Macross DYRL: Proper English Fandub

[Hikuro]

Yeah but see the fan film you're doing has a lot of originality to it, just using the Macross universe.

[Hikuro]

Ugh, things have been real damn hectic lately I haven't touched the remaster project in the slightest. I need too though!

[Hikuro]

I'm kicking ass on this believe it or not! I'm doing the real time eating edits right now....lil sounds you're not gonna hear a lot of but are plentiful through the film. but I'll tell you what, the sound is molding really well, especially the big battle scenes in the beginning and end. They're gonna be A LOT better than the previous version.

[frothymug]

I hope it turns out well, Hikuro. Every time I watch a Robotech episode, I cringe at the sound editing. Even the sound editing on the English version of Macross Plus kind of irks me.

[Hikuro]

really? why is that? for Robotech, unless you're watching the remastered version that i think Manga Video put out is practically the same thing except music score change. Same thing with Plus, the only episode that was altered was Episode 4. Their audio tracks were practically the same thing.

Oh right btw, big progress, practically done with the enviormental background stuff. So I'm doing an hour of rendering then I'll start looking at probably how I want to portion this out. I kind of want to keep things separated from Valkyries, Zentraedi, and flak sounds and explosions. That way things don't feel so compact and will help me finish things a lot faster as it wont eat up so much ram with all the audio files.

I'd say the mix right now is 98% Macross authentic in some way.

Edited July 17, 2011 by Hikuro

[Hikuro]

ok, all the background mumbo jumbo is done. So what I got left to do until it's completely done is edit some of the acoustic levels then I can move on to the rest of the movie.

[boinger]

I'm looking forward to re-watching DYRL with your new audio mix!

Will this DYRL english audio project be in stereo or 5.1 audio?

Just wondering, since I would like to know more about how 5.1 audio editing

can be done.

[Hikuro]

No it'll be some ameaturish 2.0 audio. I don't have the abilities to do 5.1.

I've also decided that the youtube version that'll be released upon completion will be a commentary only piece and slightly edited visually. This will make things difficult for someone to download straight off of the channel and piece together using the old 1.0 audio. not too mention the commentary will help keep the video on the channel unlike before where Bandai took it off for copy right infringement. They'll be less likely to do anything with this variation.

The original unedited version will be very hard to get a hold of if I decide to release that.

[Hikuro]

Oh man I made a HUGE plunder that I discovered 2 nights ago. So it's gonna set me back a ways cause I don't have a lot of time to work on it and fix it seeing how I'm short handed at work again.

But while that's going on I'm taking every episode of Macross and I'm ripping it so I can go through and see what I can use for additional sound effects. I already found more bridge sounds, but what I need are more Zentraedi and combat sounds. I found a few I can probably try and use. But I've ripped 11 episodes so far in the last 48 hours.

[Hikuro]

Great gatherings of new sounds and a lot of learning on how the sound mixers did episodes. My peeve in mixing is I add a lot for detail where I really don't need too as I re-watch these episodes without the voice overs. So I'm cutting some added bits I did to the movie or made things to details.

[chillyche]

Great gatherings of new sounds and a lot of learning on how the sound mixers did episodes. My peeve in mixing is I add a lot for detail where I really don't need too as I re-watch these episodes without the voice overs. So I'm cutting some added bits I did to the movie or made things to details.

Crazy. Different amounts of detail in different projects. On a feature film, there are often a bazillion layers of sounds, with those sounds themselves being made up of a frak ton of sounds. But for episodics, there's obviously a lot less. In my opinion, it also depends on the animation. Productions with more static animation, or lower quality art need better sound design to keep them from feeling flat. But if things look good, and are in motion, and there's good music, then you can back off of the sound a little.

It's all about the delicate balance.

[Hikuro]

Less felt more for this, it seemed to fit better. I didn't really use any "new age" sounds in this film, a few here and there but I don't think anyone is going to mind. It wont be like a total switch up like it was after the first hour of the film in the original version I did.

