Volume 1, Issue 3 |
| ERIC GOTTHELF |
| Eric Gotthelf Is The Man Behind The Actors' Film Delivery |
The phrase, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” would be correct if ADR
didn’t exist. ADR stands for Automated Dialogue Replacement, and is a very interesting process
that gives actors a second chance to make a first impression with their on-screen vocal
performances.
Well, Eric Gotthelf is one of the guys responsible for giving some of our favorite actors that
second chance to impress us the first time. Eric’s work has helped make films like, Sandra Bullock’
s recent box office hit, ‘The Blind Side,’ Oscar worthy.
I Am Entertainment Magazine caught up with Eric, to share his interesting road to film success.
IAE: Can you please tell us where you’re from and what inspired you to want a career in the film biz?
ERIC: I’m originally from Windsor, CT. When I was about 12 years old, I bought a used Wollensak reel-to-reel
tape recorder and I’d go around and tape stuff, but really didn’t know I’d someday become a mixer. My dad
owned a record store in Hartford (Connecticut), and I had been very much into music and sound for as long as
I can remember.
IAE: What schools or training programs did you attend in order to become a film audio mixer?
ERIC: I started out at 16 years old as a bass player in various Honky-Tonks and nightclubs, working full time.
Then when I was 20, I came to LA to audition for a touring rock band and landed the job. So I spent the next 10
years on the road, touring and recording albums in LA, which helped me become very familiar with recording
studios.
IAE: How did you get your start in the world of mixing for film?
ERIC: It was sort of by accident, how I got started. I was between tours and a friend of mine, from Connecticut,
bought an independent post-production facility and Foley stage for like 13 Grand from a guy named, Howard
Warren [known for his work on 60s TV Show ‘Flipper’]. My buddy had no clue what he had purchased, but he
had a knack for putting together some great crews. One day, he asked if I could mind the studio for him while
he went into the hospital to have surgery, but I didn’t know how to run a studio; fortunately my only
responsibility was simply unlocking the door in the morning, and locking it back at night. Those were the only
job skills I had at the time [laughs]. I became very fascinated by what Foley engineers did, so that began my
transition from music to post-production [for film], and I never looked back. I think my bass playing experience
was invaluable in learning to mix. The process of recording Foley and ADR is very musical to me. I ended up
going from an assistant [at the studio], to being the “Studio Manager,” then “Recordist,” and finally, “Re-
recorder/Mixer,” which I’ve been doing for roughly 20 years now. But that’s how I got started.
IAE: What is the difference between Foley Mixing and ADR Mixing?
ERIC: They’re both recording mediums, but with Foley, you’re working with Foley artists to create sounds in a
collaborative environment. You’re on a schedule and within that schedule you have to figure out how many
cues you can create in an allotted timeframe. If you’re doing a television show in Foley, you have to get the
basic material [recorded] very quickly. Your sync has to be great because there is usually no time to edit the
work before it goes to the dub stage. If you’re doing a big feature film, there are more opportunities to create
cool effects and a lot of other interesting information that’s not there when the movie was shot.
With ADR, on the other hand, you work directly with the actors and directors. There’s very little room for error
in ADR, and you don’t have the time to experiment. It’s a little more pressure, so in order to get things done in
a timely manner; I have to create an atmosphere of trust with the actor I’m working with. I will usually make all of
my technical judgments on the first rehearsal, as we listen to the line we’re going to replace. I have to take into
account the sound of the microphone, the distance of the microphone to the actor, and the level the actor will
be performing at. The reason I do this is because my next [recording] pass [after rehearsal] might be the only
performance the actor wants to do, so II have to nail it. A lot of actors are afraid of the ADR experience
because they either think they’re not that good at it, or that it compromises their performance. So, when I say
that I must “create an atmosphere of trust,” it means that I want them to hear that they are doing a great job
and actually enhancing their performance in the film. Sometimes, I’ll edit the actors’ line [in ProTools] to create
an in sync track before I playback. This usually only takes a few seconds. I’ll also add ambient backgrounds
and reverb if necessary to fill behind the playback. The talent likes what they hear and they get into it, giving
me their best stuff. Once you can do all that, the session becomes a very enjoyable experience for everybody.
IAE: How do you book new film and TV projects today, versus early on in your career?
ERIC: Early in my career I was constantly proving myself to people. I’d fight to get a show and then make sure I
did a good job. In this business, you’re only as good as your last job, and that went on for a while. Now, I’m
booked through Warner Bros. post-production services. There are quite a few great ADR stages and mixers in
LA so it’s a competitive market but they keep me very busy. It’s a lot of fun and I really enjoy my work.
IAE: Having worked on a great number of film and TV projects, what is the toughest aspect of your
job, as well as the most rewarding?
