Dialogue Editing

Group Loop 291
recording onto to a work track and from there build a new sequence. Much
of the sequence can be random, but pay attention to what’s going on with the
picture and in the dialogue to most effectively use the recording. If there are
any recognizable beacons, such as a telltale laugh or chair squeak or a recognizable
bit of background dialogue, don’t use that moment more than once,
even in different scenes.
Don’t lose touch with the desired size of the crowd. Groups often sound
better, richer, when “doubled up”—that is, when several takes are piled atop
each other. If this works, great. However, if there are only 8 people in the
small restaurant, it will sound weird when you overlay four group takes,
resulting in a crowd of 30 or more.
ADR and Group Track Layout
It’s important to know what the mixer expects from your ADR track layout.
Should you prepare alternates? If so, how many? Should they be on “active”
tracks or hidden away? How should you handle ADR to be panned? There’s
no such thing as “the right” way to lay out your ADR; it depends on the
production, the budget, the supervising sound editor, and the mixer. There’s
only one “wrong” way: not asking what to do.