John Blankenship

Likewise, Dan -- no hubris assumed. You were just sharing a positive and we need those to balance out the negative stories we often commiserate over. John B.

However, I doubt they're using ROI (Return On Investment), rather I imagine it's cost vs box office gross which is a whole different animal. There are lots of fists in the pie prior to investors getting a return -- production costs (remember, we're only comparing the star's portion), prints and advertising and other distribution fees, the exhibitor's cut, etc. Even without the studio's "creative accounting" the actual return is only a portion of the gross. John B. (Written prior to seeing Jim's similar post.)

http://www.multicart.com/ http://www.multicart.com/products.php They're available quite a few places, both online and in stores. I know at one time even Guitar Center carried them. John B.

For run-n-gun type use -- like trying to maneuver the passageways of a sub -- along with the GVC swivel, I'd strongly recommend the addition of a Cut 1. In the hands of an experienced boom op, the Cut 1 may not be necessary but if you're mixing, swinging a boom, and moving all at the same time, I'd definitely recommend it. John B.

That looks like it should work. I'd reverse the tip and ring leads so that the Left input feeds channel One and the Right input feeds channel Two. You may end up tweaking the values based on actual tests. If you need more gain make the 100 ohm resistor a larger value and if you need less gain, use a smaller value. Depending upon the input impedance of the mic preamp, 200 ohm resistors should give you about 6dB greater gain and 50 ohm resistors should give you about 6dB less gain. Double or halve the values again for a total change of 12dB. Let us know how it works out. John B.

You need to specify more, such as the pinout of each device, in this case, the 5-pin mic input. If you are coming out of an unalanced output but are going into a balanced input you will probably need to tie the "low" side of each input to ground. i.e. if pins 3 & 5 are the "low" side, tie them to pin 1. But, these things are not always standardized, so you need to provide specific pinout information. Nicely done diagram, BTW. John B.

Jason -- I don't understand your statement, "could only get a mono signal to pass." Wiring a "stereo pad" is the same as simply wiring two mono ones -- each channel has its own pad. Dan -- Yes, my uncle (Sam) paid for my training -- I'm a U.S. Navy vet. However, I was never stationed on a ship. After training I spent my time on shore bases behind locked doors doing things I can't talk about. John B.

If it's unbalanced, use a simple L-pad with a 10k ohm input resistor (R1) and a 100 ohm resistor from there to ground (R2). The output of the pad is taken from the junction of the two resistors and ground. See the "L" pad on the site mentioned earlier: http://www.uneeda-audio.com/pads/ If you're connecting balanced circuits, use the "U" pad configuration and make the two input resistors (R1) 5k. ohm each. A 10k. input is sufficient for a bridging impedance that won't load the circuit feeding it and a 100 ohm output is a low enough value that the input impedance of the succeeding circuit won't affect the pad's ratio much. For 40dB attenuation, you're after a 100:1 ratio. Naturally, for stereo, you'd insert one of these pads into each channel. John B.

Actually, I think it's pretty clear -- the cry for attention and all. It would appear something's got him feeling insecure again. John B.

My compliments to John C. and his team. Another fine issue. Keep up the good work. John B.

The basic concept of just adding direct outs to a mixer is fairly easy. The complications come in as you decide if, for instance, you have plug-in modules, and you still wish to keep them plug-in without a separate cable to be disconnected, etc. For a pre-fader direct out, tapping off the signal at the high side of the mix pot is generally a good point. You're typically coming out of the E.Q. and a buffer amp at this point and then feeding the mix pot with an unbalanced signal which is then routed to the mix buss, etc. If you have a set of schematics and circuit board diagrams you can more easily figure out if there is an unused pin, or set of pins, on the plug-in channel card. Then, decide how to route the signal from the output point in the circuit to the connectors, and from there it is a matter of picking up the signal from the motherboard and adding connectors to the backplane. An alternative is to hard wire from the card to the backplane connectors, but that makes servicing the unit much more kludgy. You can also wire from the channel card to an in-line connector and from there to the backplane connectors, but that adds extra wires crammed into the small interior space. However you wire it can result in additional cross-talk if not done correctly. A well-designed mix panel has had a good deal of attention paid to grounding which is part of the reason they have much less cross-talk than a cheaper board. So, finding the point to derive the signal from is the easy part. Maintaining the integrity of grounding and ease of service are the harder missions. Good luck, John

Nope. You're still missing the point. Keep trying. John B.

