The Ultimate Guide to the Different Jobs and Roles in Audio Post-Production
If there is anything that Marvel’s The Avengers franchise has shown us, apart from amazing sound and visual effects, is that the number of individuals involved in the making of an audiovisual project is huge. Every time we waited till the end to see the post-credits scene, we had the chance to see how many people played a vital role in each movie.
Filmmaking is arguably one of the most variegated scenarios. One where several different art forms converge. Filmmaking assembles a lot of skilled artists working to the best of their abilities (and sometimes around the clock).
When we speak about audio post-production and audio post-production jobs and roles, the number of individuals who actually play a role under this overarching process depends on the nature of each film, its budget and the scope of each production. It can be the case that in the production credits one single individual appears as the only audio post-production engineer, but for films and TV shows that have much larger budgets, it is normal to see this process split into different phases and divided amongst a much larger team.
Exactly 49 people are credited in the sound department alone for the 2019 Oscar-nominee for Best Sound Mixing and Editing, First Man. This does not even include how many technicians, engineers, and musicians worked on the score written by Justin Hurwitz.
If you’re interested in delving a bit more into the specific audio post-production jobs of the individuals who work behind the scenes in film and television, here is a summarized overview of the main roles in this particular industry.
Sound Design
Sound design is perhaps one of the most creative roles in the audio post-production industry. Think about a film like Ford v Ferrari — with no Ford GT40s available, Donald Sylvester had a tough time trying to find a reliable source to put the sound of Christian Bale’s car together. The sound designer’s role is to craft sounds that are real enough to engage with the audience.
Take Star Wars for example: back in the 70s, it was particularly difficult to come up with the sound of a lightsaber or a Stormtrooper’s blaster; however, by working in controlled environments, the sound team managed to combine the hum of an old projector with other elements to come up with what is now a truly iconic sound. In essence: it is the job of the sound designer to bring all of these sounds to life.
Foley
For more common sounds, there is one particular role we rely on: the Foley team. Named after sound-effects pioneer Jack Foley, Foley is the art of crafting the sounds we hear on the moving images with everyday objects. Footsteps, movements and even those apparently insignificant sound effects are performed and recorded by Foley artists.
Additionally, there are also sound engineers who are responsible for recording, editing and mixing the Foley. Both Foley artists and engineers are known for being highly meticulous when it comes to finding a good source for crafting the sounds they need to bring to life. It’s all about attention to detail.
ADR
For any dialogue lines recorded on set that cannot be salvaged, we always turn to one particular role: ADR. Also known as Automated Dialogue Replacement, this process involves getting the talent back in the studio and have them re-record their lines over their original performance.
There are multiple reasons why the original material cannot be used: perhaps the actor was sick or the lines were delivered improperly; perhaps there was a lot of background noise, or perhaps the actor was not able to perform to the best of their ability. Be that as it may, getting ADR to fit perfectly alongside the original material is quite challenging, and requires a lot of attention to detail and a highly trained ear.
An understanding of acoustics is pivotal too, considering that matching the space and the one, of the re-recorded lines, so that they align with the original production audio is one of the essential duties of the ADR team.
Sound Supervisor
Last but not least, the sound supervisor or sound supervising editor is arguably the most important role under the audio post-production umbrella. This role is responsible for overseeing every other role within the audio post-production and sound team on a particular production.
The scope of their work encompasses managing budgets, making sure that the crew is doing their work correctly and on time, and normally having direct communication with both producers and directors regarding the overall audio post-production process.
Depending on the size of a production, the sound supervisor may play different roles and is often involved in the different phases of the whole audio post-production chain: from recording sound effects, to closely working with Foley artists and ADR engineers. The vast majority of supervising sound editors are experienced engineers who have been involved with many audiovisual projects and have developed a set of skills that allows them to multitask, provide leadership and tackle any setback that appears down the line.
