Hey, community!
It's great to say hello to you all.
I was working on a 5.1 mix for a short film this week—an easy job for me, but still one I love doing.
However, I wonder if it's still worth working in this format considering that spatial sound and Dolby Atmos capabilities have expanded the spectrum to limits unimaginable just a few years ago.
What do you think? Is it worth continuing to offer this mix format, or is it time to take it a step further and make 7.1.4 the standard for cinema sound mixing?
On the one hand, we all know that a 5.1 mix will play flawlessly in 99% of movie theaters worldwide, while 7.1.4 is still reserved for large multinational chains.
But the freedom that 7.1.4 offers when working with objects is mind-blowing, and I think a good production deserves to be mixed in this format (unless the genre doesn't require such sophisticated audio mixing).
But other factors come into play here, such as investment in equipment and infrastructure, certifications, training, etc.
What do audio post-production professionals think?
I'd love to hear your comments.