Production Effects in the Center Speaker?

[LuckyFeet3]

Hello!

I'm mixing my first 5.1 project. Its a low budget movie with decent production recording using lavs and a boom. Currently, I'm in the middle of dialogue editing. I'm moving all the Production Effects (PFX) out of the dialogue tracks and into their own. I am uncertain if I should mix the PFX in the center channel or move them to L, R or maybe even put them LCR.

There are some scenes where a lot of production effects and dialogue happen in close proximity. It sounds weird to me when the PFX are not in the center channel with the dialogue. We will be sweetening up these scenes but I think we are going to leave a lot of the PFX in place.

Is there a normal way to mix the PFX? Thanks you!

[mgoorevich]

Leave it in the Center. Let your mixer to decide after.
Most production effects are part of dialogs so you are right that they sound weird when coming out of LCR or just LR.
A great mono editing is 90% of success.

[LuckyFeet3]

Thanks for the reply.

I'm doing almost all the post-audio work on this movie, so the mixer will be me.

Also there is a scene recorded downtown and the background noise is pretty loud. Should I mix my ambient city noise SFX in the other speakers just as loud to match the center? Otherwise there will be this loud roar coming from the center and a not quite as loud roar coming from the others, but maybe thats ok. Thanks!

[mgoorevich]

Originally Posted by LuckyFeet3

Also there is a scene recorded downtown and the background noise is pretty loud. Should I mix my ambient city noise SFX in the other speakers just as loud to match the center? Otherwise there will be this loud roar coming from the center and a not quite as loud roar coming from the others, but maybe thats ok. Thanks!

Again, don't afraid of just going mono (center ch).
I wouldn't add any more sfx if it hurts dialogs. If dialogs are not inteligible
no matter how beautiful your atmos are or how widely they open the picture.
Also why you must go to LCR or 5.0 in city scene? It maybe nice but sometimes it can decrease the dramatic effect of the scene.
So the bottom line is: keep good dialog with constant BG. Don't make it dirtier by adding some more traffic, city wash, wind e.t.c
Use some spot effects if needed e.g cars byes, FS, doors...you know what I mean. After you've done try, but try very gentle to widen picture a bit.
But through it away if there is some doubt.

[SDDP]

There are no hard in fast rules. However, where you see it happen is where you should hear it. Thus why DX and PFX (and majority of sfx) is in the center. If it calls for it to go to LR, Surrounds, & Sub, then apply it. But watch the screen and how does it feel. If it takes you away from what is going on or distracts you by having it in LR or Surr, then leave it in the C. Another way to get a good idea is watch a few of your favorite action films that you've seen dozens of times and watch it in 5.1 and turn off (disconnect) the center speaker and listen and learn.

[Noiz2]

Originally Posted by mgoorevich

Again, don't afraid of just going mono (center ch).
I wouldn't add any more sfx if it hurts dialogs. If dialogs are not inteligible
no matter how beautiful your atmos are or how widely they open the picture.
Also why you must go to LCR or 5.0 in city scene? It maybe nice but sometimes it can decrease the dramatic effect of the scene.
So the bottom line is: keep good dialog with constant BG. Don't make it dirtier by adding some more traffic, city wash, wind e.t.c
Use some spot effects if needed e.g cars byes, FS, doors...you know what I mean. After you've done try, but try very gentle to widen picture a bit.
But through it away if there is some doubt.

I think this brings up an interesting split. The above is not the way 99.9% of big american films are done.

So it depends somewhat on what your aiming for.

To your original question PFX are usually going to be in the center where DX and Foley also live.

But if you have done an extensive DX edit then you don't have a lot of ambience in the production and if it's a narrative film the ambience of the set is probably not what you want anyway.

Low budget films (US perspective so YMMD) tend to skimp on the sound scape and tend to have that kind of empty sound about them. One of the biggest things you can do to create a more "big budget" sound is to fill in the tracks. Keeping the dialog easy to understand is a mixing issue and should not (IMHO) be done by stripping the sound track of depth and character.

It's not a rule but an opinion. Depends a lot on what aesthetic you are aiming for. I'm usually on projects aiming at the "Hollywood" very full and complete track aesthetic. I personally find thin sound tracks distracting. I keep getting pulled out of the story by missing sounds.

But that's me.

[capt kirk]

i always add too much crap, cause its way easier to pull it out, than try to add it all in later....