ADR Studio London: Dialogue Replacement at Soho Sonic

Soho Sonic offers professional ADR recording in central London from studios in Soho and Camden. ADR sessions are led by supervising sound editor Francesco Marseglia M.P.S.E., whose credits include Anomalisa, Hampstead, and This Must Be The Place. Sessions are run to picture in Pro Tools, with Source-Connect available for remote actors and directors. Bookings are handled by our Media department.

ADR Studio in London: Dialogue Replacement at Soho Sonic

Post-production is where a film or television production comes together — and ADR is often one of the last critical steps before delivery. When location sound is unusable, when a script changes after the shoot, or when a performance needs a cleaner take, ADR is what fixes it. Done properly, it is invisible. Done badly, it shows up in every scene.

This guide covers what ADR involves, how sessions work at Soho Sonic, and how to get a booking in place for your production.

What is ADR?

ADR — Automated Dialogue Replacement, also called looping or dubbing — is the process of re-recording dialogue from a filmed production in a controlled studio environment, then syncing the new recording precisely to picture.

It is used when the original location recording is unusable: background noise that cannot be cleaned in post, an aircraft flying over during a key scene, a performance that worked visually but not acoustically, or a line that changed in the edit. ADR replaces the dialogue with a clean, studio-quality recording that matches the picture exactly.

ADR is standard practice in professional film and TV production. Virtually every production above a certain budget includes some ADR work — the question is how much and when. Productions that plan their ADR schedule early, with a dedicated supervising sound editor attached from picture lock, tend to run smoother and deliver cleaner results.

ADR at Soho Sonic

Soho Sonic’s audio post production department is led by supervising sound editor Francesco Marseglia M.P.S.E. His ADR credits include Anomalisa (dir. Charlie Kaufman), Hampstead, and This Must Be The Place (dir. Paolo Sorrentino). The M.P.S.E. designation — Motion Picture Sound Editors — reflects a professional standard applied to every session.

As a leading ADR studio in London, our sessions run in full Pro Tools rigs to picture, in acoustically treated rooms with Neve preamps and Neumann microphones. Both the Soho studio on Great Titchfield Street and the Camden studio on Queen’s Crescent are set up for audio post work. Sessions are booked through our Media department, which handles scheduling and technical requirements from initial contact through to delivery.

How an ADR session works

A well-run ADR session depends on preparation as much as studio time. Here is the standard workflow:

Before the session: The production provides a picture-locked cut (or approved sequence) and a cue sheet — a list of the lines to be replaced, with timecodes. Francesco reviews the cue sheet in advance and sets up the session accordingly. Actors should watch the relevant scenes before arriving so they have the performance fresh in their minds.

In the room: The actor watches the scene on the studio monitor while the engineer plays the original dialogue track as a guide. The actor performs the line in sync with their on-screen performance — matching the lip movements, the pacing, and the emotional register of the original take. Multiple takes are recorded and the best are selected for editing.

After the session: Dialogue is edited to picture and delivered in your required format — Pro Tools sessions, OMF, AAF, or stems — ready for the dub stage.

Productions that come in with a clean cue sheet and well-prepared cast move significantly faster. If your production is new to ADR, we can advise on how to prepare before booking.

Remote ADR via Source-Connect

Not all actors can travel to the studio. For productions with internationally based cast, or where travel is not practical, Soho Sonic offers remote ADR via Source-Connect — the broadcast-standard platform used by studios and networks worldwide.

The actor records from a Source-Connect equipped studio at their location. The Soho Sonic engineer runs the session in London, hears both sides in real time, and captures the dialogue at broadcast quality. The director can join the session from any location and give direction between takes. The result is a recording that meets the same technical standard as an in-person session — not a compressed remote call that needs cleaning in post.

If your actor’s local studio is not Source-Connect equipped, we can advise on alternatives including ISDN and other broadcast-standard remote recording methods.

ADR vs voiceover — what’s the difference?

The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they describe different processes.

ADR replaces dialogue that was already filmed. It must sync precisely to picture — frame by frame, matching lip movement and performance. It requires a supervising sound editor with post-production experience and a proper ADR rig.

Voiceover is original recorded speech that does not need to sync to existing footage. Narration, commercials, documentary, e-learning, character voices — these are all voiceover. The performance stands alone.

Both are available at Soho Sonic. ADR and audio post work is led by Francesco through our post-production department. Voiceover bookings go through our Media department. If you are not sure which applies to your project, get in touch and we will point you in the right direction — see our voiceover studio London page for more detail.

How to book an ADR studio session in London

Contact our Media department as early in post-production as possible. ADR scheduling is easier to plan around picture lock than to squeeze in at the last minute — and early contact means we can advise on preparation, cue sheets, and technical requirements before you arrive.

Email [email protected], call +44 (0)20 7580 2088, or use our contact form. We aim to respond within one working day. For urgent requests, call directly.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What is ADR in film and TV production? ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) is the process of re-recording dialogue from a filmed production in a studio environment and syncing it precisely to picture. It replaces dialogue that is unusable from the original shoot — due to background noise, performance issues, or script changes made in post. ADR is standard practice in professional film and television production.

What is the difference between ADR and voiceover? ADR replaces existing filmed dialogue and must sync precisely to picture — frame by frame, matching lip movement and performance. Voiceover is original recorded speech that does not need to sync to existing footage: narration, commercials, documentary. Both are available at Soho Sonic. ADR is led by supervising sound editor Francesco Marseglia M.P.S.E.

How does an ADR session work? The actor watches the relevant scene on the studio monitor while the engineer plays the original dialogue as a guide. The actor performs the line in sync with their on-screen performance across multiple takes. The best takes are selected, edited to picture, and delivered in the production’s required format — Pro Tools session, OMF, AAF, or stems.

Can actors do ADR remotely? Yes. Soho Sonic offers remote ADR via Source-Connect, the broadcast-standard remote recording platform. The actor records from a Source-Connect equipped studio at their location. The Soho Sonic engineer runs the session in London, capturing the dialogue at broadcast quality in real time. The director can join from any location and give direction between takes.

Soho Sonic Studios — ADR and audio post production in central London. Led by supervising sound editor Francesco Marseglia M.P.S.E. Get in touch or call +44 (0)20 7580 2088.