Dialogue Editing

188 DAMAGE REPAIR
cases, where noise is a nuisance but doesn’t interfere with the dialogue. A
scene shot next to a busy street, for example, can be justifi ably noisy. The fact
that you have to labor to hear a few words might help the viewer to sympathize
with the character, who also must strain to understand and be understood.
Remember, though, that a noisy dialogue track saddles you with a
noisy scene. The scene will never be quieter than the dialogue premix, and
you won’t be able to isolate the dialogue.
Whereas a reasonably noisy dialogue track might be acceptable in such a
logically loud setting, even the slightest amount of inappropriate background
noise can kill a quiet, intimate scene. A scene where a couple sits in their
living room in the middle of the night discussing their troubled relationship
loses its intimacy and edge if we hear traffi c, airplanes, the neighbor’s TV,
or a crewmember walking around the set. It has to begin with dead quiet
dialogue. The supervising sound editor may choose to color the scene with
quiet spot effects, an interesting and mood-evoking background, or music.
But the dialogue editor must be able to deliver a track with no disturbances
to create a world of two people in a very quiet room—alone with all their
problems.
When a scene is downright noisy, you’ll probably have to call the entire scene
for ADR, forcing the supervising sound editor to create a sound space from
scratch. On the other hand, there are steady-state noises that the rerecording
mixer can clean in the mix. In either case, you should consult the rerecording
mixer or the supervising sound editor.
There are, however, many more tiny noises that you won’t repair by ADR line
replacement or through equalization or electronic noise control. Transient
noises, the not-so-silent warriors in the conspiracy to screw up your tracks,
have several sources for which you must be on the lookout. For example:
Actors
Unusual or inappropriate vocal sounds: unsavory, off-camera, or loud
lip smacks
Dentures, bridges, and other dental work (always a delicate subject)
Stomach gurgling (you can always tell when a take or ADR line was
recorded just before lunch)
Footsteps that interfere with the dialogue or introduce an unwanted
accent
Body mic clothing noise or other rustle interference
Other clothing interference (jangling earrings, clothing “swooshes”)
Unusual diction that results in clicks or pops