Moving Images, Understanding Media

92 Moving Images: Making Movies, Understanding Media

the dynamic range of the recording devices. As recording occurs, these levels

are mixed to form the production sound track for the fi lm. Th is is the most

essential source of sync sound in many movies.

At the beginning of a take, the fi rst assistant director will give the fi rst

call to begin a shot by declaring “roll sound.” Th e production sound mixer

begins to record sound and when there is confi rmation that the audio

device is recording at perfect rate, “speed” is called out by the mixer. Th e

camera is now called out and started, and when it is running properly, the

camera operator will say, “rolling” and “mark it.” Th is means that the slate

will be shown and clapped, which is preserved by both the camera and

audio recorder.

The Elements of the Mix

It is possible for the sound of a motion picture to consist solely of the production

sound track. In fact, the sound source for an entire fi lm can be the audio

recorded by a single microphone, such as a boom microphone. However,

a mix of microphones is usually used during production to record sound,

and the sound track of a fi lm is nearly always made up of a number of audio

elements that are mixed together to create the sound for the fi lm.

Just as shots are edited together to create the sequence and mix of images

that make up a motion picture, sound is edited as well. Th ere are two basic

elements to consider. First, editors must cut the sound into distinct pieces

with a beginning and end, just as is done with the picture of a movie. Second,

sound editors and designers mix the diff erent tracks of sound to form the fi nal

composite track of the motion picture. Sound elements fall into a number of

diff erent types of audio material.

Figure 3-12 The sound

team strives to record all the

audio necessary for a good

sound mix and to avoid

unwanted noises.

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