Subtitles On: Why is movie dialogue so hard to understand?
Sep 20, 2023
auto_awesome
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.
The decline of sound stages and increased use of real-life locations make it harder to capture clean audio, contributing to the dialogue intelligibility issue in movies and TV shows.
Despite efforts from sound designers, editors, and mixers, the dialogue intelligibility issue remains challenging to address in the post-production process, as the focus on visuals and theatrical experience often overshadows the importance of sound.
Deep dives
Dialogue intelligibility issue in movies and TV shows
One of the main problems in movies and TV shows is the dialogue intelligibility. Many viewers struggle to understand what characters are saying, leading to frustration and reliance on subtitles. This issue can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, some actors have a delivery style or mumbling that makes their lines difficult to comprehend. Secondly, an over-reliance on technology during post-production allows for excessive manipulation of sound, leading to a lack of clarity. Additionally, the decline of sound stages and the increased use of real-life locations make it harder to capture clean audio. Moreover, sound has become undervalued compared to visuals, resulting in unbalanced sound mixes. Lastly, a love for loudness in post-production can overshadow dialogue, diminishing its intelligibility. As a result, dialogue in movies and TV shows is often hard to hear, impacting the overall viewing experience.
Challenges in the post-production process
The main challenge in addressing the dialogue intelligibility issue lies in the post-production process. Despite efforts from sound designers, editors, and mixers, the focus on visuals and the theatrical experience often overshadows the importance of sound. The mixing process in movie theaters, with its large dynamic range and natural air compression, is optimized for that specific environment. However, the home viewing experience lacks this compression, leading to imbalances in sound levels. While streaming platforms offer certain adjustments to enhance dialogue, they cannot replace the expertise of professional mixers. There is a need for separate mixes specifically tailored for the home environment, created by skilled mixers with small speakers and small rooms. However, the film industry's current priorities and allocation of resources make it unlikely that this solution will be widely implemented.
Intentional creative decisions and the future
While the dialogue intelligibility issue is primarily unintentional, there are cases where filmmakers deliberately prioritize other creative aspects over clear dialogue. Christopher Nolan, known for his immersive sound design, intentionally uses dialogue as a sound effect and embraces mix choices that may sacrifice clarity for impact. However, intentional choices like these are exceptions rather than the norm. As streaming continues to dominate the home viewing experience, there is a call for filmmakers and industry professionals to prioritize dialogue clarity and create dedicated mixes for home environments. While the economics and priorities of the film industry pose challenges, the value of a comfortable and immersive sonic experience should not be underestimated, and efforts to improve dialogue intelligibility should be explored.
In recent years, the dialogue in movies and TV shows has gotten harder and harder to understand. No one seems to agree on who or what the main culprit is, much less how to fix the problem. In this episode, we wade into the murky waters of The Great Dialogue Debate, and maybe, just maybe, find a solution. Featuring Production Sound Mixer Tom Curley and Slashfilm Senior Writer Ben Pearson.
