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Post #105705

Author
Trooperman
Parent topic
Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side (the TM edit) (Released)
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/105705/action/topic#105705
Date created
15-May-2005, 8:37 AM
Update: I'm using the original Binary Sunset cue from SW, but not during the search montage; I'm using it in the dark scene when Anakin finds his mother's tent. Starting it a few seconds before the beginning, into the last few secs of the Dooku/Separatist Obi-Wan spying scene, it actually synchronizes with the following scene in beautiful (but unexpected) ways. For example, the music peaks precisely at the moment that Anakin turns on his lightsaber to cut through the tent. This scene is now far better than before, simply because the percussive music was replaced with more emotional dramatic music that builds up to something. It works very well.

Tech Note: In case any of you were wondering how I'm replacing most of the Anakin dialogue, this is how I've done it:

1. Split surround track into 5 channels: front, front-left, front-right, rear-right, rear-left.
2. Create three stereo tracks: downmix of all channels (base mix), stereo of front-right/front-left, and stereo of rear-right/rear-left
3. Look at area at which dialogue is to be removed. Check front channel stereo. If the dialogue is still intact, go to rear channel stereo and check that. Use the best track.
4. Use SoundForge to zoom in to each track you are using, in the same view: one on top of the other
5. Replace chunk of base mix with the corresponding chunk in the front or rear stereo.
6. In front/rear stereo, take chunk before cut segment. Fade in.
7. Take corresponding chunck in the base mix. Fade out.
8. Mix the "fade in" chunk from the front/rear stereo into its proper place in the base mix. This makes any change of atmosphere or sound quality between base mix and front/rear stereo smooth.
9. Reverse process is used to gradually fade back into the base mix. Only understand that you cannot detect a fade, because as one is fading out, another is fading in at the exact same rate. Works seamlessly.
10. And if the change is too noticeable or jarring, then I experiment with overlaying a steady background sound effect to tie everything together, or else attempting to extract specific background noise from the base mix which I can then lay over the parts with replaced dialogue.

This process makes mix sound very professional when done; it sounds like it's always been that way.

Couple little changes in sound mix so far:
1. The decoy's line has been muted at the beginning. The lieutenant just says, "We're making our final approach into Coruscant" and then turns around to walk away.
2. Alarm beeping can be heard in right speaker during this shot
3. "There was no danger at all". Explosion has been beefed up considerably using ... a Star Trek explosion (*gasp*). It's quite good, though, and you would never be able to tell it.
4. "Thank you, Master Windu" by Padme has been buried in the sound mix. It isn't an important line and is read badly. The main focus here is Palpatine's sideways glance anyway. And on top of this, it works because there was a change in camera angle. The fact that it is almost inaudible can be contributed to this.

It's coming, guys! These things just take a lot of time.