Like others have mentioned, you need to look at your reasons for doing it and decide if, even if you receive no more money whatsoever, will you still be happy you took the project. Famous story that is supposedly about a known director who had profit points in a picture. After not receiving any participation money, the director told the producer he'd give up his profit "points" in exchange for a nice meal. The producer turned him down. Earlier in the thread, someone mentioned doing a deferred deal for a $3M pic. If they have three million dollars in the budget and can't afford to pay a fair wage, RUN... Don't think about it... don't talk about it... RUN AWAY as fast as you can! Basically, if they offer this kind of a deal with a $3M budget, they've already told you in clear, understandable language that they're out to screw you. With anything budgeted at a few hundred thousand or above, there should be reasonable pay. It may be lower than your day rate, but for the duration it should give you a fair income. Oh, and right up there with "I'll use you on my next project," is my all-time favorite: "You'll get to go to Sundance with us." Anyone who uses either of these ploys has just told you in no uncertain terms, that they're clueless about the industry. When used in connection with offering deferred payment, you should consider those phrases as indicating that your chances of being rewarded monetarily have just gone from pretty slim to absolutely none. John B.

Coincidentally, as I was leaving the polling place (a K of C hall) today, I noticed an AV cart. What caught my attention was that it had wheels similar to those you'd find on a Magliner. Now, a cart like that could work as a sound cart. However, I'd imagine it would be pricey enough that you'd be better off just getting a standard sound cart -- it'll be easier to add accessories, etc. To connect this to another thread, if you're working on a reality gig, there's a good chance you'd need to be mobile (i.e. run-n-gun with a bag system) as opposed to being able to work on a cart. Just more issues you'll need to clarify with the producers. John B.

Mike, I'm really curious what your underlying agenda in all this is. That no one here should ever discuss or ask about frequency availability or allocations because Senator Mike has decreed that it is not of concern? If your goal is that none of us should ask each other questions unless you've granted permission, you're really in for a lot of disappointment and frustration. Despite your obsessions to the contrary, we like talking to each other, asking questions, and comparing notes. Perhaps it's time we started the HSMCF (Help Senator Mike Cope Fund). But, before you get excited about a windfall of unexpected funds, you need to understand that we're earmarking the HSMCF to underwrite a session in which those of us who like to discuss this stuff, get together and do nothing but eat, drink, and of course, ask each other questions all evening long. If any manufacturers are present, no one will be allowed to query them for the duration of the evening -- consider it a tribute. John B.

I agree, Vin -- you bet it is. But, I was speaking in respect to how we're perceived by those who think it's about just having the right gear. John B.

I like variety. It's quite satisfying to capture the nuances of well-delivered dialog, but it's also a kick to watch things being blown up. John B.

The answer to the "What gear did you use?" question is pretty simple. Mention a few of the high end pieces you carry (since the low-ballers probably won't own Deva, Cooper, Sonosax, Schoeps, etc.) and then add, "...and several custom interfaces of my own design." If they ask what those do, you simply say, "They give me the magic." Perhaps it's time we turned this back into a black art. I'm not advocating dishonesty. Most all of us have modified, custom designed, custom interfaced and tweaked our kits in ways that noticeably improve our work. We might as well take credit for that. An alternative is to give them a COMPLETE list. Then tell them with a one-hundred-thousand-dollar investment, plus hiring someone to interface it all, then hiring a person with twenty-plus-years experience to run it, they can almost duplicate what we do. John B.

That's a good thing. The worse the sound is on their first project the more quickly they'll realize they need professional help. That situation is actually better for them than when the sound is usable (but poor by professional standards) and they don't realize how compromised that makes their project. So, this is a case where worse is better. John B.

It already exists: a sliding rack tray and a box of Velcro. John B.

Tom, Classics! All Classics! Thanks for that. John B.

I agree it varies by job, personnel, and circumstances. I recall one commercial gig where the on camera talent consistently mispronounced the client's name. The director and the gallery of client reps never said a word. I'm thinking, "Don't these people care if the name is correct?" I picked my moment during a break in the shooting and discreetly told the director that in my headphones it sounded like the person said ____, instead of ____. The director thanked me, and as we resumed shooting, so did the mispronunciation. I didn't concern myself with it from that moment on. At the end of the day (as they say), I'd done my job... and the check cleared. John B.

Tight shots with minimal headroom will be your best friend. John B.

I don't know if it'll help you find what you're looking for, but there's been some discussion about the camera over at http://www.dvxuser.com. Scroll down and there's a section dedicated to the GH1. Good luck. John B.

Yep, it's the comparison of a $2,000 microphone optimized for sound quality, positioned ideally -- compared to a $400 microphone optimized for small size, positioned poorly. John B.