I'm working with Corridor Digital: https://www.youtube.com/user/CorridorDigital
and The Dolby Institute in making a series of audio advice videos to help young low budget story tellers on how to get the best out of their sound, and we primary use Adobe's Audition & Premiere.
Our videos are covering Foley, Mixing, Sound Fixing, Mixing 5.1, ADR etc.
For our Mixing Video one of the most difficult parts of information that can help guide young filmmakers is knowing what levels should they aim for.
Such as Levels for Dialogue, Effects, Music, & Background. I've been researching for quiet some time and I am not finding the information I'm looking for isn't that available; mostly finding professionals talking about, of course, just the reference tones, but also, just hire someone, go to dolby or thx.
My issue is, What if they can't? What if one of our viewers cant afford the best or the industry standard, their story still needs the best sound that that filmmaker can give it. Whether they are just putting it on Youtube or Vimeo or making DVDs or maybe actually they're broke students who are going to have a screening in a small theater for the public. I want to be able to make sure that I and Corridor Digital give them something they can start working with and learn and practice from.
So I'm reaching out for to fill in some informational holes. If anyone who follows can help, it will help all of the viewers that need that little bit of guidance.
This is what I have come up with after the past couple months:
Sub-Mixes:
DX: Dialogue
SX: Sound Effects
FX: Foley Effects
MX: Music
BG: Background
___________________
ONLINE: (Calibrate Speakers at a “Reference Tone” of -9db)
"Even though, most viewers change speaker volumes on every video to a comfortable level, I found -9db has created the best results on multiple media/ speaker devices."
Master: 0 to -18db
Dialogue: -5 to -10db
Effects: 0 to -18db
Music: 0 to -18db
Background: -5 to -18db
THEATRICAL: (Calibrate Speakers at a “Reference Tone” of -22db)
Master: -3 to -40db??
Dialogue: -12 to -16db (peaks/screams: -6) ??
Effects: ??
Music: ??
Background: ??
TV/DVD: (Calibrate Speakers at a “Reference Tone” of -12db)
Master: -6 to -18db??
Dialogue: -6 to -12db??
Effects: -3 to -18db ??
Music: -3 to -18db??
Background: -6 to -18db??
Please, any thoughts, notes, adjustments that can lead to better education for the young storytellers out there, the better. Thank you so much.
~Carmichael