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Eric Berzins

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Everything posted by Eric Berzins

  1. You're making me homesick. I grew up 15mi away in Bethany Beach, DE. Haven't been home in years. Unfortunately, I'm no longer in the area. Good luck in your search.
  2. If you want multi-channel computer recording, you'll need a multi-channel interface. MOTU's traveler is a good solution, albeit one that uses Firewire and not USB like you appear to be used to. 4 onboard pres in addition to 4 line level inputs (you could use your MixPre to give you a total of 6 channels) unless you pair it with another interface with digital outputs to utilize the AES and optical inputs. It can also be battery bowered from a standard 4-pin cable and can resolve to and generate TC (although I've heard that it needs a stable external source to really be reliable in that department). http://www.motu.com/...o/traveler-mk3/ Generally speaking/independent of specific software: to get multi-track inputs into your macbook pro, you assign each discrete input of your interface to the input of a corresponding track in the software - record arm all the tracks you want to record to, and roll.
  3. Besides not needing the distraction, I've never enjoyed the form factor of smartphones. Maybe I'm too old school Star Trek communicator about it, but I like flip phones...having this giant display in your pocket never seemed comfortable to me, and it just doesn't seem designed to be a phone at all, ergonomically.
  4. I've already made this choice myself, for an identical pay scale (same place maybe?). After some unpleasant few gigs recently, I decided to sell most of my gear and take the teaching job. Ultimately, it was the whole reason I got advanced degrees in the first place: a fallback if need be. If I were single with fewer expenses I might keep trying the freelance thing, but my other half has been very persuasive about wanting me to have a stable income. Also, the pay scale is pretty good considering how much adjunct professors make by comparison, with even less job security (and no unemployment benefits). With all the news about the economy and how many PhDs are working retail or food service, a full time teaching gig in that pay scale is a dream for many people out there and you should feel fortunate to even be offered one. That said, it depends on where you live. $40-50k may not get you very far in some areas, but where I'll be moving that pay is above average for a total household income. With my other half's income factored in, we'll be doing pretty well at twice the average for a 'household' in the area. Like Jim, I have in the back of my mind the hope that I'll still be able to pick up a few day/weekend gigs here and there, but we'll see. I start on Monday. Wish me luck!
  5. I've been able to pick up those dual-channel systems for $500 used. At that price, they're more than worth it.
  6. I was trained and certified on Pro Tools in 2005, then after some research decided to go with Digital Performer when building my home studio (I felt it had the most comparable workflow to PT). At the time, a functioning version of Pro Tools LE for post purposes (yet still very limited and intentionally crippled) would cost you at least $2500-$3000 for the hardware, software and DV Toolkit. I went with Digital Performer and got unlimited tracks, full TC and OMF/AAF functionality, multiple quicktime movie support, auto delay compensation, punches and streamers, full surround support up to 10.2, best MIDI and scoring features in the business, no hardware lock or interface requirements, and loads more for $499 - I fell in love and never looked back. I've since completed many commercial projects using Digital Performer and none of my clients have ever cared what software I used. As is often repeated 'round these parts: it's not the gear, it's the ears! =)
  7. Ultra low budget is often where what we get in production is most valuable. Just as an example, I recently did post for a short form project I had boomed and we ended up using everything we recorded on set featuring an old checker cab in the final mix. It's got a unique sound and I found out in post that there is very little material covering that particular vehicle in the standard libraries (and our access to the vehicle was limited to our shooting days as it had been brought in from out of town). As always: better safe than sorry. If you're able to get good amb/pfx tracks on set, go for it (particularly if it's something special); I don't think anyone who has done post has ever complained about having too much material to work with.
  8. Personally, I don't think I'd buy from a company I'd never heard of before calling themselves iCon.
  9. Just felt like sharing some geographically appropriate tunes.
  10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOjxBuwBUEE
  11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SesKJw8GJvk
  12. The only time I would consider booming without 'phones is if they somehow became a safety issue...if they somehow seriously hindered my movements (worrying about them falling off or the cable getting the way) in a very challenging situation that required some truly acrobatic feats of cueing.
  13. Sorry, but I equate booming without headphones to pulling focus with your eyes closed, or hell, even a blind DP (if we consider what others have about booming being the primary 'thing' about good production sound...) I'm just vehemently against booming without monitoring - I can't help but interpret it as a lack of caring (not directed at anyone in particular). I even feel that it perpetuates the perception among the rest of the crew that capturing good sound is easy, or that they could just as easily have found a PA to 'hold the boom'. If you don't look like you care enough to listen to what you're capturing, how can you expect the rest of the crew to care about sound? As others have said in other words (it's worth repeating), if you're not listening to what the microphone is hearing, you're not able to make those split-second adjustments based on what you're actually sending to the mixer, no matter how well you know your mic. As I often have to remind other members of the crew who sometimes feel the need to offer their 'expert advice' on sound issues: what your ears hear on set and what the mic hears are two very different things, and there are too many variables in each new situation to expect to know how a mic will perform in a given environment just because you know its pattern and performance characteristics. And of course, the best argument for booming with headphones is the simplest: 2 sets of ears are better than one! There have been many times when I have heard something the mixer missed, or helped diagnose a problem that would have been completely inaudible to me if I hadn't been monitoring what the mic was hearing. I'm not trying to insult anyone's skill or dedication who may choose to work that way, I just have to share my very strong feelings on the matter. Did I mention that I feel very strongly about this?
  14. According to the page I got it from: 9 meters. http://www.aaton.com...oin_Cox1685_001
  15. Don't own a smartphone, never have - also don't want one. I have enough distraction in life. Just a basic phone for --strange, I know-- placing and receiving calls. Last gig I was on I took notice of the fact that whenever we had an announced break, every single person on the crew was instantly staring downward at their phones, almost in perfect unison. I felt like an alien and went to take in the world around me in a new location for a moment by --gasp-- looking out a window! Of course, I also have never owned an mp3 player or tablet or any other consumer gadget. I do own a Mac, however, and find that's all I need.
  16. I suppose that now that they're "on top" they feel they don't need to make any kind of effort.
  17. The opposite of this approach is something I've seen more than a few times. I'm not a mixer, but there are some new ones/aspiring ones I've encountered who felt the need to (or planned to) rush out and buy a 788t as their first purchase, eating up their entire budget on the flashy top-of-the-line recorder, not thinking about the fact that they'll have nothing to feed it. I suppose they figure they'll be renting everything else, but they could have built themselves a complete budget bag kit for the amount they spent on that one recorder.
  18. Good luck with that one. Personally, I would be hesitant to even part with a well cared for 702t for that price, let alone a 744t.
  19. May I have your permission to quote this to the 'no budget for a boom op' type productions/producers? It's something that so many fail to understand due to their expectation of the 'one man sound crew'.
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