Television One-Hour Drama

For our example, we will be mixing a one-hour television drama along the lines of 24 or Lost. This format uses all the tools of a feature film mix in a smaller package. The pre-dubs have been completed, and we are mixing for the 5.1 format. We will also have to deliver a stereo version of the mix for broadcast needs.

We have two principal characters with several supporting roles. There are some ADR tracks for the main characters. This is a police drama, so there are lots of gun FX, car chases, etc. This also means that the foley is complex with guns and police equipment. Ambiences vary from interiors to cityscapes and into some rural scenes, all in 5.1 format.

The film composer has supplied a 5.1 mix of the music plus some stems in case we need to emphasize drums or create alternate mixes that work with the more sound effects-driven scenes. There are plenty of incidental music cues from bar scenes to car radios. Each episode has one song that is featured before the third act.

All in all, there could be over a hundred channels at mixdown, even after pre-dubbing has pared this down quite a bit from the source tracks. Maintaining the 5.1 surround configuration throughout the mixer, including effects processing, is what Nuendo is designed for.