Dialogue Editing

152 NOW, THE ACTUAL EDITING
Figure 10-20 Even out room tone with crossfades.
which are found on most workstations, asks for a threshold volume
and a duration, which it uses to defi ne “analogue black.” If you dial
in −35 dB and 500 ms, for example, it will create a new region
wherever the peak level doesn’t exceed −35 dB for at least a half a
second. Once this criterion is met, it will create a new region. Some
people like to work with Strip Silence; I prefer to create room tone
manually.
6. When your room tone is smooth and without transient sounds,
perform crossfades at each of the edits you created. This will smooth
the cuts and prevent clicks (especially important if your room tone
carries lots of low-frequency information). (See Figure 10-20.)
7. You’ll want to create a consolidated region from your jumble of
crossfaded clips. One complete region is easier to edit, fade, and
automate. Plus, you’ll have a properly named room tone region that
will appear in your regions list and can be imported into other
reels of the fi lm. Before consolidating this string of edits, be certain
that you’re happy with the edits and the crossfades, since once
consolidated the edits can’t be fi xed. Consolidating creates a new
soundfi le, which you must subsequently name.
8. Name the new fi le using a sensible, systematic, easily sorted naming
scheme—for example, “RT Sc32 Bill WS (quiet version).” This
provides all the information you need to fi nd the right room tone
without scratching your head. You don’t want to end up with
hundreds of room tone soundfi les named “Aud_1-1.” Begin the
soundfi le name with “RT” and all of your room tones will sort
together. Begin with the scene name and it will live among the other
regions from the scene. How you name your room tone creations is
not important as long as you’re consistent. Later in the scene, or
perhaps when you edit the ADR, you’ll need the room tone fi les you
painstakingly created. Make it easy on yourself by giving them
consistent, logical names.