afewmoreyears

Sorry to hear that... Very sad... In regards to safety, many of us had to recently sit through a pretty lengthy Safety training class put on by Contract services... It was required... At the class they went through detailed dos and dont's while on set... RULES... There were so many it was staggering... The training was informative.... Things and rules you see broken all the time... some things so obvious and some not so... After the class was over someone raised their hand to ask "do the producers have to take this class?" the answer was no.... typical.... we are supposed to break the bad news about proper stairs into the trucks and what guardrails, or, that we need to shut down the Geni because there is Thunder and lightning anywhere close to the set.... or best yet, no propane heaters under or in tents /ez ups for Clients, directors or such.... Yeah right... Point is, the people who should REALLY know the rules, in addition to the set workers, don't have any idea... Best we workers know for sure, the first line of defense, but when a problem does surface, Production should know what we are talking about...

Very good point Robert... I was thinking live in front of people for viewing on facebook after the fact...

Regardless of the airing platform, do the best you can... I try not to record for form of media outlet... you never know... OK, I stand corrected, it's for facebook.... hold a boom in the air and let it rip...

Bring radios for everyone AND the person or two they forgot to tell you about...two booms, recorder I would ISO them and record a mix track.... plenty of cable, all your normal in the follow cart gear, plenty of Lithium batteries, any other batteries you may need, TC slates, Plant mic options, an array of Boom mics... CMIT-416-Schoeps CMC6 etc... you fill in the mics of your choice, and anything else you have in your gear bags or truck....A Senn. G3 or G2 wireless feed from you to at least one camera, not mandatory, but it will maybe help depending how far cameras are away from the sound... Of course there are reports, mic supplies and such... I am only giving some basic guidelines on gear... See if you can get a boom guy.... Go into it with the idea of opening up the mics on the cameras... set the levels FOR THE DISTANCE TALENT (or idiots) will be... Leave headroom!!! use a T.C. slate, maybe have one open they can pan to off set a bit that just stays open... run a Senn. G3 or G2 for a scratch track if you choose to do so, mic 'em up, ISO them, record your guide track as well, make sure they use a TC slate, most likely set to 23.97 and let the fun begin... What mics you use, or how the people are miked will depend on the puzzle they throw at you.... Have all you can going in, then attack as needed.... If you are in fact short on gear, or don't own all this stuff, get AS MUCH PROPER INFO YOU CAN and plan an attack from there.... but, as always, once you see "Their plan" your plan of attack will most likely now change.... Remember, if it is live, take special care to think through your LAV mounts for noise, bullet proof them, check them carefully, have them move all around... TELL THEM WHERE THE MICS ARE, TWICE... and let them know not to hit, grab, pat, or scratch that area.... Depending on how long they will shoot for, try to use lithium batteries, charge them at around $4.00 ea. or tell them to get them for you... get the 8X ones from Energizer, not the 4X... Or give them away for free... a popular choice these days... See the puzzle, solve the puzzle..... solving puzzles you can't see can be difficult... Arm up, and attack... Good luck....

Funny, I always find them another mixer too, but I try to steer them to other mixers who I KNOW will charge for a more "normal" rate... That way the PM or Producer learns about regular pricing... especially after 4 phone calls... Although what you do is very admirable, and something any person with a heart should do, I think it re enforces the idea that Production can find a body with a heartbeat to fill the production mixers shoes on any given day. The more we can get all the folks to answer the phone with similar prices, the sooner the "floor" of our pricing across the different versions of production sound will begin to stabilize more towards the top. At $300 a day for anything that requires a human and gear is a price point that should I think never be entertained... Not at least in any professionally produced project... Just the concept of a feature, with a boom pole and a Zoom, one person...I mean a student project, OK, I understand.... I would not even know what to say in response.... It would probably go something like " Am on on one of those Candid camera shows?" or.... Come on Frank, is that you.....?" Once I found out it was not a prank, I would say, why waste time recording with a sound guy at all, open your mic on your T3i, and let it rip... Use your limited funds to add music and effects where your dialog should be... and re think your $350 grand project.... Or was that $350.00 I might of read it wrong.... I just don't know where these things come from... THIS sounds like a Craigslist thing.... They forgot to mention 14 hr days.....LOL BTW. Onemansoundarmy kind of leads to you getting these calls.... ENG is one thing, but they probably thought, hey, this guy is a sound army!! He can do everything for a few bucks, and all by himself....call him, what do we have to loose..... (while laughing of course) I think using a third person to deflect your billing is a good tactic.... " Well, I wish I could go there, but this is a small business we are running and I can't charge those particular rates... I mean I could wiggle just a bit, but my billing and accounting person is my wife and that is just not going to fly.... Again, I can help out a bit, but we have some basic guidelines... and I have agreed to follow them..." Anyone who is married will understand.... I am not kidding, this works and deflects the pressure off of you.... and removes the inability to say anything constructive...

