Second-Pass Filecutting

Filecutting isn't just about track labeling but also serves as quality control for Skywind's voice acting. Filecutters will often be the only ones to listen to every line of a VA's dialogue before it goes in-game. So, we need our filecutters to be top-notch! The idea of second-pass filecutting is to have a team reviewing each others' work. It is the "measure twice, cut once" principle, so to speak.

Second passes follow this general process:

1. Pick a card in the "CHECKED SUBMISSIONS" or "CHECKED RETAKES" columns on ClickUp. You will serve as a second set of eyes (and ears) to ensure we get the best possible voice acting.

   • Add yourself to the card along with the "Filecutter Assigned" label, like usual.

   • Don't pick a card for which you did the first check, or part of the first check. If you're a voice actor, don't pick a card that you voiced. ;) Second-passes are always done by a single filecutter, they are never divided, though if there is a tracking sheet you can use it to track your progress.

   • If the first-pass was divided, you'll need to recombine it before you start. This is a bit of a hassle, so I (Lacuna), recommend just asking Lacuna (me) to do it for you.

2. Download the audio for the submission, as well as the "Ready_For_Checking" zip file from the first-pass filecutter. Extract the Ready_For_Checking label track(s) and script. Make sure that the label track names are correctly formatted and match the name of the audio tracks exactly. Import the label tracks into the matching audio file by opening the WAV file and going to File--> Import --> Labels..., and open the script. Listen and follow along with the recorded audio and the original filecutter’s annotated script, and confirm that the filecutter's label and assessment are good.

   • Expand the first column so that the entire filename is visible. Check the filename for each label to make sure it matches the line in the script (you can just look at the last few characters). Did the original filecutter apply the correct label? If not, fix it.

     • A common issues is that a filecutter will forget to copy the filename when moving on to a new line, and so will accidentally place the same label twice in a row.

     • Or, they may forget to place a label entirely - or label two takes.

     • Don't worry about things like an extra space at the end of the label.

   • Was there any error (mispronunciation, etc...) that the original cutter didn't catch? If so, remove the label (Right click --> Delete Label) and give the line in the script the appropriate colors and comments on the error report.

   • Did the filecutter mark the original line as having an error, but really, the line is good? Mark it perfect on the script and add a label in Audacity. The first-pass filecutter may have noticed a mouth click, sound, or harsh consonant that is not severe enough to require a retake - in fact, this is very common. In the second-pass, it's important not to be too strict with audio issues. If you're not sure what "too strict" is, ask for a second opinion!

     • Remember: If you and the first-pass filecutter disagree on something, feel free to get more opinions by asking on Discord!

   • Was the original filecutter's feedback clear and helpful? Try to ensure there are friendly and helpful comments for our actors to help give them a better direction for their next recording attempt.

     • For example, if the original filecutter's feedback was "Mispronunciation: Said "Cosades" wrong", you could change this to "Mispronunciation: "Cosades" should be "koh-SAHD-ess." Always write "should be pronounced" and not "is pronounced" for pronunciation notes - the latter has led to misunderstandings in the past!

     • Remember that the retake note must be understandable even without the mistaken word being colored red - the red coloring is for the person making the retakes script, but it will not be visible in the final script that the voice actor receives.

   • Check if the label track looks like it has about the right amount of silence before/after each line. You don't have to measure these precisely; just eyeball it. A common issue is too-long labels, usually from working zoomed-out too far. If they're a bit too long, that's fine - but if they're *way* too long, that should be fixed. If they're too short at all, that should always be fixed.

   • If you and the first-pass filecutter disagree about something, feel free to bring it up in the #filecutting channel.

3. When you're finished, save the script and export all the revised label tracks in Audacity (File --> Export --> Export labels...). The overwritten label track will appear as a .bak file - you can delete that one. Then, pack up the checked script and revised label tracks and upload them to the card.

   • Name the packed file Checked_Work_Main_<VA Name>_<VA Race>.zip for main submissions and Checked_Work_V#_<VA Name>_<VA Race>.zip for retake submissions (replacing # with the current retake number).

4. Move the card to the "Pre-Retakes Update" column (always - both for main submissions and retakes, even if all the lines were perfect). Lacuna will handle making the new retakes script, if one is needed.

As a final note: Keep in mind that this is a review, not completely redoing the first pass!

• The intent is not to nitpick the decisions made by the first-pass cutter. Instead, you should focus on identifying major things that the first-pass cutter might have missed or misunderstood.

• You don't have to, for example, make your own decision of which take is best if the VA gives multiple. Just make sure the one picked by the first-pass cutter is alright.

• The two most important parts of this are:

  1. Confirming pronunciations, especially for words and names related to major quests (e.g. we want every instance of "Nerevarine" to be perfect).

  2. Ensuring the retake notes are descriptive, constructive, and clear.

That’s it! All filecutters are eligible for this position and there is no testing required, just dedication and teamwork.

Additional tips and tricks:

- I find it very helpful to select the entire A column at the beginning and fill it with "no fill", then re-color it as I go. This helps me remember to check each filename, and keep track of progress. It also means that I can check my stats with Alt+X as I go, just like I can during the first pass, since the stats macro only checks the first column. However, the macros will overwrite whatever the first-pass filecutter wrote in the filecutting notes, so if you want to keep that note, use Ctrl+Z to restore it after using the macro. (The rest of the changes from the macro will remain intact unless you keep pressing ctrl+z to undo them all.)

- To keep organized, I keep each assignment in its own folder - for instance, "Argyle Dunmer Retakes 1". Within that folder, I create a "Drawer" folder and a "Ready" folder. I place any files I don't need at the moment into the "Drawer", and when I have a file that is ready to submit I put it in the "ready" folder.

- If I have to make the same note many times - for instance, "Nileno Dorvayn should be pronounced "nill-EN-oh door-VAIN" - try to make the note something easy to remember so that you can type it the same way every time and take advantage of the autofill function.