Michael P Clark

I used photobucket.com, in case anyone else wanted to know! Thanks Ron!

Thank You, everyone for your input!

Tada!!!!!!

Yes I agree, I do like "Production Sound" and I am going to get seperate cards for my Post "situation" and keep them seperate. Although, I could've been A LOT of help on my current Post project. I made recommendations to the producers on how to handle their unique situations, without stepping on their mixers toes. But, they never took my suggestions, and now I am paying for it in Post! URGH! This is a project for which I should have done the "Production" and "Post" sound. But the time and little money would've been draining. It's a tough battle to weigh!

Jeff, Do I need my own website up and running in order to place a picture as an avitar for this website?

Oops! That should read "Drives me INSANE".....and not all the directores were "he's"

Drives my INSANE when the Dierctor shouts out "Mit Out Sound"! I quickly pull him over, not right away of course, and give a good lesson in history. Typically in a joyous manner since my appearance doesn't establish that a history lesson from me is possible. But they always have the "light bulb" expression once they hear "Minus Optical Sound", and it all seems more logical! Only one director insisted I was wrong! And I left him believing he was right! I figured I could lose the next call if I argued with the more experienced man. A steadi-cam op I often work with has renamed is "french flag" for his lens, "frida"! I love that!

Are you using an old rycote windsock? or is that cloth available seperately?

I've always run into RF issues with the 3-4 different SQN's series 2-4, I've used. I would pick up the occasional radio station through the boom mic. Drove me crazy. No matter where I stood, it would be there, and I never figured out what the common location elements caused it(ie. transformers, power lines, etc)

Doug, Have you had success with those on actors wearing layers? I can't make them quiet on layers, when going to the bottom shirt is too muffeled! Any tips you could provide? Most of the time I go right back to the RM mount. Or are you externaly mic'ing with the "high wind covers"? Anyone else with suggestions to mounting with the stickies? Sounds like a silly question, but they don't "always" work for me. But what really does, right?

Ok...I've seen this 3 times now.....was there a time when the sound person was stuffed in the trunk??? I took it as jest on the first 2 indications to "watch out for", but now I'm wondering?

I like to use both Peak+VU on my SD, ALL the time. Using VU helps me keep the Average levels the same across scenes and setups. If I didn't have my SD mixer, and had to have a mixer with one or the other, then I want a mixer with Peak, and not VU! The other great feature that SD has is the adjustable limiter threshold, and great limiters, so I could mix with VU only if I wanted to, but only on the SD...and maybe SQN.

No, but Yes.......I backed it up to my studio drive, mainly because the information that I recorded was pretty vaulable, in my mind, and "I" wanted the info to review later(Real Estate strategies). So the backup was for personal gain. But I charged them $50/hour to burn the discs. They even asked me, when I was finished, if I'd be interested in negotiating a lower rate for future projects, as an "exchange" for knowledge. Then they said, "we have some recording gear".....and I calmly declined. I figured I was already ahead, in that everyone else paid $1500 to sit there and take notes, and they paid me $3000 to listen and record.

I did a 3 day seminar in December, in which case I backed-up all 36gigs to a firewire drive. They asked for the files a month later, because their sound editor failed miserably, and for some reason they had communication issues and couldn't get their hands on the files they gave them. Now I back up every job from the year, also! Saved the day!

I have a 442, 3x 411a's, 744, in a Pertrol Pegz1. Mixer/744/411's front to back. I am getting RF indication on the 411's from the 744. Mainly from the block 26's (x2). The frequency scan shows 1 to 3 RF "pixels" along the bottom, everywhere, more where there is normal RF. When I power down the 744 and restart the 411's for another sweep, everything is normal. I know alot of you guys have this same setup(except for block assignment perhaps). What are you doing to keep this from happening? I've tried swapping 442 and 744 but cables won't fit. Is there anything you can put between the 744 and 411's? Is this minor RF that won't effect me much? It seems most prevelant on block 26 than 27. Mike Clark

Thanks guys. I'll be giving them a call before NAB, I hope! It's good to know that there are more combinations than what they show on there cards. An expanded version for all combinations, for anywhere in the US would be nice. Thanks Mike

