Call me crazy (many have), but I really LOVE editing dialogue. There is something satisfying about seeing a timeline full of audio regions (sometimes more organized than others) waiting to be pieced into what sounds like a finished film. I was never one for jigsaw puzzles growing up, but this challenge has always spoken to me.
Bringing it all into the fold
Perhaps the LESS fun part of the process involves downloading the files from the editorial department (thank goodness for Google Fiber moving into our part of Austin). Typically in the form of an AAF or OMF and an accompanying .MOV file, I am presented with the raw materials to begin. When working on a doc or project with a quick turn, I dive straight into the tracks in an AAF/OMF. On projects with a bit more time (and budget), I start with a conform. This is the process of taking an EDL (Media Composer) or FCP XML (Premiere) and using software like Kraken Dialogue Editors Toolkit or EdiLoad, you then match back the edits in the EDL to the original raw production audio