I experienced something weird though when I was doing some corrections to the background audio, it was like some sound effects got deleted...things that should not of been. It was very odd. So I added them back into the Sound Effects tracks versus the background audio. I'll see if anything weird happens.

All that's left is a few corrections in the tones of some sounds, just a few so no worries....then I'll either work on the vocal track to balance things out THEN the music, or music next THEN vocals.

[Hikuro]

http://youtu.be/V99qdc-1YYc

[Hikuro]

I've gathered up atleast 3 more voice actors to fill in for some extras. I've begun voice over tracks and did a little of the zentraedi and a good 12 minutes of the beginning with human characters. For Badolza I want to experiment and see if I can create something very similar for a voice effect matching the Japanese.

I've noticed a few things I need to add sound effects wise which will be done during the final draft, already noted.

When the audio is done I'll need a lot of work on the video....subtitles, credits, watermarks etc. Things that are out of my league at this time.

[Hikuro]

Well, I just finished this sucker, well it's not finished it's juts a good teaser.

http://youtu.be/yK8TRZPKFv4

[frothymug]

Good sound effects editing, but I don't like the sound used for Milia's laser pulse cannons.

Kakizaki needs to be redone. If it's one thing I can't stand is when people try to alter their voice into a very unnatural tone. Some people can do it, others can't. In this case, it doesn't work with your voice actor. Did his natural voice not really cut it for the part?

Milia's voice comes through pretty clearly, when compared to the other voices. Is it because you've added a reverb effect to her voice because she's Meltrandi, or is it a difference in recording equipment? IIRC, everyone uses their own equipment to record, right?

[Hikuro]

Good sound effects editing, but I don't like the sound used for Milia's laser pulse cannons.

Kakizaki needs to be redone. If it's one thing I can't stand is when people try to alter their voice into a very unnatural tone. Some people can do it, others can't. In this case, it doesn't work with your voice actor. Did his natural voice not really cut it for the part?

Milia's voice comes through pretty clearly, when compared to the other voices. Is it because you've added a reverb effect to her voice because she's Meltrandi, or is it a difference in recording equipment? IIRC, everyone uses their own equipment to record, right?

Sadly, it's all i got for Zentraedi/Meltrandi Pulse cannons, so that's pretty much the final word on that. i had something more closer but it cuts out abruptly so it's unusable.

I am replacing the Kakizaki actor, the recordings were from 2007, but since there are so many more voice overs I want to have redone, I'm not in a large hurry.

Milia comes off clearly because she is reverbed for the Zentraedi/Meltrandi effects I created. I'm not going to do what ADV did and not do anything at all...I felt that was a big slap on the face to fans and the originality of the series.

We do all use our own equipment, but I always ask for clean audio, nothing altered unless absolutely needed, say vocals can't get picked up so they need to be turned up louder, they can do that if they wish. But things like radios, reverbs, helmets, things like that I prefer I took care of.

I would like to create something that's more closer to the original japanese audio for the Zentran/Meltran voice tones, but I'm not finding anything close enough except for what you currently hear. Badolza in particular has huge alterations because he's such a massive character.

[boinger]

Kakizaki seems to be missing the in-helmet sound effect just before he gets blown up.

Otherwise, the dyrl clip sounds really good to me!

How is the DYRL audio commentary track coming along?

Will it be an inside look on fan dubbing and what you have learned

about audio editing for Macross audio or will it be more of

a fan and historical commentary?

[Hikuro]

It can have both fan and cast commentary and director commentary as well. It might include multiple tracks if I can get the correct software to allow it. Unless JasonC can get me that copy of Vegas I'll have to purchase it around christmas time and hope for a 2012 release to mark I think 4 or 5 years since the release of DYRL Fandub. I do have cast members who will be joining such as Melissa D Johnson, the voice of Hayase, Chris Hackney the voice of Max Jenius, and Matthew Clarke I think volunteered his services who was the voice of Exadore.

