SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Lay up tracks for final mix 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
243965  Lay up tracks for final mix 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Audio-visual Media Production 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 04 - Communication Studies and Language Media Studies 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  8 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2026-06-30   2029-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
The purpose of the learning is to be able to add to and embellish audio components to create atmosphere. Credited learners can create or add audio not recorded on set, and they liaise with other team members (e.g. Foley artistes, sound engineers and directors) to ensure that the sound track supports the production in all technical and artistic respects.

Audio is an important component of film and television productions, without which the quality of products is inadequate. Laying up tracks for final mix requires a thorough understanding of production process and provides a basis for learning to edit entire productions for film and television. Adhering to production requirements improves (internal or external) customer satisfaction by ensuring that outputs meet expectations, and, therefore, can impact positively on the image of the film and television industry.

Credited learners are capable of:
  • Assessing audio requirements for sound tracks.
  • Replacing dialogue to achieve required quality.
  • Creating sound lays for specific productions.
  • Preparing audio tracks for final mix. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    It is assumed that learners are competent in:
  • Record sound in a monitored environment at NQF Level 5.
  • Obtain and transfer sound at NQF Level 5. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Other range statements are provided with the specific outcomes and assessment criteria where applicable. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Assess audio requirements for sound tracks. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    All required final materials are obtained and accessed from relevant persons for assessment. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Final materials can include final open media frameworks, final picture cuts, etc. and include both audio and visual materials.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Audio quality is assessed against identified quality criteria to determine technical requirements between picture edit and sound edit. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Editing requirements include dialogue, automated dialogue replacement, voice-over or narration, sound smoothing out, sound effect, buzz/atmosphere, Foley, and music requirements.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Editing requirements are specified according to given organisation requirements. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Organisation requirements can include work spread and scheduling requirements.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Editing requirements are specified to meet all creative and technical requirements for specific productions and to ensure highest possible audio quality for specific productions. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Tracks are split to enable ease of premixing. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Recorded sound is cleaned to remove all sounds that would make sound technically unusable for final mix. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Sounds that should be removed include wind bumps, mike bumps, noise, distortion, phasing, dialogue that is unclear or poorly performed, etc.
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Replace dialogue to achieve required quality. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Time required in studio for recording of automated dialogue replacement is determined accurately in terms of studio processes and required automated dialogue replacement to be recorded. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Automated dialogue replacement includes crowd dialogue replacement.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Performer availability is ensured before studio bookings are made. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Automated dialogue replacement is scripted, marked up and sessions created for studio booking times according to specified organisation procedures. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Mark up can include script recording sheets.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Studio recording of automated dialogue replacement is supervised to ensure that specified requirements are met and that all automated dialogue replacement needs are addressed. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Automated dialogue replacement needs include, for example, the number of persons to create the desired size of crowds, sync and performance of main characters during recording, etc, specified requirements include preferred takes, performance quality and sync.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Automated dialogue replacement lays are laid in sync according to specified organisation procedures for dialogue premixing. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Lays are created digitally on time lines in sync.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Technology is used according to manufacturer specifications and specified organisation procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    Agreed deadlines are adhered to. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 8 
    Premixes and final mixes are assessed in terms of specified requirements and recommendations are made to all relevant persons where changes are required. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Create sound lays for specific productions. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    Sound lays include background atmospheres, sound effects, Foley, and music. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Tracks are split to enable ease of premixing. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Dialogue and background sound is smoothed out, background noises are edited and backgrounds embellished to ensure continuity and consistency across specific scenes. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Studio recording of sound is specified and supervised to ensure that quality requirements are met and that all needs for sound are addressed. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Sound effect, Foley and music lays are pulled in sync according to specified quality and production requirements. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Foley includes footsteps, clothing movement, cutlery, etc.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    All relevant legal requirements are adhered to. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Legal requirements include intellectual property (including copyright) legislation requirements such as acquiring music or obtaining relevant permissions.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Technology is used according to manufacturer specifications and specified organisation procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    Premixes and final mixes are assessed in terms of specified requirements and recommendations are made to all relevant persons where changes are required. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Prepare audio tracks for final mix. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Mix and delivery requirements are agreed with all relevant persons. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Tracks are prepared according to agreed quality standards, and production and final mix requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    All sectors of sound tracks are in sync. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Output format and delivery requirements are met. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Technology is used according to manufacturer specifications and specified organisation procedures. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • Assessment of learner achievements takes place at providers accredited by a relevant ETQA (RSA, 1998b) for the provision of programs that result in the outcomes specified for this unit standard.
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with a relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with a relevant ETQA.
  • The relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines and the agreed ETQA procedures will oversee moderation of assessment and is responsible for moderation of learner achievements of learners who meet the requirements of this unit standard. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    Credited learners understand and can explain:
  • Final audio and visual material types (e.g. final open media frameworks, final picture cuts, etc.).
  • The role of dialogue, sound effects, Foleys and music in productions.
  • Audio quality and technical requirements between picture edit and sound edit.
  • Premixing, mixing and final mixing processes and requirements.
  • Studio sound recording processes and technologies, and manufacturer specifications.
  • Scripting, marking up and sessions for automated dialogue replacement studio booking times.
  • Audio tracks, sectors, lays, and sync.
  • Sound editing technologies and manufacturer specifications.
  • Splitting tracks.
  • Continuity and consistency across scenes.
  • Legal requirements for sound editing processes.
  • Output format and delivery requirements. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems where responses to problems show that such critical and creative thinking has been used to make responsible decisions when audio quality is assessed against identified quality criteria to determine technical requirements between picture edit and sound edit and editing requirements are specified to meet all creative and technical requirements for specific productions, to ensure highest possible audio quality for specific productions, and when sound effect, Foley and music lays are pulled in sync according to specified quality and production requirements. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organisation or community when all required final materials are obtained and accessed from relevant persons for assessment, performer availability is ensured before studio bookings are made, and nix and delivery requirements are agreed with all relevant persons. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively when time required in studio for recording of automated dialogue replacement is determined accurately in terms of studio processes and required automated dialogue replacement to be recorded, agreed deadlines are adhered to and all relevant legal requirements are adhered to. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information to assess audio requirements for sound tracks, and when premixes and final mixes are assessed in terms of specified requirements. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively using visual, mathematic and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentation when premix and final mix recommendations are made to all relevant persons where changes are required. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others to replace dialogue to achieve required quality, and to create sound lays for specific productions. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation when recorded sound is cleaned to remove all sounds that would make sound technically unusable for final mix, tracks are split to enable ease of premixing, and dialogue and background sound is smoothed out, background noises are edited and backgrounds embellished to ensure continuity and consistency across specific scenes. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Notes to assessors:

    Assessors should keep the following principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the learner is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the learner can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Elective  58394   National Certificate: Film and Television Production  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  MICTS 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. BLC Entertainment 
    2. Epitome Villa (Pty)Ltd 
    3. EYETHU NATIONAL COMPUTER COLLEGE PTY LTD 
    4. FILM Mentorship & Training SA 
    5. Frayintermedia Cc 
    6. MBOWA COLLEGE PTY LTD 
    7. Media Village Training 
    8. OL Afrika Media 
    9. OPELONG BUSINESS INSTITUTE (PT 
    10. Peo Entle HIV Wellness Management and Youth Skills Development NPO 
    11. PRX SCHOOL TEST 
    12. Richfield Graduate Institute of Technology Pty Ltd 
    13. SOUTH AFRICAN CORPORATE TRAINING ASSOCIATION (PTY) LTD 
    14. VUTHLARI MARKETING CONSULTING 
    15. ZA WIT (PTY) LTD 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.