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Tom Maloney

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Everything posted by Tom Maloney

  1. Hi Folks first of all thanks for all the info and help given to me by a lot of you over the past year. My question? Is the Audio Developments AD-146 Mixer, that I am told is 12 years old to obsolete for todays work environment? I have have been having jobs that suddenly have a need for more than the 4 inputs on my SD442. I would also like to have some eq control. Is under 4k a fair price for this mixer and finally , service in the USA? I currently have a bag setup and most of the jobs turn out to be something where I can sit at a cart not run and gun. I am thinking I could output from this mixer to my 442 thus keeping the 2 return snakes I already have and not having to purchase 2 new snakes. Your thoughts are appreciated. please note, I am working interviews and such not any Indies or features. Thanks to all and Happy New Year Tom
  2. Hi all. Today I found some Lectrosonics on Ebay. R400 Rm2 . Says it is a dual Rx with 2 LMA Txs My question is after looking on the Lectro site,is this an older type unit? I don't see a dual system there, just a single rack mount unit. Also has anyone heard of Tour Supply Co. in New York. what is making me feel a little uneasy is they have several units up for sale and they all say "ordered for client , opened but never used " They asking $1500 for the system. any input or experience with this type unit would would be appreciated. Thanks all Tom
  3. Just my thoughts on this. I do mostly corporate work. Have done some freebes for a abused children's camp. Most offers to work for food and CD and resume builder jobs I think are people with a big dream that know little about the business and so many people want to do anything to get into the business they will do anything including working for free. Think about it rationally, who else in any other profession is even asked to do their craft for free. NO ONE. A plumber , electrician, welder or doctors and dentists all get pain for their services. I think you have to think of your work even if just starting out a business, charge accordingly. If I get asked for free work I tell them no thank you and explain if I do not get paid for my time I am losing money the minute I walk out the door. How? gas, oil, battery's. I got a call yesterday for a job Monday 50 miles away from me. They tried to chisel my day rate down to almost half explaining the call was for 3 pm and should take an hour. I was polite and explained you are still taking my time for the whole day , I cannot do anything else. I still have to drive in and out of Chicago, parking and such. We finally agreed and they told me that the client had tried to get their price down also:) think about this as a business not as making friends. Don't be afraid to negotiate prices. My pet peeve is the ads that read " great LA crew working with seasoned cast has a great script is comming to town" and expect PAs , grips and everyone to work for experience. If they are really from LA they should know the business and how a budget works and people need to be paid. Also don't push your self as I read below as an intern to chase dogs and turn off AC and such. Promote yourself as a recent college graduate , you studies your past work, your attitude. In other words believe and sell yourself. There is a huge difference between being competent or being arrogant and most people see the difference quickly. Best wishes Tom
  4. Sorry about the typo it was $15, the bag says central round AC cover 34in x30 in M-D Building Products Oklahoma City, OK ( of course made in China ) Later Tom
  5. OK, I know you veterans wont be interested in this but I was in need a quick cover for my newly purchased PSC cart. Raining here in Chicago. Thought about a Weber round grill cover, too small. At Home Depot I found the solution. A cover for a round AC unit, about $5 does the trick, ever covers folded out top shelf and protruding cable hooks. Cheap, but goes on quickly , better that getting caught in the rain. Tom
  6. I know its been hashed many time before by a lot of you. Just wanted to say something about them. My small kit is made up with 4 radio mics, 416 , pole, 442 and 702T. Most of the work I am getting is corporate , interviews at trade shows and seminars etc. Carrying the bag and 1 rolling case got to be a challenge going from Chicago's maze of underground parking and what seems like miles to the hotel's ballrooms. I've read numerous posts here comparing PSC'c cart to FilmTool's vertical cart with adding SKB cases. I went with the PSC cart, all I can say is why did I not do this years ago? What a treat to have everything with you, at your fingertips , especially when they pull unexpected moves on you. anyone who is thinking about a cart... do it. makes life easier. Thanks to all of you that gave me advice. But folks, here is my small dilemma. On the last job I was set up, standing, had my mixer on the top half shelf , and before I know it my second shelf is becoming a landing zone for keys, pens , cell phones and such from the director and her staff. I asked people in between interviews to kindly remove their items, I could not speak to them during recording. So I would like to make up a small laminated sign to place on my cart, poiletly telling people to stay away . I would like something to get the message across without sounding nasty or being a jerk. Any ideas from you people? SOUND DEPT NO PUBLIC PARKING ? NO LOADING ZONE ? HIGH VOLTAGE KEEP BACK ? want something a little humours. Also Ty Ford was going to make a hat " If I have my earphones on I cannot hear you" I think it should be on the back of a shirt, people seem to get right behind me and talk. I love this work ! Thanks all Tom
  7. You are only as old as you feel. I enjoy the work. Yesterday while micing talent for interviews I met a proud retired Marine veteran from the 60’s Vietnam era. Great guy who goes back with crews to try and disarm the over 300 tons of buried unexploded ordnance that is still killing farmers and children. We had a great talk, I believe I was the only crew member that was around in the Vietnam days. I don’t think they had a clue what we were talking about. Being older, I think is a plus when talking to older talent, having more in common. When people ask me how I am doing I say” Great ! only 3 more years and I get social security.
