian had foley artists create a variety of sounds on a foley stage to be used in the film. In this particular scene, Brian needed the sound of people talking in the distance, as if coming from behind the door pictured to the right. After recording the audio, effects are applied in Pro Tools to make the vocals sound distant and muffled.

My experiences at Todd-AO will be used to highlight the importance that sound plays in a professional film production. The prodution quality of student films can be dramatically improved when students pay attention to things such as dialogue, music, effects, and foley. While the equipment used at Todd-AO is state of the art...the principles of good audio mixing can and should be applied at every level.