Unscripted Dialogue Masterclass: Part 3

Today, we're tackling two beasts: the dreaded frankenbite and the ever-present censorship of broadcast television.

Fear not, for I, your friendly neighborhood dialogue editor, am here to guide you through the taming process!

Frankenbites: Building Cohesive Monsters

Frankenbites.

The name alone conjures images of mad scientists stitching together mismatched parts.

And let's be honest, sometimes that's exactly what they feel like! These Frankensteinian creations – where bits of dialogue from different takes are pieced together to form a single, cohesive thought – are a staple of unscripted editing.

But wielding this power requires responsibility! Here are some tips to ensure your frankenbites sound smooth and natural:

• The Art of the Fade: Think of fades as sonic bridges. Use them generously to create seamless transitions between different sections of the frankenbite. Don't be afraid to experiment with different fade lengths – sometimes a short, snappy crossfade is all you need, while other situations might call for a more gradual fade-in or fade-out. Expirement with fade shape as well, leaning it more one way the other helps you control the flow of when syllables come in or out.

• Pacing is King: Just like a good movie scene, your frankenbite needs a sense of rhythm. Pay attention to the pacing of the dialogue – the natural pauses, the emphasis on certain words. Minor adjustments in timing can make all the difference between a clunky edit and a smooth, flowing conversation.

• Respect the Original: This might sound obvious, but it's worth mentioning. Always, always, always keep a muted copy of the original edit on a separate track. Think of it as your safety net. If things go sideways during the editing process, you can always revert back to the original and start fresh.

• Less is More: When it comes to time-stretching, pitch-shifting, or any other fancy audio manipulations – resist the urge! Unless specifically instructed by the re-recording mixer, leave these adjustments for the final mix. Your job is to create a clean, cohesive edit; the sonic wizardry can come later.

I can have a whole masterclass series on franken-editing –matter of fact, I do! Stay tuned! 😉

Censorship: The Bleeping Ballad

Broadcast television operates under a different set of rules. Certain words just can't fly across the airwaves, which is where censorship, our not-so-glamorous friend, comes in. However, most deliverable specifications require an uncensored stem. Here's how to seamlessly integrate those bleeps like a pro:

• The Bleep Track Awakens: First things first, create a dedicated bleep track in your editing software. It should route to your summing dialogue bus. There might already be a template with a designated bleep track (like mine ❤️)– if not, it's a quick and easy setup.

• The Bleep Tone: The bleep tone itself is usually a 1kHz tone sitting at -20dB. This effect might be provided in the AAF you receive. But if not, if you make one yourself, it has to meet that requirement. The key is to make sure this track has no clip gain adjustments – you want those bleeps to be consistent throughout.

• Standards and Practices: The Law of the Land: Broadcast networks have their own set of guidelines, also known as Standards and Practices (S&P). Think of it as the bleeping bible. Every network is different, so don't hesitate to reach out to the post-production supervisor for the latest S&P PDF. This ensures you're bleeping the right words and for the right amount of time.

• The Art of Partial Bleeping: Here's a little secret: some networks allow for a tiny bit of the "offensive" word to be heard before the bleep kicks in. This can actually sound more natural. Just make sure you're following the S&P guidelines to the letter – no sneaky partial bleeps unless it's explicitly allowed!

• The 10ms Fade: Your Bleeping BFF: When it comes to fading in and out of your bleeps, consistency is key. A nice, short 10-millisecond equal gain fade is your best friend here. It ensures a professional, polished sound that won't distract viewers from the content. It ends up looking like this:

  

  (please note that the picture above has equal power crossfades instead of equal gain. Equal power crossfades of the same source creates a bump in volume. Please use equal gain.)

• The Quality Control Hero: Listen closely, my friends, because offline editors aren't perfect (shocker, I know). They might miss a rogue curse word here and there). This is where you, the eagle-eared dialogue editor, become the quality control ninja! If you catch any stray expletives that slipped through the cracks, grab the word and its timecode. This info goes straight to the online editor (who works on the final picture edit with all the bells and whistles) so they can create any necessary onscreen mouth blurs. Trust me, your post-production supervisor and mixer will thank you for catching those slip-ups – it saves them a ton of time and headaches down the line!

• Uncensored Stems: A Delicate Dance: Sometimes, productions require an uncensored version of the episode for international distribution or for streaming services with fewer restrictions. If that's the case, you'll need to create an "Uncensored DX" track. This can be done by placing the uncensored dialogue on a separate track, clearly labeled. You can then either mute the clip itself or mute/deactivate the entire track, depending on your workflow and your mixer’s preferences. If their editing template doesn't have a built-in system for uncensored stems, have a conversation with your mixer about the best approach. Communication is key!

By mastering these techniques, you'll not only conquer the challenges of frankenbites and bleeps, but you'll also ensure your work exceeds your mixer's expectations.

Remember, the more polished your edits are upfront, the less time your mixer spends fixing things and the more time they can spend creating magic in the final mix and booking you for the next dialogue edit. It's a win-win for everyone!

Stay tuned for the next chapter in this epic saga, where we'll delve into the fascinating world of production effects (PFX) editing.

Happy editing! 🫶🏽