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Which comes first in song-and-dance movies: The soundtrack or the video?
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In big-budget movies like the Pitch Perfect trilogy that are full of cast singing and dancing to sound-studio tracks, including close-ups with no obvious "lip-synching" breaks:
When the actors are performing a song-and-dance scene, what do they hear? Is there a final or at least "complete" song track piped in for them to synchronize to? Or do they hear something modified – e.g., preliminary soundtrack minus primary vocals, a simple beat track, or something different that facilitates synchronization of the choreography, singing, and post-production?
Also, on set: Do the actors lip-synch, vocalize, or is it up to them which to do in any given take?
production soundtrack pitch-perfect
asked 2 hours ago
feetwet
740722
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up vote
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In big-budget movies like the Pitch Perfect trilogy that are full of cast singing and dancing to sound-studio tracks, including close-ups with no obvious "lip-synching" breaks:
When the actors are performing a song-and-dance scene, what do they hear? Is there a final or at least "complete" song track piped in for them to synchronize to? Or do they hear something modified – e.g., preliminary soundtrack minus primary vocals, a simple beat track, or something different that facilitates synchronization of the choreography, singing, and post-production?
Also, on set: Do the actors lip-synch, vocalize, or is it up to them which to do in any given take?
production soundtrack pitch-perfect
asked 2 hours ago
feetwet
740722
This question may be closed as too broad. You are asking multiple questions (e.g. the additional question in your last paragraph). Also, saying "In big-budget movies" means that your question covers ALL musicals, rather than a specific film such as Pitch Perfect (the first one). That will lead to an answer that lists all techniques ever used throughout the history of film. You can probably tighten up your question to ask for the technique used in one film, or possibly the whole Pitch Perfect trilogy (which may have used different techniques under the 3 different directors).
– BrettFromLA
1 hour ago
2
Probably a combination of all of them depending on the requirements. Certainly, as far as I am aware, they are listening to something. It's most likely that the final version will be done post-filming though.
– Paulie_D
1 hour ago
@BrettFromLA – I just broke out the "add-on question" separately here. Since I don't know if there is are practices common across the industry, the question was intentionally posed to elicit any such answers. In case it varies significantly I offer the specific Pitch Perfect film(s) to admit a good answer.
– feetwet
40 secs ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
In big-budget movies like the Pitch Perfect trilogy that are full of cast singing and dancing to sound-studio tracks, including close-ups with no obvious "lip-synching" breaks:
When the actors are performing a song-and-dance scene, what do they hear? Is there a final or at least "complete" song track piped in for them to synchronize to? Or do they hear something modified – e.g., preliminary soundtrack minus primary vocals, a simple beat track, or something different that facilitates synchronization of the choreography, singing, and post-production?
Also, on set: Do the actors lip-synch, vocalize, or is it up to them which to do in any given take?
production soundtrack pitch-perfect
asked 2 hours ago
feetwet
740722
In big-budget movies like the Pitch Perfect trilogy that are full of cast singing and dancing to sound-studio tracks, including close-ups with no obvious "lip-synching" breaks:
When the actors are performing a song-and-dance scene, what do they hear? Is there a final or at least "complete" song track piped in for them to synchronize to? Or do they hear something modified – e.g., preliminary soundtrack minus primary vocals, a simple beat track, or something different that facilitates synchronization of the choreography, singing, and post-production?
Also, on set: Do the actors lip-synch, vocalize, or is it up to them which to do in any given take?
production soundtrack pitch-perfect
production soundtrack pitch-perfect
asked 2 hours ago
feetwet
740722
asked 2 hours ago
feetwet
740722
edited 1 hour ago
asked 2 hours ago
feetwet
740722
asked 2 hours ago
feetwet
740722
asked 2 hours ago
feetwet
740722
740722
This question may be closed as too broad. You are asking multiple questions (e.g. the additional question in your last paragraph). Also, saying "In big-budget movies" means that your question covers ALL musicals, rather than a specific film such as Pitch Perfect (the first one). That will lead to an answer that lists all techniques ever used throughout the history of film. You can probably tighten up your question to ask for the technique used in one film, or possibly the whole Pitch Perfect trilogy (which may have used different techniques under the 3 different directors).
