George Flores

I remember years ago when I first got into this crazy business, I was arguing with a film department equipment guy at AFI that I didn't break his Nagra 4.2 and I was not going to pay to replace it. Needless to say, he was not going to check out another 4.2 to me, and I had to solve this major problem before the shoot that evening. It worked the day before! I was starting to worry because I knew very little about gear at this point in my career and my options seemed low. I couldn't take this machine to Coffey, because it was an AFI student film, and Coffey Sound & Audio Services rented to Big-Time paying jobs. Therefore, I took a chance and ran it up to Lee Strosnider's house. Lee was always pretty patient about answering novice sound questions and this was a hunk of a big question: why won't this Nagra work?! Lee looked it over asked where I got it. He put it into test mode and nothing happened. He then quickly turned the machine over, removed all the D cells and went right to the fuse holders. One of the fuses had blown the day before after shooting, and I didn't even know the Nagra had fuses! He checked the other fuses, changed out the blown one and told me, "When you return it to AFI just smile and say thanks". It was a very simple fix. I wasn't chastised for it or blamed for it. That's how gear behaves. It was part of the process of dealing with audio equipment, and Lee showed this small example of "problem solving" that has stayed with me ever since. He will surely be missed.

getting paid to do what you like to do. making a pretty good wage plus some rental. overtime without asking for it. medical coverage too. Yes, some days are tough and unfair and some jobs fall through, but how can one not be thankful every day to be working as a middle class sound tech. G

Sad. Let's hope he pulls through.

This is side view of the Stroller Cart used on "Southland". With 664, Field Venue, PSC LiFe Battery and 6Amp charger. Works great at the beach, golf courses, and multi-level locations. G

Jeff, I've had luck with this baby stroller rig. This is the one from the Parade of Sound Carts. I can incorporate my cart equipment, such as the field venue, very easily into it due to a designated 12V charger, PSC LiFe battery and Remote Audio HotBox on board. It's not for everyone or every situation, but if you don't need to strap anything to your body, it works quite well. If you know, for example, that you'll be in an environment that screams for small footprint, lightweight-ness, and maneuverability, then you can plan and prep for it. It glides well on the sand, and can be carried up a flight of stairs with no problem. And those parents out there know well that you can pack a whole bunch of stuff on the lower trays of strollers. George

It's best to establish an open account with a sound vendor. During production, your rechargeable batts may go bad, an actor may damage or destroy a lav mic that needs repair or replacement. Same thing with any piece of audio you or your crew owns. Large or small productions, with a vendor in place, these things can be attended to without much hassle or whining. "Why do you need so many 9 volt batteries?" audio gear

Plus a certificate of insurance covering cartage and non-U.S. location(s)

Fred, the HF 1000 does not introduce any extra system noise (e.g., hum, buzz, etc.) from what I can tell. The big difference from the older Xantrex inverters like the PROsine and these newer models is you needed to hook up a battery charger to the unit. The HF 1000 has an onboard 20amp charger built inside. It charges the battery that you hook up to it at the same time providing AC to the 01V or anything else needed. There are some after-purchase costs that you need to be aware of as well: 1. It needs to be wired with a 3 prong AC plug. 2. A kill switch for the fan is recommended. Forrest Forbes at Trew and Dave White at D.W.S. Sound Service can do the work George

try doing an L&D for those!

I changed over to an SDI to HDMI converter for my last show. Production provided the Decimator Quad Spliter and the 19" Samsung monitor was about $260.00. This monitor is mounted on the back of the follow cart facing my cart ( I call it "The Kenn Fuller"). The Camera Op who supplied the SDI to HDMI converter gave it to me after I got him a weekly production rental for umpteem weeks. I think they cost $30.00 to make, but they're maybe a 100-200 online? George And yes, it's an automatic "Everybody Magnet", but I don't mind if people don't block my view.

Devon is friend gentlemen, and she is looking for someone to help her on her project. I referred her to JWSound, because this is the place one goes for advice and assistance. If someone knows a Sound Designer, that Designer may have a younger colleague or assistant who may want to try doing a project on their own. Someone else who is learning production sound may also be interested in getting experience tackling a theater play. George

$$$ in the budget for an awesome boom operator, Sennheiser MKH 816, Sennheiser MKH 50, Sennheiser MKH 416, Sanken CS3e.

