Mix Analysis 12 - American History X

American History X

Year: 1998

Scene 1: Derek learns that there is a black person breaking into his car outside, he takes his gun and investigates.

4:13-5:13

Time SFX 1 SFX 2 Music Ambiance Dialogue

4:13 Tense orchestral music Derek and Danny

4:14 Foley of getting out of bed and getting dressed

4:27 Doorknob flicks, foley of boots ing put on and hitting wood floor

4:28 Drawer opens, Derek grabs a gun

4:29 Checks to see if gun is loaded

4:31 cocks gun

4:36 footstep foley

4:38 two people descending stairs

4:40                                                                                                                               Derek shushes Danny, whispers

4:46 soft footsteps

4:51 softly unlocks door

4:56 Outdoor ambiance

5:04 Door is kicked open Music Crescendos

5:06 Gushots, man grunts Music stops

5:12 Gunshot sound rings out, slower

Scene 2: Danny comes back from school to see Derek on the first day he is out of jail.

23:00-24:00

Time SFX 1 SFX 2 Music Ambiance Dialogue

23:00 Door unlocking Soft, orchestral

23:01 Small quick cry

23:05 Door closes                                                                                                                               Danny talks

23:06 Backpack put on ground, chain rattles

23:07                                                                                                                                                          Derek responds

23:10 Slapping back during hug                                                                                    Danny and Derek talk

23:15 Hand on shoulder

23:21 Hand touches (bald) head

23:37 Hand grabs (bald) arm

23:53 Phone rings

24:00              Hand on neck                                                                                                                              Mom talks

Supervising Sound Editor: Frederick Howard

Also worked on: Austin Powers, Arrested Development

Sound rerecording engineer: Joe Barnett

Also worked on: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Austin Powers

I picked this because Frederick Howard was the supervising sound editor for this, Arrested Development, and Austin powers. This is a drama, compared to the other two which are comedies, so how it is made to sound is different. That being said, there are some striking similarities to these three things. They all feature little ambiance, and leave plenty of empty space for dialogue and sound effects. Which makes sense, the script, the sound effects, and the score set the mood. In comedies everything is lighter and witty, in dramas things are tense; but they both utilize the negative space between words for emphasis, and time for body language and acting to have its place. That might also be part of Howard’s style, a very precise overall sound, with layering being kept for crucial and important moments. On the topic of the mix itself, everything sounds right, the scenes inside and outside have the right amount of reverb and levels are all clean, even, and make sense. While I can’t say I like what they’re saying, the actors portray their characters well, and the sound keeps everything realistic.