– BrettFromLA
1 hour ago
2
Probably a combination of all of them depending on the requirements. Certainly, as far as I am aware, they are listening to something. It's most likely that the final version will be done post-filming though.
– Paulie_D
1 hour ago
@BrettFromLA – I just broke out the "add-on question" separately here. Since I don't know if there is are practices common across the industry, the question was intentionally posed to elicit any such answers. In case it varies significantly I offer the specific Pitch Perfect film(s) to admit a good answer.
– feetwet
40 secs ago
add a comment |Â
This question may be closed as too broad. You are asking multiple questions (e.g. the additional question in your last paragraph). Also, saying "In big-budget movies" means that your question covers ALL musicals, rather than a specific film such as Pitch Perfect (the first one). That will lead to an answer that lists all techniques ever used throughout the history of film. You can probably tighten up your question to ask for the technique used in one film, or possibly the whole Pitch Perfect trilogy (which may have used different techniques under the 3 different directors).
– BrettFromLA
1 hour ago
2
Probably a combination of all of them depending on the requirements. Certainly, as far as I am aware, they are listening to something. It's most likely that the final version will be done post-filming though.
– Paulie_D
1 hour ago
@BrettFromLA – I just broke out the "add-on question" separately here. Since I don't know if there is are practices common across the industry, the question was intentionally posed to elicit any such answers. In case it varies significantly I offer the specific Pitch Perfect film(s) to admit a good answer.
– feetwet
40 secs ago
This question may be closed as too broad. You are asking multiple questions (e.g. the additional question in your last paragraph). Also, saying "In big-budget movies" means that your question covers ALL musicals, rather than a specific film such as Pitch Perfect (the first one). That will lead to an answer that lists all techniques ever used throughout the history of film. You can probably tighten up your question to ask for the technique used in one film, or possibly the whole Pitch Perfect trilogy (which may have used different techniques under the 3 different directors).
– BrettFromLA
1 hour ago
This question may be closed as too broad. You are asking multiple questions (e.g. the additional question in your last paragraph). Also, saying "In big-budget movies" means that your question covers ALL musicals, rather than a specific film such as Pitch Perfect (the first one). That will lead to an answer that lists all techniques ever used throughout the history of film. You can probably tighten up your question to ask for the technique used in one film, or possibly the whole Pitch Perfect trilogy (which may have used different techniques under the 3 different directors).
– BrettFromLA
1 hour ago
2
2
Probably a combination of all of them depending on the requirements. Certainly, as far as I am aware, they are listening to something. It's most likely that the final version will be done post-filming though.
– Paulie_D
1 hour ago
Probably a combination of all of them depending on the requirements. Certainly, as far as I am aware, they are listening to something. It's most likely that the final version will be done post-filming though.
– Paulie_D
1 hour ago
@BrettFromLA – I just broke out the "add-on question" separately here. Since I don't know if there is are practices common across the industry, the question was intentionally posed to elicit any such answers. In case it varies significantly I offer the specific Pitch Perfect film(s) to admit a good answer.
– feetwet
40 secs ago
@BrettFromLA – I just broke out the "add-on question" separately here. Since I don't know if there is are practices common across the industry, the question was intentionally posed to elicit any such answers. In case it varies significantly I offer the specific Pitch Perfect film(s) to admit a good answer.
– feetwet
40 secs ago
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
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This might be a bit broad, and I have no documentary evidence to back things up, but... [my qualification is I am a (retired) professional sound engineer, who now works in the movie industry]
Back in the old "Singin' in the Rain" days, the music would be completed first and the actor would lip-sync to a playback on set.
This was the only way, technically, they could realistically achieve something like sync.
