If you’ve known us for any time, you’ve probably heard us mention maxing out track counts on our Pro Tools HD system (192 max). Well, I just came across a web series that’s mixing with 48 tracks and 16 stereo busses.
You may think we don’t have much in common with this kind of sound design challenge, but believe me, we do. They are mixing a web series in stereo only whereas when we run out of tracks we’re working on theatrical releases in 5.1. If working in 5.1 only tripled the track count, as you might think, then the 5.1 equivalent of 48 tracks would be 144, so what makes me think we deal with the same kinds of issues as these guys? I’ll tell you what, working in 5.1 quadruples track counts (5.1+2.0 being the standard deliverable for surround projects), meaning we are working with the same scaled-up number of tracks per deliverable track as the crew on DR0NE. I can personally vouch for everything they say in the designingsound.org blog about how to get it done:
- pre-produce your audio post (I especially love their quip about President Lincoln supposedly saying “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”)
- know when and how to maximize the use of your libraries and your use of original sounds recording in Foley or via wild tracks
- when you do have to buy sound effects, don’t impulse buy them, shop around
Of course, we’d love to show you what we can do on your web series with 192 tracks or what we can do on your theatrical feature using the same rig. We keep our overhead low so your cost can be low no matter what your project is or where it’ll screen next.
