Capturing the Ultimate Party Vibe: Inside the ‘Maestro’ Sound Team’s Use of 22 Microphones
Oscar-nominated sound mixer Steve Morrow has recorded party scenes in movies like “Don’t Worry Darling,” “The Prom,” and “Babylon.”
For Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” Morrow tackled a pivotal party scene at the Bernstein family apartment in the Dakota Building transitioning from black and white to the 1970s.
Morrow captured sound from Felicia and Lenny’s circles simultaneously, creating a real party atmosphere.
The idea stemmed from Morrow’s work on the film “The Front Runner,” where he mic’d everyone up to create a bustling party vibe.
To make the party scene authentic, Morrow used 18 lavalier mics, three plant mics, and two booms to capture the ambience.
By placing mics on everyone and emphasizing loudness, ADR was only needed for one line change instead of the entire scene.
Authenticity was key, creating a realistic party environment without needing actors to yell over nothing.
