Sound supervisor Killian Fitzgerald (of Avatar Post Production) credits much of the film’s rich sonic landscape to dialogue editor Paul Cotterell and sound effects editor Fiadhnait McCann. He further credits modern digital workflows with his ability to assemble diverse teams of top audio professionals from around the world. Working remotely (not physically at Avatar), both Cotterell and McCann were able to forward working tracks from their home studios.
This allowed Fitzgerald to assemble these “pre-mixes” in his DAW (digital audio work station), listen to them, return notes, and quickly receive revisions. Standardized use of plug-ins and Pro Tools versions across the team facilitates seamless integration of tracks and sessions, allowing him to head off problems well before the final mix. Additionally, by handling ADR and Foley work in-house (at Avatar), Fitzgerald’s team gave Michael Inside a depth of sound that actively contributes to the storytelling, and is somewhat unexpected in a modest production such as this.
As often happens in Ireland (and elsewhere, to be fair), Fitzgerald did double duty, also serving as re-recording mixer. He tells CinÉireann that Frank (director Frank Berry) “really pushed to have those background voices loud, and in the way, and uncomfortable” even when the visuals were out of focus. This provided the perspective shifts mentioned earlier.
Given that the film was not shot in a working prison, beyond the background dialogue, Berry and Fitzgerald viewed the ambiance rich location tracks as a kind of starting point, and then upmixed them into a nice “surround effect”. By using numerous layered and processed stereo tracks of music, Fladhnait McCann’s effects, and other backgrounds, they created the audio depth of field and perspectives needed to simulate the prison environment, and, ultimately, the world of sensory overload into which Michael finds himself being assimilated.
Overall, Michael Inside uses sound to enhance and motivate the visuals in a film that tells a tragically compelling story. Working with a highly skilled and diverse sound team, director Frank Berry and sound-supervisor Killian Fitzgerald used perspective dialogue, effects, and layered backgrounds to present their audience with a very real and captivating look at one young man’s journey from Dublin’s north side into Irish prison life.
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What do you listen for, and what are you hearing?
COLUMN
CinÉireann / January 2018 101