Based on the eponymous DC Comics character, season two of Peacemaker is set after the events of Superman (2025), with the titular character, played by John Cena, discovering an alternate reality. James Gunn is the showrunner.
As season two comes to a close, TVBEurope caught up with supervising sound editor Peter Brown and re-recording mixers Joe Barnett and Adam Jenkins to discuss their work on producing the show’s soundscape.
How did you get involved in Peacemaker?
The producers were looking for a mix team with feature sensibilities and the ability to meet TV requirements. The supervising picture editor on season one had a relationship with sound supervisor Peter Brown, and it was Peter who helped bring us on board. After a very positive experience on season one, the producers wanted to maintain the continuity of the sound team and we returned for season two.
Please explain what the roles of supervising sound editor/re-recording mixers mean on the show.
In general, the SSE oversees the sound editorial process and the mix team uses those delivered tracks to create the final track.
What can you tell us about the technology you used on the show?
Avid S6 console, Pro Tools, FabFilter EQ, de-ess and dynamics. Slapper for verbs and delays. Nugen Halo for stereo spreading. Speakerphone for some futzes. Hush, Clear, DxRevive, Izotope for cleanup.
Was the show mixed in stereo or 5.1?
It was mixed in Home Atmos with down mix deliveries also in 5.1 and LoRo. There’s a big push for Atmos on high-profile shows for future-proof compatibility. We also checked translation on a variety of formats and devices (including mobile devices).
Were there any specific sounds that you wanted to highlight in the mix?
The sounds are always mixed with the intent of serving the story. The most difficult specific sounds to integrate into the mix were the ones that carried story points. For example, the case that opened the dimensional portal had to convey the weight of the universe inside it, even though it looked small and rather simple. It was a fine balance to keep it sounding plausible but effective.
Joe/Adam do you work in a studio together or remotely? How does the dynamic between the two of you work? And, how do you work with Peter?
We work in the studio exclusively and have for quite some time.
The usual flow is that we do a reconnaissance pass to see what the parameters of the scene are while temping the music roughly. Then Joe will work the dialogue to get it in place, then ADR matching. Then a music pass to get it closer. All while doing that, Adam is roughing in backgrounds. Group walla comes next, followed by a refinement pass.
Then Adam takes over and fits in the Foley and FX. Joe will be listening while he does that, making adjustments and taking notes. When all the pieces are roughly in, we start fitting everything together, making difficult choices as to what to feature where based on the story’s needs.
What was the biggest challenge of the whole project?
The issue with any action comedy is to convey the power of the FX and MX while maintaining intelligibility of every. single. word. It’s even more critical because the showrunner likes the action to sound huge and also wrote the script!
What are you most proud of achieving on Peacemaker season 2?
Peacemaker is a great ride that we think will land with audiences and the sound mix is critically important for that objective. When people watch, we hope they play it loud!!
