As sound editors, we’re constantly coloring our audio clips on the timeline hundreds of times throughout the workday. In the same way that each of us has our own unique approach to sound selections and design, I’d hypothesize we each have our own individualized color-coding habits as well. Do some people seriously color-code magical chimes as anything other than yellow?? My curiosity motivated me to do a simple survey around the office—asking each editor exactly which color from the Pro Tools Color Palette they’d choose for specific sounds. The results were fascinating!
As a sound effects editor, you are likely part of a team of editors who eventually hand their work off to a re-recording mixer. It’s important to understand that the way that you organize your work is often just as important to your mixer and the final end product as is your creative quality.
We have sound editors coming in to test for us on a regular basis. The single most common difference between an editor who has worked largely alone versus one that has worked within a sound team is the lack of knowledge when it comes to the basics. There are three concepts I consider essential that I ask edit testers about right off the bat: Perspective Cutting, Stair Stepping, Color Coding. I can learn a lot about their familiarity with these concepts based on their response. Even a slight hesitance to answer is a dead giveaway; you’ve only worked alone and without much direction.
I have been a sound effects editor and supervising sound editor for a long time now. But, I have recently begun mixing a television series here at Boom Box Post. I am enjoying how much I learn each and every time that I sit down at the board, and am my no means ready to start spouting mixing advice to anyone. But, I can say that I’ve come to appreciate certain editorial practices (and absolutely abhor others!) through my new vantage point as a mixer. Things that I thought of as a nice way to make your mixer happy have turned into practices that are essential to me being able to start my mixing day right. Seriously, these five things can be the difference of hours added to my predub day. So, here are five editorial practices that I’ve realized are absolutely essential to a smooth mix.
