AES News

Sound is just as important as image in creating a compelling movie, TV or streaming video experience, and the 143rd International Audio Engineering Society Convention’s Audio for Cinema Track events will take a wide look – and listen – into the latest techniques for capturing and producing sound for film, broadcast and video.

“Our AES New York 2017 Convention’s Audio for Cinema Track will feature a diverse range of experts who will cover everything from nitty-gritty topics like how to best capture dialog in film and television, to the latest technologies for immersive audio and a seminar on the very future of cinema sound itself,” said Nuno Fonseca, Audio for Cinema Track Chair and professor at Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (Portugal). It’s all slated to take place at the upcoming AES New York 2017 Convention, October 18 to 21, at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan.

Immersive audio is the newest approach to surround sound – so why use the same old mixing tools? “3D Audio Tools for Immersive Audio” will feature Ryan Wardell (Avid), Nuno Fonseca (Sound Particles), Rafael Duyos (DSpatial) and Gaël Martinet (Flux) as they present four new and different approaches for working with the newest immersive cinema formats. 

On a more down-to-earth level, “The Art and Science of Foley” will host the EMMY®-winning team from Alchemy Post Sound as they talk about creating organic sounds from both a technical and artistic perspective and integrating them into the overall soundscape. In the “Dialog for Film and Television” session, top recording pros including Bobby Johanson (The Avengers, Bridge of Spies), Peter Schneider of Gotham Sound and EMMY winner Alexa Zimmerman will share their experiences in getting this most important sonic aspect right, every time.

In a session co-organized with the Cinema Audio Society, “Production Sound: Current Trends and Proven Traditions,” veteran film/video sound mixer and Trew Audio owner Glen Trew will discuss the application of new technology and techniques as well as long-established traditions for capturing production dialog and music on the set. The session content will cover choices made during mixing and tracking, including the use of boom mics vs. body mics, and music lip-sync vs. recording live. 

We’ve all heard about loudness wars in music and it’s become an issue in the movies as well. “Loudness Issues in Cinema – Is the Reference Lost?” will look at the pressures on movie production professionals to print at louder levels – but what about the hitherto “sacred” reference level? This workshop, featuring experts from Dolby, the National Association of Theater Owners and Cinema Audio Society, will look at the balancing act between audiences, sound mixers, theater management and technology providers.

In “Best Practices in Re-Recording Mixing,” OSCAR® winner Tom Fleischman, who has worked on more than 170 films, will show attendees how he approaches a project from beginning to end, focusing on how the audio mix can enhance the storytelling through engaging the audience’s emotions. In this session co-organized by the Cinema Audio Society (CAS), Fleischman will also discuss the evolution of technology over the last 40 years and how digital has changed the way movies are mixed.

The saying goes, “don’t try this at home,” but when it comes to sound for picture and video, not anymore! “Constructing a 5.1 Home Studio” will demonstrate that, thanks to advances in technology, freelancers and other pros can now convert that garage or extra room into a bona fide mixing stage using readily available components and economical and ingenious solutions.

Cutting-edge technology is a hot topic for many AES Convention attendees, and in “The Future of Audio for Cinema,” Kevin Collier (Warner Bros Director of Engineering), Doug Greenfield (Senior Director of Production Services, Dolby), Avi Laniado (Chief Engineer, Harbor Picture Company) and Brian Vessa (Executive Director of Audio, Sony Pictures Entertainment) will provide insight into changing technologies and how they’ll affect the future of cinema audio, along with the unresolved challenges that still need to be addressed.

Additional information about these and other AES Audio for Cinema Track events is available at: http://www.aes.org/events/143/audioforcinema/. 

Register now and make plans to join us at AES New York 2017. The convention will be co-located with the independent and adjacent NAB Show New York 2017. Registration, at any level, for AES New York 2017 will give attendees access to the NAB Show New York exhibition floor and the content in the NAB Show New York’s Core Package (a $75 value). Register now, upgrade to the All Access registration for the Maximum Audio experience, including the Audio for Cinema Track, and reserve housing for the 143rd AES Convention at aesshow.com.