COMPLETE[PLAY]Civil Service by Hare - thw

Solo or group recordings that are finished and fully available for listeners
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TrLove
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Post by TrLove »

My contract says I get paid the same whether you use my lines or not. :lol:

Tina
TrLove
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Post by TrLove »

TrLove wrote: June 16th, 2021, 10:24 am My contract says I get paid the same whether you use my lines or not. :lol:

Tina

Criminy, where did I pick up that background noise? What could it be? Is your pl note about it for me to tend to, or is it out of my hands?
T
benderca
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Post by benderca »

TrLove wrote: June 16th, 2021, 10:46 am
Criminy, where did I pick up that background noise? What could it be? Is your pl note about it for me to tend to, or is it out of my hands?
T
It's probably your computer motor, which got a little louder at moments when it was overheated. It would have been easier if I had noticed it in the first round of PL, but it only became obvious to me when compared to the rest of the parts, which don't have much background noise. But my suggestion is now for Todd, because your part is now part of the final act. He could still touch it up if he wants, but he may not deem it necessary at all. Thanks! TJ
ToddHW
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Post by ToddHW »

benderca wrote: June 16th, 2021, 10:09 am
ToddHW wrote: June 10th, 2021, 11:47 am Act 1 is ready for Final PL.

What great acting! Ye'all sound great.

Thanks, Todd
Civil Service Act 1 Notes:

[]
One additional little note. There is a background noise in the stage directions (loudest in the middle of the act) that I find a bit distracting. Maybe you could run a noise reduction over the whole act, using something from around 30:45-56 or 31:05-31:11.

Great job, everyone!
I'll look at all the other fixes you have noted, but about noise removal - I am very very very worried about ruining sound quality with noise removal. I confess that I don't hear any noise problems, but my hearing is not much good (I started Librivox when I could no longer sing - there is a reason why you don't see me PL'ing much).

I have previously only had luck removing background noise from spaces where there are no voices speaking. I could try to remove more noise from the stage directions, but I'd do it by working just on the original stage direction file - so as not to hurt the other parts - and then cutting all the cleaned directions back into the master file in place of what is there now.

Thanks, Todd
TrLove
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Post by TrLove »

Oh bother, such trouble. Let me know if you’d like me to work on scrubbing any of the subsequent acts, and I will. Out of the box, maybe if stage directions were reduced -0.5 volume the noise wouldn’t be as distracting? Dunno.
T
ToddHW
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Post by ToddHW »

I usually do reduce the volume of the stage directions - I think this one was 3 dB below the AnalyzeGain 0.0 level. They can be lower level than the actor voices becuz they are always there, and listeners get used to focusing on the stage direction voice as their omnipresent narrator. I feel that the "narrator" is telling us listeners a story, embellished by the other actor voices, so I don't fade the directions out of the picture.

I do reduce stage direction volume when everything else gets quiet, increase it when everything gets loud, so that the narrator is perceived as interested in and even part of the story they are telling, not considered an "interference" to the flow of the play. I do sometimes cut stage directions (sorry) when they are redundant with voicing by the other actors - usually cutting [sigh] when the actor definitely sighs, etc (unless I think there is a visual effect to communicate as well as the audio - [sad] [angry] [dejected], etc).

Thanks, Todd

(There are some exceptions in plays where stage directions really do no more than announce each scene, maybe with list of characters present for that scene.)
ToddHW
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Post by ToddHW »

benderca wrote: June 16th, 2021, 10:09 am
ToddHW wrote: June 10th, 2021, 11:47 am Act 1 is ready for Final PL.

What great acting! Ye'all sound great.

Thanks, Todd
Civil Service Act 1 Notes:

This is fantastic – all the characters are so interesting and distinct from one another. Very nicely done, everyone! And nice editing, Todd.

I have a few notes, but they are all “take-it-or-leave-it-it-would-be-good-either-way” types of notes. Everything flows nicely and nothing is missing.


I would suggest that the space between the two lines (8:38-8:40) be reduced, as presumably, Peavy’s sentence is either cut off by Steve’s arrival or Octavia’s next line.

Peavy. Why, I didn't say anything. I only said —

Enter Steve Audaine from R.


11:56 – 11:58,
I think you could cut out the stage direction: “Octavia (sighs)” – because Octavia clearly sighs right after that.


19:33-19:34
You might want to cut the space between Steve’s line and Peavy’s line at 19:33-19:34, so that it sounds more like Steve is cutting Peavy off:

Peavy. Well, a little bird has been a-telling me —

Steve. Honest, Sim Peavy,


29:49-51
I don’t think there needs to be a space here (or maybe just one second – it seems Reynolds, has to think too long to answer a simple question:

Peavy. No, sir; are we going to have a new sub?

Reynolds. Yes…


41:39
I think it would be more effective if you took out the stage direction “Miss G. (interrupting)” and instead just run the two lines together (so it sounds like she is interrupting).

Steve. I’ll remember and I want to thank you. I—

Miss G. (interrupting). Don't waste your time…


50:29-50:31
I would suggest closing the gap here, so that it is clear that Reynold’s is stopping Goldie from repeating his words:

Goldie. Well, you said to tell that old—

Reynolds. That will do…


51:13
It might flow better if stage direction were removed:
“Mrs. J. (indignantly).” – I think indignity is reflected in my tone.


