Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Dubbing Life

Called into the editing room today for ADR. For those who don't know, ADR is automated dialogue replacement...aka dubbing. The scene involved drugs and the editor wanted to know what the dealer could be saying while showing their wares. "Ketamine, E, Molly, Adderall or Addy, Caps," I rattled off a bunch of names. They wrote down the info and asked if I could use my voice for the dubbing. I went to the audio editor and gave him a bunch of takes that could lay over the shot.

The origins of the scene come out of living in Albuquerque around 2007-2008. I was working on a docudrama theatre project and staying in a rundown house near UNM's campus with a motley crew of hippie drug users. I remember there was this very severe man who would come by every so often. He would briskly walk into our kitchen with a briefcase that was handcuffed to his wrist. He would uncuff himself, pop the lid, and reveal every kind of drug you could think of...immaculately organized, categorized, and stored. While the hippies were trying to decide what to buy, his eyes would scan around the room like a hawk, looking at exits, checking to see if anyone was going to jump out from behind a door. I have never seen a person with more intense 'don't fuck with me' stare. I can't imagine the stress this man must have felt walking into people's homes with something that people would kill him for in the blink of an eye. The second the transaction was complete... SLAM! The briefcase would snap shut. He would recuff the bag to his wrist, eye everyone up and down, and walk out. No chit chat, no conversation.

I guess you never know when living with hippies and drug addicts will pay off. Today I got to dub my voice into a moment from my past.   

No comments:

Get What You Want: December 2024

  1. ISA FASTTRACK FELLOWSHIP DEADLINE: February, 2024 WEBSITE:  https://www.networkisa.org/contest/view/fasttrackfellowship  Looking for re...