If any of you readers are among the fortunate few who grew up in the golden age of radio, this Shop Talk will have a familiar ring. Who could forget, "MR & MRS NORTH," "THE SHADOW," "INNER SANCTUM," "I LOVE A MYSTERY," and of course "LET'S PRETEND"...to mention only a few. These great radio dramas were made for the ears and viewed with the eyes closed. They conjured pictures in the mind and gave wings to one's imagination.
The distinction of characters' voices and sound effects, in concert with chilling music all created impressions that superseded anything modern television can offer (including MTV). It was Mike Todd who said, "You cannot compete with the imaginings of the mind," and every good showman learns this lesson early in his or her career.
Remember, show a thing clearly and the curiosity and mystery of it are dispelled.
Here at the Studio we are currently in the process of building the soundtrack for our next animated feature. So this issue is the perfect time to share the hows and whys of the sound track with you. This is one lesson you should find particularly advantageous.
The approach to our sound track has much in common with the old radio dramas. Dialogue, sound effects and music are carefully selected and combined to stimulate the imagination. Let's look at each in depth.
Dialogue
Although the supporting structure to any good feature is the script, a close second are the characters themselves: what they look like, what they think, why they are special, what (if anything) is interesting about them and what they sound like.
The search for the right voices to talk for your characters is long and frustrating. While big star talent usually gives the best performance, there are several drawbacks in hiring them: Star talent is very expensive, and more importantly, the public already associates the voice with the star's face...which detracts from the character we have worked so hard to create. We have found that not-so-well known talent is the best pool to draw from.
The search is often long, but be patient. The correct voice will breathe life into your character while the wrong one will leave him flat and lifeless.
We hunt for great contrast in the voices: high voices playing against low; rough scratchy sounds against lyric; shy next to bombastic and so on. Audio textures lend believability and heighten the drama of the piece.
Naturally many character sketches have been drawn, and also some outline storyboarding has been done before the dialogue is recorded. However, I always wait until the radio show (dialogue track) is cut together before proceeding with the final continuity of storyboarding. You see, many happy surprises happen during the Recording Session.
Recording Session
It was Dom deLuis who, during our first recording session, created many of Jeremy's mannerisms. The "Excuse me, Pardon me" was his. Also, the superb way he responded to suggestions allowed the creative process to continue beyond the script. A really great talent will plus the script...
Jeremy's allergy to cats was a simple idea in the text...but when Dom got a hold of it, it became funny and grew in importance.
I cannot stress enough, BE FLEXIBLE!!! The script is not holy writ. Let the talent help you create the character. Allow him to ad lib lines...and truly become the character. If you hold them to the script, you may be restricting fantastic creativity and hurting the potential outcome of your project.
Here are a few cautions I've learned over the years:
FIRST: In judging whether or not you are getting good readings on the lines, it is best to be in the control booth listening with your eyes shut. Listen through the speakers. If you stand next to the talent and microphone on the stage, you will have zero vision.
SECOND: Scrutinize the movements and little mannerisms of your talent (but don't let on that you are doing this). These observations and reactions will instruct you in how your drawn characters should act. John Pomeroy noticed Mr. John Carridine limping onto the recording stage to read for The Great Owl; also, his hands were painfully afflicted with arthritis...a look and move that became the Great Owl's claws and limp.
THIRD: A good Director learns to lean upon the reaction of others. Have more ears (opinions you value) sitting in the booth with you. Watch for their reactions and encourage honesty. Such exchange will guide you toward the best entertainment.
FOURTH: Nothing is so maddening as discovering you missed a line after the talent has departed. I make it a rule to number the lines and check them off as they are taken. Ad libs are also helpful. Also, I record sounds: laughter, panting, grunts, hiccoughs, sneezes, etc....anything you might need to build your radio show.
FIFTH: Study your script before the session. Hunt for lines delivered in actions. Normal speaking is quite different from speaking while running, flying, swimming, smothered by a pillow or with an apple caught in one's throat.
The Transfer
For dialogue, record at 7 1/2 I.P.S. (reserve 15 I.P.S. for music recording). Professional 1/4" Scotch Brand 208 will provide you excellent recording quality for voice-over dialogue. We primarily use a U-47 Microphone for recording our voices. It brings out the treble in people's voices and adds a warmth and rounded tone to the voice. When recording higher pitched voices (a large part of our female voices) we use a U-87.
