AudioMediaInternacional: Interview: "Chris Burdon on mixing 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.'"

08 September 2015: By Adam Savage

Turning on the style for the new Guy Ritchie flick The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Chris Burdon has developed into one of the most in-demand re-recording mixers in the movie business. Adam Savage caught up with him after a preview Dolby Atmos screening of the film in Soho, London...

What would you say was the biggest challenge that you faced with this particular film?
The biggest challenge was to maintain that ‘60s style and vibe inherent in the film and embellish it energy-wise. There were lots of story lines going through the film that had to be articulated really clearly and, of course, being a Guy Ritchie film, the music was so important. It was a ‘60s film, but had to be mixed in a modern way – all the old tracks are in stereo, but you’ve got 5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos. I also didn’t want it to be too loud; I wanted it to be punchy with the music tracks and sound FX but I was very happy with how it sounded here [at Dolby’s Soho screening room].
And mixing the movie in Dolby Atmos allowed you to be extra creative, I imagine?
It was fairly conservative in terms of dialogue panning, and there was subtle use of overheads in Atmos for the music – I quite like using heavy percussion to create some intensity using the overhead speakers as it allows you to get quite a meaty sound.
In addition to the fantastic sound FX sequences throughout the film, if you listen to the effects mixing there are also simple little things like in the torture scene there was some nice work done with the spinning bulb, which was subtly panned around the room, but it was never meant to be too flash.

 To read the complpete interview, click here.

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