Steve Nelson, CAS

I'll look for Jailbreak. Surprisingly, even though this is an Amazon show, they want it to be FaceTime which means iOS. And the talent doesn't own an iPhone which has to be activated and shipped to him!

Does anyone know a way to record the audio of a FaceTime call on the iPhone itself? One actor will be far away (in another state). The suggested methods - Screen Record and Voice Memo - will disable audio recording when the device is used as a phone. Is there a hack? And Happy Birthday, Jeff!

Wow, it only took one posting to go almost completely off topic onto a Zaxcom rant. I will reiterate: If there are any other 970 users who think that the dialog box that follows the scene increment short cut should be eliminated I invite you to make your feelings known to Sound Devices. Since this is not a bug or a problem per se but a "feature request" the process for getting it changed is opaque, but if users chime in it might hurry things along. This "feature" makes me crazy because it prevents going into Record without first hitting the OK button. Not OK!

Am I the only 970 user to be dismayed that the latest firmware update did not eliminate the stupid dialog box that appears when the increment scene number shortcut is used? You know, the one that prevents going into Record until you push "OK"? You know, the dialog box that prevents you from doing your job when you've used the short cut because you're in a hurry and you think you're rolling until you notice that you're not because you didn't push OK on the stupid dialog box? Unlike every other nonlinear recorder that when you push Record will go into Record regardless of anything else? Am I the

Sorry to bother about a discontinued legacy product, but the Deva 5.8 is arguably the best thing Zaxcom has given us. Having said that, I'm using it right now to re-mirror some material for Post. I'd been rewriting to CF and dumping those onto the HD but this time I thought I'd try something else and write directly to an external HD. Rebooted and redirected it to write via Firewire (another legacy!), I thought I heard a little "click" and the now screen is nothing but white. After several restarts white it remains. Black screens I've had, this is different. Any ideas on what is the problem or

I've got a TNT pilot taking me to San Diego for about two weeks on a Navy destroyer (at anchor), starting October 19. I'm being asked to hire a local (405) utility person. Any recommendations? Please p/m me. Thanks! ----steve nelson That's Local 495.

An excellent filmmaker and good friend of mine is putting together a documentary project about the Occupy The Farm action that is currently and controversially happening right now in Albany. I will be joining him for a few days, but what he needs are motivated sound people closer to the action than SoCal. The money will of course be minimal, but it should be an exciting project as history unfolds - without pepper spray, I hope! If you or anyone you know might be interested please contact me ASAP. Thanks!

Hey Mick, I tried responding to you off-group but it bounced back. Is the email you have on your profile still good? Anyway, the digital snake is by Aviom and it is the shit. Talk to you soon, ---steve

OK, in response to Brian’s and Michael’s questions about FCC licensing and what’s happening on Blocks 21/22 – anybody else that was there and/or has a better understanding of these issues, please chime in: Included in Tim Holly’s presentation on Saturday was a handout that was the distillation of much research on FCC, frequency allocation, and basic RF practice. This is a terrific resource; look for it to be posted @695.com. Tim has created a spreadsheet that graphically illustrates how the RF spectrum in the Los Angeles area has been reallocated since the DTV transition. Although t

I learned something just now. I had almost finished a fairly detailed response to Mike and Brian's questions when somehow I changed URLs and lost it. So, after I compose myself, I'll redo it off line and paste in in appropriately. Damn. -----steve

And really, how important is STN? That's what time code is for. And if they can't see the numbers then they can't see the STN numbers either. Anyway, it's a nice feature if you want it. And Zaxcom and Denecke are talking about integrating the IFB into the slate to minimize potential damage. ----steve

I think I forgot to acknowledge Coffey Sound for promoting Saturday's event. Yes, those features are cool, but 1) In my world, at least, I've never had a script supervisor inquire about time code. 2) How many times do I get the current STN from reading it off the slate when they hold it in front of the lens? With this system, suddenly I'm responsible, and unlike STN on the Deva this can't be changed on the fly or after the fact. So cooler for some perhaps than others. But sync multi-track playback w/code, w/out RF problems for rerecording on set? Now that's cool. ----steve

This last Saturday, the Education Committee of Local 695 hosted RF Day, which consisted of a presentation by Glenn Saunders of Zaxcom featuring the public unveiling of his new Zax-Net technology, some new devices, and a review of other more familiar Zaxcom equipment. The second part of the day was a presentation by Tim Holly mostly about the effects of the DTV switchover on our work, including a history of the FCC and kind of a Radio Mic primer. The event was well attended for a Saturday morning in the summertime (nicely air-conditioned - an essential for the Valley, thank you, Bexel). Attend

Keenan Wyatt has been working for several years as Johnny Depp's "Personal Sound Technician". As I understand it his duties have nothing to do with production sound recording. He is there to provide discreet in-ear cuing for Mr. Depp, including dialog and music. In other words, he feeds him his lines and is his personal DJ. It is a union gig, although I'm not sure what classification; he is there by request of the actor. He interfaces transparently with the Sound Department, but works parallel to them. He is an outstanding boom operator, although it is hard to book him these days. Nice gig. R

I know I'm a little behind on this, but does anyone have any feelings about the Disability Insurance offered by EP (Payroll)? We're automatically enrolled in it unless we opt out. On paper it looks pretty good - maybe marginally better - but what is really going on here? Thanks! ---steve nelson