Q&A With Gary Summers
CA&E:For those who don't know, what does a rerecording mixer do?
Gary Summers:A motion picture rerecording mixer is the person or persons responsible for setting the final balance between the dialogue, sound effects, and music; the elements, which make up a motion picture's final soundtrack. Their work is performed in a "mixing theater." This is a room designed to replicate the normal cinema with respect to size, motion picture screen and projection, sound system, and loudspeaker placement. This theater differs, however, in that where the "best seat in the house" would be, a sound-mixing console is placed. Here the mixers sit and listen to the sound while watching the picture and make the relative balance adjustments between the dialogue, sound effects, and music, which they feel will yield the best emotional response from the audience with respect to the film. Once this process has been accomplished for the entire film, a final composite soundtrack is recorded that will be heard by audiences in theaters.
CA&E:How did you develop your critical ear and do you think there are ways to improve it? What attracted you to sound as a career?
GS:I think I was born with it. Over time I've learned how to train, refine, and focus my critical ear. I first began to do this in my youth by listening to all kinds of music-both live and recorded. I love listening to music. I realized in the late '70s that I wanted to pursue a career in sound. I attended two technical schools which focused on sound recording techniques; one was in Philadelphia, where I grew up, and the other in San Francisco. I had several very good instructors who taught me how to critically listen and to focus that listening. When I first entered the film business I had the opportunity to do a lot of sound effects recording. I was able to spend hours recording and listening to natural sounds. This has been very valuable in my film mixing career. I think this is very important when ear tuning my car. I am constantly relying on my "sonic memory." What do live instruments sound like? What does the natural human voice sound like? What do different acoustic spaces sound like and how do they differ? I had the opportunity to be at the recording of the musical score for several films I mixed. It's quite an experience being in the room with a live orchestra. One will not forget it.
CA&E: Do you think your career gives you a greater understanding or appreciation for sound? Does it make you more critical when listening to two-channel and 5.1 music?
GS:Yes, in a motion picture the soundtrack is a very powerful emotional mechanism. Imagine your favorite movie without certain elements of the soundtrack. It wouldn't be the same experience. I also spend a lot of free time listening to music. It helps put me in the right mood to meet my day. It can be critical listening or just listening for fun. Both have their place. For me, there's very little difference between two-channel and 5.1 listening as far as enjoyment. A great song in stereo is a moving experience, and the same goes for 5.1. It is all in the artistry and entertainment. It is not about the number of speakers playing. Music in 5.1 can obviously be more enveloping and in some ways more involving. I have found the availability of good 5.1 music mixes limited though. It is a shame the record companies/movie studios don't release exclusively the musical film scores in a 5.1 format.
CA&E:Why did you get into sound competition?
GS:When I completed my second system in the Volvo 780, Aaron Braverman suggested I compete in an IASCA event in Sacramento, Calif. I competed and won first in my class and Best in Show. I continued to compete on a local level for about three years. I had a great time, met some smart people, and learned more about the intricacies involved in car audio.