1:05:07-09
If you cut out the space between these two lines, it will sound like Peavy is cutting off Goldie (and preventing him from telling an embarrassing story).

Goldie. I want to know how to wear store shoes without making my feet feel like old Tom Gin. You see, I got two corns—

Peavy. That'll do, my golden sunset. The postmaster wants you.


1:06:12-15
I suggest you cut out the stage direction here: “Kate (L. C)” and pull the two lines together. The SD is not important and it hinders Kate from interrupting Steve.

STEVE: …Honest, I—

[Kate (L. C).] Now, now;


1:08:22-23
I suggest tightening up the space between the two lines, so that Kate can interrupt Steve (it kind of sounds like he’s hanging there for a moment).

Steve. … It won't mean a big house or servants, or a car, but—

Kate. Maybe she won't want a big house…



One additional little note. There is a background noise in the stage directions (loudest in the middle of the act) that I find a bit distracting. Maybe you could run a noise reduction over the whole act, using something from around 30:45-56 or 31:05-31:11.

Great job, everyone!
I am perplexed. In the MW, Act 1 is only 1:06:06 long, but you have comments above as far as 1:08:23. And the first couple changes that you suggest - I didn't check further - were not as far along as the time marks you indicate, AND I had already made similar edits in the master before I uploaded the final "ready for PL" version and said it was ready for you.

Was it possible that you were listening to the original "not ready for PL" draft that I first uploaded (which I do regularly as a backup before I finish the editing) before the final version was declared ready? Or did I somehow mess things up again?

Just to be sure, I have uploaded the final versions of all three acts again.

Thanks, Todd
benderca
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Post by benderca »

ToddHW wrote: June 17th, 2021, 10:25 am
I am perplexed. In the MW, Act 1 is only 1:06:06 long, but you have comments above as far as 1:08:23. And the first couple changes that you suggest - I didn't check further - were not as far along as the time marks you indicate, AND I had already made similar edits in the master before I uploaded the final "ready for PL" version and said it was ready for you.

Was it possible that you were listening to the original "not ready for PL" draft that I first uploaded (which I do regularly as a backup before I finish the editing) before the final version was declared ready? Or did I somehow mess things up again?

Just to be sure, I have uploaded the final versions of all three acts again.

Thanks, Todd
Oh, man. That is very perplexing. I didn't download the file until June 15th and you said the final file was ready on June 10th. (I just checked my files and the June 15th file was 1:11:11). Even stranger is that I didn't even PL from the downloaded file, but directly from the link in the magic window online -- that must have been longer too -- and I PLed on June 15th and 16th. Does this mean I have to listen to the whole thing again? Probably the spaces are not the same if you cut out 5 minutes... Puzzling indeed... (I noticed that the Librivox server was down earlier this week -- I wonder if this has anything to do with that down time -- was there an update?)

The good news is that I haven't started Acts 2 and 3 yet, so there're advantages to being a procrastinator, eh... I mean lazy, no, eh... I mean busy. :wink:
Last edited by benderca on June 18th, 2021, 10:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
ToddHW
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Post by ToddHW »

Or did I somehow mess things up again?
I am favoring this option now. I must not have uploaded the final version of Act 1 or something. I can't put blame on the Archive maintenance shutdown - nothing else seems to have any woes..

It really should be listened to again. I'm very sorry about that.

Thanks, Todd
benderca
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Post by benderca »

ToddHW wrote: June 18th, 2021, 10:15 am
Or did I somehow mess things up again?
I am favoring this option now. I must not have uploaded the final version of Act 1 or something. I can't put blame on the Archive maintenance shutdown - nothing else seems to have any woes..

It really should be listened to again. I'm very sorry about that.

Thanks, Todd
No problem. It was very entertaining. I'm happy to listen to it again. :thumbs:
ToddHW
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Post by ToddHW »

Keeping you as the DPL entertained is my number 1 priority.

Thanks, Todd
benderca
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Post by benderca »

ToddHW wrote: June 18th, 2021, 11:29 am Keeping you as the DPL entertained is my number 1 priority.

Thanks, Todd
Well, it certainly is nice to know you've got your priorities straight. :D
benderca
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Post by benderca »

Act 2 - The Trial is PL OK!

Nicely edited, Todd! Everything perfectly spaced, and just the stage directions removed that I would have suggested -- don't worry, Tina, you'll still get the full salary agreed upon in your contract :lol: . I have to say, Todd, it's much easier to PL your edited version... :D

And great acting everyone! What a fun play!
ToddHW
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Post by ToddHW »

Thank you.

Todd
benderca
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Post by benderca »

Wow! How very dramatic!

I have a few small optional suggestions for Act 3:

Couldn’t you cut out the “pauses” at 10:06, 10:11, 13:42, and 25:27 and just leave a slight pause? It might have a stronger dramatic effect.

14:25-26
I suggest you run Cochran’s line “…You don't realize what you are asking. My sworn duty to the government—“ and Kate’s line “But R. F. D. isn't guilty…” together so that it sounds like she is interrupting him.

And I suggest you cut out the stage direction:
25:07 Mrs. Jeffs (cries)

Nice editing, Todd! Great acting, everyone! :clap:
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