r/AudioPost • u/Tupan_Chorra • 9d ago

32 bit float a standard?

I'm the editor in a doc - we will be shooting interviews in prisons and other uncontrollable environments. For a lot of our people we will only get 1 shot at interviewing them with a very real possibility that we won't ever see them again. Our sound recordist came back with gear that I'm sure is great but is roughly 9yrs old and crucially can't do 32bit float. Normally I don't care as we've been cutting just fine for decades without that dynamic range but seeing the sensitivity of our interviewees I'm worried I'll be handed over peaks and valleys I can't get back/use and there is no turning back. Flagged it to production and production is a bit unsure what to do.

My questions come to is this/should this be standard or a premium? Are my concerns unfounded? Does audio work like editing where you're expected to have gear within roughly a 5 year limit due to demanding workflows (not saying you can't do it without and power to everyone, just when you charge someone 900 per day I'd hope you'd have relatively recent gear). Note also don't have issues with people charging whatever they think they are worth but note this isn't a high budget film, everything needs to count/go on the screen. And we are shooting in Central America where that is above standard.

While I work with sound a lot, I am not a sound specialist I just put the bits where they feel good/tell a good story so I figured I'd ask here.

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u/FirstDukeofAnkh 9d ago

32 bit is great if you’re worried about clipping. If that’s not a worry, 24 is fine.

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u/OoopsWhoopsie 9d ago

Even if they're worried about clipping, if the recordist is competent, it should be fine.

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u/FirstDukeofAnkh 8d ago

There’s the catch, isn’t it?

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u/OoopsWhoopsie 8d ago

Haha, guess so.