One of the most important aspect of any film is the dialogue, having good quality audio could be the difference between making and breaking a film. Below are a few steps to help you with this process and a few tricks to help capturing that performance.
In conventional film production, a production audio mixer records the conversation during movie shooting. During the post-production period, an audio editor supervised or ADR supervisor, reviewed all conversations in the film and decided which lines should be recorded. ADR was recorded in one ADR session, taking place in a specialised recording room. Actors, usually the original actors from the studio, watch the scene with the original sound, then try to reproduce the performance. In the process of performing many times, the actor performs the dialogue while watching the scene; The most suitable becomes the final version.
The ADR process does not always occur in a post-production studio. The process can be recorded on location, with mobile devices. ADR can also be recorded without showing the actors what they have to match, but by letting them listen to the performance, because some actors believe that watching themselves can affect their performance.
There are several key factors for ADR that you must plan to set up the correct recording session. By repeating, replay the loop from the movie provided to the recording talent and record the new conversation. There are two types of loops: visual loop and audio loop. With an audio loop, the actor will listen to the location several times to get a sense of delivery before trying to follow the conversation. However, when recording, the talent will not hear the previous position but will watch the scene to match the lip sync. In their headsets / monitors, they will hear the stream they provide in real time. The visual loop requires the video feed to split if ADR is not recorded in the control room.
Sound loops will often produce the most desirable results, however they usually last much longer. This session is done in the same way as the visual loop, except for the video screen and does not mute the original conversation. Many ADR engineers even use this combination of techniques. Always divide loops into smaller parts to maintain consistency and consistency. For better synchronisation when starting the stream, try recording three beeps exactly one second apart, with the last one being one second before the first word starts. This provides an audio signal; basically a metronome, to start talent according to the exact rhythm of the ADR line.
Process your ADR recording space In post-production, you have more control over your sound then you do it when recording at the location. The overall goal is to get a clean ADR recorded so that later you can put the dialogue into the asset for further editing (EQ, ambience matching etc).
If you are not in an acoustically processed environment, follow the tips and tricks below to handle a certain space: (Techsmith, 2019)
Use thick blankets to dampen hard surfaces if an early reflections occurs (on the floor under talent, use C stands to build walls)
Put talents so that the largest area in the room faces them (again, minimising reflections)
Hang a small blanket, towel or felt on the talents music stand
Remove all ambient noise (air conditioner, refrigerator, fan, etc.) In general, killing sounds as much as possible to bring the best results
ADR equipment:
When recording ADR, it is important that you use the same microphone used on the location to record the conversation. The goal of ADR is to convincingly combine dialogue in frequency response and sound characteristics with location sound with ideal mic and acoustical positions. All microphones have different frequency response and polar patterns for different acoustic characteristics. Digital audio workstations like Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Adobe Audition, Nuendo and Cubase will meet all your recording and looping needs. It is important to use audio production software because the recording and looping capabilities of video editing software are often inferior.
ADR Microphone Placement & Delivery. (Hibbard, M. 2014)
Depending on the mic you are using, it is important to maintain the distance between the microphone and the talent to create a sense of authenticity with what you see. If you are using a shotgun microphone, try a distance of 10 inches to 2 or 3 feet, depending on the width of the camera angle compared to the distance from the camera. For pistols, it is best to put the microphone out of the shaft and face down, slightly to the left or right of the talent. Shorter guns should be closer. Don't forget a pop filter if necessary!
How actors provide lines is a very important process affecting the distribution and tone of ADR. If talent reproduces the same body language and mood as used in the scene, it will greatly support the quality of the lines and reduce your workload in post-production.
Post-production, Surrounding Tone & Reverb. (Hibbard, M. 2014)
Now that you have a clean ADR record, you can start adding the appropriate scene of your production. Before you begin, it is important that all ADR are in sync. There are a number of tools and tricks to use that bring the best synchronisation: VocALign Pro is a powerful plugin that handles your ADR into near-perfect synchronisation. By using waveforms from the original location sound, VocALign Pro performs a series of time intervals and contractions to synchronise ADR. Another option is to edit ADR manually, but this can be very time consuming. Next, add your surrounding score, or your room tone has been recorded on location. This will fill the gap between the dialogue and make sure what you see matches what you hear. Finally, add EQ and elegant, elegant set of phrases to the appropriate negative space. Many engineers use convolutional reverb.
Of course there is a lot that you could do in your home studio but if you really want the best and more consistant dialogue just taking a few extra minutes to set up your space and even some coaching of your talent can save you hours in the post-production phase. Below are some links to further resources if you wanted to learn more about ADR.
Carlsson, S. E. (1997). ADR.
Retrieved from http://filmsound.org/terminology/adr.htm
CowDog. (2009). ADR: Hollywood Dialogue Recording Secrets.
Retrieved from https://library.creativecow.net/article.php?author_folder=cowdog&article_folder=ADR&page=1
Hibbard, M. (2014, September 10). ADR: Automated Dialogue Replacement Tips and Tricks. Retrieved from https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/adr-automated-dialogue-replacement-tips-and-tricks/
Massey, P. (2017, March 13). Hugh Jackman Doing ADR For Logan.
Retrieved from https://youtu.be/t8mzz4VvLh8
Shaw, D. (2018, March 29). Sound For The Pictures: An Introduction To Recording Sound For Films.
Retrieved from https://enmoreaudio.com/sound-for-the-pictures-an-introduction-to-recording-sound-for-films/
Stewart, G. (2016, May 14). Efficient ADR Sessions.
Retrieved from https://www.protoolsproduction.com/efficientadr/
TECHSMITH. (2019, April 05). How to Soundproof a Room for Voice Recording | Blog | TechSmith. Retrieved from https://www.techsmith.com/blog/how-to-soundproof-a-room/