How can you correct EBU R128 loudness in Premiere?

Question

I have to follow this directives on a Sony XDCAM 4222 50Mbit 25fps PAL timeline with 8 x 24bit 48kHz audio channels .

Alignment Level (AL) shall be –18dBFS with respect to maximum audio coding level (PPM4 on a BBC PPM – IEC type IIa). The Permitted Maximum Level (PML - as defined in ITU-R BS.645-2) must comply ITU-R BR.1384.1 and ITU-R BS.1726. Peaks should not exceed a level -10dB below the digital full-scale level (0 dBFS) when monitored by a “quasi-peak programme meter” as specified in IEC 60268-10.

Loudness control on all audio formats The method to measure the loudness of an audio program is settled by the recommendations, ITU-1770, ITU 1771 and ITU-Document 6/175-E.

Program Loudness Level represents the ordinary level of the program resulting from the measurement of the entire contents analyzed whole (from start to the end, and all audio channels making up the soundtrack). The Program Loudness must conform to R128-EBU

“Short-term” LKFS values shall not be higher than –21 LKFS for the whole program. “Long-term” Loudness must be –24 LKFS ± 0,5. In both cases the gate must be active at a threshold at -8 relative to the target “Long Term” value (- 24 – 8 = -32 LKFS). Short-term and long-term LKFS shall be measured for each audio program accompanying the picture (ie: Dubbed stereo, original language stereo, M&E stereo tracks, etc.).

It is possible create and Adjustment Layer with Premiere CS6 or CC and easily make sure to fix the audio of all 8 channels to respect the limits?

Wich effect I have to use ? With wich settings ? It must be done for each audio tracks or I can use an Adjustment Layer or an Effect directly to the Master output ?

Answer 1

In general loudness correction is a two step process. (There's a little more to it for full EBU R128 compliance, but I work exclusively in the US and this all that is required for A/85 / CALM Act compliance.)

1. Measure the long term/infinite loudness of the asset.
2. Shift the level of the asset by the difference between the measured loudness and the target.

Premiere does not have a built in method for automatically correcting loudness. But you do have a few options:

• You can use the built in Loudness Radar plugin to measure the long term/infinite loudness of the asset and then manually shift the level by the difference from the measured loudness and the target loudness.
• You can buy a third party plugin to do the correction.
• You can use FFmpeg as I paraphrased the last time you asked this question.
• You can use Adobe Media Encoder.

Answer 2

Audition has a couple of tools that lets you measure loudness. There's the Amplitude Analysis window that lets you scan a whole mix or sound file, and tells you the LUFS loudness (which is the same as LKFS, aparently):

There's also the "Loudness Radar" that has a sexy GUI, but seems to only scan in real time (though I might be using it wrong).

If you use the former you have to manually apply gain to correct for your target loudness, if the latter you can have it apply correction to reach your desired level (hit the settings tab to choose).

Answer 3

No "audio adjustment layers" in Premiere.

My suggestion would be to go the "master output way": edit your piece with what you have (I assume here that everything has the same specs, audio and video wise), do an audio mix-down, and play with gain/volume etc until you get what you need.

Do a test before getting in the proper editing though: create a rough 30s edit, mix it, do a mix down and play with gains/volume etc. to respect your notes. Test the exported file to see if it respects the directions.