I am hoping someone might be able to clarify the intermodulation specs that Lectrosonics gives with it's wireless systems. Is it only an issue when blocks are next to eachother(ie. block 21 and 22, block 26 and 27)? or would it encompass ALL the blocks in a bag(ie 21, 26, 27)? I have one in block 21, two in block 26, and one in block 27. When coordinating frequencies among these blocks, am I only limited to the actually presets that Lectro has in their Frequency Chart? This seems to narrow the frequencies available down to only 8 usable frequencies in a block. Only 32 available according to this concept, negating the other 224 available frequencies. I am sure I am not understanding this concept fully, so please enlighten me! How can I figure out which frequencies play nice with eachother, if I am in an area where there is alot of RF pushing my choices outside of Lectro's Frequency Chart? Mike

Well it sounds like I need to take Boom Operator off my business card, and establish myself as a mixer only. Maybe that's my problem breaking into this market with more clients. I also have been getting into editing for the last two years, and I have found that my production clients are very happy to have me offer my services for both. But then again my clients for these have been Indie-types, and not Commercial jobs. So that is probably the main difference between Phillip and me. But I guess if Commercial work does come around, it seems like I should keep them seperate from the location work clients I have. Eventually, I would love to edit only, but I keep finding myself buying more and more location gear, so that transition will probably be a long one. And most of my Post work is little or no money to live on. Phillip, do you edit dialog only, or are you doing Full Post work(dialog, Sound Design, Music, etc)? Thanks for the advice! Michael Clark

This will show my age. The first computer I ever put my fingers on was an Apple IIe in the fifth grade. We were the first school in Milwaukee to get one, and only the 5th-6th grades were allowed to use it. At that age, we were required to pass a test of programming knowledge before we were allowed to touch it. A single "Floppy Disk" to store any programs you could create (ie. math formulas, "letter" banners, and a really "great" looking Oregon Trail game.) A friend of mine had that graphics program, and we, being juvenile boys, would create animations mom wouldn't have been proud of. Could you imagine if kids today had to learn programming language before they "touched" a computer? Michael Clark

There are other cases I've run across where the relationship between mixer and boom is much more equal in money, authority and gear ownership etc. What is the norm where you live? In this particular situation, I was really dead for almost 2 months, and the rate was better than most of my mixing gigs! So I was VERY eagar to work on it. Also, I have been trying to hook up with other mixers in town to do boom work or even cable, to break in on some movies during my down times. Mostly, I never get any responses back from them. I have a feeling they don't want someone who is mixing to be on their sound team. They say "sure", but I have yet to recieve that call. Perhaps they feel threatened? The mixer that I boomed for is a good friend and we are at similar points in our career, so I don't think it was a big deal for him to ask me for help. Most commercial/movie work is done by the veterans in my market, which is expected. At this point in my career, I am willing to be any part of the sound team. MichaelClark.afs

I also do Post work and since it's ALL file based it really works out nicely. I even played with signing my name as MichaelClark.afs which then makes me an "audio file" or "audiophile", however you look at it. It works on many levels! No pun intended! or maybe it was intended! It's just too easy! MichaelClark.afs

Audiofilesound is my company name. So I have always used it as an ID. And yes, I know it's really "audiophile", but in todays world of digital "file" based media, I felt it is now appropriate to change it up a bit. My real name is Michael Clark, and I didn't want to be confused with the "Michael Clark" some of you might be familiar with as a sound mixer. I have also found that there are ALOT of Mike Clarks in this world, so a nickname is about all I had! I will change it here, not so sure I can change it on RAMPS. Michael Clark

I've been reading "old schools" post on being a boom op before a mixer, and this thought came to mind. I have been doing "sound" for 15 years. Professionally for 7 years. Started out editing on real-to-real, moved into production sound after school. First job was as a boom op for a 4 day shoot, in windy locations, and holding an mkh70 all day. Almost made me NOT want to be a boom op. Next 7 years, I was doing it all, ENG, Booming, Mixing with and without boom ops. And the last 5 years I've been mixing exclusively. A local sound mixer, and good friend, asked if I'd be interested in booming for him for a small commercial. I said yes without any hesitation. When I got to the set, several crew members were shocked to see my swinging the pole and not on my butt behind the mixer. Is this generally frowned upon? My feelings are that I am simply glad to be in the sound department, no matter what the position is. Will this eventually hurt my chances at being the next "mixer" someone calls? Will they think "he was a boom op on the last job, maybe he's a bad mixer". Which takes me back to "old schools" post...I would rather have an experienced mixer swinging the pole than a PA!! Mike