ABSTRACT
Spotting sessions are extremely important in the ongoing quest to produce the requisite desired final soundtrack. They present an opportunity for the director to mind-meld with the music composer and the supervising sound editor(s) on the desired style and scope of work in a precise sequence-by-sequence, often cue-by-cue, discussion. The various functions (music, sound effects, and dialog/ADR) have their own separate spotting sessions with the director, allowing concentration on each process without thinking of or dealing with all other processes at the same time. The spotting process also is an opportunity for the music composer and supervising sound editor(s) to share thoughts and ideas collaboratively, so their separate contributions to the soundtrack blend together as one, keeping conflict and acoustic disharmony to a minimum. Sadly, the truth is that often very little meaningful collaboration occurs between the music and sound editorial departments.
