Page 24 - 2013 Spring

and scores, are determined by the music editor and are marked on the film picture or programmed into an editorial computer that runs in sync with the picture via SMPTE time code. Picture cues include streamers (vertical lines crossing the picture from left to right in timed intervals of 3 to 5 feet to prepare for a picture “hit”), punches (to specifically indi- cate a “hit”) or flutters (to indicate a passing bar line). Additionally, the music editor will often prepare a “click track” which will coincide with the composer’s indicated tempo for all or part of each cue. The click tracks were origi- nally a punched optical track and evolved to edited magnetic click tracks, click loops, analog metronomes, digital metronomes and finally computerized click tracks. Click tracks can be steady state or variable in the above forms. The current computerized click can adjust in minute increments to place music exactly on hits, even when a steady tempo would slightly miss.
Click tracks are played back to musicians via headphones (single or double sided) during the performance of each cue. Often, timing of a cue will involve clicked measures and free timed or conducted measures. The picture marks that are described above are used to support the click bars and to manually time the conducted bars.
The composer supervises the recording process in terms of performance and sound quality. Often, multiple elements will be recorded to form a complete cue. Separation of ele- ments is necessary for the final film mix process, described later in this presentation. The composer oversees the final music mix and production of the music track and sometimes supervises the music mix in the final dub as well.
The stages
Shortly following the introduction of sound for picture, the requirement to record an accompanying music score to picture came to the foreground. Quickly realizing this requirement, Film Studios converted the most appropriate and underused facility on their production lots to the pur- pose of music recording. Invariably this was an unused shooting stage. Examples are Stage 1 at MGM/Sony, Stage 1 at Disney and Stage 10 at Universal. These shooting stages were not equipped for sound recording or musical perform- ance. They were a large enough space to house the studio orchestra and usually had an adjacent insert stage space, which could be used as a control room.
Slowly, over the next decade, these spaces were adapted for better noise isolation and acoustic character. Sometimes, they were replaced by purpose-built scoring facilities. While orchestral scores were initially the norm, the size of ensemble varied from a few players to a “large” studio orchestral of 40- 60 players. Often, there were soloists and rhythm players involved as well which required special isolation, baffling or separate recording treatments. The current large orchestra of 85-105 players did not come in to play until the late 1970’s, and clearly overworks the available volume of the earlier ded- icated spaces.
Recording formats initially were single track optical and soon evolved to multiple single channel recorders operated in sync to facilitate separation of instruments, vocals and musi-
cal effects. Progressively, multi-track formats flourished fol- lowing the introduction of magnetic recording. The record- ing formats have followed or lead the artistic ideals on mag- netic film carrying up to six separate tracks, then to 2” 24 track analog, to 48-track digital and now to an unlimited track count.
Control room monitoring was based on theatrical play- back systems and generally included only a single channel. Currently, multichannel monitoring systems, both perma- nent and portable, are utilized in scoring venues worldwide. Musician headphone monitoring for synchronization (click) performances, was provided by single-ear carbon headsets, and is still in use today.
Microphone technology advanced swiftly during the 1930-1950 period. Designs introduced during that period are still in use today. Similarly, tube and later solid-state technol- ogy quickly responded to artistic requirement and became state of the art.
Scoring Stage electronic and acoustic control sophistica- tion has increased during the recent past, and the develop- ment of digital and network technologies have driven the technical implementation of these spaces dramatically.
Venues other than Scoring Stages have been adapted for use in Film Score Recording. Multi-track record recording facilities, concert halls, radio and television production facil- ities have all fallen into this category.
Acoustic scoring requirements
The initial requirement of “a place to record the score” has given way to some very organized acoustic environments. The scoring stages at MGM, Fox, and Warner’s have all received treatment to normalize the acoustics for film score recording. The Disney Stage A and the Republic/CBS/Todd- AO Stage were both purpose built Scoring Stages construct- ed in the 1940s. Having said that, none of the three remain- ing stages present an ideal orchestral environment. The ver- satility of the recording stage takes precedence to the single- purpose orchestral treatment.
Typical usage of Scoring Stages could encompass a full symphony orchestra during the day to a small rhythm section in the evenings. Even within the same session, one can encounter diverse ensemble configurations. To accomplish this, stages were designed with less active acoustics, that abil- ity for musicians to hear each other properly without adversely injecting an acoustical signature to the recording. Treatments to existing stages varied, some resulting in “happy accidents.” The MGM Scoring Stage is probably the best example of this; with dimensions of 66’x93’ and a vol- ume of approximately 160,000 cu ft., it maintains a mid-band reverb characteristic of 1.0-1.3 seconds and can support large ensembles without apparent acoustic overload.
The Warner’s and Fox Scoring Stages exhibit a lower reverb time but still provide adequate musician-to-musician feedback. The CBS/Todd-AO Stage, now closed, was re- designed acoustically in the early 1990’s to provide a more symphonic environment. While somewhat variable, the basic reverberation signature of the 72’x108’ 250,000 cubic foot scoring stage was approximately 1.8 seconds mid-band.
Motion picture scoring stages 23