Request:

[MattiasNYC]

I'm looking for the following two things:

1) "Official" documents on surround standards for film and tv. This regarding both levels etc for delivery (North America (US)) and for setup/calibration of mix/screening rooms

2) Resources on "artistic" approach to the mixing - panning etc.

I already have a pretty firm grasp on fundamentals but I need some more info on the field as I may begin working in surround in the near future.

Any help given would be greatly appreciated.

m2

[kdm]

Dolby is a good place to start:

Dolby Surround Guide (http://www.dolby.com/uploadedFiles/zz-_Shared_Assets/English_PDFs/Professional/44_SuroundMixing.pdf)
5.1 Production Guidelines here (http://www.dolby.com/technicallibrary.aspx?id=306&taxid=186)

There are a couple of other links on levels that I don't have handy at the moment but will post when I find them.

[MattiasNYC]

Thanks Dedric,

Do you know of any particular tools that are indispensable options to hardware? I'm thinking metering/measuring such as Leq(a) in the LM-100 etc....

[MattiasNYC]

Additional question:

Surround panners/joystics? Recommendations? How is the "MCS-ORBITER" from JL Cooper?

[HDJK]

Have you seen Recommendations for Surround Sound Production (http://www.grammy.com/Recording_Academy/Producers_And_Engineers/Guidelines/)? They're really helpful.

[HDJK]

Thanks Dedric,

Do you know of any particular tools that are indispensable options to hardware? I'm thinking metering/measuring such as Leq(a) in the LM-100 etc....

I don't think there is an equivalent of LEQ metering software wise. You need the Dolby box for that.

[DogandPony]

Regarding software LEQ, there are a couple out there. On the Mac side there is Audioleak. Dolby has a software meter too and I heard a rumor that Waves may implement LEQ into the Dorrough collection. There's also been a discussion on Yahoo Sound Designers group and it appears the consensus is that Dolby is steering toward the ITU as a standard. I also found this:
http://www.sonoris.nl/catalog/meter-p-34.html

Apparently Fredo tried it and had some crashing problems but YMMV. john.

[psvennevig]

Sources:

http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=87830

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/post-production-forum/107770-film-broadcast-levels.html

http://www.visuals.co.uk/HandsOn/PDF/Global_Technical_Specs_Discovery.pdf

http://www.abluesky.com/asp/catalogue/catalogue.asp?linkid=172

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_9_2/feature-article-curves-6-2002.html

http://www.pbs.org/producers/TOS_2007_Submission_8_20_07.pdf

Just a few I have found useful.
Keep in mind that you have to contact or get tech. info from the different Broadcasters.

Here in Norway it is at least 4 different delivery standards amongst the national broadcasters.
That is NOT counting HD broadcasts.

Pål

[MattiasNYC]

Thanks kids... I'll take a look at all that.....

Oh, about the panner; any ideas?

[psvennevig]

The surround panner from Cooper used with Digidesign D-Command is good.
So why not the other one.

The joystick on the WK-Audio ID control is really good. Can also be used for normal panning.
The joystick(s) on the Euphonix MC is also very good.

I do not know if it still works, but in earlier days you could take a normal (say) Logitech motorized joystick, just plug it in, boot Nuendo, open a surround panner and it just works.

Pål

[MattiasNYC]

So Pål, the Cooper you're talking about is the one I mentioned below or different? Because the one I saw is freestanding as an option (to Cooper's own thinginemajigg)...

[psvennevig]

This is the one you mentioned
http://www.jlcooper.com/pages/mcsorb.html

This is the "DigiDesign" JL cooper joystick
http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?langid=100&itemid=4955

I guess they are pretty much the same. Except for firmware I guess.
And the "DigiDesign" version is prettier :-)

P

[MattiasNYC]

But as far as you know Pål they both work with Nuendo?

[MattiasNYC]

Sorry for bumping.... (not really)...