Jon
Yeah, not a good mix, the handiwork of a bloke called Hugh Strain, or Huge Strain to those who didn't like him of which there were quite a few. He made his name on things like The Sweeney and Minder which were mono for TV in those days. Dolby Stereo, even in the eighties and early nineties was a good deal more complex and old-timers like him never really got to grips with it. Of the three younger mixers I worked with extensively, Aad Wirtz and Adrian Rhodes and Horsforths Tim Cavagin. The thing that characterized them all was an excellent technical understanding of sound as well as an artistic appreciation. The complexities of Dolby Stereo where less of a leap for them than the old boys. Adrian incidently was at the national film school with Nick Park and is widely held to be the inspiration for Gromit the dog within our circle.
On subtitles or for that matter credits, what works in the cinema often fails on the TV due to the reduction in screen size. But yeah, White on white is never going to be good.
