kagablog

Q: SMS Sugar Man is shot on Mobile phones, a unique approach to filmmaking. What was your initial reaction when asked to be part of the team?

A: My very first reaction was “you can’t be serious” !

Q: Nico, you are probably the leading sound person in South Africa, with many years experience, on a variety of films. Mostly big budget, traditional 35mm films. What attracted you to this specific film?

A: The challenge and the uncertain territory.

Q: The Mobile phones have small cameras, and even smaller sound recording devices. Effectively they are domestic devices. What was your starting point and attitude in relation to this technology?

A: I know that these phone’s sound recording devices are domestic standards and will not be able to stand up in a Dolby 5.1 mix. From the offset I knew that if I had get involved in this project, it will have to be recorded on a separate multi-track digital format and we will have to sync it up with the picture.

Q: This film provided you with unique challenges in relation to sound. How did you and the director approach the problems, and what solutions did you come up with?

A: I made Aryan aware of the sound problems, capabilities and limitations and he was always keen to help and improvise, not compromise, as in a picture of this nature, ADR is not a option.

Q: How did you approach the preproduction? What tests etc did you undertake?

A: We done interior driving tests with some of the cast mic-ed up as the 1966 model Valiant is not the most dialogue friendly car ever made !

Q: What changes did you make after conducting and reviewing your tests?

A: We installed more silencers on the car, to make it more sound friendly.

Q: What is the main difference shooting on mobile phones and traditional digital and film equipment?

A: These phones have fixed wide angle lenses and the camera movements are all inspired with their operator’s creative mood. So the “rehearsals” were not anything to go by.
The only way was to radio mic up everybody.

Q: What specific sound design look did you try to achieve, and what films did you reference?

A: It was to get everybody on their own discreet track, so that in post the editor/sound editor can control them as he/she wishes. It is very much the way a friend of mine in New York , Drew Kunin, works with Robert Altman, the master of multi track recordings.

Q: Kaganof ventured down a unique storytelling path. He and the actors worked off a brief story outline, and they workshopped the script in preproduction and during the shoot. In relation to this, what specific challenges did you encounter and how were they resolved?

A: They were firstly very keen on improvisations and ad libs, but I had to put a halt to that, or reduce it, as it creates it’s own can of worms in post.

Q: What specific equipment did you use?
A: I used a Aaton Cantar – 8 track digital multi-track location recorder, with Schoeps rifle mics and 6 x Micron radio mics.

Q: Can you explain the technical route you designed for this mobile approach?

A: It was to be flexible and mobile to do a “studio” setup in the Hotel foyer followed by a car interior, followed by a sunset rooftop location in Hillbrow. So everything was in carry bags over the shoulder, to move fast.

Q: What planning with your post production technical team did you undertake?

A: I will discuss the tracks and the preperation with the dialogue editor and sit in the dialogue pre mix, as I do all over the world.

Q: What size sound department crew did you have working with you?

A: 3, myself, a boom operator and one trainee/cable basher/smart slate operator.

Q: What was the reaction from traditional equipment houses in South Africa towards your approach? Did you get the support you needed for this unconventional film?

A: They were all keen to help, but this been a SA first, they were not to sure how to help.

Q: How different is this approach to previous films you have shot?
A: This is completely different, but catering for a Dolby 5.1 mix, all the other formats will be catered for.

Q: How did you manage to log all the sound dailies, and what was the process or system you designed?

A: I produced a 4.7 gb DVD-R at the end of each day of that day’s sound files (some days even 3 DVD’s) and then made a backup onto a ext HDD just as a safety copy.
At home I would then produce a PDF sound report sheet out of the Cantar with the ALE’s (Avis Log Exchange) files on that I would email to the office and assistant editor that did the hours and hours of syncing up.

Q: How did you get synch dailies?

A: We used a Smart Slate that ran TOD(Time of Day) time code that I jammed from my Cantar and all the phones / cameras had to run together and do the same slate / clap to get the same TC and not stop the phones until the sound recorder was stopped.
So it was synced up like a normal movie. Picture files and sound files were loaded into the MAC and were treated as normal.

Q: You shot an entire feature film in 11 days. What was this short shoot experience like for you and the sound department?

A: Shooting this fast I always have my predicaments about the quality, but that was the nature of the beast you were dealing with and yes, we made it.

Q: What was the biggest technical problem or hindrance that you encountered on the film?

A: The noisy interior 1966 Valiant and shooting in a Hotel that was operating with noisy uncontrollable air conditioners and guests in the backgrounds

Q: Kaganof feels it is important for you as location sound recordist to be involved throughout the process. How will you be involved in the post production process?

A: I will sit in the dialogue pre mixes.

Q: The film is designed to be distributed on a variety of different exhibition platforms. Will the sound be designed so that each platform, such as cinema, DVD and television, is catered for?

A: Yes, the cinema release will have a 6 tracks, 5.1 Dolby mix, The DVD version will have a 8 tracks, 5.1 Dolby plus the 2 track PCM Stereo mix for people that do not have 5.1 home cinema, and the TV version will only have the stereo mix. Contractually all this will be delivered with M(music) and E(effects) tracks.

Q: Do you think this will revolutionize the future of filmmaking, and if so, in what way?

A: I think cell phones are going to come out with better lenses and higher resolutions cameras with int HDD to record onto, because it is now proven to be possible. At least the producers will be happy, as they can make a movie for under R 1 million .

Q: Will you be making further films in this manner, and what would you do differently?

A: Oh yes, I am always ready for a challenge.