Every Independent Sound Designer has their own method of working. This is a rough description of what a typical Post-Production SOW looks like for me; including Dialog Edit, Sound Design and Sound Mixing. Don’t ask me what big Hollywood studios do, I work with indie filmmakers.

This estimation is divided in phases and doesn’t contain estimated times, because every project is different, obviously; the more complex the work, the longer each phase will take. Some projects may take additional stages while others, for example Shortfilms or Commercials, may take a lot less stages and therefore time. Simple projects could be out of the door on the same day while complex ones could take several weeks or even months to complete.

For more details, please check my Terms of Service.

Just one note: while it’s helpful to have a customized SOW for every project, sometimes it’s a lot faster to just start working instead of spending valuable time planning too much head.

Upon reception of the two hard drives containing all assets described on my TOS I will first:

• Inspectall digital assets.
• Setup First Assemble Session: Import AAF & Video to Pro Tools.
• Watch Film inside Pro Tools taking technical & creative notes.
• If All Good: I’ll Confirm Green Light to Producers / Editors.  Else, send report of red light, rinse and repeat.

When All Set:

1ST PHASE: PLAN & PREP

• Study Session. Create Marks & Color Coding.
• Organize Session: Create Basic Dialog (DX), Effects (FX) & Music (MX) Routing  for existing material imported from the AAF.
• Create Customized Mixing Session Template: New Tracks and Routings for all future work: Ambience (AX), Foley (FLY), Impacts (IMP), Low Freq. (LFE), etc. 
• Create First Temp Mix: Leveling and basic Dynamic processing of all existing materials from the AAF. The Goal is to take it to the Loudness Standard¹ of -24 LUFS (or whichever specs production requests)
• First Basic DX Clean Up: Addressing previously identified major problems only (restoration).
• Report whether ADR should be considered.
• Complete First Temp Mix by Exporting all Deliverables (incl, Masters & Stems) and send back to producers and picture editor for Workflow Check and Director’s review..

While waiting for Green light on Workflow check…:

2ND PHASE: Dialog (DX) EDIT

• DX Edit, including but not limited to: Mic selection, DeClicking, DeNoising, ReLeveling, etc.
• Re-check Loudness Standard of DX and adjust as needed.
• Confirm Green Light on workflow.
• Update Project Deliverables and send back to Editor for Director’s Review.

3RD PHASE: SOUND DESIGN – FILLING THE WORLD

• Creation of all Ambiences (AX) with Library sounds (either my original or public domain files).
• Take notes of any additional AX that needs to be created or enhanced either by buying new libraries or by recording them.
• Record and / or acquire New AX as needed and mix it into the session.
• Creation of all Impact sounds from sound libraries. Take notes of any additional IMP that needs to be created or enhanced either by buying new libraries or by recording them.
• Record and / or acquire new IMP FX as needed.
• Update Project Deliverables and send back to Editor for Director’s review.

4TH PHASE: SOUND DESIGN – LET’S GET NUTS

• Exploration of potential creative avenues in what pertains to dramatic atmospheres.
• Create New Atmospheres based on Libraries and new recordings.
• Exploration of potential creative avenues in what pertains to genre FX.
• Create Genre FX (For example, Comedic Gags) based on Libraries and new recordings.
• Foley: create all basic FLY from both Libraries and new recordings.
• Update Project Deliverables and send back to Editor for Director’s review.

5TH PHASE: DIRECTOR’S NOTES

• First Round of Creative Reviews based on director’s notes.
• Update Soundtrack with Final MX stems synced to picture on a self-contained AAF file (unless otherwise agreed)
• If possible, update picture with most recent pass on Color Grading and / or Visual Effects.
• Final Mix Prep: Incorporate Final Music into the Film and pre Mix.
• First Mixing Session with Director at the Studio: Sound check, Play movie, share first impressions and take creative notes. 

6TH PHASE: FINAL MIX

• Address Director’s Notes.
• Receive Final Payment.
• Double check Loudness Standard of the entire film and adjust as needed.
• Final Mixing Sessions with Director: As many as needed. It could take 3 sessions to complete a 90m long film. Longer films may take longer. Shortfilms can be done in just a couple of hours. You get the idea.
• Get Green Light from Director to Lock the Final Mix of the Film.

7TH PHASE: DELIVERABLES

• Triple check Loudness Standard of the entire film and only make MINOR adjustments as needed (This is a technical thing that should not affect the creative aspects of the film)
• Create All Deliverable Files previously planned, including but not limited to: Stereo Master, Stereo Stems, 5.1 Surround Master, 5.1 Surround Stems & 5.1 Surround Splits.
• Send Final Assets to Editors.
• Return Drives to Producers, unless otherwise requested, for example in cases in which future updates to the mix are expected. (Maybe there’s music licencing pending of approval, or missing ADR from a busy cast member who hasn’t had the chance to record it, etc).

————————

1. Loudness standards are guidelines that help ensure audio mixes sound similar in volume across different platforms, such as streaming services, websites, radio, and television. They are measured using algorithms that take into account human perception of loudness. Every platform has their own standards and it gets messy and confusing fast. Common practice is to mix to -24 LUFS unless otherwise requested. Many Mixers prefer to mix -27 LUFS to increase the dynamic range of their mixes but as an audience member I’ve found that in many of those cases Dialog ends up being overpowered by the FX and MX; so I always recommend – 24 LUFS to my clients.