John Blankenship

I volunteer to NOT be on the team that recovers the swallowed one. John B.

Any data storage system would work well. The issue is how it's maintained. First of all, for data, you're no longer really talking about primary and secondary in the same sense since you're cloning the data. A simple three-step process would work well: 1. Audio data on the editing system drive. 2. Audio data on a backup hard drive, optical media, or flash memory. 3. Audio data on a secondary backup hard drive, optical media, or flash memory, stored off-site. In the case of hard drives, every month each one should be run for several minutes. Inactivity can kill a hard drive more quickly than activity as the bearings dry up, etc. Every several years, each medium should be refreshed by copying (again cloning) to a new, current digital medium. Your digital assets can last indefinitely with this methodology. Oh... and, let us know in fifty years how it worked out for you. John B.

Now, we're getting closer to the core of the issue. How many people here have ever practiced prestidigitation? Magic...slight of hand. We've all at least watched it and enjoyed the mystifying wonder when it's well done. Think a minute... What's the number one tactic you learn in order to pull off even simple illusions? Misdirection! You make the audience watch your left hand while your right hand sneaks something by them. Democrats point at the Republicans and say they're unfeeling corporate puppets. Republicians point at the Democrats and say they're out to buy votes with giveaway programs. The public chooses sides and points fingers, too. Look at the slavish passion with which most most people follow their red or blue leaders. Red and blue, right and left, republican and democrat finger pointing is MISDIRECTION... a silent conspiracy to keep the public from becoming aware of what is actually happening: we're being ravaged by money hungry, power hungry career politicians! Their hands aren't just in the cookie jar, they've grabbed the jar and they're running away with it. If you want to find the truth in almost any situation, you look at a person's actions, not their words. What do we see in this case? Both "sides" are grabbing at power with a fervor that only goes undetected because we, the people, are buying into the misdirection. A simple, but dramatic, "for instance" is the banking (so called) "crisis." Who is charged with banking oversight? Congress. When their oversight allows massive profiteering what is the follow-up act performed by these "magicians?" They hand those very profiteers unprecedented fistfuls of money. Those are the actions. It's simple and you've heard it before: "Follow the money." What's the answer? I'm convinced there's only one solution: Term limits. ALL elected officials are allowed only ONE term. If a term is too short, say for the House of Representatives, then we lengthen it a bit, but one term is the limit. An important stipulation: No office holder is allowed to campaign for any other office while still serving. They're elected (hired) to do a job and, while hired, all their efforts should be directed toward performing that job for the good of the public -- not toward advancing their career. Our founding fathers intended that citizens would leave their farm, their blacksmith shop, their job as a laborer and serve the public good, then return to their farm, blacksmith shop, or their job as a laborer. Career politicians are the problem, and getting rid of career politicians is the only solution. Until the public wakes up to the misdirection and the conspiracy being perpetrated by it, there's little hope of change. John B.

I understand (and agree) about the lighting, but my point was that I believe the richness of the production design would be much better served by shooting it on film. The point Mr. Mann made about his choice on "Collateral" was that whereas film had rich, dense blacks, digital could "see" into those shadows. I think digital murkiness was a decent choice for that film, but for "Public Enemies" I think forgoing film hurt what could have been a visually satisfying experience. And, yes, I agree with your point, it should have been lit to make the most of that excellent period production design. John B.

I can't tell for sure, but those look like they might be latching switches, they type you need to pull up on to change the position. If so, accidentally bumping them is not a big issue. I used that type of switch for the master switches on the control panel on my cart setup as a safeguard in case I'm working in my sleep sometime. John B.

My reaction to the film was similar to many here. The production design and attention to detail were awesome -- it's a shame we couldn't see it well and enjoy it to its fullest. Whereas "Collateral" was well served by filming in digital, this movie wasn't. Yes, the gunshots were extremely well done, but to me the mix came across as if it were a rough temp mix. Mumbling actors and poorly mixed dialog is a deadly combination if your intent is not to have the viewer yanked out of any immersion in the story, wondering what the heck in going on and why a studio would release something this poorly done. Although the underlying story is compelling, I didn't like the way it was told, I didn't like the camera movement, I didn't like the sound mix and I kept waiting for Christian Bale to lose it and go off on a rant against someone. Instead, he just whispered his way through another role. Whispering makes you sound more dramatic, don't cha know. Perhaps we shouldn't be too harsh. Mr. Mann has long since proven himself as a compelling cinema voice and the fact that he's trying new artistic approaches is commendable. Sometimes to learn what works one needs to learn what doesn't work -- this movie, for example. John B.