  8. I currently work with a small system out of a bag with a 442/ 702t and 3 lectros 2 201s and 1 211 series. Most of my current calls are for corporate interviews, 2 or 3 people, talking heads and trade show interviews. Anyway I find myself being able to sit down and not have to be running and gunning. My question is for you that work off a smaller type cart , what do you use for receivers? I have been looking at the Letrosonics Venue System and their smaller compact unit. If I understand correctly these only work with the digital hybrid transmitters? I have seen several old quad units for sale but they look like you have to have removable antennas on the receivers to use them with a quad box. So if you were to start building a small cart system what direction would you go equipment wise with room to grow in the future. I would like to have something I can expand with, being able to wheel it around, in an office building or office or trade show. Thanks to all of you for the ideas and stories you share. It is really valuable to those of us still learning. Thanks Tom
  9. Just curious if any other folks have days like this. Took on a small job, two day shoot, pilot for a reality show. Involves a small business, it’s owner and 3 employes. Very customer focused , with a diversity of very interesting customers from all over the world buying items or having a very specialized serviced provided for them. Anyway , producer / camera op #1 arrives with his 2 Cannons ( black cameras that shoot HD have XLR ins , no TC ) Pops them up on tripods, one is to be static and he is going to move around with camera 2 on tripod. I try and find a place to set up, place is small, wire up owner and 2 of the staff, test all mics, run snake to 1 camera, also recording to a 702T. Figure I’ll boom customers in front of shop’s counter. All set as first customer arrives (These are all planed arrivals from his cliental base and a few not scheduled walk-ins) and talks to owner for 35 minutes YIKES ! . Day goes on not as bad when director/ cam op 2 shows up ( was told he is great at this , really knows his stuff, friend of cam #1 op ) He proceeds to drag in his pelican cases and 2 Kinos , while we are shooting. Doesn't really talk to anyone other than cam #1 op. sets up 2 Kinos, one is in shot of one camera. Sets up a Sony Ex3 on a tripod in middle of room. then pulls out his new Cannon D7. while all this is gong on I am trying to work with cam 1 op and slate for him. This all gets real chaotic and he gives up slating. also cam #2 op walks all around with the D7 , shooting, and then dumping his 1 card into his computer. Also cam #1 op sometimes walks away from his camera, never bothers to tell me when he is rolling or stopping. Finish the day and am asking myself while driving 40 miles home WHY? ME? who is directing mess. Day two : I regroup, change my plan of attack to place boom on c-stand over counter , wire up staff and figure on wiring up customers as they are signing their release forms outside shop. Get ready to slate , am told ” that is too confusing forget it ! “( Pity the poor editor when he / she tries to figure which of my 86 wav files goes with what , they are marked with TOD) As day goes on I am told , “lets do some sit-down interviews with the X3 I want your audio into my camera “ ( told this by cam #2 op) I tell my A2 to get a mic stand from the truck, Oh thats right I have no A2, run, get the stand up wire up a mic run my second snake from the 442 to his camera. I hand him the xlrs from my snake , plugs them in , asks me what the line / mic switch is for. I tell him use line. “what about the 48 v whats that for” I bite my lip and tell him to leave it off. Offer him my one of the 3 extra pair of headsets I always carry. Am told does not need them. I ask please give me 2 minutes, I have to hit the head. Upon my return , camera is rolling. I tell them sound is not running, get a look of why not ! ( I have offered my extra sets of headphones to both cam ops , am told “ don’t need them “ Find out at lunch cam #1 op did not have one camera set to HD. Later when the 2 cams are not rolling and #1 op is outside, I walk around to stretch and I hear “ DONT’ WALK IN FRONT OF MY LIGHT WHILE I AM SHOOTING “ from cam op #2 and his D7 . “My bad” I say and creep to my corner. Day 2 is over. Don’t get me wrong. I love working sound, I like helping people with problems, making the production better if I can. I also have worked as a grip and stagehand so I know what the needs are. But what happen to set protocol? and plain courtesy? If I make a suggestion about time code and slating and you don’t even acknowledge that I said something. To me that is being rude. Why are you paying me to be here? Please tell me when you are shooting and stopping, tell me of special setups so I can be ready ahead of time with a little planning. I won’t walk in your light if you tell us your rolling with your D7. I’ll gladly get audio to any camera you like but could you ask and not say “I want” I can’t read you mind, you do have to talk to me. I know you all are saying just take the check and drive home and blow it off. Its hard when one day you work with a polite and competent crew and then get something like this. Sorry for the long post but I feel better after venting ! Thanks Tom
