How long to complete an episode?

[JulieH]

I know there are a lot of variables involved in doing production on a show, including complexity of soundscape, computer capability, number of characters, and experience of the person doing the work.

Taking this into consideration, I would love to hear from as many of you out there as possible - about how long does it take - from the time you have all the voices in hand to the time you're done - to put together, say, a half hour show?
8)

[Jack J Ward]

	Quote:	Serendipity
	I know there are a lot of variables involved in doing production on a show, including complexity of soundscape, computer capability, number of characters, and experience of the person doing the work. Taking this into consideration, I would love to hear from as many of you out there as possible - about how long does it take - from the time you have all the voices in hand to the time you're done - to put together, say, a half hour show? 8)

I've thought about it myself a lot.
It takes me between 4-8 hours to write, edit, re-edit and do a read through an episode
It takes about 1 to 2 hours for recording.
It takes about an hour to edit a half hour of rough editing
It takes about six to eight hours of post production past that including music, sound effects, and the whole sound scape.
So I think that ranges each episode between 12 to 19 hours / half hour show for us to produce!
J

[UltraRob]

Well, my simple but true number seems to work out to:

1 minute of show = 1 hour of production time

Now that's not literal. I do Satellite audio drama so unlike you people who record live I need to clean and put all the lines into place by scene, then adjust them, add FX, add music, etc. When all the time spent on the stage gets added up, however, it always seems to end up being roughly equal to the 1 min = 1 hour formula, almost without fail. (I did put together one 12 minute show in 6 hours once though, but that was a fluke.)

Rob

[JulieH]

[laughing hysterically]
I don't know about anyone else who records in a studio, but with the folks I have (listen to the outtakes!!) we digress A LOT, and it takes AGES to sort through all the bits to find the right takes.

Plus, the more people I have to move on and off of mike, the more tracks I have to split everything into to get the control I want over volume and balance....

Oops. Gibbering.

[Wesley]

It's been a while since I've been doing the work, but I can second UltraRob's 1 minute = 1 hour guesstimate. If it's just 2 characters talking for a minute, I can finish the scene in maybe 15 minutes, but if there are several characters moving though a scene with a lot of sound effects, it can take 1.5 hours or more.

[Bill Hollweg]

I agree with Ultra rob and Wesley on the 1 minute = 1 hour rules of thumb. I spend about 2 hours a day 7 days a week mixing <4am to 6am- as I have kiddos and wife and a life so thats about the only quiet/free time-LOL>.

But for a 15page script it usually takes me about 2 weeks or so at the 2 hour a day mixing rate <again as mentioned earlier- the # of characters, the sfx required, yada yada> and usually runs about 20-25 minutes depending on transitions and music and the credits et all by the time I am through.

[Dr. Grant]

We record all the voices separately. Each actor does their lines a minimum of three times each, so depending on schedules, that's what takes the most time. I can usually edit together a show in a day, but then I put it on an iPod and listen while running and in the car and play it for a select few and take notes and then go back and spend about another half a day tweaking, adjusting, etc. Then another hour or so to add in the credits and secret code.

With the recording of the voices, editing, general slacking off time, I always say it takes one week to do an entire episode. To get it to where I'm happy and it can go out.

[JulieH]

I know what you mean about listening over and over - in the car, on the headphones, etc. It sounds different in every venue.

And there's nothing like that first time, when you cranked a sound effect because it just wasn't sounding right on the laptop's lame-o speakers, and then you listen to it in the car, get to that point in the show, AND THE CAR SHAKES because it's all bass - ooooooh, the basss......!!!

(shaking self back to present)

Floyd - how long do your shows run, then? (appx)

[Dr. Grant]

	Quote:	Serendipity
	Floyd - how long do your shows run, then? (appx)

Approx 5 - 10 mins. It varies (unfortunately).

There's also times when I'm NEVER happy with how an episode came out and one of the other folks involved with the show (mainly Doug) will say, 'WHat are you talking about? It's perfect release it!"

And I'll say, "No don't you hear how that audio has a little bump right there? It's driving me crazy!" They can BEVER hear it but it's ALL I can hear!

[Bill Hollweg]

	Quote:	Serendipity
	I know what you mean about listening over and over - in the car, on the headphones, etc. It sounds different in every venue. And there's nothing like that first time, when you cranked a sound effect because it just wasn't sounding right on the laptop's lame-o speakers, and then you listen to it in the car, get to that point in the show, AND THE CAR SHAKES because it's all bass - ooooooh, the basss......!!! (shaking self back to present) Floyd - how long do your shows run, then? (appx)

And I found out the hard way headphones lie- so I alsoways have a second listen in the car-LOL