Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 1987 - 53

SOUNO: THEATRE SOUND LEADS FILM SOUND?

continued from p. 49
conforms to the camera's point of
viewj the point of view of stage sound
is almost always seriously constrained by the static relationship between the audience and the play. Introduction of musical elements as
early as possible can be equally important since both film and stage actors can gain considerable motiviation for certain scenes upon hearing
the accompanying score. Rehearsal
recordings are considerably more
common in stage productions simply
because the actors need to hear the
sound they will be performing with.
It is very rare for an original film
score to even be composed until after
the picture editing has been done.
Prerecorded sound production
techniques for both film and stage
are very similar. Film sound creation
is usually considerably more involved simply because there is more.
The major technical difference is
that all film sounds are synchronized, edited, and mixed into a final
product that remains locked in time.
Prerecorded theatrical sounds do not
require such slavish adherence to
perfect synchronization since the
live action has considerable variability. All these sounds must remain
temporally discrete until they are required, at which time perfection becomes the responsibility of the stage
manager and sound operator.
The quality of most cinema audio
systems is rather dismal, ultimately
limiting the potential impact of any
designer's sound track. Notable exceptions exist, but even high quality
multi-channel playback systems
have their limitations and are constrained by well-defined "academy"
specifications intended specifically
to guarantee some consistency between cinema venues. Every film
sound designer has these "lowestcommon-denominator" playback
characteristics to contend with and
frequently creates different sound
tracks for each of the basic playback
systems: mono, Dolby stereo, Dolby
stereo surround, and six-track Dolby.
Rarely is a film sound designer
given total control similar to that
commonly allowed theatre sound designers. Unique film/cinema relationships exist at theme parks, entertainment complexes, exhibitions,
world's fairs, and similar situations
allowing truly creative and highquality results, yet important dif-

ferences still exist. These presentations are usually automated and use
unskilled operators, resulting in a
lack of flexibility and dynamic range.
Even relatively low-budget professional theatre companies can today
create special playback capabilities
and systems with human operators
coupled with high-quality audio
equipment resulting in a live sound
design with greater impact, wider dynamic range, and more flexible control that is ultimately more satisfying than even the highest quality
film-based sources.
Postscript: There is currently informal discussion within the USITT
Sound Design Commission concerning formalizing the distinction between theatre sound designer of the
systemireinforcement persuasion
and those of the score/effects persuasion. This has come about not so
much as a result of desire on the part
of designers to be categorically
considered one or the other but specifically because Broadway sound
designers have formed a local of
IATSE and are actively soliciting
membership in North America. The
difficulty lies in the fact that, even
though many of the "sound score designers" working in the hinterlands

of (far) Off-Broadway have not particularly felt an urgent need for
union representation, they are almost unanimously of the opinion
that the most appropriate union to
represent their interests is the
United Scenic Artists.
This situation is currently complicated by an apparent disinterest
amongst sound score designers to
commit themselvs to joining a USA
local, but not by USA itself since it
has indicated it is more than willing
to assist. Once we overcome the
obstacle of communicating effectively with a sparse population of designers we will see the coexistence of
two groups with different but complementary interests. It will continue to be the aim of the USITT
Sound Design Commission to sponsor projects and disseminate information vital to both groups. Hopefully we will also gain the interest of
film sound designers. *
Notes:
1. David 1. Klepper, "Theatre Sound and
Communication Systems," Theatre
Design etJ Technology, Feb. 1972, p. 12.
2. Ibid., p. 15.
3. John 1. Bracewell, "Sound as a Design
Art," Theatre Design etJ Technology,
Winter 1981, p. 4.

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