carbonhobbit

I only have a few ties, some colorful, some dull. I only wear them now to wedding' and funerals. I could easily live my life with no ties since they are so uncomfortable to wear. If I had no ties, I would just spend my time traveling and exploring this great place we call earth. This is one of the reasons I got into this business, to learning new things even when they are in your own back yard. Scott.....

I was on a DSLR shoot a while back where the production company told the AC's that they had to slap the sticks multiple times so their Plura Eyes could sync better. This was while using my smart slate that was showing the time code coming off my recorder. Dumbest thing I had ever seen. They were opening and closing the slate almost six times each time with the slate flashing its numbers all over the place. The AC's were happy to slap away and I couldn't get an answer from them for the real reason other than we were told to. I also have to tell these same AC's that slamming the sticks is unneeded, a nice click is all I need. Scott.....

The joke I heard was a dead skunk and a sick water mammal on different musical instruments. You figure it out, you laugh or groan.

Thanks for the info. Scott....

Just got a TS-3 and was wondering if Lithium AA batteries are to powerful for this, or should I just stick with Alkalines? Did anybody try powering with the I-power 9V's? If they would survive a 12 hour day, I would be happy with that. Scott.....

One of my clients asked for a list of my equipment with prices because they were looking to buy equipment for when I wasn't available. I went for the gold and listed everything that I bring plus some extras and the total was in the neighborhood of 40K. The only thing they bought was a new boom and blimp which they had but was outdated and broken. They asked a local camera owner who rented to them the same thing and they have bought an Epic, Scarlet, set of primes, short zoom and some extra stuff. Guess they wanted to invest in the image instead of the sound. I'm still working for them, but don't get called in for the talking head on white background shoots. Guess sometime, you have to take a wait and see aproach. Scott.....

Eric and friends are fun to work with. Who are the hosts this year? I'd throw my hat in again if you're close to Lincoln again, will even go as far as Ames, IA. Scott...

I've been on two C300 shoots where I had the TC from the camera feed my 552. Never heard any negative reports back from post. Last shoot I used my new snake with TC return from Remote Audio, worked great. Used a Comtek to send audio to a 5d III that was being use as a second camera. Now on a shoot with a Panasonic 100, got burned a little because I thought wrong in thinking the line was -20. It is -12. Caught it when we did a playback and the audio touched red. Potted it down from there and everything else was fine. Had back-up on the 552 but the 100 has no way to send TC which I wish it had. Can't wait to get to work with an Alexa again. Epic's give me few problems, but then I always do double system with a slate for those shoots. Scott.....

Jim, maybe you can become a re-saler of clear tubes.

Being land locked, how often do you hear, "Holding for boat."

The batteries die, the snake, boom and your arms are too short, your outside without a blimp and they want to roll before you have a chance to wire the actors. No cables to go to the Red whatever. Other than that, you're good to go.

Hire somebody that knows how to use it.

If you're a Nikon fan, 39.95 on Nikon.com. Scott....

With the DSLR's, I feel like we have stepped back about thirty years in production. If they use the standard dslr lenses, there is no smooth zooming and the focus is fuzzy most of the time. If the production does anything more than a talking head, the image really starts to suffer. I have a shoot coming up where they explained how they were going to sync the sound with plura eyes like I had never heard of it before. Was told they were going to make some slaps and other noises to help it out. Didn't really want to take the time to tell them I had a smart slate and they could just read the numbers off it. Scott....

Remote Audio will more than happily build an extension for the 552 TC cable. They will also put a breakaway closer to the mixer. You just have to be willing to pay the price. Didn't ask if they would do it for a Subway. I buy or make my cables to make my life easier. Also don't have to use standard length cables to hook things up and make the bag look messy. Scott.....

Think about getting a 25 ft extension because that 20ft can run out quick if you have to go to a camera on a boom or dolly on track. Also check out the cable that runs TC back to the 552 for stamping the files. Just remember that what ever cable you get, they won't work with cables from other companies cables. Also think about getting a disconnect close to the mixer, makes life much easier when you want to break away. Scott........

They are cool, but I think they have gotten too big. They don't fit in my bag's pouch anymore. They old ones fit better. Scott....

I got to spend two days with Jim covering storms in the midwest and ended up at a town hit by a tornado. Very nice guy and the weather channel had us bill direct and paid everything. Made for a nice weekend, at lease pay wise. Did get wet, but never scared by the weather. More worried about the AC cord running thru the two inches of water we were standing in. Scott.....

No matter how well you try to tape a cable down, someone still trips over it. I've seen it with cable crosses and stripped tape with cones set up. Also seen a lot of bus carts crash and burn as the operator tries to go over the cable without lifting the wheels or asking for help. Some people just don't look down. Scott....

The 552 does this already. Read the manual. Line level can't send phantom and mic level can be toggled from powered to un-powered and is all done from the front of the mixer.

I had it happen many years ago when I was gripping. When it got to 10 hours and the production said it wasn't paying any overtime the other grips packed the truck and left. I was the grip truck driver and since they had rented the equipment for the day, I had to stay with the truck to make sure the equipment got back to the rental house. They had use of the equipment but no workers. I watched as they struggled through the next couple of shots and then they called wrap. We all got paid, but it was weird watching from the sidelines. It is a really tough call. You just have to stand by your decision. Scott.....

After seeing a shot from "View from the office", does it seem like the rookies always seem to "paint" themselves into a corner where you can't light, flag or boom a shot, but if you turn around, there is all this open space. The apartment is so small, crafty is in the bathroom because they are shooting in the other rooms. They have never seen a set where the walls move and the ceiling goes on only when shooting that angle. Scott.....

Just being there and starting the mowers up on the street can start the whole process. If the mixer is in on it, he can point them out as they drive up or as soon as the production crew gets to the location. But would need different trucks and workers to pull off multi-day scam. Scott....

I guess I'm not a fan of the reality shows where they run in, guns (cameras) a blazing. Also not a fan of spoon feeding quotes just to introduce "drama". Entering private property with the idea of getting consent later. In my little next of the woods, with so few freelance mixer, even trying to share the work runs into trouble and some times the productions want the same mixer for continuity. More bugged about the feedback about the locals not wanting to work for low paying long hours. Get the reply of "we can get a mixer from here for that." Well, bring them along. Thanks for the replies, but I've moved on now. Scott......