Dolby Professional

The artistic and business benefits of Dolby Atmos in post

Post-production (aka post) has evolved dramatically – afrom the days of “we’ll fix it in post” and having to fix everything that went wrong on set, to being a full partner in the creative process. New technology has redefined post’s role in movie making.

 

Niko Remus, a German post-production supervisor and head of studies for the APostLab workshop, talks to us about how new technology — Dolby Atmos in particular—has started a revolution in film sound, both creatively and commercially.

Post-production (aka post) has evolved dramatically – afrom the days of “we’ll fix it in post” and having to fix everything that went wrong on set, to being a full partner in the creative process. New technology has redefined post’s role in movie making.

 

Niko Remus, a German post-production supervisor and head of studies for the APostLab workshop, talks to us about how new technology — Dolby Atmos in particular—has started a revolution in film sound, both creatively and commercially.

It crafts the small, intimate, and naturalistic even better, I think, lending new levels of believability. Second, it adds value to the movie as an asset, as something with enhanced market potential beyond artistic value.

Niko Remus

How have you seen post-production evolve during your career?

 

I started when everyone was editing physical workprints on film and the first digital platforms like Lightworks and Avid were new. I was an editor for many years and saw how technology was changing editing and filmmaking as a whole. I became convinced that, to fully explore this, people across the industry needed to know how post was increasing its role in cinematic storytelling.

 

Technology keeps increasing the possibilities. understanding what it can do, and why it matters, gives producers and directors a powerful toolkit for the future and has made my job more interesting.

 

How have you seen post-production evolve during your career?

 

I started when everyone was editing physical workprints on film and the first digital platforms like Lightworks and Avid were new. I was an editor for many years and saw how technology was changing editing and filmmaking as a whole. I became convinced that, to fully explore this, people across the industry needed to know how post was increasing its role in cinematic storytelling.

 

Technology keeps increasing the possibilities. understanding what it can do, and why it matters, gives producers and directors a powerful toolkit for the future and has made my job more interesting.

 
What does working with Dolby Atmos change, and what does that imply for post?

Dolby Atmos doesn’t change how we shoot or edit. It’s a new tool and gives us new options. I always welcome that. It changes how we do sound editorial and how we mix. It creates a new dimension. It gives us more room and new spaces, so sound designers, directors, and mixers have to think – and can think – how to use the extra dimensions. That means people further down the production line need to become involved earlier in the process. As a result, those of us in post can both help shape the way audio enables narrative and ensure a proper workflow is in place at the outset.

Ideally, producers will begin a conversation early on, because it helps us make good decisions and get a creative strategy in place – and everyone can benefit.

Technology keeps increasing the possibilities. Understanding what it can do, and why it matters, gives producers and directors a powerful toolkit for the future and has made my job more interesting.

Niko Remus

What have you worked on that demonstrates this?

A good example is Styx (2018), directed by Wolfgang Fischer. He came to me and said the film was about two characters in a boat, with the ocean as the third character, one that made its presence felt through sound, and what did I think of Dolby Atmos? We explored what we could do, even before the sound design, thinking about how hearing rain come from above creates a threatening, immersive dynamic, and when and where to change the atmosphere to advance the story. He was up for it right away. It was harder to convince the producer that, even though this wasn’t on the spec for the deliverables, it was worth spending contingency funds on.

Everyone agreed the result justified the decision. It also taught me how important it is to not always use all of the new audio palette. The key to good post is to not overdo it with effects just because you can. The start of the movie is on land, and the soundtrack is almost mono, closed, and limiting. On the boat, the soundscape widens dramatically, bringing you emotionally onto the ocean with the characters, especially for a storm on a small sailboat. It brings huge credibility to the experience.

When the director was in the mixing room hearing things for the first time, he said that it was just as he imagined it.

That was a good moment.

So technology must earn its place by enhancing storytelling design?

 

Exactly. You must consider how your tools make for better storytelling. Artistically, dimensional sound applies to a much wider range of movies than just action productions. It crafts the small, intimate, and naturalistic even better, I think, lending new levels of believability.

