Dialogue Editing

Wild Sound 123
Finding Wild Sound
Wild sound is captured whenever the opportunity arises, so it’s not neatly
organized in one section of the recordings. To fi nd wild sound, you fi rst have
to learn to read a sound report, the log of sounds recorded during the shoot.
There are many kinds of sound reports, depending on the recording format,
the source of the paperwork, and the temperament of the location mixer.
Some are still small enough to fi t inside the box of a ¼-inch Nagra tape.
Historically, these were in triplicate: one copy for the sound transfer lab, one
for the production offi ce, and one that would live in the box. Nowadays the
forms are bigger because few people record on Nagras. (There’s no way you
can get enough meaningful information onto a form that will fi t into a DAT
case.)
Figure 9-7 is a classic example of a report for small 2-track recordings. It’s
pretty simple, yet it provides all the vital information. The location mixer fi lls
in scene, take, and DAT ID number for each shot, along with useful mic
information in the COMMENT fi eld. “Left: boom, right: radio mic mix” would
be a typical statement. Assume the information is the same on subsequent
shots until another statement supersedes it. There may also be notes such as
“plane over last half” or GT (guide track, which means that the recording isn’t
good enough for use in the fi nal track but can be used when you loop the
shot or replace it with wild dialogue). Figure 9-8 shows another kind of sound
report designed for use with 4-track hard-disk recorders.
When you begin a project, you don’t know anything about the sounds you’ll
be working with. Collecting wild sound before you start to edit will save you
grief later, and it’s an effi cient way to get to know the raw material of the
fi lm. As you dig through the tapes, you’ll inevitably learn things about the
shoot, the location mixer, the director, and the issues facing the fi lm’s
sound.
Since at this point you won’t have the time or the patience to listen to every
take on each tape, use the sound reports to locate material that interests you.
Be on the lookout for notes or abbreviations that point you to wild sound.
(See Table 9-2.)
Look carefully at your sound reports and locate any notes like those in the
table. With the exception of guide tracks, all of these wild sounds should be
recorded into a workstation session called “Wild Sound.” Make sure you
name each recorded wild sound, using a logical, consistent, searchable
naming scheme. You should include the scene name associated with the
recording.