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Adding sound?

How is it you add sound to a film after filming it.
I was thinking I could put the the film in movie maker and then just drag the mp3 files of the soundtrack onto it from there.
Would that work?
 
That would work, but mp3 is a terrible format to use for sound. In addition, I suspect that movie maker is very limited regarding the number of simultaneous audio tracks available.

Typically, post audio is performed on a dedicated platform, most often pro-tools although there are other choices. I am a Sonar user.

Post audio is usually divided into stems:

Stem 1: dialog
Stem 2: ambient and tone
Stem 3: sound effects and foley
Stem 4: soundtrack

Each stem may contain several tracks. It is not unusual for a post audio production to contain 40 to 60 individual tracks. Remember that even a gunshot may contain 4 or 5 tracks to create the "film experience" gunshot. My tone and ambient stem typically contains 4 to 8 tracks, and that's for sound that is typically not even noticed on a concious level.

Audio post is a special skillset performed by people who's only focus is sound. No different than location sound.
 
Post audio is usually divided into stems:

Stem 1: dialog
Stem 2: ambient and tone
Stem 3: sound effects and foley
Stem 4: soundtrack

Almost right...

DX stem = dialog and room tones - Usually broken down by character and further separated into production sound and ADR with separate tracks for the room tone(s).

FY stem = Foley and production Foley - Usually broken down by character.

SFX stem = Sound Effects; everything from doors to gunshots to cars.

BG = Ambient sounds. This may include birds, cars, water, etc. BG is considered sound effects, but is quite often constructed out of layers of ambient sounds and individual sound FX and is give it's own sub-stem.

MC = Music - usually broken down into score (which can have its own separate stems) and source music.

Each stem may contain several tracks. It is not unusual for a post audio production to contain 40 to 60 individual tracks. Remember that even a gunshot may contain 4 or 5 tracks to create the "film experience" gunshot. My tone and ambient stem typically contains 4 to 8 tracks, and that's for sound that is typically not even noticed on a concious level.

Depending upon the type of film there may be hundreds of tracks. Films like the LOTR trilogy have literally over 1,000 tracks, and that doesn't include effects sends/returns, stems and sub-stems.

Audio post is a special skillset performed by people who's only focus is sound.

AMEN!!!

No different than location sound.

Audio post is VERY different than production sound.
 
Thanks, Alcove. I didn't mean to imply that post and location were the same, only that each is a specialty that requires the skillset of someone deeply motivated by sound. Thanks also for the breakdown of stems.

I'm really a location recordist by heart. I love the challenge of capturing dialog with the infinite variables of location, wardrobe, voice, mic placement constraints, and actors who invariably deliver different volume and inflection during rehearsal and during takes, trying to get the best level without peaking, boom shadow, room reflections, camera hops, multiple camera shoots, blocking changes, hiding packs, brand-new unwashed polyester blend shirts that sound like sandpaper when my lav gets within 2 feet.....can you tell I'm smiling.
 
To each is own - I can't stand doing production sound work; too much "hurry up and wait" for me. And, I guess, too many morons who don't appreciate or want to work with the sound crew. However, I really, really, REALLY appreciate it when I get solid production sound with which to work. And I really like getting out into the field to record sound FX and ambiences, which is why I have to keep up on production sound gear.
 
Have you guys considered the age of the person you're giving advice to?

Yes, Semiazas, you can add the mp3 to your video in Movie Maker.

However, that software is intended for people making home movies. If you can scratch some change together, you'll really like working with software that is intended for filmmakers.
 
Have you guys considered the age of the person you're giving advice to?

YES!!!

Start 'em out correctly right from the beginning. Audacity is free, it's PC or Mac, and does - in a limited way - what most DAWs will do. It has basic dynamics, EQ and reverb plugs, bussing for stems, and can work with most .mov codecs for sync sound. Once all the audio work is done it can be mixed and the mix pulled into MovieMaker.
 
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