 

Second, it adds value to the movie as an asset, as something with enhanced market potential beyond artistic value. It’s a more immersive experience, which can really impress an audience.

So technology must earn its place by enhancing storytelling design?

 

Exactly. You must consider how your tools make for better storytelling. Artistically, dimensional sound applies to a much wider range of movies than just action productions. It crafts the small, intimate, and naturalistic even better, I think, lending new levels of believability.

 

Second, it adds value to the movie as an asset, as something with enhanced market potential beyond artistic value. It’s a more immersive experience, which can really impress an audience.

Dolby Atmos is going to have a major role to play – you shouldn’t use yesterday’s tools to tell tomorrow’s stories. It’s not a box to be ticked, it’s a container to be filled.

Niko Remus

How does Dolby Atmos add market value to a production?

Producers look at the cost of the technology, the extra work, the extra personnel, so I tell them that if you’re making a movie this year for marketing next year, fine, don’t do it. But if you also want to market it in five years’ time, or 10? It’s essential.

Think about how a movie on DigiBeta with a mono mix would work today as an asset. If you take the perspective of a project not as a one-off deliverable that’s done and forgotten, but as an asset that will live on, and with future value, you have to ensure it remains technically viable. Dolby Atmos preserves that asset in the most exploitable, future-proof way, and once producers realise that, their perception of it changes. It‘s not just something that keeps directors happy, it adds a selling point to the movie. These days, you have to think about the long-term. Streaming can give productions a life well after the initial release and you want the content to remain fresh. Anything that helps do that makes good economic sense.

What advice would you give post-production supervisors?

 

Post starts before you shoot. To get the best results from any technology, any tool, you must communicate the decision to everyone and bring them into creative and workflow planning. To use the example of Dolby Atmos, you must understand the two points where you can choose it. One is prior to the shoot, the other is prior to picture lock, before handing over to the sound department. Any other time will put a much bigger burden on them. It’s also really important to have early discussions with the director and producer on creative and workflow planning. You can’t ask for extra days down the line. And don’t forget that conversation with producers about adding value to their assets. If you show you understand their needs and concerns, that makes a big difference.

What advice would you give post-production supervisors?

 

Post starts before you shoot. To get the best results from any technology, any tool, you must communicate the decision to everyone and bring them into creative and workflow planning. To use the example of Dolby Atmos, you must understand the two points where you can choose it. One is prior to the shoot, the other is prior to picture lock, before handing over to the sound department. Any other time will put a much bigger burden on them. It’s also really important to have early discussions with the director and producer on creative and workflow planning. You can’t ask for extra days down the line. And don’t forget that conversation with producers about adding value to their assets. If you show you understand their needs and concerns, that makes a big difference.
How do you see Dolby Atmos’ position, now and in the future?

 

Atmos is mature enough that it‘s worth serious consideration now, for sure. I think it would be useful for more projects than not. It’s proven artistically and commercially. We are getting real benefits from it now but we’ve still got a lot to learn about its potential, just as the whole industry does.

 

In fact, we’ll have to learn new or different ways to collaborate with sound design as we move into an era of virtual production. Dolby Atmos is going to have a major role to play – you shouldn’t use yesterday’s tools to tell tomorrow’s stories. It’s not a box to be ticked, it’s a container to be filled.

 

It’s an exciting time.

 

How do you see Dolby Atmos’ position, now and in the future?

 

Atmos is mature enough that it‘s worth serious consideration now, for sure. I think it would be useful for more projects than not. It’s proven artistically and commercially. We are getting real benefits from it now but we’ve still got a lot to learn about its potential, just as the whole industry does.

 

In fact, we’ll have to learn new or different ways to collaborate with sound design as we move into an era of virtual production. Dolby Atmos is going to have a major role to play – you shouldn’t use yesterday’s tools to tell tomorrow’s stories. It’s not a box to be ticked, it’s a container to be filled.

 

It’s an exciting time.

 

The artistic and business benefits of Dolby Atmos in post 

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The artistic and business benefits of Dolby Atmos in post 

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