# Sound report

Source: https://storiara.com/glossary/sound-report
Last updated: 2026-09-14
Author: Nick Harty, Storiara

> A sound report is the log the production sound mixer keeps for each recording day, usually generated by the recorder and annotated by hand. It lists every file with its scene, take, and timecode, what each track holds (boom, each lav), circled takes, and notes such as wild lines, room tone, or noise problems. It goes to editorial with the audio files.

## What one looks like

The header describes the recording setup. Every file gets a line.

```
THE LONG DRIVE   SOUND REPORT   Day 6   3/10
Mixer: Dev Anand   Recorder: (model)   Media: CF card 06
Sample rate 48 kHz   Bit depth 24   TC rate 23.976 ND   File type: poly WAV
Tracks: 1 Mix L  2 Boom  3 Lav MAYA  4 Lav JOE
```

| File | Scene | Take | Start TC | Circle | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14_T01 | 14 | 1 | 07:52:10:10 | | Truck pass at end |
| 14_T02 | 14 | 2 | 07:55:05:02 | O | |
| 14A_T01 | 14A | 1 | 08:21:40:18 | | Joe lav rustle on "kept it" |
| 14A_T02 | 14A | 2 | 08:24:02:07 | O | |
| 14_WT01 | 14 | Wild | 08:30:11:00 | | Wild line: Joe "I kept it, okay?" x3 |
| 14_RT | 14 | Tone | 08:32:30:15 | | 30 sec [room tone](https://storiara.com/glossary/room-tone), diner, fridge off |

Take 14A take 3 from the camera report was [MOS](https://storiara.com/glossary/mos), so it doesn't appear here. That gap is intentional, and the camera report says so.

## How the mixer uses it on the day

The [production sound mixer](https://storiara.com/roles/production-sound-mixer) types scene and take into the recorder before each slate, names the tracks at the start of the day (and again when a lav moves to a different actor), and adds notes right after a take while the problem is fresh. The [boom operator](https://storiara.com/roles/boom-operator) or [sound utility](https://storiara.com/roles/sound-utility) flags things the mixer can't see, like a lav rubbing on a jacket zipper. Wild lines and room tone get logged as separate files so editorial doesn't need to hunt through takes.

## What goes wrong

Track names that don't change when a lav is swapped to a different actor send dialogue editors to the wrong track. Scene and take numbers that don't match the [camera report](https://storiara.com/glossary/camera-report) slow down syncing [dailies](https://storiara.com/glossary/dailies). Frame rate mismatches between the recorder and camera cause drift. And notes that don't mention noise ("plane overhead, take 2") leave the editor to find out later, when [ADR](https://storiara.com/glossary/adr) is the only fix.

## Where it goes

The report travels with the audio files to the DIT or directly to editorial each day. The assistant editor uses it to sync picture and sound. Totals, such as the number of cards or files, can go on the [daily production report](https://storiara.com/glossary/daily-production-report). Later, the dialogue editor uses the notes to find alternate takes and wild lines during the [post-production workflow](https://storiara.com/blog/the-post-production-workflow-from-editors-assembly-to-final-delivery).

## Frequently asked questions

### Who makes the sound report?

The production sound mixer. Most modern recorders generate a report from the metadata the mixer enters (scene, take, track names), and the mixer adds notes and circled takes.

### What sample rate and bit depth go on a sound report?

Whatever the production and post supervisor agreed in prep. For film and TV, 48 kHz and 24-bit is a common standard. The report header should also list the timecode frame rate so post can sync correctly.

### Why do sound reports list track names?

So the editor and dialogue editor know which isolated track holds which microphone. If track 3 is Maya's lav and track 4 is Joe's, the mixer names them that way on the report.