Vince Balunas

Vince Balunas
Role:	Dialogue Editor / ADR Editor / Supervising Sound Editor
BSG Universe:	Re-imagined Series and Caprica
Date of Birth:
Date of Death:	Missing required parameter 1=month! ,
Nationality:	USA
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IMDb profile

Vince Balunas (also credited as Vincent Balunas) is an American dialogue editor, ADR editor, and supervising sound editor who worked on the Miniseries and 56 episodes of the Re-imagined Series. Balunas won the 2009 Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series for the series finale "Daybreak, Part II" as Dialogue/ADR Editor, working alongside Daniel Colman, MPSE, Jack Levy, Sam C. Lewis, and the sound team. He also received an Emmy nomination for Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome (2012). Balunas also contributed to Caprica as dialogue editor on the pilot episode (2009) and supervising dialogue editor on "Apotheosis" (2010).

Balunas has built an extensive television career with over 78 documented sound department credits spanning from 2003 through 2025. His career has totaled five wins and 11 nominations across various industry awards. Major credits include Outlander (2014-2025, 90 episodes), For All Mankind (2019-2024, 40 episodes), and Gossip Girl (2007-2012, 118 episodes).

Balunas has worked for the post-production company Anefex in Burbank, California, a 6,000 square foot facility where he has overseen sound operations including dialogue editing, ADR recording and mixing, and sound supervision.

Career

Background and Early Experience

Before entering post-production sound, Balunas developed his audio skills in the live music industry, working as a live sound engineer at venues including B.B. King's, the Whisky a Go Go, Viper Room, and House of Blues. This live sound experience provided fundamental knowledge of signal flow, microphone placement, and frequency management that would prove essential in his transition to ADR recording and dialogue editing.

Early Work and Battlestar Galactica Franchise

Balunas began his documented television career as a dialogue editor on Miniseries, working on both episodes of the pilot. The miniseries sound team, which included supervising sound editor Jack Levy, sound designer Daniel Colman, and re-recording mixers Kevin Patrick Burns and Todd Orr, earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special in 2004, with Balunas credited as sound editor.

Balunas continued as dialogue editor throughout the regular series (2004-2009), working on 56 episodes across all four seasons in various capacities including dialogue editor and ADR editor. He received Emmy nominations for sound editing on "Exodus, Part II" in 2007 and the series finale "Daybreak, Part II" in 2009.

The sound team won the 2009 Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series for "Daybreak (Part 2)," with Balunas serving as Dialogue/ADR Editor alongside Daniel Colman, MPSE (Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer), Jack Levy (Supervising Sound Editor), Sam C. Lewis (Sound Effects Editor), Michael Baber (Music Editor), and foley artists Doug Madick and Richard Partlow.

Working with the Cast

Katee Sackhoff demonstrated professionalism in ADR sessions even when presented with challenging replacement dialogue. Balunas recounted an instance where Sackhoff questioned an ADR line but ultimately approached it pragmatically, stating that while she did not write the lines, she was paid to deliver them. Balunas contrasted this attitude with other actors who would fight replacement lines extensively, noting that in television production, tight schedules rarely permitted prolonged debates over ADR script changes.

Sound Design Philosophy

Balunas's approach to Battlestar Galactica emphasized creating tactile, immersive soundscapes that grounded the science fiction in tangible reality. In discussing his later work on Outlander, Balunas explained how this philosophy originated with Battlestar Galactica: "In Battlestar, the ship would be constantly groaning and you'd hear all of this metal creaking. There is this tactile feel of the CIC (Combat Information Center of the ship's bridge)." This focus on environmental detail and physical presence would become a hallmark of Balunas's work across his career.

Balunas continued his work in the franchise by contributing to Caprica (2009-2010), working as an uncredited dialogue editor on the pilot episode and as an uncredited supervising dialogue editor on the series finale "Apotheosis." In 2012, Balunas was nominated for another Emmy for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special for Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome as uncredited ADR editor and supervising dialogue editor.

Gossip Girl and Network Television

Following his Battlestar Galactica work, Balunas became supervising sound editor on Gossip Girl (2007-2012), working on 118 episodes throughout the series' entire six-season run. On Gossip Girl, Balunas worked in multiple capacities including supervising sound editor, dialogue editor, and ADR editor, often collaborating with sound effects editor Daniel Colman and supervising foley editor Sam C. Lewis.

Balunas praised actress Leighton Meester's ADR performance, noting that she was particularly skilled at automated dialogue replacement and maintained a professional, cooperative attitude during sessions. He contrasted this with actors who contested every replacement line or demanded excessive takes, which he found counterproductive given the compressed television production schedules.

Expanding Television Portfolio

Balunas built a diverse portfolio across multiple networks and streaming platforms. His credits include Covert Affairs (2010-2014), Wayward Pines (2015-2016), Runaways (2017-2019), Looking for Alaska (2019), Nancy Drew (2019-2023), Power Book III: Raising Kanan (2021-2022), and Chicago Fire (2018-2025).

