orionflood

I guess the big question for those who are seasoned, how actually busy are you right now at those rates?

love the ford transit connect, great on snow

I second the dpa option! Great stuff

Its a giant condom, of course the Swedes would want to over exaggerate things.

As the title questions do any of you do live events and the many spring offs they relate to. I don't mean live audio but rather live video production and webcasting/live event streaming? How does the rates in that compare to location audio?

If they are violating labor laws who do you contact to enforce this, or is my only option to quit?

Getting decent pay on a reality show but the turn around has been 8 to 9 hours every night after 14-16 hour days. Have any of you quit a good paying job due to circumstances like these?

This is closely discussed in another thread about how to or wanting to seperate labor monies paid on an invoice vs gear rental paid on an invoice, but what wasn't addressed is why: Why is it necessary to seperate these? Is being taxed on gear rental much better than being taxed on labor? Yes I get my labor taxed and my gear is non taxed... but doing taxes at the end of the year are there any benefits... and if I do will it not be suspicious to the irs if I start reflecting that starting this year? Thanks.

So I take it no one "invests" in audio equipment to help with taxes while also using said products?

Application to audio as a whole are there any old or new audio equipment that may hold their value well say as collectibles? I'm looking to start collecting audio gear. Of course I'm looking no further than some of the old Neumann microphones but I am unsure whether or not they will hold their value over the next couple of decades. From what I know microphone capsules need to be re-sensitized and they no longer support old Neumanns so they have to redo the capsules with new modern ones. Does anyone know of things that may hold value from days past or present? Thanks!

So I'm on a long show and now they are starting to put in a broll day in every week and cutting me within 24hrs most times since they aren't sure which day it'll be per week. I'm not sure how to respond since it is a long show and not sure how cancellation policy works on non union reality. Anybody had this issue?

Unfortunately from my experience, of all the mediums I've dealt with mixers getting fired off from reality shows is the most prevalent. Senator will say well good, but we all like to work...so open captions may be fine, but unless politics plays into the mixer in questions hand then he could get fired from a situation where he had no control.

Update, thanks for all your input guys...and some were right with maybe I needed some medical attention...as I had been working out consistently and found that things were actually getting worse. Anyway finally got a bunch of tests done and do have low T, especially for my age and am getting on Androgel. Although far from being the right forum to discuss that. I do trust many of you more than a blind forum filled with people who I don't know...if any of you have any experience with this feel free to post. For us mixers routinely working so many hours...I'm sure most are acutely aware of how their energy levels fluctuate throughout a day. Unfortunately if I don't get at least 9 hours sleep the night before a shoot I usually start getting quiet and irritable (to myself in my head) half way through the day. If I get the 9 hours sleep I can usually make it the full 12 hours with no issues, but much beyond that and I get really quiet and start talking all kinds of shit in my head. I do love sound, it is my life long passion...and I am glad that some understand my thought processes, but maybe not my expressed actions. I guess if anything maybe a mixer out their struggling with energy levels and similar situations with long days this post will help them or encourage them to get their levels checked. My first feeling was extreme embarrassment and seeing how long I've had these symptoms and now just getting them looked at...I realized I wasn't the man I thought. It was hard to bear...but hopefully knowing is one step in taking the right direction. Thanks again...it was a vulnerable posting and I deeply appreciated the encouraging answers.

You're right a fewmoreyears it is/could be SAD (seasonal depression disorder) living in the north midwest this year has been crazy depressing, my hands freeze within minutes of going outside, many days you just couldn't go anywhere. I seem to always experience it...might need to live somewhere else. I'm usually crazy busy during the summer and I get anxiety any day I'm not working...right now though I feel the way I described above. I'm currently taking Rhodiola Rosea, the Russians take for depression in colder climates and that has helped some. From my experience fewer conditions have sucked motivation from me more than extreme cold. Jay, you are probably right but I went from post to production because I found that to be a niche...soo many folks have their degree in post audio, not many know or want to do production from my experience. The niche I guess you might be talking about is designing books to meet the demand for curriculum these schools need for post, if so you do it brilliantly. Jason you are right I am in the same position as you. I know of a lot of mixers I knew drop out of the work force recently in my areas...unfortunately there really hasn't been an influx of work because of it but maybe in the future. Yea, I put on all the various hats as you. Cart based, small bag based, and large bag based, and I do love that portion. Thanks Josh, for putting in the effort and your post was encouraging. I am kind of reeling from the breakup but I knew it needed to happen and that I needed to move on, but can't say it hasn't sapped something from me. I really really want to invest in my local community more and play some more sports etc. but as Josh said I have to put on all the various hats, so at this point I find it hard to justify sports monetarily wise and physical wise because of the risk of injury involved. If I get injured and can't take that big reality gig coming through town next week that is pretty bad, and through all the various posts on working out and working most have seemed inconclusive on whether any of it really has any effect on lengthening a sound mixers career. I'm trying to boost my testosterone and increased my deadlift and strained my back a bit...catch 22 I guess.

