Soundtrack Production in Film - Analysis

Sound Mixing, Panning and Technicality

Mixing

Audio mixing is the process in which sounds are combined into one or more channels. During the process, the sounds' frequencies, signal levels and dynamics can all be manipulated. Effects can also be added (e.g. Reverb). The purpose of Audio mixing is to create a sound that is more appealing to viewers/listeners.

Some good examples of Audio mixing can be seen throughout Tom Hooper's adaptation of the stage musical Les Miserables (2012). Because this is a musical, Sound mixing is used to blend the movie's score, the actor's singing, dialogue and other ambient sounds.

In one example, a characters is singing in the rain. This is a pivotal scene in the movie, and it's very important that the song's lyrics are heard, as the character's emotions are being displayed through the song. Audio mixing is used here to ensure that the character's voice (and therefore the song's lyrics) can be heard over the ambient sound of rainfall. This is done by altering the dynamics of the different sounds appropriately.

In another example from Tom Hooper's Les Miserables, Audio mixing is used to amplify voices, so that the stars of the movie can be heard when they should be. Inn this example, Anne Hathaway is singing with a whole choir, but her voice can be distinctly heard over the others, even though they still sing together and at an appropriate volume (they don't sound too loud or too quite).

In both examples, Sound mixing is used to create a sound that is much more appealing to audiences and is more appealing to the scene's context.

Panning

Audio panning is used to create the illusion that a source (e.g. the image on the screen) is moving from one side to the other. Panning can also be used to create a dual mono signal. This is called "panning up", and means that both the left and right channels are sent equally to the left and right output of the mixer.

An example of Audio panning can be seen in Edgar Wright's Shaun of the Dead (2004). During the scene linked below, in which Shaun walks to his local newsagents, oblivious to the zombie apocalypse happening around him, somebody runs past Shaun.

Audio panning is used to create the illusion of the character getting nearer to Shaun, then passing him, and then disappearing into the distance. The sound of his footsteps get closer to Shaun, and then more distant as he runs away.

A "control knob" is used to distribute the sound at a particular position. For example, a knob pointed at the 8 o'clock position would mean that sound only appears on the left channel, and all the energy goes exclusively to the left (meaning it will be played through the left speaker).

In this case, to create the illusion of the character running past, the control knob would be slowly moved to the right (the 4 o'clock position), making the sound appear in the right. After panning, when the whole sound is hear, it will sound as though it is moving from the left to the right in one smooth stroke.