All the DITs that I've discussed this with are in agreement that one person can't do this job consistently and successfully. And those DITs are not interested in audio duties either. Even if someone is pushed into a new position like this, they can't do Color and hunt down Crickets simultaneously.

Alcohol, Goo Gone, Goo Off or W-D all get it off fast and easy, but may shorten the life of the cable sheath as it drys it out. Also, the solution residue sometimes affects peoples' skin when the wire is placed back on talent. I have been happy with baby oil and a soft cloth; it softens the cable and is not as toxic as the other solutions. As Andre' stated, adhesive removes adhesive,. Joe's Sticky stuff or cloth tape works well. Patience is another thing you need. Who ever does this task, don't rush.

The other day, boom operator Steve Evans and I were on set talking about old jobs and he told me how he solved this particular problem: For a two riders on walking horses, he had one of the wranglers get him on another horse and Steve rode adjacent to the "Acting Horses" while booming. A third horse actually calmed the other two down and his pole didn't distract the horses due to his height. You may want to contact Steve just to get the details correct; don't know if he held the reins or not, or if he was on a Western Saddle or not. Definitely wire your actors, but convincing your director and producers to go the extra mile is worth it, especially with a key scene. G

RG-8X is something I went to a few years ago. I don't have the math but it works fine. I've 7 and 15' pairs, 25, 50 and a 110' for those rare emergencies. There is loss, but if you need to get the shot, it works.

Keep the NP-1 Battery compartment and the seamless switching of External-Battery and vice versa. A small yet vital feature.

Robert, I'm sure you discussed with Jim over there the options of Plywood vs. their "Fly-Weight" material. I had my follow cart made with the Fly-Weight and I never regret spending the extra money for it.

If you want to go with a vehicle (something you can also take your gal to the movies in), then I would suggest a Honda Element. They were discontinued after 2011, but a used one with low miles may be a good choice if you're thinking about price. The seats come completely out and the back door clearance is about 39". My five foot ramp fits snuggly in along with a full magliner, SKB,cables, chair. Four cylinders offer no punch, but in lieu of a van, it offers a lot. If $$ is no object, there is a new Nissan van that is pretty sharp.

I'd like to comment on how informative and helpful this thread is (and jwsound) in dealing with issues like Time Code. Some producers are aware of how the sound dept. keeps on top of these things and how we take initiative to solve problems. Others have no clue and are usually first to start blaming--that's never going to go away! It's frustrating yes, but I don't think that's ever going to stop us from stepping up and "handling it", and maybe charging a little more for out expertise in the process.

It's like stealing a Horn Player's Horn or Carpenter's Hammer; these are our tools to make a living. Whoever the D*ckhead is who did this is going to be surprised that it's not the exact fishpole he was going for. Not Cool!

I studied and attended the Iyengar Institute when I lived in Hollywood. My neighbor is an instructor, so now I practice with her and I do a lot on my own. I got into it when I was a boom operator in the late 90's after a producer told me about it and where to go. It has changed my life very much. I recommend it to all sound people and really anyone who does set work. It helps physically, building better posture and stamina, and also with dealing with stress. For us Mixers who are sitting all day, it's important to get up and seriously stretch and get the blood flowing; not just walking over to crafty. For Booms and Utilities, it is vital that you don't get sidelined by neck and shoulder pain or heel spurs, or other issues that will make the job miserable. All exercise regiments are tough for film folk to do regularly, but yoga seems to be something I can do on set.

Save ALL of your receipts. The city will eventually want you to pay a business tax, however, it may be a small amount or none at all annually; look into it though. 1099 equipment rental income is great- The government lets you keep all that awesome $$, but they want their cut in April, so keep a running amount of what you get or try save it all. Your equipment is your lively-hood, and it goes down in value each year, so keep records on purchases for when you do your taxes or if an accountant does them for you.

Excellent news Dave, good to have you back in our world. I'll put together my list of things for you to repair/look at. Cheers!

Thanks Crew!