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What do you think of this audio in post advice?

I realize it is oversimplified, but as advice to a total noob, how would you rate the following article? It is not not mine, I just saw it online...

http://vashivisuals.com/5-eq-audio-for-video-tips-for-filmmakers/

I am still trying to find someone who can do sound design, sound editing, foley/fx, dialogue fix-n-mix, and music for our 48hr-film-project July 25-27, 2014... and I am having very little luck finding someone locally (so I am trying to learn as much as I can just in case).
 
Having been involved in numerous 48hr film projects, including as a judge one year... I can tell you that even though the advice in that article only covers a tiny fraction of the post audio knowledge base, just those few tips would be likely to get you better final audio than a lot of your competition... assuming the source audio isn't total garbage.
 
For production sound, I don't yet have any lavs, but I have a sounddevices 702, a sennheiser MKH 50 hypercardiod mic for indoor shooting, and for outdoors I have a rode NTG-3 shotgun. I also have a 9′ boompole, a rode blimp with wombat cover, and a pair of sony MDR-7506 headphones. (Still gotta find someone who who knows how to swing a boom, though.)
 
Rather simplistic, but it serves as a place to start.

The real issue, however, is the listening environment and the speakers. Consumer speakers, computer speakers, etc. are hyped in certain frequencies to make them sound better, whereas professional audio monitors are designed to have a "flat" or unenhanced frequency response. The same applies to the listening environment. Professional editing rooms are treated so that they also have a flat frequency response. Most rooms will have hyped frequencies due to "bounce" and other factors; some may be excessively "boomy" or have exaggerated low end, or other frequencies may also be exaggerated. Another factor may be "roominess" or exaggerated reverb/reflection characteristics.

So yes, the tips in the article may serve as a basis for fixing audio issues, but without an accurate representation of the sound as it actually is these tips may not be of much help.
 
That's (one of the many reasons) why I want to find someone who can do sound design, sound editing, foley/fx, dialogue fix-n-mix, and music.

In this area, I don't even know what I don't know.

Right now I only own two KRK RP8 monitors, and I have no idea where we will be able to cut since we will be working in a different city and I can't start location scouting until Friday.
 
You probably don't need to stress too much for the 48hfp. Most of your competition probably hasn't given anywhere near as much thought to audio post as you've already done. So you're already ahead of the game. You'll never get it perfect for the 48hfp, there's just nowhere near enough time.. even if you have a really good audio person on set and in post, there's only so much you can do with the compressed timeline.
 
Hmm...

Some of the article is oversimplified to the point of inaccuracy and some of it is just plain inaccurate. For example, 16kHz = Air. Few people over the age of 20 can even hear up to 16kHz and sibilance can be anywhere (or everywhere!) between 3kHz and 11kHz!

As a kind of "Dummies Guide" to EQ for audio post newbies it's OK, providing you realise that's what it is and don't take any of it as gospel. For example, the statement "Before you boost something…consider cutting something else first.", is good general advice but then the suggested setting "Use the Parametric EQ at 1250hz with -18db and Q=4." is rather pointless as not only is it a rather extreme amount of cut in my experience but where exactly in the frequency spectrum one applies the EQ all depends on the frequency content of the music in the first place and of the dialogue one is trying to push through it. This is just one of many similar examples. Bare in mind also that the article only discusses EQ and none of the other most commonly used audio post tools, which to an extent is also pointless as the amount and way one applies EQ depends also on these other tools.

"The bottom line is If it sounds good…it is good" - Horsesh*t!! This is a very common/popular audio mixing quote which has caused no end of trouble over the years because it's only true given: 1. Good hearing, 2. A good monitoring system/environment and 3. A certain amount of aural objectivity.

I also agree with Will. A very large part of audio post is about competition, expectation and tech requirements. In these types of event there are no tech requirements, all the other filmmakers/competitors are likely to have very poor sound and therefore the expectation of audio is extremely low. Even if you want to stick out from the crowd and buck this trend, there's relatively little you can do given the time. For this reason you may find it difficult to get someone to do the audio post for you, because the job is essentially "basics only, no time for any creativity, try not to end up with a mix which is too crap", which is not exactly prime material for an audio post resume or showreel!

G
 
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I think I just found the motto for the entire project. "Finish on time and try not to end up with a final product which is too crap."

Yeh, I can certainly see why people who get paid to this type of thing as a day job don't want to volunteer their time for free under these limiting circumstances. And people who don't do this for a living often don't have the equipment, studio, or expertise required.

The contest does award "Best Sound Design" to one film in every city, however.
 
Only the "best picture" winners move on to the next levels of the competition, unless you get all the way to the national level and win there you really get nothing more than mediocre bragging rights. :)

That said, I've had a film not win anything in the 48hfp and then go on to win 'best director' in a small festival, and place (2nd) for best picture in a small/medium sized festival.

But yes, the motto of any 48hr project is get it done, and do the best you can in the tiny amount of time available.. and hope it's not crap.
 
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When there is a time crunch you need to prioritize.

1 - Smooth out the production sound track(s) using crossfades; do not do anything else until this is done.

2 - Put in the music; edit as needed.

3 - Do the mix. Bring down the volume between lines of dialog; use EQ to eliminate the most offensive audio noises like rumble, hiss and hums, etc.; with EQ carve a hole in the music where there is dialog.

4 - Add the most absolutely essential Foley and sound effects; make adjustments in the mix.

5 - Keep repeating #4 until it is time to "print" the mix and export for layback to picture.



Probably the most important thing to do is to make sure that, when it comes to the audio, you are not learning on the job. Know how to do crossfades, how to automate the volume, how to insert an EQ plug-in on the dialog channel(s) and how the various frequencies affect the sound. Be familiar with your sound library so you are not endlessly searching for the right sound effect.
 
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