The Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) has released a statement detailing its concerns about the noise levels caused by some high-output LED lighting fixtures on set, calling for manufacturers to fix the problem.
AMPS says it is “increasingly concerned that some high-output LED lighting fixtures introduce audible mechanical noise directly into the performance space. In dialogue-critical scenes, this noise competes with the actor’s voice, masking subtle dynamics and compromising the truthful capture of performance. When such noise is cumulative, performance integrity is routinely lost.”
The statement goes on to say that while post-production tools can reduce noise, they “cannot restore performance detail that was never cleanly recorded” and that “dialogue replacement is not a creative preference; it is often a consequence of avoidable on-set noise.”
AMPS says that actors “deserve an environment that supports concentration, vocal control and emotional truth. Protecting that environment is a shared responsibility across all departments.”
AMPS is calling on manufacturers and productions to “treat acoustic neutrality as a fundamental requirement of lighting design and deployment. Silent or genuinely quiet operation is essential to respecting performance and preserving the artistic intent of the work.”
Jon Creamer
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