BBC Blue Planet 2 Latest Show In Firing Line For Sound

Issues - Are They Right?

Here especially in the UK, the sound mix for Blue Planet 2 has come under fire in the
press and on social media. At least it is not another case of Mumblegate, but the
complaints are about the music volume being overwhelming and the foley effects being
too loud and off-putting. But is this a case of the press whipping it up or are there
genuine criticisms here?

Looking at the issues regarding Blue Planet 2, let's start with the music. The Guardian, in
an article somewhat misleadingly titled Blue Planet II edited on normal TV set to head
off sound complaints, has made a big point that... 
The makers of Blue Planet II used a normal television while editing the soundtrack of the
programme because of concerns that viewers would complain about the narration not
being audible. 
Surely the use of a TV to check the mix is a routine process and not the stuff of news
headlines, and to suggest that the programme was edited using a TV is at best
misleading. However, there is an interesting quote that reinforces my point about mixes
being too cinematic. The Guardian article says... 

The BBC team used a TV rather than a music theatre or studio to review the final mix so
they could understand how the natural history programme would sound in a family living
room and set the narration, music and sound effects to the appropriate levels.
The Radio Times is running a poll on whether Hans Zimmer's score is too loud and
currently it is 74% saying it is too loud and 26% saying it is about right. An example of
the comments is this one from Tony Lewis...

The new series of Blue Planet is impressive. The stunning sequences are a credit to the
talented and dedicated camera operators and technicians who have used the new
technology to amazing effect; and, as usual, David Attenborough’s commentary is very
informative and intelligent. But what a pity that the programme suffers from
inappropriate and intrusive music, which is so loud that it makes hearing the commentary
at times almost impossible. The music is also manipulative, making judgements on
animals who are only doing what is natural and necessary for their survival. I long for the
time when I can press a button and remove background music in documentaries.
I have to say that unlike Planet Earth 2, where we did have to reach for the remote
control, Blue Planet 2 was fine. I felt that the music better dovetailed into the emotion of
the story and added to the overall storytelling. So far, and we have watched all four
episodes released to date, we have not felt the need to reach for the remote control
once.

But Blue Planet 2 is not just being criticised about the music, there are also complaints
about the sound effects with headlines like "CRASH, BANG, SCALLOP Blue Planet II fans
slam BBC’s ‘ridiculous’ choice of exaggerated sound effects" from The Sun newspaper. 
The article had quotes like...

Loving Blue Planet but the sound design is ridiculous. Fish do not roar like lions.
Only downside to the amazing Blue Planet is those awful sound effects! Urgh! Please
stop with these 1980s effects!
Why do we have to suffer the ubiquitous music and sound effects? No need. Nature
doesn’t.
There was only one line at the end of the article which was to take one little quote out of
a BBC rebuttal to these kinds of stories and comments...

However, the show’s executive producer James Honeyborne insisted they were vital. He
said: “They help convey the experience of ‘being there’ that is important for an immersive
TV experience.”
In studying the BBC's rebuttal, one of the key challenges for recording sound underwater
is that sound travels further and faster underwater – and that includes the noise of
anything humans do. James Honeyborne, Executive Producer of Blue Planet II
explains...

When we looked into recording sound at the bottom of the Mariana Trench for example,
scientists told us that sound pollution from ship traffic can even reach all the way down
there.
Surely, the most important component of the soundtrack is the natural sounds available
– those that the professional sound recordists have captured? The Blue Planet II team
have gone to great lengths to record a wide variety of sea creatures even working with
scientists to reveal the dawn chorus of fish on a coral reef, for example. 

Take a look at the image at the top of the story, this was a 4.0 underwater hydrophone
used by the Blue Planet 2 team to get some of the beds for the show. 

However, it isn't possible to use natural sounds throughout. The relentless sound of the
cameraman breathing James says "would be like watching TV whilst sitting next to
Darth Vader".

Also, more and more underwater cameras have microphones and although the sound
from them isn't always good enough to use it gives the foley team a very good idea
what the animal or activity sounded like so they can make as faithful recreation of it as
possible. The Blue Planet 2 team were well aware that they needed to create an
immersive and enjoyable experience, re-create suitable soundscapes in post-production,
once the film has been edited. James continues...

My favourite sequence for its soundtrack is when we dive with a sperm whale mother,
who is communicating with her baby, before using her sonar to hunt. The sound was
recorded on the on-board suction-cup camera that had been placed on her back. It’s the
first time we’ve heard the full sound-cycle of a diving sperm whale. In tracklay, other
sounds are added: a woosh of a passing jellyfish, or the rocketing explosion of methane
from the Deep Sea bed. This helps convey the experience of ‘being there’ that is
important for an immersive TV experience.  And because sound travels much faster in
water than in air, there are potentially a much larger number sources of natural sound
that could be heard at any given moment, so a final flourish of ‘artistic license’ is required
to focus the viewer on the story.
For me some of the foley sounds were a little too prominent which makes them less
believable, I would prefer them to have been pushed back into the beds and
atmospheres a little more and I think that would have made them less obvious and
reduced the outcry, fuelled by the press.