Oscar 2012 - Sound Editing & Mixing

I wanted to post on Tuesday this entry, but I didn't have the time so I'll get a more "dense" weekend = I'll probably be back on Sunday with what we have for soundtracks this year. But until there, let's get back to the "pure sound". To summarized what is what, "editing" implies pretty much everything related to preprocessing, effects, ADR (dubbing over the initial recording), etc and "mixing" to be short, the merging of everything that's sound related (including the music parte aka "the soundtrack") into a final track that's what you finally hear. Not clear yet ? Check this out : http://www.mpse.org/education/whatis.html .

As usual (I'm actually starting to wonder if it's not something like a written rule somewhere ...) we have six movies here, from which four have a common nomination on both mixing and editing, and two only one on each side. Still as usual (at least I don't remember anything in the last years to contradict this ...) the two less nominated can be basically cut off the list as chances to win. ... But I see that I start forgetting the purpose of these entries which is less speculating Oscar predictions and more discussing the actual movies, so let's get to the point:

I wrote about "Drive" last year when I got four years of blogging. And I guess I said there how good is this movie regarding the sound. For what's strictly related to its nominee - only editing - I can tell that I remember even now after three months that's not only about screeches and engines sound but also Foley (check the link above) + something on which my ear (probably a bit deaf ...) doesn't get impressed very often: the volume fluctuations. But I assume that I already start to bore with what I'm rambling about, so I don't know if it's really the case to get into technical details that are anyway far from me to know them at a sufficient level. The thing is that in the end, strictly speaking between the score, mixing and editing the nominee came for the last. And the last no matter the level of appreciation from my war it's still not as good as the first two (what I was saying above about the volume + what the guy below tells about the elevator scene are more related with the mixing). This is one of the many weird things that I avoided to discuss about the nominees from this year. To conclude (considering also the "statistics" for chances had by movies uniquely nominated), although I'd like to be wrong, I doubt that "Drive" has much chance.



"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" - with a double nominee here - it's the American version of the probably well known Swedish original (at least as a book). What can I say about the movie .. for me is a bit overrated = I prefer the original version. It looks a bit more .. "natural" or different said "less hollywoodish" (and mostly due to Noomi Rapace, who although an actress that lacks the power of expression in my opinion managed to make a role better than what Rooney Mara did). I have to admit though that in the Fincher version the movie is better technically. And this includes the sound, and especially the final mix, where I'll take my risks in saying that I see it positioned first among the favorites (for editing they are clearly other movies which have better effects, and that's what counts a lot in there). To be fair, I have to say that I actually wouldn't bet a dime on the "sound mixing" this year, the opinion above being based on personal taste :) = which sounds better for my ear. If I would have to do a more objective analysis it would be hard to split between three titles, the next of these being just below the next clip ...



"Hugo" has also nominations for both editing and mixing. As above I don't see much chance on the editing. Yes, it may be full of clock ticks + other related effects but for me doesn't look that impressive to get an award. Besides that, if you manage to stay up without falling asleep (in my case it didn't work but just because I was extremely tired) while watching this clip http://soundworkscollection.com/hugo you'll probably conclude (from what I managed to get ..) that the preprocessing part was smaller and the accent was set on the final mix. Where, considering the bunch of nominations "Hugo" has there are chances for an Oscar (that might draw along it also one for Editing ...) but I still have hope that it will postponed for other categories. Off-topic: I preferred the clip below instead of the one longer than half an hour from the previous link, but I have to mention that this entry would be much "lifeless" without the excellent material released by Soundworks Collection, which produces this kind of clips for quite a while and bring a bit of light over the usual obscurity of this area.



If I can say something 100% sure for this entry (well .. 99.99% :P), is that "Moneyball" is clearly at the bottom of the list. The film is a real story from the baseball world, and has also other nominees, that will allow to detail it's subject other time. For sound however id just one - for mixing - and considering the other candidates I wouldn't even discuss it. Besides that, I can't even say that I heard something decent enough for being nominated. I mean ... there are ton of "sports related" movies where you have full stadiums, and the sound effects mixed on top, intersequenced with other stuff, etc, so smth like this won't raise any attention. I didn't even manage to find something relevant .. the only clip, in some sense related, being the one below (for how long it lasts on YouTube ...):



"Transformers" - episode 3 - has a double nomination. Which comes somehow naturally for a movie having the density of shells, explosions and other weaponry related stuff over the recommended limit (or in other terms the noise quantity prodiced by these). No matter the appraise for the sound here - and to be fair with real chances at least for editing considering the amount of work on prerecordings, robotized voices & stuff like that - I refuse to believe that, .. this thing .. can grab an Oscar. Hopefully I won't be disappointed by the results.



The last on the list (alphabetically) - "War Horse" - is in my opinion the first with chances on editing this year, and a serious candidate also for mixing (now, to be honest, if I manage to get right on something considering the rush in seeing the movies, it would be a real wonder :P). The movie is a story, a bit to tear-jerking and over-cliched in how it's told for me, about a horse which gets lost from his owner during WWI. As subject itself I can say that it has some more potential than I was expecting .. but more on this another time. The sound: for editing we have plenty of effects + .. the horse itself (or "the horses" to be more specific) .. I mean, to imagine everything that you here as the sounds it makes as production track (= shooting recorded material) I guess it's naive. The movie is perfect made in the end on this segment, and even if it's not something you'll see .. well hear .. for the first time it's a big plus over the rest of the nominees. And the rest (= the war, sound 7.1, etc) can be put without concerns at the same level with "Transformers". For mixing I'll be short: for me is not something extraordinary, but seems that the complexity which comes from what you hear on the effects side raises the level high enough to get something at least comparable with "Hugo" and "The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo" => so "War Horse" gets on the favorites list.



That's all for today .. I've already written probably too much for somebody who's evaluating "by the ear" :P. Stuff that I'll obviously do (very soon I hope) also for the "music" section :)