Marvel Studios Security Requirements

Beginning with his work on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Balunas became responsible for implementing and maintaining Marvel Studios' extensive security protocols at Anefex. These requirements included substantial infrastructure modifications to secure video content, including installation of multiple video surveillance cameras monitoring the edit bays and facility, detailed access logs tracking who handled materials and when, and secure storage protocols for scripts and video files. Balunas described the security demands as requiring significant investment and ongoing compliance efforts beyond typical post-production facility requirements.

Outlander and Premium Cable

Beginning in 2014, Balunas became a key member of the sound team for Outlander, working on 90 episodes through 2025 as dialogue editor, supervising sound editor, and sound effects editor. This represents one of his longest continuous collaborations on a single series. His work on Outlander reunited him with series creator Ronald D. Moore, with whom he had previously collaborated on Battlestar Galactica and Caprica.

Adapting Battlestar Techniques to Period Drama

When Moore assembled the Outlander sound team at AnEFX in Burbank, he specifically called on Balunas due to their established working relationship. Balunas previously worked with both Moore and Outlander's picture editor, Michael O'Halloran, on Battlestar Galactica. While the science fiction experience from Battlestar Galactica might not seem directly applicable to an 18th-century period drama, Balunas explained that understanding Moore and O'Halloran's creative vision was invaluable: "There's a certain grit to the show. Yes it was shot in HD, and next season will possibly be shot in 4K, but there is still a visual grit to it much like there was on Battlestar. Sonically, Outlander is like Battlestar Galactica in that both focus on sounds that make the world on screen seem tangible."

Balunas explained how he adapted his Battlestar approach to ground Outlander in historical authenticity: "We grounded Outlander the same way; it's like actually being there in 1743."

Production Scale and Workflow

The scope of Outlander required significantly expanded sound work compared to typical network television productions. Balunas noted that without large orchestral music cues to hide behind, every movement on screen required meticulous sound design: "Without any big music moments to hide behind, Balunas needed sound for every movement that happened on screen because without it, he says, the scene felt naked." Working with lead sound designer/effects editor Jeff Brunello at AnEFX, Balunas developed elaborate environmental backgrounds: "We understood that we were going to be building this show a whole lot bigger than other shows. It's a very wide build compared to other shows we do for network television."

The attention to period detail extended to foley work, which doubled in complexity from typical productions. When characters rode horses through the Scottish Highlands, Moore and the Starz team wanted complete sonic immersion: "They wanted to hear a little bit of rattle, leather creaks and other small details to bring the scene to life. My Foley track count doubled in size for this show." AnEFX handled all foley in-house with a team led by supervising foley editor Sam Lewis and foley artist Brian Straub, who both recorded and edited the foley work.

Maintaining historical accuracy required absolute vigilance against modern sounds. Balunas credited production sound mixer Brian Milliken for providing exceptionally clean tracks: "There was no evidence of any kind of modern sounds throughout the whole entire production of the first season. Brian [Miliken] did a really good job of giving us good clean audio to work with. There weren't any challenges with the production dialogue."

In contrast to the 1743 scenes, sequences set in 1945 deliberately emphasized technological sounds to establish temporal context: "When we're in the police station, we really want to hear the phones ringing and cars go by. We want to make sure that people know that scene is in 1945 in Scotland."

The production schedule for Outlander differed significantly from standard television workflows. Balunas and his team typically spent 8-10 days per episode on sound editorial, working in concentrated waves rather than continuous weekly production: "The schedule was spread apart and we worked on the series in waves. We would do three episodes one month and then take a month and a half off before doing another two episodes." This flexible scheduling allowed the team to adapt to picture lock timing: "We had a very liquid schedule that wasn't your standard TV schedule of five days to get an episode done, and then next week it's another five days for the next episode."

Sound editorial, foley, most ADR, and premixes were completed at AnEFX, with final mixing handled by re-recording mixers Nello Torri and Alan Decker at BluWave Audio in NBC Universal's Studio B. The mixers worked with four days per episode, mixing in 7.1 with delivery to Starz in 5.1. Particularly complex episodes like the witch trial sequence required the full allocation: "For episodes like the witch trial episode, we needed every second of that four-day mix. We had everyone and their mother talking on-camera. That was a really big show for us."

In a 2015 Variety interview during Emmy season, Balunas summarized the unique scope of Outlander: "The show's unique — it's such a big-scope series with a big cast and landscapes, so there's much work in Foley, ADR and dialogue." He elaborated on the witch trial sequences' technical demands: "All the courtroom reactions were shot, then we augmented that with Gaelic speakers and English ones. And you have old wooden architecture, cobblestone streets and so on, and every little sound has to be just right." To maintain authenticity throughout the lengthy post-production process, Balunas and his team continuously refined their work: "To keep it authentic, Balunas and his team recut and rework the mix constantly — and (composer) Bear (McCreary)'s beautiful score helps a lot."

Balunas emphasized that the foundation of excellent post-production sound begins with production: "Starting with good production sound was really a key to the show sounding great. Without having to sync up tons of ADR, or heavily process the dialogue to improve clarity, he was able to focus on his sound team." He summarized the scale of the endeavor: "The biggest thing about Outlander is its size. It's a very large show with a lot of elements to manage."

