mikewest

Hi Simon, Still doing it! Been a slow start to the year but having a busy couple of weeks currently. Rates here seem to remain low, driven down by small budgets and "content work" Added a 633 kit to my collection so that my capable assistant Caitlin can share the smaller work. I'm moving my SoundField SPS-300 on to a good friend who is keen to buy. It paid for itself but has been gathering dust lately. How is it there? Cheers mike

Try real international travel! Equipment safe in cases LiPo batteries as safe as hand carry Carnets for exit / entry and return Take no short cuts!!!! mike 30 countries so far!

Thanks guys so much You are such supportive friends Cheers mike

Hi Nathan, You absolute master of information I am so grateful Thanks so much! mike

Production will not pay for batteries? mike

Nice Doug, These changing times are doing my head in ! Kind regards mike

Thanks so much Malcolm mike

Need a circuit diagram of Nagra BM2 mixer No 67 2257 Can any one help please?? mike

Nice Tom Provided they pay the invoice what the hell! mike

Agree Philip! Recorded many features and dramas with them until the mid 90's and I still use many Sonotrims for most applications Joe the sound guy at the London Palladium promoted Audio radio mikes mike

I managed to download one the size of a postage stamp! Can any one help please? mike

Contacted by an Australian company today. Simple job then: Could you pick me up from the airport and drive to location, then Are you open to been an extra team member on the day separate to the sound? i.e. Suggestions of another camera angle, hold a drone battery etc. Guess they call it up-skilling! mike

Ask the supplier or manufacturer mike

I was using Audio Ltd radio mike in 1967 and later bought 3 By 1969 TRAM personal mikes had been introduced by Ted Rapp and I feel that these were used on David Attenborough documentaries amazing us all how good the sound was even in wide shots. So in 1979 a UHF Audio Ltd radio mike plus a TRAM is my guess! mike

Yes but only if the production manager accepts your price! mike

Ok As they are funded ask what their sound budget is and negociate from there I always indicate the value of equipment to be supplied and that I will do a job that will save them money in post production Good luck mike

I keep my mikes in their windshields and in a Pelican case when travelling mike

With shorts it varies so much Is it funded or not? Think of a low daily rate and cheap gear package Offer that and then enter into negotiation advising the value of the equipment Also are they nice people, is it an attractive script and will they have 1st AD who has well planned days or will it turn into Sxxt fight that drags on for 15 hours??? Good luck mike

Slightly off topic but I have my 664 and 633 in Orca bags that are amazing!!! mike

Had a regular lunch meeting with a close friend who owns Imaginex Studios in Malasia and NZ He told me about cloud software that sort your dialogue tracks out and then you download it - done!!!!!! mike

Please see my much earlier post Super glue kills electret capsules!! mike

Totally agree! Every job has different equipment needs and also different budget sizes Look at the script, judge the scale of the production and what it needs and talk to the PM if you need to understand their sound budget, then bargain. mike

Great comment Jan after the interesting article. I've survived fairly well despite working in 30 countries, long hours and being away from my family for several months at a time. My greatest endurance was "Hercules" for 3 years! 12 hour days plus overtime and travel for 80 episodes with the occasional tele-movies in the hiatus breaks! and building another business at the same time (Sound Techniques NZ) It was fun, I used my skills and learned a lot! Regards mike

Understood Philip, I agree, But when a young post guy blames it on you, what next? Cheers mike

A lot of trivia there! Firstly what sort of work do you do? mike