I think though, the seperate commentary will have Q&A from Matthew Clarke as he's done a LOT of commentaries for various Tokusatsu and Scifi genre shows and can be great host grilling me on how this all came about.

Time will tell. For now it's getting the voice cast together so it motivates me to make final corrections in the audio. Cause after this is done, that's it, I'm not doing another variation. Then I can focus on something else. I AM THE GEORGE LUCAS OF MACROSS.......................................in a good way.

[frothymug]

Is it not possible to just pull the original sounds from the movie to plug it in where the Queadluun is firing?

[Hikuro]

they're not. You're talkin about having to buy a couple grand worth of sound equipment and a lot of experience, or purchasing the tracks yourself which mean license fees and such. Fandubs generally have to be done from scratch audio wise. sometimes you can get lucky if there's no dialogue and you can match everything that does contains bit of dialogue to the letter. Which is nearly impossible with old films like Macross as they use very specific type of sound effects which are hard to come by.

I think that's something a lot of viewers don't understand and confuse fan works with professional properties. They think it's the real deal if you pull it off rather well, even when you state it's not. I have people all the time asking me if the Transformers stuff I worked on is legit when I continuously claim and even put it out there it's not. That's probably something that irritates me, is when you put a lot of work into something then suddenly someone tells you it's crap. You just gotta work with what you got ya know? lol

[frothymug]

Of course, in no way am I trying to downplay your work. I am asking because sometimes, I don't know better. I will offer suggestions where I can without being too much of a prick

At least you got the gunpod just right; I love that sound!

[chillyche]

As for the sounds, I think Hik has done a pretty amazing job culling sfx from every source he can get his hands on. We're hearing sounds from the film itself, sounds from various Macross videogames, other entries in the series, the TV show, and from beyond. The coup de grace would be if he could get his hands on the actual sfx library used in the original show, or get a "split track" version -- in broadcast, we often create a final mix, and a split track mix. The split track will have channels isolated, so that 1 is voice/dialog, 2 is sfx, and 3/4 are music. Unfortunately, without working in broadcast or a production facility that has access to original recordings, that's not a possibility. So, for fans, we just have to cut, paste, scrounge, isolate, hope, beg, and otherwise put stuff together however we can.

The other problem with doing fan-work is that you can't make any money on it, and therefore you can't improve your facilities. Lucky for me, I do this junk professionally, too, so I'm always improving my gear anyway, fan-work or no fan-work. But for Hik, well, I'd love to see him get a burly new computer, some pro audio software, and few sfx libraries -- imagine what he could do then? But until we figure out a way to not get sued for fan-work, or start branching out into the shaky, expensive world of original programming, then it seems less likely to happen.

[Jasonc]

I'm hoping to get a copy of the software soon. I have been cleaning my office out, and hopefully it turns out. It's kinda a mess.

[Hikuro]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ymuYVMb1bo

frothymug

Posted Yesterday, 09:13 PM

Of course, in no way am I trying to downplay your work. I am asking because sometimes, I don't know better. I will offer suggestions where I can without being too much of a prick

At least you got the gunpod just right; I love that sound!

You're fine no worries. I just want people to know, that it is mainly fun and games, but at the same timeI want it to be good. But like I said, you work with what you got.

chillyche

Posted Today, 09:50 AM

As for the sounds, I think Hik has done a pretty amazing job culling sfx from every source he can get his hands on. We're hearing sounds from the film itself, sounds from various Macross videogames, other entries in the series, the TV show, and from beyond. The coup de grace would be if he could get his hands on the actual sfx library used in the original show, or get a "split track" version -- in broadcast, we often create a final mix, and a split track mix. The split track will have channels isolated, so that 1 is voice/dialog, 2 is sfx, and 3/4 are music. Unfortunately, without working in broadcast or a production facility that has access to original recordings, that's not a possibility. So, for fans, we just have to cut, paste, scrounge, isolate, hope, beg, and otherwise put stuff together however we can.

