Sync question

[mr. torture]

I have read that in Film the audio is recorded after the video is shot, primarily because of location preventing good sound quality for dialogue etc.

My question is, how do the actors sync the voice to their on screen characters? Is there some sort of lead in click track that they follow?

Any information as to how it's done is appreciated!

[hociman]

Originally Posted by mr. torture

how do the actors sync the voice to their on screen characters?

Very carefully.

Is there some sort of lead in click track that they follow?

Yes, but it does not sound like a click. It sounds like beeps. The beeps are spaced twenty (20) frames apart, and there are three beeps (the lead in click track as you call it) before the actor is supposed to start speaking their lines.

[mr. torture]

That's really interesting, offhand would you know of any sites that discuss the procedure? I am curious as to how it all comes together.

Thank you

[nucelar]

It's called ADR (automatic dialogue replacement) There's tons of info here on gearslutz and probably in google.
Main reason is poor intelligibility of production audio.
Sometimes it's called dubbing, especially when it's done in another languange.
In contrast to regular actors, which obviously have to replace their own lines on screen, dubbing actors are highly specialized pros. We in Spain are real machos and don't use visual or audio cues. Just rehearse a couple of times and lip-sync.
Regular actors usually hate to dub themselves.
hope this helps

[minister]

Originally Posted by hociman

Yes, but it does not sound like a click. It sounds like beeps. The beeps are spaced twenty (20) frames apart...

This correct relative to 29.97. But it comes from 1 foot of film at 24fps. (in you DAW you can switch to feet+frames). Makes for nice rhythm count-down.

[Rick Sanchez]

Originally Posted by mr. torture

I have read that in Film the audio is recorded after the video is shot, primarily because of location preventing good sound quality for dialogue etc.

My question is, how do the actors sync the voice to their on screen characters? Is there some sort of lead in click track that they follow?

Any information as to how it's done is appreciated!

In most cases, production audio (dialog) is only replaced when absolutely necessary. Usually they will try to keep as much of the performance from the shoot as possible. Some actors will not record ADR at all. This is why hiring the best possible production sound mixer and crew is so critical.

ADR is very tedious, expensive work and getting a great performance is even more difficult. Unfortunately they don't make it a priority to teach that to producers and directors, who generally learn the hard way by scrimping on production audio budgets to find they will have an inferior product by having to redo everything later.

[Uncle Bob]

It is preferable to use the production sound (the sound recorded on the set). When the set is noisy due to generator noise or other reasons and the production sound is unusable it is becomes necessary to re-record the dialog.

The process of re-recording the dialog after the shoot is completed was called "Looping" (some still call it that). Before the digital age they would create a film loop of the piece of dialog to be re-recorded and play it over and over until the talent matched the original dialog performance exactly.

The process is now called Automated or Automatic Dialog Replacement (ADR). The process is somewhat easier since the ADR editor can use softwares/plug-ins such as Vocalign to conform an ADR performance that is not "perfect".

In my experience each line is preceded by two beeps; a "2-pop". Otherwise there is nothing to assist the talent to stay in sync with the dialog, they must do it "the hard way", mimicking their own (and in some cases another actors) performance.

Directors usually prefer the production dialog. Most Hollywood films are about 25% ADR; action films tend to have quite a lot more due to all of the noisy effects, etc. used on the set. I've heard that the LOTR films were about 90% ADR. It is an unusual and very talented actor whose ADR performance has the passion of the original.

[smurfyou]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

In my experience each line is preceded by two beeps; a "2-pop".

I really don't want to be nit-picky, but a 2-pop is a singular thing. AFAIK it only refers to an actual "2-pop", the sync tone that occurs 2 seconds before start of picture - say on the number 2 in a countdown. Not when there are 2 beeps, and not because it is 2 frames long (because its not).

Is that enough "2"s in one post?

[JoeMilner]

To answer the 2nd part of the question, the actor comes to the ADR stage and watches the film on the screen. They listen to their original performance and then, watching the screen and using the beep-beep-beep to cue them, perform the line (s) again (and again, and again). Once all the lines are recorded, the ADR editor does some fine editing to put it in perfect sync with the original. The dialog editor will provide "fill" to match the scene so that the production ambience doesn't disappear when the ADR comes in.During the final mix, the decision will be made by the director whether to use the ADR or to live with the noisier production that may have a better performance quality. Often it's a combo- sometimes individual words or even syllables will be combined to make the best result.

Good ADR is indistinguishable to the production dialog; when people say "I hate ADR, I can always tell" most of the time they're hearing the one of two lines that never quite worked, and never noticed the 300 other ones that did. It's an art that depends on a great performance, great ADR recording, great ADR editing, and finally great re-recording mixing to make it seamless.

Hope this helps!

[Jfriah]

Originally Posted by Rick Sanchez

ADR is very tedious, expensive work and getting a great performance is even more difficult.

Say that again???

Originally Posted by Rick Sanchez

ADR is very tedious, expensive work and getting a great performance is even more difficult.

Thank you!

(former full-time ADR mixer)



And some of my "best" work lately, in mixing ADR INTO a scene, has been using just a word or bits that I need rather than the entire line, if it is just a part that needs replacement. Just as an example of the things that are done, like was mentioned above.

Next!
beep...beep...beep...

[jimlongo]

Something I've found recently doing a lot of ADR with inexperienced performers is to turn off the video monitor in front of them. If they would just listen and mimic their performance, it is better than having them mesmerized by their appearance on the screen.

[philper]

Originally Posted by jimlongo

Something I've found recently doing a lot of ADR with inexperienced performers is to turn off the video monitor in front of them. If they would just listen and mimic their performance, it is better than having them mesmerized by their appearance on the screen.

Some of the best ADR I've ever gotten from inexperienced loopers was done where the director could hear the loop but not the talent, and only I was watching video. The director spoke the lines the way he wanted them, the talent answered back a few times, and then the director would have them continue to refine their performance with a few comments. Sync was pretty good and performance was excellent. I agree that for people who have never ADRed before the experience of seeing themselves onscreen is very distracting.

Philip Perkins