Dialogue Editing

Alternate Takes 207
Is the offending noise on this take too? If so, it means that the noise is
rhythmically tied to the action. It could be an annoyingly accurate
dolly operator or an actor who always plants her feet on the same line.
Discovering these consistencies is a setback but by no means a fatal
one. You just have to listen to every take and hope for a slip in the
machinelike regularity of the noise source.
Does actor use exactly the same language? Remember, you’re not replacing
an entire take, just a word or two, so it, as a whole, can vary from the
take the director chose. The relevant section must be exactly the same,
however, unless the noise-damaged line is off-camera. Even then, be
careful not to undermine the choices of the director.
Does actor speak with approximately the same speed and pitch as in the
original? Once you choose a replacement take and import it into your
session, you’ll have some control over the length, speed, and pitch of
the line, although less than hoped for. Try to get it right as you select.
Are the tone and attitude of actor the same as in the original? You’re
replacing a line for technical reasons, but what’s most important is
maintaining the spirit of the line chosen by the director. Ask yourself
why the director chose this one over another. Find that special quality
that sets this read apart. Honestly ask yourself if the replacement
serves the fi lm as well as the original line did.
Plan B: Check Other Angles Obviously, you want to fi nd an alternate take
from the same shot (or angle) as the original to increase your chances of a
decent sound match. However, sometimes you can’t fi nd useable alternate
takes from the same angle. When that happens, fi rst make a note in your
ADR spotting calls but don’t give up on the sound rolls just yet. Perhaps you
can fi nd the replacement lines within a compatible shot. This is where the
sound reports really pay off.
An Example of Locating an Alternate
Take from Another Angle
Say you’re working on scene 88, an interior scene with two characters, Alfred
and Elizabeth. The scene is made up of these shots:
88—master shot (wide) with both characters
88A—single shot of Alfred
88B—single shot of Elizabeth
88C—medium two-shot of both characters
88D—dolly shot for part of the scene