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From the Sound Standpoint with Kelley Baker (Good Will Hunting, My Own Private Idaho, Finding Forrester)

Metadata

title
From the Sound Standpoint with Kelley Baker (Good Will Hunting, My Own Private Idaho, Finding Forrester)
description
Kelley’s known as the Angry Filmmaker. He’s pissed because he’s passionate. He knows the value of stories. The value of putting the important things first. And that’s why he’s such a fantastic filmmaker and sound designer. As he signed the book he so graciously sent me, “Remember: the only people who really care about sound are the audience.” We dug into ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) in film and how that can kill emotion. About how technical skills are only there to pave way for the emotional. And about caring about the right things and speaking up for yourself. Sound designing is the art of world building. So step into Kelley’s world for a moment, and come out the other end loving music more. (The book he sent was The Angry Filmmaker Survival Guide Part 2: Sound Conversations With (un)Sound People. It’s fantastic.)
status
complete
date
2025-03-04
kind
guest
guestSlugs
  • kelley-baker
listenUrl
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lovemusicmore/episodes/From-the-Sound-Standpoint-with-Kelley-Baker-Good-Will-Hunting--My-Own-Private-Idaho--Finding-Forrester-e2vl1sh
lmwUrl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAAArtoUCqM
appleUrl
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-the-sound-standpoint-with-kelley-baker-good/id1567355195?i=1000697708332&uo=4
spotifyUrl
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3EguucINsQAaITw9azwTey
youtubeUrl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCuQ9TcBCMo
topicsDiscussed
  • Scoring for picture
  • Spatial audio
  • Microphones
  • Mixing
  • Effects
  • Analog
  • The music business
  • ADR and looping dialogue
  • Sound design vs film scoring
  • Location recording and clean dialogue
  • Foley and immersive environments
hostNote
Kelley Baker signed his book to me with a line that doubles as his whole philosophy: "Remember, the only people who really care about sound are the audience." He's the sound designer behind *Good Will Hunting*, *My Own Private Idaho*, and *Finding Forrester*, and he calls himself the Angry Filmmaker because he's pissed off in the way only someone who cares this much can be. We get into what sound design actually is and how it differs from scoring, and why ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) can kill a performance that worked fine on set. Kelley describes building soundscapes that carry emotion with no music at all, treating each film as its own universe he gets to construct from nothing. He closes on something that reaches past filmmaking: technical skill only matters because it clears the way for the emotional moment, and understanding failure is part of getting there.
selectedMoments
  • label
    Introduction of Kelley Baker
    startSec
    222
    note
    The host welcomes Kelley Baker, expressing excitement for the discussion on sound design.
  • label
    What is sound design?
    startSec
    298
    note
    Kelley explains his role as a sound designer and the distinction from film scoring.
  • label
    The impact of ADR on performance
    startSec
    535
    note
    Discussion on the challenges of looping dialogue and its effect on emotional delivery.
  • label
    Creating audio environments
    startSec
    1014
    note
    Kelley describes how he builds soundscapes to convey emotion without music.
  • label
    The essence of storytelling through sound
    startSec
    4214
    note
    Kelley shares thoughts on how audio captures memories and feelings stronger than visuals.
  • label
    Advice for filmmakers
    startSec
    3978
    note
    Kelley emphasizes the importance of understanding failure in the creative process.
excerptQuotes
  • text
    'The only people who really care about audio in a movie is the audience.'
    startSec
    706
    reviewed
    true
  • text
    'I always say that the only people who really care about audio in a movie is the audience.'
    startSec
    702
    reviewed
    true
  • text
    'It's my opportunity to create a universe because each film exists within its own universe.'
    startSec
    1016
    reviewed
    true
faq
  • question
    What does Kelley Baker think about ADR in film?
    answer
    Kelley Baker discusses how ADR can impact emotional performance negatively, noting that it often doesn't capture the same feeling as on-set dialogue.
  • question
    What is the significance of sound design according to Kelley Baker?
    answer
    Kelley emphasizes that sound design is essential for storytelling and emotional depth in film, stating that it helps build immersive environments.
  • question
    How did Kelley Baker get into sound design?
    answer
    Kelley initially pursued a filmmaking career but discovered his passion and bankable skill in sound design, which allowed him to support his projects.
transcriptPublished
false
draft
false

Content

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