Today, we have software that can move a vocal to match another sound track - notably something called VocAlign Pro [other software is likely also available, but that's the one I know and have used]
This gives you the option of re-aligning the audio of a later-recorded vocal track to the original recorded on the sound stage, so you will never see lip-sync issues. This technique is also used for dialog 'looping' (also known as ADR or dubbing).
Once you have that capability, it ceases to matter which you record first, as you can always go back and time-shift it later.
Practically, it can depend on the state of completeness of the actual song arrangements. The last musical I worked on, all that was set in stone was the song format - verse/chorus/verse etc - all the actual arrangements were still in rough outline. The structures themselves were of course recorded on digital sequencers, so the tempo was nailed solid and could be used as an absolute reference for any later overdubs. So the cast sang to piano/drum arrangements, and everything else will be overdubbed and re-recorded after filming is complete.
Regarding the 'add-on question' - it's better if the actor fully vocalises, i.e. sing it up loud rather than mumble along, as the visual facial/body characteristics will far better match the sound of the final performance.
answered 1 hour ago
Tetsujin
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
This might be a bit broad, and I have no documentary evidence to back things up, but... [my qualification is I am a (retired) professional sound engineer, who now works in the movie industry]
Back in the old "Singin' in the Rain" days, the music would be completed first and the actor would lip-sync to a playback on set.
This was the only way, technically, they could realistically achieve something like sync.
Today, we have software that can move a vocal to match another sound track - notably something called VocAlign Pro [other software is likely also available, but that's the one I know and have used]
This gives you the option of re-aligning the audio of a later-recorded vocal track to the original recorded on the sound stage, so you will never see lip-sync issues. This technique is also used for dialog 'looping' (also known as ADR or dubbing).
Once you have that capability, it ceases to matter which you record first, as you can always go back and time-shift it later.
Practically, it can depend on the state of completeness of the actual song arrangements. The last musical I worked on, all that was set in stone was the song format - verse/chorus/verse etc - all the actual arrangements were still in rough outline. The structures themselves were of course recorded on digital sequencers, so the tempo was nailed solid and could be used as an absolute reference for any later overdubs. So the cast sang to piano/drum arrangements, and everything else will be overdubbed and re-recorded after filming is complete.
Regarding the 'add-on question' - it's better if the actor fully vocalises, i.e. sing it up loud rather than mumble along, as the visual facial/body characteristics will far better match the sound of the final performance.
answered 1 hour ago
Tetsujin
15.3k55260
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
This might be a bit broad, and I have no documentary evidence to back things up, but... [my qualification is I am a (retired) professional sound engineer, who now works in the movie industry]
Back in the old "Singin' in the Rain" days, the music would be completed first and the actor would lip-sync to a playback on set.
This was the only way, technically, they could realistically achieve something like sync.
Today, we have software that can move a vocal to match another sound track - notably something called VocAlign Pro [other software is likely also available, but that's the one I know and have used]
This gives you the option of re-aligning the audio of a later-recorded vocal track to the original recorded on the sound stage, so you will never see lip-sync issues. This technique is also used for dialog 'looping' (also known as ADR or dubbing).
Once you have that capability, it ceases to matter which you record first, as you can always go back and time-shift it later.
Practically, it can depend on the state of completeness of the actual song arrangements. The last musical I worked on, all that was set in stone was the song format - verse/chorus/verse etc - all the actual arrangements were still in rough outline. The structures themselves were of course recorded on digital sequencers, so the tempo was nailed solid and could be used as an absolute reference for any later overdubs. So the cast sang to piano/drum arrangements, and everything else will be overdubbed and re-recorded after filming is complete.
Regarding the 'add-on question' - it's better if the actor fully vocalises, i.e. sing it up loud rather than mumble along, as the visual facial/body characteristics will far better match the sound of the final performance.
answered 1 hour ago
Tetsujin
15.3k55260
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
This might be a bit broad, and I have no documentary evidence to back things up, but... [my qualification is I am a (retired) professional sound engineer, who now works in the movie industry]
Back in the old "Singin' in the Rain" days, the music would be completed first and the actor would lip-sync to a playback on set.
