Dialogue Editing

Glossary 343
ferred to videotape prior to digitization into a nonlinear picture editing
workstation. When shot-specifi c color correction is needed, a timed or graded
transfer is necessary.
Optical camera, optical recorder A recording device for converting sound from a
fi nal mix (whether on DAT, mag, hard disk, or in another format) to an optical
negative track. An optical camera works much the same as an analogue tape
recorder, converting an electrical signal into a print analogous to the sound
wave. Unlike a tape recorder, which stores information as a magnetic “snapshot,”
an optical camera stores the sound information as visible lines of varying
density and width.
Optical soundtrack The soundtrack on a fi nished fi lm exhibition print. When passed
through a projector’s optical reader, the soundtrack’s squiggly lines alter the
voltage generated by a photo cell. This voltage is then amplifi ed and decoded
to play as sound. Prints with digital soundtracks carry digital information as
well as analogue tracks. The digital information is stored in the form of small
dots—a high-density type of barcode. Both digital and analogue soundtrack
information is printed with the picture to reduce costs.
Output tape (or digital dump) The video output of a nonlinear picture workstation
recorded to videotape, which becomes the work picture tape the sound crew
will use when editing the fi lm’s soundtrack. Once the negative has been cut,
printed, and transferred to videotape, the output will be replaced with the much
more attractive fi rst answer print telecine tape.
Overlap In dialogue editing, an interruption by an off-mic character of an on-mic
speaker, which inevitably ruins part of the take.
PAL (phase alternating line) A color video system used throughout much of the
world that consists of 625 lines per frame, interlaced. In the PAL environment,
the frame rate is 25 fps and EBU timecode is used for production and
postprodcution.
Perspective cut Organizing dialogue tracks in a manner that allows easy manipulation
of the sound at a picture cut. Often used to enhance physical or psychological
separation between characters, to focus on a specifi c element of a shot,
or to enable two simultaneous conversations, as in a phone split.
PFX (production sound effects) Tracks within a dialogue session that contain nonverbal
events removed from dialogue tracks. PFX may be split off from the dialogue
for better control or manipulation, or to facilitate creation of an M&E
mix.
Phone split A type of perspective editing that allows for easy control of both sides
of a telephone conversation.
Pilot tone A very stable tone used to keep a sound recording device in sync with
a camera. Synchronous analogue recording devices, such as the Nagra series of
fi eld recorders, need a means of ensuring that original recordings are played
back at precisely the same speed at which they were recorded. On mono Nagras,
this is accomplished by recording a 50 Hz (60 Hz in the Americas) sine wave