Michael Kammes Blog February 10th 2007Michael Kammes starts his column off with a quote "Post Sound is the proctologist of the film industry, alas; it's at the ass-end of the project." Yeah, I'll admit it: I'm a wee bit jaded. Sure, the quote is basically true, but it puts a highly negative spin on my job. I chose this profession knowing that might entail being at the mercy of producers and directors who are generally stressed out, over budget, and well past deadline, but if I'm lucky, they come to me still in possession of the fire that propelled them through their project in the first place. Their passion for the work inevitably lifts my spirits, and I can get my work done with a smile on my face. But if I'm *not* so lucky, their nails are gnawed down to the quick, the bags under their eyes could carry a week's worth of groceries, and their stress level permeates every rough mix and edit session we have. Michael Kammes and working on Post Sound Design Still, working in post sound affords me the opportunity to see the completed product, usually before most of the production team do. It's final mix time. In a darkened room, the investors and a select few of the production crew sit, impatiently tapping their pens, while sweat beads on the brows of those whose months (or years) of work depend on this screening. And then... the first music hit—WHAMMO!—and suddenly lives are spared, expenses are paid, and hearty laughs and pats on the back complete the scene. In retrospect, it's all worth it. Of course, during this screening, everything is much more intense, and we forget about all of the oversights and/or lack of planning, which makes post production that much harder. Hell, even I forget – it’s Miller Time, after all. Now, this needs to change. In a letter that is notorious among us sound geeks (http://filmsound.org/production-sound/openletter.html), techniques are outlined to help us help the production team generate the best possible product. If I could only give *one* piece of advice to a director prior to shooting, it would be this: there is never enough money to do it right, but there is always enough money to do it over. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a guy who will laugh and point and mock if the sound isn't pristine—hell, if the sound is pristine, I’m out of a job!—but less work on my part means less money out of the investor’s pocket. I'll happily take the money if a piece needs that much work, but I want everyone else to eat too. Some greenbacks invested in the front end to provide for good location sound and some more coin on the back end to maintain the same level of quality could mean the difference between delivering on time and on budget, and delivering months late or thousands of dollars over projected costs. Michael Kammes confesses Confession time: I do lack in some areas. I can't carry a tune, and I'm not a musician, which can be limiting. Indie films usually find a composer, and invariably the composer offers to do the post sound as well. In theory, this is an excellent choice; one-stop shopping for all the post sound needs, as it were. But there are some key elements of this particular arrangement which are rarely taken into consideration. 1) Creating music / scoring a film is a completely different animal than cutting sound. A composer may use the same software as an editor, but that is where the similarities end. I wouldn't try to drive a semi, despite the fact I can drive my '96 Avenger very well (regardless of what the great state of Illinois might have to say about it). 2) An unbiased outsider is more likely to provide a balanced view of what works and what doesn't. I have found that there must be separation between the two creative sound forces in the scene: the music and the effects, lest decisions about the sound are made based on the musician's work. Granted, I run into the same issue on occasion, but a door slam or a tire screech is so much more correctable than, let’s say, a music montage in Rocky IV. Michael Kammes last "sound off" And thus, dear readers, I begin by "sounding off" about one of the biggest concerns in my corner of the industry (if I can speak for everyone huddled with me) and this seemed to be the way to do it. I love what I do, and want the post process to flow smoothly. Fewer hitches mean more creativity, restful nights and a kick-ass project. Thoughts? Concerns? Offers of pie?
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