radio dramas: do they use panning in dialogues?

[mark007]

Hi guys;

I know this format is not really popular in North America (does it even exist?) but from what I understand BBC radio still produces radio dramas which are basically dialogues combined with sound musical backgrounds and sound effects.

What I was wondering was whether or not such radio productions used panning in their dialogues? Does anyone here have any experience or knowledge of that? And if they do use panning, what amount of pan would they apply to say a 2 person dialogue? (how much to the right and left would be the "standard")?

thanks

[Rick Sanchez]

Usually not

[Bill@AudioVision]

Actually, in the last fully dramatized Audio Bible I produced (King James-Zondervan), we recorded all the character dialog in stereo. The main narrator was mono up the middle. We tried panning a mono track and it didn't really work. We got a sort of binaural effect with the stereo track. We had actors stand in various positions, left and right of "center". I put up a pair of TLM170s set for wide cardioid at about 75deg apart.
The reasoning for all this is that the Audio Bible is mainly listened to on headphones/earbuds. The dialog sounds great that way, on speakers you don't get the same effect, but it was not distracting.
It worked nicely with 2 actors talking or when someone arrives or leaves the scene.
BTW, "Radio Show" has been replaced by "Dramatized Audio"

[charles maynes]

NPR is still airing some radio plays from time to time, and the CBS Radio Mystery Theater was a treasure, though it was cancelled about 20 years ago. panning is used in the work I have heard, but usually it is not dissimilar to most films and tv shows- where the principal actors are in the center and the wallas and group dx are in the side channels.

[Fenris]

I've heard many different approaches. "Serious" radio drama often uses a stereo pair (probably binaural) on the entire ensemble. Firesign Theater and the original Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio series used a more "studio-y" approach with close-micing and effects. KDVS has a weekly radio theater show with amazingly good writing, it's all close-miced with SM58's and it doesn't take anything away from the vibe.

[charles maynes]

Prarie Home Companion (I think) uses a traditional performance mic setup as well where the performers stand around single mics too.... that is a very nicely done show, considering it is live on stage.

[mark007]

thanks for the input guys, much appreciated

Originally Posted by Fenris

KDVS has a weekly radio theater show with amazingly good writing, it's all close-miced with SM58's and it doesn't take anything away from the vibe.

- again with all principal characters being exactly in the center (zero left or right panning)?

[ezahp]

These desks were pretty widespread till quite recently at the BBC so you can imagine panning was not too high up the priority list: (jpg below)


Most radio listening's in mono and even people with stereo receivers wont be sitting in the sweet spot so panning's really pretty unnecessary. However, it does make producers happy so it's worth doing. It's normal to record with a stereo microphone and there's virtually no post-production so one approach is to block each scene before recording and do a lot of moving around - both L and R and near and far. It's very easy for things to end up stagey sounding otherwise.

Unless there's a lot of money in the budget the film way of doing things will just confuse and annoy everybody (even though it would sound better)



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[mark007]

thank you for all the input, much appreciated

[VoiceManMike]

You must remember that radio drama is theater of the mind. The listener is creating the look of the characters, dressing the scene, i.e. creating his own pictures.

Panning would be over directing the narrative. Let the listener set the visual stage. Place the audio front and center.

(I have heard a few Sears Mutual Radio Plays, where a piano in a saloon was panned to one side. And I've heard some newer radio plays where the dialog between two people were each set left and right- this was in deed distracting. )

If you want the definitive answer contact the great Norman Corwin. http://www.normancorwin.com/