Atmos Collaboration - Your Opinions

[milosziv]

Im mixing a music award show in Atmos soon that will involve other music mixers independently doing their own atmos music mixes and sending me the files to incorporate into the rest of the show. In the past, I’d always just ask for 5.1 stems - but since this year we’re in atmos, I wondered if anyone else has been in a similar position on collaborating with other mixers in atmos.

I could ask for 7.1.2 bed splits to make it easy on myself, but I also want to give them the freedom to do their own automation - or work in objects who’s automation I’d retain by importing into my own session - yet I can see there being a huge hassle of importing their sessions/input assigments/track count/plugins/etc…. So Im tempted to just ask for stems which I can either assign to objects (to keep scale) or beds (for ease of bussing).

This is a fast turnaround job…but would love to hear some of your thoughts and best practice reco’s.

[reichman]

You could define ahead of time the number and size of each bed, and the number of objects. Each music mixer could send you an ADM file, and you could import all of those into a master Pro Tools session because they would be using the same arrangement of beds and objects. Full Atmos mix and metadata is preserved, no plug-ins.

[its2loud]

Importing an ADM file with only 7.1.2 Bed splits seems to be the way to go. Keeping a limit on the number of beds they can use. Letting them use objects is complicating things for yourself when importing their ADM files. Each performance would ideally need to use the same consistent amount of objects to make it easier on you. The Beds are easily mapped to dedicated ones in your own session.

EDIT: Nathaniel and I are essentially saying the same thing here. We posted on top of each other.

[coaxmw]

I would either ask for ADM files and then you can make your own re-renders as wide as you feel, a 9.1.6 re-renders imported into your master sessions should work pretty clean or if there is time, define to everyone what the Atmos layout needs to be, send them renderer config files with everything named how you want and have them mix to that

[quadraphonics]

Objects do not encode will in a DD+JOC stream. Most of the bandwidth goes to the 5.1 bed.

I agree with the other suggestions that you should define the stem breakouts that you want (VOX, GTR, SYNTH, DRUMS, etc) and get those back as 7.1.2 beds.

Randall

Originally Posted by milosziv

Im mixing a music award show in Atmos soon that will involve other music mixers independently doing their own atmos music mixes and sending me the files to incorporate into the rest of the show. In the past, I’d always just ask for 5.1 stems - but since this year we’re in atmos, I wondered if anyone else has been in a similar position on collaborating with other mixers in atmos.

I could ask for 7.1.2 bed splits to make it easy on myself, but I also want to give them the freedom to do their own automation - or work in objects who’s automation I’d retain by importing into my own session - yet I can see there being a huge hassle of importing their sessions/input assigments/track count/plugins/etc…. So Im tempted to just ask for stems which I can either assign to objects (to keep scale) or beds (for ease of bussing).

This is a fast turnaround job…but would love to hear some of your thoughts and best practice reco’s.

[milosziv]

You guys are great. All fantastic insights -I really appreciate you all taking the time to write.

I’m gonna say 7.1.2 bed splits, and 2 objects representing a static Top Rear Left and Top Rear Right. We can all extend our audience mics back there without my adding some cheezy reverbs to fill it after theyre done..

The last issue will be to get them all a reference mix I like - and set some guidelines so all mixers are on the same page. Wish we were all gonna be in the same room…. Getting 3 mixing styles to gel together in one show is gonna be interesting….

I listened to Burna Boy on Apple TV last night to see what people have been doimg for live shows. Sounded good.
Lead singer: Primarily Center, but surprisingly lots in L/R/Lss/Rss - slightly in TFH’s
Huge Band: Generally same except Center more spare - surely for Vox
Background singers: L/R/Lss/Rss (no center)
Audiences: LRS, RRS, Top Rear Heights
LFE: Bassist (is this still a good idea for fold downs?)

Sounded great though. Very clean and seemed decorellated ENOUGH that stereo folddown sounded great.

Any other thoughts please send!