Float ?

[Tom Maloney]

i have got a job where production is asked to assign members of cast to certain tracks, no problem

then it reads " Channel 6- Float 1  Channel 7 - Float 2 "  

Could someone please enlighten me on floating

 

Thanks

Tom

[John Blankenship]

While not familiar with the specific term in this application, my guess is that they may mean those two channels don't contain a specifically assigned cast member but can vary among a variety of miscellaneous players with maybe just a few lines each.

[Rick Reineke]

I would assume the same.. though I've encountered some pretty bizarre terminology from ADs, PAs and such. Then maybe there's person(s) on a float in a lake...

[John Blankenship]

Maybe they're filming a parade.

[Johnny Karlsson]

What did they when you asked them?

[Bash]

I believe that actors use the term 'float' when they might play any one of various parts, usually in a theatre production. In this case I suspect that channels 1 to 5 are named characters, and 6 and 7 can be any of the less often used parts/actors.

 

Kindest, sb

[Constantin]

What did they when you asked them?

Welcome back, Senator

[Tom Maloney]

i am more confused than before 

 

[Johnny Karlsson]

  sorry Tom, 

we can all guess what they meant here, but it seems like it would be quicker to get a straight answer from the person(s) that asked you to name the tracks this way.

[Tom Visser]

Here's a possible answer... requires some experience on SSL consoles to get the reference, but the FLOAT button on console referee to lifting the input from a channel strip to bypass the mix buss and get routed directly to the (recording) buss that is assigned at the top of the routing matrix.  Basically - it is a studio engineer's lingo for "ISO(lated) track". 

In the context of your original question, does this make sense if the cast members that are "floated" are always assigned to that track number and that the other tracks may change cast members depending on the context (or even have multiple cast mixed down)?  but the idea of a "floater" being assigned to pickup cast also makes sense.

[Tom Maloney]

thanks all will ask their DIT today 

[Tom Maloney]

The DIT tells me that " the spare channels are used to float between talent " ??

To me if they are being used by talent they are not spare

[John Blankenship]

"Let's shoot the rehearsal."  (Then it's not a rehearsal.)

Kinda unique.

Sorta ultimate.

Government efficiency.

...and the oxymorons just keep on coming.