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Utilizing a preferred portable speaker system enables a quick translation between various stages and mixdown rooms using the same or similar speaker systems. Also quite often, the mixer will bring only the Left/Center/Right front speak- ers and utilize the built-in surrounds and sub-woofer system. All scoring consoles have multiple speaker outputs with trims available for “guest” speaker systems. This allows for the fine tuning of levels between the main house monitor system and the guest or scoring mixer portable system.
Film monitor systems utilize similar front Left/Center/Right systems and smaller diffuse surround speaker systems typically used in theaters. The bass response of the control room versus theaters makes tuning and speci- fication of sub-woofers problematic, but the specification is still adhered to in terms of having an low frequency effects (LFE) channel and monitor system available.
Main monitor systems are leveled front (Left/ Center/Right) similarly to theaters at 85dBC at the mix posi- tion based on standard electronic level (-20 digital). Surround speakers are often leveled at 79dBC each and 82dBC combined. This is due to the proximity of the speak- ers in control rooms versus theaters; there is less air or vol- ume to move in order to hear the surrounds in the closer environment. This slightly lower monitor calibration allows the mixer to increase his electronic level sufficiently to over-
come the extra volume of the theater, which is leveled at 85dBC, the same as the front. Sub-woofers are leveled at 91dBC and again, depending on room response, may or may not be used in the scoring environment.
There has been some discussion and a bit of controversy regarding the restricted response and dynamic range of the “standard” theatrical monitoring and playback systems. The Scoring community utilizes typically higher quality monitoring due to the demands of purely music recording. Response of dia- log (restricted) and sound effects (wide) are less considered on the Scoring Stage than in the re-recording environment, where a close match to theatrical playback qualities must be main- tained. While the move toward higher resolution monitoring in theatrical playback systems is commendable, one must always bear in mind the restrictions of original dialog recording (story- telling element) versus the potentially higher resolution demands of music and effects. The playback systems must be supportive of the storytelling, not an end unto itself.
Because the Scoring Stage monitor environment must be both accurate and dramatically viable, several choices of monitoring elements are provided. Dialog and Sound Effects faders are available to make sample mixes with music play- back, so the film Director and the Composer can hear the music in context.
The monitor speaker system is then removed from cali-
Fig. 5 Fox Scoring Stage Control Room.
Motion picture scoring stages 29