I call for the I.O.T.B. to be created, the International Order of The Bag!! Set and establish equipment rates and stick to them, make your "adjustments" and "discounts" on your rate, show the Producers that equipment costs money regardless of what they pay you. Rich Van Dyke Well, this idea SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED BY ALL OF US, IN ALL FIELDS OF RECORDING, key word here, SHOULD... It simply does not work in the commercial world, (of give it away cutthroats..) ( the least offensive term I can come up with... meant to simply describe the process of HEAVY or FREE discounting of gear) I don't see how all the cutthroats in that particular end of the recording world would have any luck either stepping up to the plate... There will simply always be people who can not, and will not understand the big Enchilada.... It's just too much for them... I have myself reduced the phenomena to selfishness... It's the only reason I can think of that explains seemingly normal people, with perfectly operating brains (almost perfectly) behaving like this.. OK, desperation.... your about to be out on the street.... I KNOW we all must in some ways at some times discount... but the proper ways have been eloquently described.. I agree with the concept of being desperate and allowing yourself to sell both yourself and the craft out for a gig... being... unsound in principle.. Accepting jobs that are dramatically lower in pay than normal or allowing Producers to not pay for gear at all in some cases.... It really makes me ill... I don't get into it because I am hateful at myself all day long.... and after as well... It was like the old days when you would party till 5am then go to work.... I remember how that felt too.... Have not done that in over 15 years... or more it's been so long.. It's a feeling I also don't care for.. Reminds me of the saying---- This works best looking at it from the female viewpoint... "would you sleep with that guy for $20 bucks?.... OK, how about a million dollars... " Well, your a whore both ways.... even though it was a big payout at a million..... As soon as you degrade yourself for the concept of desperation.... your become a..... well... streetwalker.... Not to bash anyone here, it's just a train of thought... meant in good fun... I have felt dirty at times myself... believe me.... Hell, 8 free comteks ( with 10 already billed) gave me that dirty little feeling, for DAYS!!! Whenever I am pressured to reduce my price, I feel as though I am a dirty guy... I feel like I am about to cheat myself and I also feel guilty of cheating the CRAFT, as if the craft was a loved one.... The craft is really all of you.... and the basic guidelines that are "norms".... We should really all watch our own backs for the good of the whole... I think that feeling as though the craft was someone who I cared about helps me out in times of bargaining stress... It's like working for a company and saying, "hey, I can only go so far here" I work for a company" Give it a try... And, good luck "BAG FOLKS" getting on the same page.... It would be the best thing that has happened since the Nomad

Love the little Fostex..... perfect for YOUR own T3i, 7D or 5D shoots.... Tired of breaking out my bag rig for my own shoots... This looks like just the tool....

Someone might bite.... and nice of you to post.....but.... (only satire) $250-300 a day with multi track, 6 wireless, hops, boom pole, mic, cables and accessories, TC slate?... your mixer fee included.... you provide meal, 14 hr day... you buy batteries and any expendables as well as fuel for the other vehicles... No wonder he is desperate... This mornings Jetsons' telecast sounds a bit more rewarding....

You would hope so for sure.... It's basically a retainer... It's nice to know Thugs are not roaming your streets... wish it was true here.... sorry the whole thing crumbled though... but better now than later...

Crazy.... I can think of a hundred reasons why that would not work over here... maybe 200.... It would however ramp up work for unemployed "thugs" trying to get funds BACK from folks who were supposed to show up for gigs but are now in Cancun on holiday with their funds...

