Selecting The Dialogue Takes

04Feb09

We’ve spent the last few days (or at least part of those days), sorting through the dialogue takes from last week. Although there are only a few lines in the film, recording dialogue in a studio is much faster and more flexible than having a whole crew on set, so it’s far simpler to get multiple takes, try different variations and so on. All that means plenty of material to listen through, even from a short recording session, and as ever with making a film, sorting through this material means making lots of decisions. The most subtle of changes in tone or pace of the line can result in a dramatic difference in the meaning, so choosing the right take is very important.

One thing that makes dialogue in an animation a little easier than live-action is the fact that you’re only dealing with audio, so you can chop it up and piece it back together without worrying about affecting the picture. For instance, we’ve assembled one section of dialogue from 4 pieces, taken from 3 different takes, which would probably be impossible in a live-action drama.

Creating the final animation also began in earnest this week. Mark’s spent the time between completing the animatic and now finalising the look of the characters and the backgrounds; now that the dialogue takes have been chosen, he’s begun work on creating the final shots. This involves several steps, but I’ll explain them another day, once I understand exactly what’s involved.

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Filed under: "Concerning Heaven and Hell", Editing   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: "Concerning Heaven and Hell", 60 second, animated, animation, commission, dialogue, Editing, Film, Filmmaking, Short, Short Film, Short Films