  10. As far as people taking off their own mic, I tell them I am using a vampire clip and if they touch it incorrectly it will possibly stick them and it hurts worse than a snake bite Tom
  11. Thanks for the very good info , just what I wanted to know. Always learnng here. Thanks again Tom
  12. I have found one of these systems for sale. My question to you folks is this something you could use on a cart ? The listing says it can work on DC. Since I don't have a cart I am asking about its being something feasable to use. Thanks for any input. Thanks Tom
  13. Thanks Jan for the great info. Sorry if I offended anyone here with questions. I am the type of person that likes to learn and know how things work even at my age. I find this group the greatest source. where else can you talk to people that have been in the businesss for 30 years and are willing to share their craft with you.No harm done by the person that thought I was joking. FYI some of this is a little new to me ( cart work )I spent 32 years with a local telco, trouble shooting in copper cables from 25 pair to 3200 pair that ran for miles. at that time I did video camera work part time and before I retired I moved to audio, Now retired I am trying to make location audio my second career. At age 59 it is not easy. I take all the work I can, working in theatre an a A2 part-time and working an large corporate events , hanging truss, lighinting instruments and such. This seems the kind of work you learn in the field and when I hear the jobs you folks have done it is very intersting to me how you do them. So I will keep around here and learn from you folks, here in Chicago is nothing like Hollywood. Thanks to all of you for sharing. Later Tom
  14. Hi to all for sharing your craft and experience with people like me that just mix a couple of radio mics and a boom directly to camera. Could you explain the audio chain in working from a cart, mics to mixer, are all then direct outs to recorder? do you mix a stereo mix or mono ? Sorry for so many questions , just seems really complicated, with IFB and timecode and all thanks Tom
  15. Hi all, hope this is the correct forum for the post. I have an older MXP 290, works very well.....except the CH R fader is starting to act up on me. I don't really use the aux 1 & 2 outs, so could I just swap out the faders or is there a better solution. Don't think I could get parts for this old machine. I have not pulled of the cover yet. Thanks Tom
  16. Jeff Could you explain to a non-cart person what are the plant mics on the back of the cart ? Would sure like to see some pics, I usally just work out of a bag, nothing like you folks do. Thanks Tom
  17. Hi, all of you will have to forgive me because I have never seen one or used a PD6. Can you tell me why I see so many of them for sale? Are they obsolete for recording? If I understand correctly they record to a DVD -r? Thanks, just trying to educate myself. Tom
  18. Glad to help a great site Thanks Jeff
  19. Thank you , makes much more sense now.
  20. Hi all, sorry if my post is too simple or seems ridiculous to any of you. I mainly do audio mixing taking audio directly to a video camera so I have no experience with timecode I see you all talking about. So I am trying to educate myself what is the normal setup you use. I take it you have to have a video camera that will accept code or output it? What I do not understand is the chain. Normally do you use a Denecke slate to generate code to the camera and then to your audio recorder? Is this all cabled together? If one of you has the time I just would appreciate how you normally jam code to a recorder and camera. Thanks in advance.
  21. Was going to use my old ME66/K6 Rycote windjammer system for my new 416. Just too heavy and big. What would you guys suggest for a very good mount that will work for interior work and exterior with a Rycote softie? Also thanks for the the heads up post last week about the reduced price.
  22. Tom Maloney

    SD 552

    Hi all , just joined last week. I have a question about the SD 552. I have read a lot of posts from last year when it first came out. I see nothing new lately. Those of you that have used it, are you happy with its functions? mainy I would like to know about the quality of the recordings. I do not do much recording most of my work is strictly video with audio recorded to camera. Thanks for any info you may have. Want to upgrade cannot decide on a used 442 or new 552? Tom
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