Critical Listening

Critical listening is a technique by which audio tracks can be evaluated by members of the organization with a goal of improving them before release to the general public. Generally speaking tracks in this category will be labeled DRAFT or something similar and are not suitable for anyone outside of ARTC with a few specific exceptions.

Why do it?

ARTC strives to release the best, most professional-sounding product we can. The primary audio editor on a project is often too invested in that project, especially as it reaches its conclusion, to be objective about the recording. They may think something is fine that may need work or, more often, they may think that the audio requires an endless series of adjustments to consistently improve it. As the great Henry Howard once said, sometimes you have to shoot the engineer and get the thing out the door.

How to do it

In a nutshell, the goal of critical listening is to identify any and all elements that might take the listener out of the story. ARTC's artistic style tends towards as much immersion as we can and anything that seems out of place can be distracting for the listener.

Things to listen for in specific include, but are not limited to

• Are SFX too soft or too loud?
• Are voices of a consistent volume based on where they are in relation to each other and the listener?
• If stereo panning is used, do the voices sound too close or too far away from each other?
• Are there any SFX that seem out of place or don't sound enough like what they're supposed to represent?
• Are there any SFX that are missing?
• If vocal effects are used, can the voices still be understood?
• Is the line delivered by the actor in a way that makes sense within the context of the scene? ARTC does multiple takes of most of our scripts to try to ensure that this doesn't happen because retakes can and will delay a release schedule (assuming the actor is even available for retakes), but if the line reading has been completely misinterpreted, which has happened, then it's better to note it so that action can potentially be taken if possible.
• If literally anything doesn't sound the way you think it should. There have been actual releases where someone said afterwards "That didn't sound right, but I thought you meant to do that." Don't assume. If it doesn't make sense to you, send a note.

How to notate suggestions or critiques

Making good notes for the editor is essential to making sure the changes you're recommending get implemented properly. For best results, please make sure to do the following:

• Note the time that the change is to be made. Standard notation is [hh:mm:ss]. It is very helpful to get the time code as close as possible to where the change is needed.
• Give detailed notes about what you think should be changed and why you think so. The editor or director may disagree with you and knowing your reasons for why you think a change may be necessary is very helpful in case a discussion is necessary. Some things are obvious editing mistakes that were overlooked or discounted for the reasons listed above, but sometimes it's an artistic choice.
• If possible, list the equipment, environment, and conditions under which you were listening. In this day and age we listen to things all kinds of different ways. Car speakers, earbuds, home smartspeakers, etc. The primary editor is likely listening on studio monitors and/or headphones that have a flat response range (no extra trebel or bass). While we can't mix for EVERY listening environment, we can try to make adjustments to find a happy medium.

Who can do it?

Literally anyone can and should participate in critical listening if you have the time. The editor may take multiple viewpoints into consideration when deciding not only whether to make the requested change, but how to make it. Multiple ears will ensure the best possible quality of product for the final release. Be prepared, however, for the fact that not all changes can be made for various reasons including time, technical proficiency of the editor, artistic disagreements, and so forth. Also, listening to the work of others critically can improve your own acting performance by giving exposure to different acting interpretations.