Twenty Thousand Hertz Subtitles On: Why is movie dialogue so hard to understand?
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Sep 20, 2023 Exploring the challenges of understanding dialogue in movies and TV shows. Discussing factors such as actor delivery, technology, and sound production priorities. Examining filmmaker Christopher Nolan's controversial decision to make dialogue difficult to hear and its impact on the cinematic experience.
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Visuals Overshadow Sound on Sets
- On film sets, visuals vastly outweigh sound in priority and personnel.
- Visual takes usually get chosen over good audio takes, leading to poorer dialogue clarity.
Nolan's Intentional Dialogue Choice
- Christopher Nolan intentionally mixes dialogue to be hard to understand for artistic effects.
- He uses dialogue as a sound effect to emphasize surrounding noise, even if viewers complain.
Issue Rooted in Post-Production Mix
- The biggest problem is post audio and lack of proper mixes for home listening.
- Theatrical mixes with large dynamic range don't translate well to small home speakers.