Monday, February 25, 2013

Mix Analysis 6: Captain America

Captain America: The First Avenger

Scene 1: 32:00-33:00
Steve walks into the secret testing lab to see the special enhancing pod for the first time.
Time                  SFX 1             SFX 2                 Ambiance                 Music              Dialogue
32:00                                          Foley (metal room, reverberant)     Light, quiet
32:01                                                     Scientists working; knobs/gears
32:05         interspersed footsteps                       
32:15                                                                                                                       Scientist greets
32:16    (old school) Camera flashes
32:18                                                                                                                     Scientist lines        
32:35  Foley for removing clothes
32:37     foley on footsteps                 Control room discussion (less reverb) General speaks to Senator
32:58 Foley of getting into pod

Scene 2 (1:35:17-1:36:17)
Commandos break into the villain's base to help Captain America, meanwhile the army outside approaches in full force.
Time                  SFX 1             SFX 2                 Ambiance                 Music              Dialogue
1:35:17        Zip lining down wires        Air sounds of inside a base    Strings-rising tension
1:35:20                                                                                                                         Cpt. America
1:35:22      Laser zap and boomy after effect
1:35:23      Breaking glass
1:35:26      Gunshots    screams of being shot
1:35:28      Screaming
1:35:29      Body hitting ground thud                                           Louder, horn heavy
1:35:31                                                   More gunshots and screaming
1:35:33                                                                                                        Commando to Cpt. America
1:35:34 Whoosh of shield thrown
1:35:35 Thud of catching shield                                                                 Cpt. America: "Thanks"
1:35:41  Foley of footsteps (boots on metal, one person)
1:35:42  Many feet on same surface
1:35:45 Explosion, rubble tossed about          Fire
1:35:47                                                      Gunshots                                              Commando yells
1:35:52                                                                                                                  Sergeant responds
1:35:53  Many soldiers going through woods (packs and equipment rustling)
1:35:57  Lasers going down hallway, gunshots coming up, ricocheting
1:35:58  Army advances and shoots                   Outside, in forest
1:36:00  Explosion            Lasers
1:36:11                                                                  Lasers, soldiers yelling


Supervising Sound Editor: Howell Gibbons
Also worked on: The Green Mile; Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Sound Re-recording engineer: Evan Rautiainen
Also Worked on: The Bourne Ultimatum, Dream House

For such a big budget film, I'm a little disappointed by this movie's sound quality; a lot of the sound effects sound like stock recordings, and they seem like the most overused parts of a Hollywood sound effect library. There's no interesting use of stereo, and the only dynamics come into play with dialogue. Nothing is really given depth or place, just appearance in foreground or background. This drags an action movie down, since the big supposedly exciting parts just get dragged down by bad sound, and that's not counting the other faults of the movie. It's visually interesting sure, but it leaves a taste in my mouth that seems like Hollywood cares more about flashy effects than an overall impressive picture. I rag on it specifically because it was a big budget movie and wanted to be a memorable action movie, yes superhero movies aren't known for being the best ever, but with the dark knight trilogy, and even the other Marvel character movies doing well, the idea of superheroes is gaining some ground; this one however isn't putting in the effort to actually make a solid movie. With an action movie there is supposed to be a lot going on, and granted getting all of the sound effects and mixing them can be difficult and time taking, but when it's done hastily and sloppily it shows and brings down the whole movie.


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