The other problem with doing fan-work is that you can't make any money on it, and therefore you can't improve your facilities. Lucky for me, I do this junk professionally, too, so I'm always improving my gear anyway, fan-work or no fan-work. But for Hik, well, I'd love to see him get a burly new computer, some pro audio software, and few sfx libraries -- imagine what he could do then? But until we figure out a way to not get sued for fan-work, or start branching out into the shaky, expensive world of original programming, then it seems less likely to happen.

Lots of video games, lots of DVD's, lots of downloaded anime to get where I am now. I gotta say, it's thanks to PS Sound that I have been able to get a lot of good quality Macross sound effects from the PS1 and PS2 systems. What bums me out though is how many really can't be used due to them having to end so abruptly. Although some game sounds you got to actually assemble it correctly soundbite by soundbite.

I'd still like a really nice computer, which reminds me.......I think I'm almost at that pay increase that's enough to do that. I'll have to investigate.

Jasonc

Posted Today, 08:09 PM

I'm hoping to get a copy of the software soon. I have been cleaning my office out, and hopefully it turns out. It's kinda a mess.

I'm still aways from finishing this...although I'd have to say the final cut is about 80% for sound, and 40% for voice. But I wont be releasing this till the video footage is to my liking.

I still ask Cristina Vee now and then if she can do the Minmay tracks....but she's been rather very busy working with Bandai and just announced she's in Squidgirl.

[Hikuro]

HAH! I was chatting with my buddy Steve and told him what was going on with the macross project and needing a new Kakizaki. He said he'd talk to Richard Epcar could maybe get him on board. I laughed, told him "Naw don't do that...it's been 25 years. Ask him to do Guld instead for the Plus movie project!"

So lemme ask you guys, would you all poo in your pants for that surprise?

[frothymug]

That would definitely be something to brag about.

[MIsaHayase]

HAH! I was chatting with my buddy Steve and told him what was going on with the macross project and needing a new Kakizaki. He said he'd talk to Richard Epcar could maybe get him on board. I laughed, told him "Naw don't do that...it's been 25 years. Ask him to do Guld instead for the Plus movie project!"

So lemme ask you guys, would you all poo in your pants for that surprise?

I'd vote to have Richard do both!

[Hikuro]

Hah, well the funny thing is, he actually asked him. I might have a new teaser up later. Good scene too.

[Hikuro]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggliZyA_3Qw newest test!

[Hikuro]

Never got a response but I wasn't hopeful anyways

40 minutes of footage left to go with the current recordings I have. You can tell there's a lot of information going on in my timelines cause it's becoming slower and harder to put in a sound bite, edit it, and sync it correctly. I may have to stop where I'm at and continue on with a new timeline so things move faster.

Right now, I'm just getting to where Minmay is humming the song and the Meltrandi freak the F out and run away like scared lil girls.

[frothymug]

That scene isn't one of my faves in the movie. I just didn't really have anything good or bad to say, that's all. You know we all appreciate your hard work!

[Hikuro]

so got confirmation, Epcar said "I don't do fandubs" so that's official kind of wish I could of said to him, "Oh really? David Kaye and Gary Chalk always love to help fans out!"

I also had a person back out of doing an Zentran which sucks. I'm on hold production wise till I either get video software or the final bit of lines returned.

[Robowang]

I just came across this! One of my favorite movies of all time. I used to watch a VHS copy of SDF Macross horrible Singapore dub. Then I got the really dark, not so great subtitle version, and just this year got the better-subtitled properly lit version. Your previews don't sound half bad, and I'd love for my wife to see this movie, but she simply won't watch subtitles. I'll be sure to download this as soon as you're finished!

Edited September 25, 2011 by Robowang

[Jasonc]

Alright, found the stuff, I'll be getting it ready, and sending it out probably tomorrow or Wednesday. You're good to go.