That was a deliberate creative decision!
Hi! I don't have much time, but I wanted to check in. Thank you so much for giving me all of those comments and technical observations. Just wanted to clarify a couple things:
1. At no point in the process did I artificially lower my voice. The pitch of the original is the pitch you hear.
2. I don't really want to raise Anakin’s voice artificially. What I CAN do is do some pickup recordings for lines lower than the others, to make it a little more light and more fitting to his age.
3. Video- Yes, the blacks are sometimes crunched and the sunset is a bit too saturated. All of this is comparatively very easy to fix, on a shot by shot basis.
4. Regarding the technical deficiencies of the audio throughout the trailer- you’re absolutely right. There are a couple lines that sound like I’m talking through a tin can, and there’s the one in particular where I’m mumbling and the line is hard to understand. Obviously this will not exist for the final film. Much of the excessive reverb you hear was actually hastily added for the trailer and has not even been tackled for the film yet. I also had to raise the volume of some lines so they'd be audible over the music. And in some shots, the effects weren't even put in yet. I'm not very good at trailer creation.
The actual mixing of the audio and so forth has also not been done yet for the most part. Right now, I’ve almost completed the framework, then I’ll finalize the video, and only then will I start tackling mixing, making everyone’s voices seem like they’re in the same space, and doing ambience and foaley effects. This is very difficult for someone that’s never done it before, and my thinking was that rather than waste all kinds of time at first mixing all of the audio, I’d just get the film done first, and then tackle all of these issues. Mixing should be up to professional quality by the time the movie is out.
In the mean time, it would be wonderful, Laserschwert, if you could search for ambience and foaley effects. I am really lacking in that department; I would probably have put out a request for that type of thing in the near future. I made so many alterations that in most cases, I can’t use the original effects due to interference with music/dialogue (even in the rear and center surround channels). I have to start from scratch. I’ve had particular difficulty with missing footsteps, the rustling of the clothes, and so on.
The trailer is very sloppily and hastily done, and should not be taken as an example of how the final mix will sound. This is an extremely complex and unparalleled process, and I haven’t gotten to most of it yet. I sometimes wish I was in a whole networked lab or studio, where I could cut each scene myself and then send it to the color timing guy, who would do his work based on my notes, who would then send it to the audio mixer, who would analyze all of the source material (from the original surround mix and his library of foaley effects) and them, using my temp mix as a base, creates a professional audio mix with all the bells and whistles. All while I’m busy on the next scene.
Of course, if I had that situation, then I might as well buy a camera and reshoot the movie. One can dream…
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Thanks to everyone that contributed and gave me all of this feedback! Don’t think for a moment that somehow my feelings are hurt; I’m glad that you brought these things up (many of which I was already aware), because it shows you’re as concerned about the outcome of this as I am. Thanks so much! Lama-Su seems to be very well received, which is also good. I think the more you hear of him in the future, the more you’ll like the voice.
BTW, I have a super hi-res version if you need one.
That'd be great!
I just wanted you all to know I won't be glossing over anything. The audio flaws you mentioned are doubly apparent to me (except the actual pitch of the voice). This wasn't a representation of the final quality of the product, as much as a sample of two of the four primary voices in this edit. Uncle Owen, Nute Gunray, and Jar-Jar are in progress at this time. I will answer specific comments later. Thanks so much!
-TM