He also worked on the prequel series Outlander: Blood of My Blood (2025) as both dialogue editor and supervising sound editor.

For All Mankind and Streaming Era

From 2019 through 2024, Balunas worked as dialogue editor, supervising sound editor, and ADR mixer on Apple TV+'s For All Mankind, contributing to 40 episodes of the alternate history space drama. This work demonstrated his continued presence in high-profile streaming productions alongside his ongoing cable and broadcast television commitments. His work on the series earned recognition from the Motion Picture Sound Editors, with Balunas credited as Supervising Sound Editor, Dialogue Editor, and ADR Editor on the episode "And Here's to You."

Additional streaming and limited series credits include The Irrational (2024), How to Die Alone (2024), City on Fire (2023), and Netflix's Florida Man (2023).

Professional Expertise

ADR Recording and Session Management

Balunas has developed significant expertise in ADR recording and session management, working with actors across multiple continents through ISDN technology. He regularly conducts ADR sessions with talent located in South Africa, England, Melbourne, and Sydney, coordinating recording through ISDN lines that provide full-fidelity audio transmission comparable to in-person sessions. This became particularly important as productions increasingly shot in international locations to take advantage of tax incentives and reduced production costs.

Balunas has observed significant variation in ADR recording quality from different locations, with some international facilities lacking experience with proper ADR recording techniques. He recounted experiences with sessions from Hawaii where recordists repeatedly failed to adjust microphone preamp levels appropriately for loud performances, resulting in distorted takes.

Balunas emphasizes the importance of managing actor relationships during ADR sessions. He describes his approach as protecting the actor while maintaining the production's needs, which he believes contributes to positive working relationships. When actors receive extensive ADR scripts without advance notice, Balunas advocates for warning producers about potential negative reactions, noting instances where actors have become visibly upset upon discovering unexpected amounts of replacement dialogue. He has witnessed situations where actors called executive producers directly from ADR sessions to question script changes, which he considers particularly problematic when the executive producer was unaware of the specific ADR lines being recorded.

Technical Infrastructure and Workflow

Throughout his career, Balunas has worked in multiple sound department capacities, demonstrating versatility across different aspects of post-production audio:

• Dialogue Editor: Editing and assembling dialogue tracks from production recordings
• ADR Editor: Managing automated dialogue replacement sessions and editing
• Supervising Sound Editor: Overseeing entire sound editorial teams and workflows
• Sound Supervisor: Managing overall sound post-production on projects
• ADR Mixer: Recording and mixing automated dialogue replacement sessions
• Re-recording Mixer: Final mixing of dialogue, effects, and music elements
• Sound Effects Editor: Creating and editing sound effects elements

Balunas maintains multiple Pro Tools systems at Anefex operating on different software versions and hardware configurations to accommodate various project requirements. His ADR recording stage operates on Pro Tools 8, which he maintains continues to serve its purpose effectively. The facility operates several systems still running Pro Tools 10 on TDM cards, as well as basic LE package systems, prioritizing functional equipment over the latest technology given post-production budget constraints. He upgraded one system to an HDX card, noting the substantial cost of approximately four thousand dollars for the card alone, plus software and additional updates.

Anefex maintains older Mac Pro systems, including original G5 1.6 models, which continue to function reliably for specific tasks such as video server operations. These systems run continuously with two-terabyte drives serving video content to the facility's edit suites.

Professional Philosophy

Balunas emphasizes that aspiring ADR recordists should develop live sound experience before specializing in post-production. He credits his background in live music recording with providing essential understanding of signal flow, microphone placement, frequency management, and troubleshooting feedback issues—skills that directly apply to ADR recording. He stresses that successful ADR recordists must combine technical proficiency with strong interpersonal skills, being able to guide actors effectively while maintaining proper recording levels and quality. He notes that Pro Tools remains the industry-standard software that all aspiring sound professionals must master.

This range of skills has enabled Balunas to work across different production scales and budgets, from network broadcast television to premium cable and streaming platforms. His approach emphasizes creating immersive, tangible sonic environments that ground viewers in the reality of each production's world, whether science fiction, period drama, or contemporary settings.

Awards and Recognition

Balunas has received five wins and 11 nominations across his career.

Emmy Awards:

• 2012 – Primetime Emmy nomination, Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome), Dialogue/ADR Editor
• 2009 – Primetime Emmy, Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series (Battlestar Galactica, "Daybreak, Part II"), Dialogue/ADR Editor – Winner
• 2007 – Primetime Emmy nomination, Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series (Battlestar Galactica, "Exodus, Part II"), Sound Editor
• 2007 – Primetime Emmy nomination, Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) (American Experience, "Two Days in October"), Sound Editor
• 2005 – Primetime Emmy nomination (Battlestar Galactica series), Dialogue Editor
• 2004 – Primetime Emmy nomination (Battlestar Galactica miniseries), Sound Editor

References

External Links

• Vince Balunas at the Internet Movie Database