This was the only way, technically, they could realistically achieve something like sync.
Today, we have software that can move a vocal to match another sound track - notably something called VocAlign Pro [other software is likely also available, but that's the one I know and have used]
This gives you the option of re-aligning the audio of a later-recorded vocal track to the original recorded on the sound stage, so you will never see lip-sync issues. This technique is also used for dialog 'looping' (also known as ADR or dubbing).
Once you have that capability, it ceases to matter which you record first, as you can always go back and time-shift it later.
Practically, it can depend on the state of completeness of the actual song arrangements. The last musical I worked on, all that was set in stone was the song format - verse/chorus/verse etc - all the actual arrangements were still in rough outline. The structures themselves were of course recorded on digital sequencers, so the tempo was nailed solid and could be used as an absolute reference for any later overdubs. So the cast sang to piano/drum arrangements, and everything else will be overdubbed and re-recorded after filming is complete.
Regarding the 'add-on question' - it's better if the actor fully vocalises, i.e. sing it up loud rather than mumble along, as the visual facial/body characteristics will far better match the sound of the final performance.
answered 1 hour ago
Tetsujin
15.3k55260
This might be a bit broad, and I have no documentary evidence to back things up, but... [my qualification is I am a (retired) professional sound engineer, who now works in the movie industry]
Back in the old "Singin' in the Rain" days, the music would be completed first and the actor would lip-sync to a playback on set.
This was the only way, technically, they could realistically achieve something like sync.
Today, we have software that can move a vocal to match another sound track - notably something called VocAlign Pro [other software is likely also available, but that's the one I know and have used]
This gives you the option of re-aligning the audio of a later-recorded vocal track to the original recorded on the sound stage, so you will never see lip-sync issues. This technique is also used for dialog 'looping' (also known as ADR or dubbing).
Once you have that capability, it ceases to matter which you record first, as you can always go back and time-shift it later.
Practically, it can depend on the state of completeness of the actual song arrangements. The last musical I worked on, all that was set in stone was the song format - verse/chorus/verse etc - all the actual arrangements were still in rough outline. The structures themselves were of course recorded on digital sequencers, so the tempo was nailed solid and could be used as an absolute reference for any later overdubs. So the cast sang to piano/drum arrangements, and everything else will be overdubbed and re-recorded after filming is complete.
Regarding the 'add-on question' - it's better if the actor fully vocalises, i.e. sing it up loud rather than mumble along, as the visual facial/body characteristics will far better match the sound of the final performance.
answered 1 hour ago
Tetsujin
15.3k55260
edited 1 hour ago
answered 1 hour ago
Tetsujin
15.3k55260
answered 1 hour ago
Tetsujin
15.3k55260
answered 1 hour ago
Tetsujin
15.3k55260
15.3k55260
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
This question may be closed as too broad. You are asking multiple questions (e.g. the additional question in your last paragraph). Also, saying "In big-budget movies" means that your question covers ALL musicals, rather than a specific film such as Pitch Perfect (the first one). That will lead to an answer that lists all techniques ever used throughout the history of film. You can probably tighten up your question to ask for the technique used in one film, or possibly the whole Pitch Perfect trilogy (which may have used different techniques under the 3 different directors).
– BrettFromLA
1 hour ago
2
Probably a combination of all of them depending on the requirements. Certainly, as far as I am aware, they are listening to something. It's most likely that the final version will be done post-filming though.
– Paulie_D
1 hour ago
@BrettFromLA – I just broke out the "add-on question" separately here. Since I don't know if there is are practices common across the industry, the question was intentionally posed to elicit any such answers. In case it varies significantly I offer the specific Pitch Perfect film(s) to admit a good answer.
– feetwet
40 secs ago