Dialogue Editing

330 DIALOGUE EDITING IN A NUTSHELL
Editing
14.3. Split by perspective. This relates to picture edits, not source
angle.
14.4. Split for production effects (PFX) you want to save for an
international version or for better mix control. Split off doors,
slaps, bangs, and other sounds. If there’s dialogue or breathing
within a PFX region, leave it on the dialogue track.
14.5. Split weird or very loud sounds—anything that might need
extra control in the mix.
14.6. Consider the rerecording mixer who’ll have to make sense of
your edits. Talk to her about her splitting preferences, and give
her what she wants.
15. First pass. The most important phase of the process, where you’ll do
most of your work and where you’ll learn what has to be replaced
via ADR. (Chapter 10)
15.1. Repair using room tone.
15.1.1. Make tone transitions between regions.
15.1.2. Remove production noises.
15.1.3. Make the scene “seamless.”
15.2. Repair using alternate takes. Use the EDLs and the sound
reports to fi nd other takes. Go back to the original sound
recordings.
15.2.1. Repair or replace off-mic dialogue and overlaps.
15.2.2. Fix or replace “bad” dialogue (poor diction).
15.2.3. Repair or replace words corrupted by noises.
15.3. List items you can’t (or won’t) fi x. You’ll have another opportunity
to fi x these items.
15.4. Periodically record a dialogue guide track for the other sound
editors (SFX, BG, Foley, music). Update this track when you
make major dialogue changes.
16. ADR. (Chapter 15)
16.1. As you edit, note dialogue problems that can’t be fi xed and
must be replaced for various reasons.
16.1.1. Off-mic sound.
16.1.2. “Stepped-on” dialogue (overlaps).
16.1.3. Bad acting (usually a dangerous fi x).
16.1.4. Text changes (bad idea; sometimes accomplished during
over-the-shoulder shots or when character is off-screen).