I bought several of the 72 receivers, did a bit of work on 'em to standardize the headphone jacks and levels, then found a supply of used crystals at a fair price -- all in all, an embarrassment of Comtek riches. If someone shows up at the cart complaining that their Comtek's not working, I'd rather be able to just swap it for another one as opposed to trouble shooting on the spot. It's probably a battery or operator error but, in either case, just handing them another is the best way to deal with it. Having plenty of extras eases my mind. My max in the past was about sixteen, but now I have lots of spares and can also keep some crystaled with alternate frequencies for ear prompters or for sending time code. John B.

Jason, If you use wireless booms frequently, then yes, it could be worthwhile to get something better than the 216. However, if your wireless boom use is for only those occasional shots where the boom op really needs mobility, then it will serve you well. Normally, I go wired boom, but for those exceptions, I'm quite happy with the 216. My basic setup is: A 216 system for wireless boom -- an additional 216 system on a different frequency for director, script supervisor, and producer -- and a couple dozen 72s for video village. With this setup, I can also talk to the director, script super, and producer without video village hearing my comments. This isn't an issue very often, but it has come up. I can send V.V. audio down the CAT5E cable and put the transmitter in V.V. if I'm located at a distance from them, otherwise I have all the transmitters on the cart. For those rare occasions when I would have a second boom and they'd both need to be untethered, I can use an additional 72 transmitter with matching receiver to give the second boom op their own channel. That way I can send each operator their own boom feed and also have separate communication with each. My additional 72 sets can also be used for ear prompters or for wireless time code. If you are using a 216 for your boom op, I have one suggestion. You should make up (or buy) a mono to stereo adapter for the boom op to use their 7506 (or whichever) cans. Although, the 216 does automatically adapt to using stereo headphones, it achieves mono plug compatibility by wiring the two drivers out of phase. This effect makes it harder to do critical listening. A simple mono to stereo adapter will feed both sides with the same signal and both sides will be in phase. In my case I have all the headphones wired with mono jacks and carry a few mono to stereo adapters in case the director, or someone else high in the food chain, wishes to use their personal stereo earbuds or phones. John B.

Despite a world characterized by chaos, every once in a while, someone just plain gets something right. Perhaps it's due to the planets aligning or some other inexplicable and far-reaching event. Maybe it's as simple as just "the right thing at the right time." Whatever the reason, most of us have observed this all-too-rare phenomenon. For instance, you may have experienced it when watching a movie that's so well cast, you can't possibly imagine any other actors inhabiting the roles. This forum is one of those rare things. Its success and helpfulness to all -- beginner and experienced alike -- attests to the fact that Jeff -- with help from a growing circle of friends -- just plain got it right. The new forum does not have the same feel and balance that this one does. Even as an early member of CS, I have never found myself really "tuning in" to the feel. However, having said all that, the number one ingredient that makes this hangout great is the people and their willingness to share, help, and discuss. So, if Jeff does feel the need to port it over, count me in. As a suggestion, any structuring within the new forum that would help maintain the current feel could be beneficial to a smooth transition. Or, maybe Jeff should just double all our membership fees. ...Okay, in running the numbers, I don't think that would help much. John B.

I believe this is a remix of several Japanese commercials. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG6QfMqCTa8 I can't even figure out why it's funny, but it cracks me up, nonetheless. John B.

I disagree with your conclusion. Basically, the radical terrorists have zero interest in how nice, kind, and gentle the U.S., or any other nation, is. Their clearly, and openly, defined long term goal is to rid the earth of everyone (gentle, or not) who isn't of their particular brand of "religion." Yes, we can, all too often, behave like "Ugly Americans." And, that behavior is often used as a rallying cry to whip up emotion in order to serve their long term goal. But that's not the reason they wish to wipe us -- and anyone else who doesn't believe as they do -- off the face of the earth. I think the wine is making you all "sensitive," dude. Of course, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Happy new year! John B.

