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RScott · 20th August 2009

I use grid mode in dialog editing for general changes, because it makes it easier to correct if you need to nudge it back to the original timing (say if something gets bumped out of place and you don't notice it until later, grid can help you get it back exactly where it was with less hassle.) Then if needed for fine tuning and things that need to be tweaked beyond a frame (many things do!) I'll work in slip mode.

For matching mics, EQ and dynamics tools can get you into the right ballpark, but sometimes a different mic is a different mic and you will just have to get it as good as you can. Sometimes shaping two sources in the same processor can give them a similar color (eg: reverb, some harmonic plugs, etc.) but I would probably not go to a processor that I didn't want for it's primary effect just to add uniformity.

For noise floor matching, your room tone recordings are a good tool to use. On set, you should have a minute or so of recording in the room from the mics that were used in the shot. If you use this room to fill inbetween lines of a character (while character B is speaking on mic B, add the room tone from mic A to Character A's track.) This prevents a lot of the jarring dialogue edits in a two shot. This raises your noise floor because you will constantly have noise A + noise B, but you won't have to worry about matching as much if this technique is working and you can sneak one in or out if that character/mic is not doing anything for a while.

I do a NR pass before matching dialogue, but maybe if your dialogue matching is bringing out some of the nasty artifacts of your noise reduction process, then try swapping. If you're really keen you can do it all in one big pass, but I like to have individual processes separated out so that it's clear later on what in the world I was doing.

Lapel mics can make decent "oops" mics for when you have something screwy on your main mic. They can sometimes give good results, and are always nice to have as options. They can be good for getting a dialogue recording with less room, especially on a wide shot when the boom can't get in. They can give good coverage of multiple sources. Often times performance situations, poor mic quality and poor mic placement create major issues for lapel mics.

20th August 2009	#16
RScott Gear maniac Joined: May 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 272	I use grid mode in dialog editing for general changes, because it makes it easier to correct if you need to nudge it back to the original timing (say if something gets bumped out of place and you don't notice it until later, grid can help you get it back exactly where it was with less hassle.) Then if needed for fine tuning and things that need to be tweaked beyond a frame (many things do!) I'll work in slip mode. For matching mics, EQ and dynamics tools can get you into the right ballpark, but sometimes a different mic is a different mic and you will just have to get it as good as you can. Sometimes shaping two sources in the same processor can give them a similar color (eg: reverb, some harmonic plugs, etc.) but I would probably not go to a processor that I didn't want for it's primary effect just to add uniformity. For noise floor matching, your room tone recordings are a good tool to use. On set, you should have a minute or so of recording in the room from the mics that were used in the shot. If you use this room to fill inbetween lines of a character (while character B is speaking on mic B, add the room tone from mic A to Character A's track.) This prevents a lot of the jarring dialogue edits in a two shot. This raises your noise floor because you will constantly have noise A + noise B, but you won't have to worry about matching as much if this technique is working and you can sneak one in or out if that character/mic is not doing anything for a while. I do a NR pass before matching dialogue, but maybe if your dialogue matching is bringing out some of the nasty artifacts of your noise reduction process, then try swapping. If you're really keen you can do it all in one big pass, but I like to have individual processes separated out so that it's clear later on what in the world I was doing. Lapel mics can make decent "oops" mics for when you have something screwy on your main mic. They can sometimes give good results, and are always nice to have as options. They can be good for getting a dialogue recording with less room, especially on a wide shot when the boom can't get in. They can give good coverage of multiple sources. Often times performance situations, poor mic quality and poor mic placement create major issues for lapel mics.