AUDIO POST PRODUCTION
From Script to Screen: The Art of Dialogue Editing
The basics of cutting dialogue in film and television
What is Dialogue Editing?
In the field of film and television post-production, dialogue editing is the process of assembling the spoken audio from a film or television show into a cohesive whole. It is often overlooked in favor of more flashy aspects of the craft, but a good dialogue editor can make or break a film, taking scenes that were shot out of order and making them sound like natural conversation. They can also spot errors in the audio and make sure that the dialogue is properly synced with the lip movements on a reference screen. These errors can include everything from breaths, to stutters, to background noise. The reference screen displays video that’s synced to an audio editing timeline (see fig 1). The goal of dialogue editing is to create a seamless, natural-sounding conversation that moves the story forward without drawing attention to itself.
At its core, the process of dialogue editing generally consists of four main steps:
1. Splitting the dialogue audio into separate tracks for each character.
2. Cleaning up the dialogue audio tracks, removing any unwanted noise such as thumps, mic bumps, mouth clicks, and other extraneous noises. Broadband noise reduction (i.e. an air conditioning unit) is usually handled by the post production sound mixer, also known as the re-recording mixer.
3. Leveling the dialogue audio tracks so that they are all the same volume.
4. Editing the dialogue audio tracks together to create a natural-sounding conversation.
A dialogue editor is also responsible for taking the sound effects that were recorded when the dialogue was captured (i.e. cloth rustling, footsteps, passing cars) and moving them to a separate audio track. These production sound effects are called PFX, and they are used to create the sound beds for foreign versions of a film or TV show.
Capturing Dialogue
In film and television productions, on-set audio is captured using a variety of different methods, depending on the type and scope of the production. For example, dialogue may be recorded using a boom microphone, which is a microphone that is attached to a long pole and held just out of camera frame. Dialogue may also be recorded using a lavaliere (or “lav”) microphone, which is a small mic that is clipped to the actor’s clothing.
In many cases, multiple mics are used, and it’s up to the dialogue editor to choose the audio source that works best for the scene. Ideally, the production sound mixer should also record some of the natural sound of a room or location, also called room tone. Room tone is location ambience, used to fill in any gaps in the audio track where there is no dialogue or sound. It can be used to mask any unwanted noise and make the audio track sound smooth and consistent.
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About Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR)
In some cases, the dialogue editor may also need to re-record dialogue that was not properly captured during production. This is called ADR or Automated Dialogue Replacement. This involves the dialogue editor making a list of spoken lines that need replacing, which are later re-recorded in a studio by the original actors and finally added back in with the rest of the production audio. Room tone and equalization are used to match the ADR audio to the production tracks, and they should be indistinguishable in the final mix.
Cleaning Up the Conversation
Once the production audio is split, leveled, and cleaned, it’s time to begin piecing it together. The editor must take into account the inflection of each line, the pauses, and the overall flow of the conversation. Though dialogue editing is a highly technical process, seasoned editors have a keen ear for the rhythm of conversation and a good understanding of the characters in the scene.
After the fine tuning edits are complete, the dialogue is ready to be turned over to the re-recording mixer to be combined with the other sound elements, mainly sound effects and music. From there everything is balanced, processed and further polished until it becomes the audio track for your new favorite film.
How to Become a Dialogue Editor
If you’re interested in becoming a dialogue editor, there are a few things you need to know. Here are five tips to help you get started:
1. Listen to a lot of movies. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to listen to as many movies as you can to get a feel for how dialogue is supposed to sound.
2. Consider taking a course on sound editing for TV and film. This will give you a basic understanding of how to edit dialogue, you’ll also get the opportunity to practice your skills.
3. Which editing software should you use? There’s no definitive answer to this question as different film and television productions will have different requirements. However, some popular software options include Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Reaper.
4. When editing, always pay attention to the pacing of the dialogue. The scene should flow smoothly and the dialogue should sound as natural as possible.
5. Practice, practice, practice. Like with anything else, the more you practice, the better you’ll get at it!
Conclusion
Dialogue editing can be a challenging and time-consuming process, but it is essential for creating a polished and professional film or TV soundtrack. If you have a good ear for detail and a passion for film and television, dialogue editing might be your true calling! You’ll be working with a variety of people, learning new things, and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to create a final product that audiences will actually enjoy.
For a deeper dive into the technical aspects of dialogue editing, I highly recommend film industry veteran April Tucker’s 10-part series of articles on the subject.
