I guess what I'm asking is should you record the whole dialogue scene audio and then try to film it matching the actors lips with the sound?
You will shoot the scene several times. The entire scene. The way
you match the actors lips with the sound is by using a "slate" or
"clapper board". On the slate you will write down the scene number
the "set up" and the take. When you hit the bang the two sticks
together on the slate you will have one frame where the two sticks
meet and one moments on the audio track where you hear the sound
of the sticks. That is your sync point - match those up in you NLE and
your audio and video will be in sync.
For example: Scene 22 is Bob and Mary sitting at a table - it’s three
pages long. You will set up the “Master Shot” - both people at the
table, camera getting a head to foot shot of both of them. On your
slate you will write “Scene 22 - Take 1”
Scene 22 - This will be the entire scene from one angle.
Adjust the lights, move the camera and shoot Bob’s side of the
table.
Scene 22A - Close up of Bob.
Scene 22B - Over Mary’s shoulder on Bob.
Scene 22C - A slow dolly push in on Bob - from a full shot into a
close up.
Scene 22D - an insert shot of Bob lighting a cigarette.
Scene 22E - a close up on Bob’s hand putting the cigarette in the
ash tray.
Scene 22F - a close up of Bob taking the contract, looking at it
and signing it (from Mary’s point of view)
Now move the lights, move the camera and shoot Mary’s side of the
table. Again for each set up you shoot the entire scene - all three
pages.
Scene 22G - Close up of Mary.
Scene 22H - Over Bob’s shoulder on Mary.
Scene 22J - A slow dolly push in on Mary - from a full shot into a
close up.
Scene 22K - an insert shot of Mary putting the contract on the
table.
Scene 22L - a close up on Mary’s hand snuffing out the cigarette
in the ash tray.
Scene 22M - a close up shot of Mary putting the contract on the
table, putting a pen on the contract and pushing it to the middle
of the table.
Scene 22P - a close up of Bob taking the contract, looking at it
and signing it (from Bob’s point of view)
And this goes on and on until the entire scene is covered - until
all the shots the director wants have been shot.
Then you will move the lights and move the camera and shoot
a dolly shot - the camera will move clockwise around the table
during the entire 3 page scene.
Scene 22R - a full shot
Scene 22S - "punch in" for a closer shot favoring Bob
Scene 22T -"punch in" for a closer shot favoring Mary
Now a big move. You want an overhead shot. So you move the
lights and rig the camera to shoot straight down.
Scene 22U - a full shot
Scene 22V - a close up of some of the action
Scene 22W - a close up on Mary’s hand snuffing out the cigarette
in the ash tray.
And this goes on and on until the entire scene is covered - until
all the shots the director wants have been shot. This is why making
a movie can take a long time. As you can see, this simple three page
scene could have five camera set ups and coverage of 20 angles. When
you are editing you have a lot of audio takes to choose from. You can
overlap the audio as you cut from person to person so it doesn't sound
like they stop talking and then start again.
