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watch Sound Department
- Thread starter sonnyboo
- Start date
I have to say that this little info clip is rather inaccurate throughout.
Even the title is not really right, it should really be the "Production Sound Department", the term Sound Department is often used to refer to the audio post sound department. AFAIK, tape is never used any more for recording production sound and even though the person operating the recorder is still sometimes referred to as the "Tape Op" the job is most commonly (though not always) performed by the "Production Sound Mixer" (PSM). In fact, the clip doesn't even mention the role of PSM, who is the head of the Production Sound Department! They also seriously confuse ambiance and room tone, essentially implying they are the same thing when in actual fact they are very different. A lawn mower in the distance for example would be a background sound effect and part of the ambiance but a lawn mower would never be recorded as part of the room tone, if it were, the room tone would be unusable. It's rare for the ambiance of a location to be recorded by the Production Sound Team as the ambiance needs to be constructed in audio post, so even if it is recorded on location it's extremely rarely ever used as part of the final mix. Room tone on the other hand is important for the Production Sound Team to record and it is pretty much always used in the final sound mix. Lastly, the clip implies that the work of the Production Sound Department is used in the M&E mix, this is incorrect. In fact, stating the exact opposite would be more accurate as the vast majority, if not everything the Production Sound Department records; dialogue, room tone and PFX (Production Sound Effects) is either specifically eliminated from the M&E mix or replaced in audio post.
G
Even the title is not really right, it should really be the "Production Sound Department", the term Sound Department is often used to refer to the audio post sound department. AFAIK, tape is never used any more for recording production sound and even though the person operating the recorder is still sometimes referred to as the "Tape Op" the job is most commonly (though not always) performed by the "Production Sound Mixer" (PSM). In fact, the clip doesn't even mention the role of PSM, who is the head of the Production Sound Department! They also seriously confuse ambiance and room tone, essentially implying they are the same thing when in actual fact they are very different. A lawn mower in the distance for example would be a background sound effect and part of the ambiance but a lawn mower would never be recorded as part of the room tone, if it were, the room tone would be unusable. It's rare for the ambiance of a location to be recorded by the Production Sound Team as the ambiance needs to be constructed in audio post, so even if it is recorded on location it's extremely rarely ever used as part of the final mix. Room tone on the other hand is important for the Production Sound Team to record and it is pretty much always used in the final sound mix. Lastly, the clip implies that the work of the Production Sound Department is used in the M&E mix, this is incorrect. In fact, stating the exact opposite would be more accurate as the vast majority, if not everything the Production Sound Department records; dialogue, room tone and PFX (Production Sound Effects) is either specifically eliminated from the M&E mix or replaced in audio post.
G
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In the context of a series called "Movie SET Job Descriptions", I'd say the little info clip is accurate and more intended for total newbs, not really professionals.