The Economics of ADR vs. traditional recording

I watched the sound design docu on the Episode 2 DVD and I'm thinking, why don't I just do the audio for my film using ADR? Much of the audio track for Episode II was done with this technique. And most fan films suffer because of their audio. I can get the equipment for relatively cheaper than if I payed for a microphone that I can rig to a boom pole and plug into my camera as well.

Budget wise it works out (see below). But are there any problems with this approach that you see?

I already have a $40 Sony microphone that I use for voice work. As I'm sure Kieth from Rise of Nobility can attest, it's recording ability is pretty darn good for its price. ProTools is free and I have access to the University's video production labs. And if I need to record any extra sounds, I can just purchase a minidisc recorder for half to three-quarters price on ebay ($80-90), and plug my mic into it and record the sounds.

Chris

 

You'd better make sure you get a cast that can do the ADR properly. It's not the easiest thing in the world do to.

Believe me--animation has taught me that even two wrong frames on a lip-synced line can look bad.




Rick McCallum loves you!

 

^ That.

Ever watched a TV version of a movie with naughty language that wasn't shot with alternate lines (which most movies never are)?

A lot of times:

-The voice doesn't match

-The intonation doesn't match (ex: the actor onscreen is straining to be heard against the wind and the voice casual as can be)

-The timing doesn't match (probably the most frequent problem and possibly the hardest to fix)

And BTW, as I understand it, AQOF was mostly ADR. And we all know how that turned out.

"Watnoose?"

M. Scott

 

uhhh - just for the record - that was NOT adr. that requires a real mike, not a bunch of guys filling a room recording straight to the PC with an ac unit installed five feet away in the window, lol

but we got DAT machines now. Sound is good my man, sound is good. In fact AQOF2 will just be an audio drama....you can just IMAGINE the fights in your head.

man, that would suck now that I think about it....

 

Yeah sound is a biggie. Im doin the best I can for HTR, but Ill have to do SOME ADR, and its hard. Especially since we havent got much in the way of mikes.

Still, we'll see.

 

While ADR can fix problems, its always better to just avoid the problem in the first place if at all possible.

When you see the boom poles remember its also not just a mike attatched to a peice of PVC. There is a special mounting for the mike that suspends it usuall using rubber band type rings. This makes it so that the mike doesnt pick up the creaking groaning and shuffling of the boom being handled. if you cannot sepperate the mike then you will have to have a sound person with a VERY steady arm and solid grip that doesnt move his fingers even a bit on the pole.

 

AQOF got their lip sync correct, just not the sound quality.

I don't really want to do it all with ADR, but finding or constructing a good boom pole is very, very expensive. And I only have two and a half thousand dollars to spend... so I'm just lookin for ways to cut back on budget but still attain a good overall production.

Chris

 

U got 2000 to spend?
Dang Id kill for that much...



actually, I spose we did spend nearly that....a lot of it on food for some reason...