Vin, like you, I would of been done as soon as I read "needed 6K".... It seems pretty clear, at least to me... And a pre work signing amount... before the work started? That would of been the nail in the coffin.. The UNOG "form" or "certificate"... looks like something a high school student could make on his or her computer... Cheese, no chips... It states "delivered by seal of the united nation".... no S on Nations.... I don't think so... My bullsh-t meter goes nuts pretty fast on these things... To EVER send anyone money for something like this is, well, dumb... My dad used to say that those who do so pay for their learning... some pay over and over.... some folks never need to pay.... they come out of the womb educated in affairs such as these...

My guess is on "pocket"... if it worked once, line the pockets.....

Well, the old 01V96 ver. 2 is USB 1.1, the new 01V96i is USB 2.0 so, no it can not be updated.... that comes from Yamaha...

Well ..... that was weird... Me both posts... anyway, if the USB already exists on the console in a HARD fashion, why cant the software be updated to allow the recording through that already installed USB for data and software back-up?

I love the letter..... always have, and it is mostly spot on..... Funny thing is, I wanted to type "yeah right".... "Ha ha ha", "Hilarious" "sure, I'll get them right on it!" and fifty other comments after each of the departmental (should do's) mentioned.... But I would of stressed my processor and numbed my fingers typing in the process... there were SO many... Almost every one of them is broken each and every day... people are too worried about their own jobs, just don't care or are oblivious to actual set protocol... It's so sad, but that's where we sit.... I could see handing a copy (condensed or otherwise) to many of the key grips we commonly work with, and these are lifelong guys, only to hear...."what!.... get the fu-k out of here" ball it up and throw it at you. What a great business.....

Tough crowd... That would be... "just saying"

Scott, Not pissed at all, have not lost one penny... no skin off my back, No 27 or 28s in my kit... sold them long ago... I am merely stating that if and when EVER they might, repeat just might catch up... it could be real expensive... could you fight it, maybe... I have other things to do... Do I sometimes roll a stop, sure, do I speed at points, maybe... do I at anytime not follow the letter of the law, I am sure I do... nobody's perfect... but, this is one of those things we are supposed to adhere to like it or not... I know the possibility of the infamous "FCC TRUCK" rolling up to a set is almost non existent... to each their own, I am not telling someone not to use em, just saying we probably should not, were not supposed to... everyone should do whatever they like... as always.. Is the whole thing dumb, you bet, do I agree with it, no.. but it is what it is... I try to keep my work related illegalities to a minimum... good business to do so.... private life is a different story, there, well, I do the best I can...

Loud Harley's......... Barf.... Have you checked the penalties for EACH piece of unlawful gear IF they were to some how and some way catch up with you? It's BRUTAL HUGE fines.... look it up... I doubt you would be "willing..." but who knows..

First Edmond, get a math degree... no kidding, it's almost all math... at least every time I dig... all I get to is mathematics.... Dig around in here for an hour, or a year.... http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/musFAQ.html#loudest

The law is the law.... Period... Have a proper license, follow the laws.... I don't think I need a drivers license.... or a hunting license, or come to a complete stop or hunt after dark if I choose, or decide to take a bull instead of a cow Elk when I feel like it... but there are rules, as professionals, we are required to follow those rules, regardless of OUR or YOUR interpretation of those rules... I don't like the whole idea either, but it is what it is... I think a better way of handling the situation would of been a tax credit (in addition to the normal one) of having to replace perfectly good blocks rendered useless by the new law... at least that would of helped folks to replace the gear with new blocks that are within the standards and new requirements of that law...

Good thing I just bought a few hundred... Important to note, you can re-format and use a DVD-Ram over and over.... so, if you like, and you are simply moving data from a 606 or any other device .... record onto it, move the data and reuse the disc.... you'll get some more mileage out of the ones you have...

Not the coolest thing I ever saw... but close... I really enjoyed it ... this guy's brain is about a thousand times more creative than mine...

I love it too Rado... That's why I commute 380 mile to LA to work.... and when I am done, I come back ASAP!!! How long are you hear for?

Ryan, You'll get a bite in LA... keep your ears open for seminars.... your on the right track... PM me... I may have you out one of these days... It's easier with a ton of tools and gadgets... more challenging with limited toys for sure... Chris, that IS good news.... more toys....

Sounds like time for a cocktail!!!! I think it's locking yourself in that room... i do it from time to time on my little projects.... it gets to you...