After your session, listen to the 1/4" master and select the takes (the individual lines you wish combined into your show). Again, surround yourself with other opinions and GO SLOWLY! Don't rush this stage. If you took notes during the recording session, hopefully on the script next to the lines, you can now use hies record to keep track of the "gold." A good take is almost as rare as that shiny metal. Don't be too eager to eliminate. Keep as many readings of the line as you can believe in. Only time will bring you to select just one...and probably not until the line is to be cut into the radio show. Frequently after the line is cut into the show you realize it doesn't work; having two or three alternates will enable you to find just the right one without too much trouble.
Once you've chosen your takes, you're ready to have the transfer made. Transfer of the 1.4" takes to 35mm Sound Mag film is routine on TV and theatrical films -- 16mm mag is commonly used in schools. However, be sure the transfer is not too low in volume. This happens more frequently than you'd think...so watch out for it.
The Cutting
Cutting the dialogues together is an excercise in timing. You'll need pauses here and there between the lines. Make the dialogues sound as if all the actors recorded in the same session. (Which they did not.)
When you finish the first cut of your dialogue track, play it for those people whose opinions you value and watch for reactions. Do not "sell" your work to them. It must sell itself. If you say anything, state what the overall scene is supposed to accomplish, i.e,: what you want your audience to feel.
Do not be discouraged by this first exposure to the track if there is no applause. Now it's time to refine and hone it. You'll practically never get it right on the first try.
The most difficult radio track in my experience was the sequence in THE SECRET OF NIMH when the kids are waiting for Mrs. Brisby to come home. We recut the track eight (8) times, finally throwing out two full minutes of dialogue that was going nowhere. The script read well, but when actually acted out it was abysmally boring...zero entertainment.
Remember, if your final cut is boring, it needs to be shortened. If it continues to bore...shorten it again. Keep your scene tight and meaningful. You will eventually want to add a few sound effects and some temporary music...but these are christmas ornaments...not the meat of the scene.
Only after your radio show lays 'em in the aisles should you transfer a composite mix to an audio cassette. It's a painstaking process, but you're now ready to storyboard...which we'll discuss in the next issue's Shop Talk.
Our approach to animation carries with it a philosophy of keeping the film in motion. This includes keeping the camera active to create excitement.
A critical area of animation production is that of Scene Planning and special camera work. When Don conceives of a particular dramatic angle with camera movements involved, he must consider the tools available to him.
We have worked very hard to provide ourselves with the best tools to put that special "classical look" on the screen. Production Manager and Technical Supervisor, Fred Craig, designed and continues to update our two Multiplane camera stands. He has added a locked-off Rotoscope camera for use in "composites," "bi-packs" and obviously, live-action rotoscope applications.
The Exposure Sheet, besides being the title of our newsletter, is a printed form and a tool for the animators to organize their scenes and list their drawings in a numerical order to be exposed to the camera.
Each line on the Exposure Sheet represents a single frame of film. Besides exposing the background, characters, special effects animation and any overlays, there is a column at the extreme right side for camera instructions. This column, many times, carries hundreds of numbers which convey the Scene Planner's interpretation of the Director's vision.
All directional elements for the cameramen must be designed and calculated in terms of numbers which will correspond to those on the camera. Examples of these would include East-West/North-South movements, trucks, camera rotation, split exposures, ripple effects, Multiplane calculations and any special exposure percentages or concept for atmospheric imagery (i.e. transparencies of fog, water, clouds or backlight effects for fire, laser effects and special highlights).
The camera movement should never appear mechanical. It should be moved with the same skill and believability as the animated scene. You should be unaware of its complexity or even its existence. It is there only to enhance the scene.
The desired final result is, the same as that of a dancer, actor, skater, animator or any performer, the illusion of effortlessness. It should appear on the screen, effortless and natural, adding to the believability reached for by each of the departments: Storyboard, Layout, Background, Animation, Special Effects and Music. A flaw in any of these areas disrupts the flow of the film and may jar the viewer out of the fantasy we have attempted to create.
You may or may not know that we shoot an animated film four complete times, at a minimum. First, in story sketch at a scene's proper length (this may include several story sketches depicting a scene). As the animators complete their rough animation, it is shot with a Camera Layout (a Background in pencil form) and cut into the film in place of the story sketch. After "sweatboxing" (review of scenes on the moviola to scrutinize and approve details of each scene and their hook-ups), the scene is then cleaned-up and the proper special effects are added. The scene is then shot in pencil form once again with proper camera moves and all corrections. It is "sweatboxed" again and hopefully, approved for Xerox and Color. The scene is then xeroxed, painted and shot for a fourth time in production camera (color). This may not be the end. If there are any paint flaws, excessive platen shadows, camera errors or mechanical failures at camera or film processing, the scene may be shot yet another time.