ERIC: The toughest part, for me, is waiting around. Sometimes I’ll get booked for a TV show that’s shooting
here, on the Warner Bros. lot, and an actor on the set can’t come to my stage until the show lets him or her
take a break. So I could sit here waiting for an actor to show up for 3 or 4 hours. When they arrive, it’s an
intense gear shift from hanging out to being fully focused. Sometimes I’ll only have an actor for a few minutes
before they have to go back on set.
The most rewarding part is realizing that the ADR some-times improves the performance of a line in a movie or
TV show. It’s a huge thrill for me to have a director or an actor walk out of my stage [on Warner Bros. lot]
thanking me for my work, and knowing I helped make their show better.
IAE: What projects are you currently working on?
ERIC: I just got through working on a movie that Al Pacino directed called, ‘Salomaybe?.’ I’ve also been
working on a film called, ‘Cyrus,’ directed by The Duplass Brothers. I work on a plethora of episodic TV show’s
here at Warner Bros. post-production, like, The Good Wife, The Mentalist, Men of a Certain Age, Smallville,
Supernatural, One Tree Hill, and the list goes on and on.
IAE: For those reading this interview, who are looking to get into what you do, what advice could
you offer them on how to break into the business as a mixer for film and TV?
ERIC: For starters, you should have a thorough knowledge of the tools of the craft. I would advise you to get
really good on ProTools. If you can, try monitoring a Foley or ADR session. A lot of Foley work is done at night,
so even if you have a day job you can sit in on a night session. Also, keep in mind that if this is something you
might be interested in doing for a living; you will probably have to start out by answering the phones or making
coffee, and just work your way up from there. It’s really how much you want it, that might dictate whether you
get it or not.
Another thing you can do is enroll into one of the many schools and colleges across the US that offer post pro-
duction sound programs. Not only will you learn the basics of audio engineering, you‘ll meet people that could
guide you down the right path in deciding your career. It’s very hard to walk through the front door of major
motion picture studios to get a job like I have. It’s an apprentice oriented business, making it difficult to learn
what I do in a classroom setting. I learned through an apprenticeship and by hanging out with the best people
that I could gain access to in this field. I sought out the best mixers and Foley artists and learned from them.
IAE: Thanks for the insight, Eric! If you could change anything about this business, what would it be
and why?
ERIC: It would be nice to have longer schedules so that the people I work with aren’t under so much pressure.
That’s about it. When I go to work, I have a great time. I feel very fortunate to have this job and I’m grateful
every day. I do not take this for granted at all.
didn’t exist. ADR stands for Automated Dialogue Replacement, and is a very interesting process
that gives actors a second chance to make a first impression with their on-screen vocal
performances.
Well, Eric Gotthelf is one of the guys responsible for giving some of our favorite actors that
second chance to impress us the first time. Eric’s work has helped make films like, Sandra Bullock’
s recent box office hit, ‘The Blind Side,’ Oscar worthy.
I Am Entertainment Magazine caught up with Eric, to share his interesting road to film success.
IAE: Can you please tell us where you’re from and what inspired you to want a career in the film biz?
ERIC: I’m originally from Windsor, CT. When I was about 12 years old, I bought a used Wollensak reel-to-reel
tape recorder and I’d go around and tape stuff, but really didn’t know I’d someday become a mixer. My dad
owned a record store in Hartford (Connecticut), and I had been very much into music and sound for as long as
I can remember.
IAE: What schools or training programs did you attend in order to become a film audio mixer?
ERIC: I started out at 16 years old as a bass player in various Honky-Tonks and nightclubs, working full time.
Then when I was 20, I came to LA to audition for a touring rock band and landed the job. So I spent the next 10
years on the road, touring and recording albums in LA, which helped me become very familiar with recording
studios.
IAE: How did you get your start in the world of mixing for film?
ERIC: It was sort of by accident, how I got started. I was between tours and a friend of mine, from Connecticut,
bought an independent post-production facility and Foley stage for like 13 Grand from a guy named, Howard
Warren [known for his work on 60s TV Show ‘Flipper’]. My buddy had no clue what he had purchased, but he
had a knack for putting together some great crews. One day, he asked if I could mind the studio for him while
he went into the hospital to have surgery, but I didn’t know how to run a studio; fortunately my only
responsibility was simply unlocking the door in the morning, and locking it back at night. Those were the only
job skills I had at the time [laughs]. I became very fascinated by what Foley engineers did, so that began my
transition from music to post-production [for film], and I never looked back. I think my bass playing experience
was invaluable in learning to mix. The process of recording Foley and ADR is very musical to me. I ended up
going from an assistant [at the studio], to being the “Studio Manager,” then “Recordist,” and finally, “Re-
recorder/Mixer,” which I’ve been doing for roughly 20 years now. But that’s how I got started.
IAE: What is the difference between Foley Mixing and ADR Mixing?