I get the sense you haven't done a lot of post, at least not under "firing line" conditions (certainly correct me if I'm wrong, after all, these are only opinions here). It's not brain surgery but it does take additional selection time. A great deal of post is all about speed -- often, more so where audio is concerned. Anything that slows the process down can mean further compromises in the amount of critical attention audio gets. John B.

I've done it both ways based on many of the reasons already given. I still sometimes switch the bag around when I think the opposite way will work better in a given situation. Occasionally, a producer will voice a track preference based upon standardizing how a particular project is being handled in post. For cart work, I like the boom on the last track so each wireless mic will correspond numerically to the fader it's on. So, I work my way across the board (from left to right) for wireless and reserve the last one (or occasionally, two) for boom(s). I have an additional thought that brings about another question: Let's say you're mixing two channels to camera and you have a boom in one channel and lav in the other. But, then, you use just the boom for a while. Do you leave the other track silent, or mix the boom into both. I prefer to leave the other track silent so that post can know that if there's something on both tracks, they're different and they'll need to choose the best audio mix. Quite a few mixers I've talked to always insist on filling both tracks with sound. I've also encountered producers who hate the thought of "wasting" a channel and prefer to feed the solitary boom to both channels. I feel that it can either waste time in post as the editor listens to decide if there's a difference between tracks, or worse, the editor tires of trying to find where the tracks are different and where they're not, and just picks one for expediency. What is the consensus on this? John B.

Well, ah... Aaton film cameras handle time code quite nicely. But, with "progress" we've largely moved on to better things, such as video cameras that don't maintain highlights or shadow detail as well as their predecessors... and can't hold sync worth diddly. John B.

The pattern is obvious. Any time the government says, "I'm here to help you," we lose more of our liberties. Although the R's and the D's may choose different avenues, the result is more government control and less personal freedom. There is a point where that is extremely injurious to the continuation of our way of life. Have we reached that point? Many think we're way past it. No, not all government is bad. But, a government that is continually expanding itself and increasingly encroaches on personal freedoms is dangerous. John B.

Yep, that's a one (and a two and a... -- to reprise verbiage from a recent thread...). Not too long ago someone had a list of Comtek (and other) frequencies. It was either here or on RAMPS. If no one has it at hand, later I can dig for it since I know I saved it somewhere. John B.

In my case I own several different letter transmitters, a bunch of receivers, and a whole batch of crystals. This, along with some 216s, gives me a lot of options. John B.

Roger, Which "Super Drive" does yours have? I know from experience that some of the Sony drives are not DVD-RAM compatible. I put a second drive in my MacPro tower for just this reason. John B.

Merry Christmas to all who believe thusly and Happy Whatever to everyone! May the joy of the season fill your heart. John B.

My sympathy to Glen and family. May you find comfort in wonderful memories. John B.

I've used these also with an R-09. In the bag I've not had any problem. A second one I used on the cart had some grounding issues, however I don't necessarily blame the supply. I've since gone to a more substantial backup recorder in my cart setup. John B.

My custom rigs are sorta along the lines of André's with the addition that they're modular. I use TA4 connectors -- they lock, are dependable, small in size, and cost a great deal less than Hirose. The distros also have a master power switch which attaches to the side of the bag. John B.

I learned a long time ago, if everyone shouts from the rooftops that they're as good as the standard, I want the standard. If buying knockoffs makes someone as hostile as Oleg seems to be, I'd consider it a high price to pay. But, to each his own. John B.

I use the same battery with my over-the-shoulder kit. It powers the mixer, several wireless, transmitters, etc. However, I make my own D.C. distro systems, custom wired for the specific rig. As far as the noise issue, this can sometimes happen due to spurious frequencies (sometimes generated by a device's internal circuitry) and grounding issues. Often the best course is to try a system to see if there are any problems and then address them. No, you do not need to (or want to) run lithium batteries down fully before recharging. They're happier if you simply use them normally and then recharge. As a side note, I also use the same batteries -- in tandem -- as D.C. cart power connected to a (custom voltage) PSC "Cart Power" A.C. to D.C. supply. If the A.C. drops, the batteries kick in seamlessly and can power the cart for a few hours. My IDX lithiums have been a good purchase. John B.