I'm still a young mixer, I've worked on some big projects over the last five years...at least according to my standards...which is a combination between a payscale entering the four digit range per day clients most people would recognize. Unfortunately maybe because of my youth or what, but I'm starting to get distracted and wanting to pursue the world a little more. I love working I mean it truly is a gift...but I'm finding my resolve shrinking. A recent relationship breakup because I traveled and took the jobs most probably didn't want to do, and of course she hated that and I loved that...but I haven't really done much besides audio work since I was 10 years old in some capacity(theatre, concerts, recording, post film, production, radio, graduate degree). I feel a little burnt out at times and ashamed in the off season how little I wish to pursue audio related stuff. I have so many milestones ahead of me like unionship somewhere, joining all the major organizations in time, hardcore networking all the time. This offseason I've pushed that aside to concentrate on my health...for which has been a huge challenge in itself. Although not old, my undiagnosed until now celiacs and low testosterone has caught up to me...and with a good 20 pounds around my waist and 30 lost in the last year I've been working out to try to get in good enough shape to rival any great boom op or reality mixer, but I'm not there quite yet. For you older mixers who have been doing it for a quarter of a decade give or take how have you kept focus and made it all work? I would like a family but hell right now that feels so far away and I'm at the age where I should start thinking about that...probably Right now I feel so ashamed that I don't really feel like getting up off the couch unless I'm at the bottom of the barrel money wise or it is a crazy good paying job. When I was a composer I met with a well known composer at the time (non-film) and he was trying to encourage me by saying he didn't really start composing seriously until he was in his 40's. I wonder if some may feel the same or not. A lot of you have been sources of encouragement for me and many on this site. Not a typical forum discussion, yet not a typical job.

Exactly how I feel. Eventually I'm assuming everyone will want a family at one time or another, another reason for the 12 off 12 on idea. We are not robots...people have lives. 12 hours although I enjoy the job is particularly hard...it usually takes me an hour or two to even unwind for me to be able to get to sleep. Why would anyone in the sound department get there 45 minutes early. If anything, go over the shooting schedule in your bed with your wife or kids for those 45 minutes...or if your on location...stripper or prostitute (jk)

Well maybe you and the fashionicqua can barter skills Jesse

What is the general call structure on a professional set/union set for a sound? I hear it is usually 30 minutes till shoot call and not general call. I work for a company that calls me at general call but says it is only because they don't give me per diem but provide breakfast and basically to make sure the the generator is in the right location...which I also feel like should be taken care of in preproduction. Most of the time I show up and wait for several hours...just wanted to see what the correct way is of doing this if there is one.

I prefer not to hear that much hearsay, but for those guys who have actually transferred between unions through moving, was there more paperwork and expense involved than if you just went and joined another union? I see some guys have multiple union memberships say one in NYC and the other in LA. I know every place has its own stipulations depending on heirachy and such...but since IA is an international organization transferring itself should pretty straight forward I suspect. For example if you moved from a union that does not require 18 month residency to a place that does upon entering does a transfer still require the 18 month residency? Thanks folks.

Now this may be generational..but the older I get I feel like getting more gigs and getting referrals sometimes has less to do with who you know/general knowledge of sound mixing, but rather just a popularity contest. A recent job of mine I found out that the girl who offered me the job which I accepted, offered the job first to a younger inexperienced guy rather than myself despite the fact that I had worked successfully for/with her for several longer projects. I know the guy she wanted to hire first and he is I guess is more attractive than me. He told me oh "she thought I would be cheaper" well I know that is BS. After she hired me I recommended a boom op I liked to work with and she ignored that and hired a good looking young guy (I guess) who didn't have a clue what was going on honestly. I am by no means unattractive, but it is funny how this world works. It is fairly known that HR women/people don't hire good looking women but rather hire good looking men despite if they have similiar experience. Attractive men who DO put their picture on their resume actually get hired above those who do not, whereas the opposite is true for good looking women. I'm sure that younger mixers may have had this experience more often as more and more women are becoming producers and entering our field than ever before. I by no means think this is horrible or completely absurd...but I guess it makes sense that someone would want eye candy on set...but in such a key role as mixer it doesn't make a lot of sense. Once I found the above information out I dropped my HAM manuals and hit the gym.

Most of the people on the lower food chain can't really identify with you unfortunately. I had no idea how you feel. I've got an advanced degree and am barely making ends meat. I carry my bag like a mule most days. 11 years mixing a major scripted TV holy shit...what an accomplishment. Aren't you ready for another segment in your life? Either teaching, because you can afford to boss some kids around and stuff and feel young again or whatever. Surprised your not in Hawaii writing this sipping your Corona. I just don't know how you feel...sorry mate...not to be offensive.

They all seem like great people and fun to work with, all fresh smiles etc... Just realized there are either doers or whiners in this world. Thx for posting!!

Overheard an actress say after arguing with everybody on this low budget set I'm working on. "On studio films actors actually get to choose the edits they like." On a side note, the only claim to fame she has had was a very small park in one of the twilight films...no wonder she thinks this...lol

So this has been discussed at length on here about using sharkfins, but most of the forums sort of end in controversy/open ended, I think mostly because of its lengthy technical considerations, but is there a pamphlet out there by Larry F or someone that discusses this topic in general terms and then proceeds to its more technical side. What I generally gather from wanting to start a setup with sharkfins is that: 1)I need the proper 50ohm cable. 2) Although the pole doesn't make that much of a difference it's better if it isn't grounded/metal 3) Confusion abounds with me as to why people use more than two antenna(i?), wouldn't this increase phase cancellation? 4)I need to go from my receivers to an amplifier and then to the sharkfins? Does going from one receiver to another...are there any cabling rules with this? I tend to see with bag setups the crisscross look, which I can't explain why yet. Please understand that I am generally not talking about a 98 meter to 100 meter change. I am talking about upgrading from the antenna that come from Lectrosonics/Zaxcom that are physically on the receiver to going to a sharkfin setup...meaning although it can reduce reception if I get it wrong I am not at this point concerned about a minor difference in reception among different manufacturers. I would consider a few dB reception a win. Thank you guys in advance for making fun and helping ha.

Thanks guys, does K-Tek make the best?