ERIC: They’re both recording mediums, but with Foley, you’re working with Foley artists to create sounds in a
collaborative environment. You’re on a schedule and within that schedule you have to figure out how many
cues you can create in an allotted timeframe. If you’re doing a television show in Foley, you have to get the
basic material [recorded] very quickly. Your sync has to be great because there is usually no time to edit the
work before it goes to the dub stage. If you’re doing a big feature film, there are more opportunities to create
cool effects and a lot of other interesting information that’s not there when the movie was shot.
With ADR, on the other hand, you work directly with the actors and directors. There’s very little room for error
in ADR, and you don’t have the time to experiment. It’s a little more pressure, so in order to get things done in
a timely manner; I have to create an atmosphere of trust with the actor I’m working with. I will usually make all of
my technical judgments on the first rehearsal, as we listen to the line we’re going to replace. I have to take into
account the sound of the microphone, the distance of the microphone to the actor, and the level the actor will
be performing at. The reason I do this is because my next [recording] pass [after rehearsal] might be the only
performance the actor wants to do, so II have to nail it. A lot of actors are afraid of the ADR experience
because they either think they’re not that good at it, or that it compromises their performance. So, when I say
that I must “create an atmosphere of trust,” it means that I want them to hear that they are doing a great job
and actually enhancing their performance in the film. Sometimes, I’ll edit the actors’ line [in ProTools] to create
an in sync track before I playback. This usually only takes a few seconds. I’ll also add ambient backgrounds
and reverb if necessary to fill behind the playback. The talent likes what they hear and they get into it, giving
me their best stuff. Once you can do all that, the session becomes a very enjoyable experience for everybody.
IAE: How do you book new film and TV projects today, versus early on in your career?
ERIC: Early in my career I was constantly proving myself to people. I’d fight to get a show and then make sure I
did a good job. In this business, you’re only as good as your last job, and that went on for a while. Now, I’m
booked through Warner Bros. post-production services. There are quite a few great ADR stages and mixers in
LA so it’s a competitive market but they keep me very busy. It’s a lot of fun and I really enjoy my work.
IAE: Having worked on a great number of film and TV projects, what is the toughest aspect of your
job, as well as the most rewarding?
ERIC: The toughest part, for me, is waiting around. Sometimes I’ll get booked for a TV show that’s shooting
here, on the Warner Bros. lot, and an actor on the set can’t come to my stage until the show lets him or her
take a break. So I could sit here waiting for an actor to show up for 3 or 4 hours. When they arrive, it’s an
intense gear shift from hanging out to being fully focused. Sometimes I’ll only have an actor for a few minutes
before they have to go back on set.
The most rewarding part is realizing that the ADR some-times improves the performance of a line in a movie or
TV show. It’s a huge thrill for me to have a director or an actor walk out of my stage [on Warner Bros. lot]
thanking me for my work, and knowing I helped make their show better.
IAE: What projects are you currently working on?
ERIC: I just got through working on a movie that Al Pacino directed called, ‘Salomaybe?.’ I’ve also been
working on a film called, ‘Cyrus,’ directed by The Duplass Brothers. I work on a plethora of episodic TV show’s
here at Warner Bros. post-production, like, The Good Wife, The Mentalist, Men of a Certain Age, Smallville,
Supernatural, One Tree Hill, and the list goes on and on.
IAE: For those reading this interview, who are looking to get into what you do, what advice could
you offer them on how to break into the business as a mixer for film and TV?
ERIC: For starters, you should have a thorough knowledge of the tools of the craft. I would advise you to get
really good on ProTools. If you can, try monitoring a Foley or ADR session. A lot of Foley work is done at night,
so even if you have a day job you can sit in on a night session. Also, keep in mind that if this is something you
might be interested in doing for a living; you will probably have to start out by answering the phones or making
coffee, and just work your way up from there. It’s really how much you want it, that might dictate whether you
get it or not.
Another thing you can do is enroll into one of the many schools and colleges across the US that offer post pro-
duction sound programs. Not only will you learn the basics of audio engineering, you‘ll meet people that could
guide you down the right path in deciding your career. It’s very hard to walk through the front door of major
motion picture studios to get a job like I have. It’s an apprentice oriented business, making it difficult to learn
what I do in a classroom setting. I learned through an apprenticeship and by hanging out with the best people
that I could gain access to in this field. I sought out the best mixers and Foley artists and learned from them.
IAE: Thanks for the insight, Eric! If you could change anything about this business, what would it be
and why?
ERIC: It would be nice to have longer schedules so that the people I work with aren’t under so much pressure.
That’s about it. When I go to work, I have a great time. I feel very fortunate to have this job and I’m grateful
every day. I do not take this for granted at all.
Copyright © 2009-2011 I Am Entertainment Magazine, a publication of NFluential Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
| IAE is published by |
| About us |
| I Am Entertainment Magazine |
| Advertising |
| Connect with us |
| Contact us |
| Want to purchase the PDF or 3-D format of this issue? CLICK HERE to make your purchase! |
| FOLLOW US: |
