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Alien

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About Alien

  • Birthday December 26

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  • Website URL
    http://www.aliensound.net

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  • Location
    Cleveland, OH and Atlanta, GA
  • About
    I've been a Production Sound Mixer for many years now. Starting as an apprentice in the Sound Department of Pinewood Studios and ending up as a Production Sound Mixer working wherever needed. Be it Features, Commercials, Reality and even Youtube. A lot of my time recently has been spent with NFL Films working on some of their many projects.
  • Interested in Sound for Picture
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  1. For travel where size is of importance I use a 16' cabled Loon Pole and it will handle a blimped MKH70 no problems, for the shorter pole I have a PSC 12' cabled that also travels but is mainly a backup. The extra sections make sure that they fir in my case and the problems don't seem to effect performance when fully extended. Both poles have done the past 20 seasons with NFL Films no problems. When travel is less of a problem and I'm running wireless booms I use my selection of Panamics as the main choice. I've always been happy with them and when they were built in Watford even visited the "Factory" (Garage) and chatted with the guys there. My original 12' aluminium pole was designed for use with a blimped 416 with minimal bend. It would also stand an 816. Even the 20' Graphite pole I got later in my career has worked well with anything I've put on the end. These poles work well with less sections
  2. I've always felt that the Boom Op was always the more important member of the crew. Poor mic positioning means poor sound quality with or without 32bit.
  3. The IATSE National Benefits plan is a lot easier to keep than the MPIP. If your Local is signed up with the IATSENBP instead of MPIP then so long as you do an attainable number of days every 2 years you can stay in by self paying the difference. Check with your Studio Mechanic Local on that before you join.
  4. Yes played many an hour on this game with children, parents and Grand parents. Will go down well as its also not all that well known unlike smoother games.
  5. To keep the profile low at NFL games I use a 70 in a softie and and old KTek suspension. Works a treat. KTek used to make a suspension that was a series of clips that would hold the mic from the side. Unfortunately they don't make this anymore. I think it was the KNS3 Nautilus. If you find an old one hanging about grab it.
  6. I have Hi Q, Inspired energy and Audio Root. All these are the same battery from Inspired Energy and all have worked well unto 200 charges. Its around then that they seem to start going bad.
  7. I use the Lectosonics ALP600 in a bag mounted on 6 inch handles. Here I have to cover a Football Stadium with one or two players mic'ed-up and working one or two sidelines on foot. At the next game I might be up in the stands seated so would be able to mount the ALP's up high. This set up works for me and although the bag setup may get annoying when running I know what I get with these antennas and worry that with the Bowtie when down low I wouldn't get the range I need.
  8. After a couple of years using an over the shoulder strap I ran into the climbing Top Harness by Black Diamond. Then one day Larry Nolan came to set with the first harness he designed based on a scuba BCD stripped down. I still have that first Versa Flex harness. It definitely saved my neck and back. You did have to take care if you were using the 7" reels using your harness as the weight sitting on the lid could stop the makeup reel from working and you would open up the lid to find a whole bunch of tape all over the place.
  9. Just did a short movie where Post asked for the files to be in 32 bit. This didn't work with my cart setup of a Scorpio, CL-16 and a wireless cart with an A10-Rack on DANTE back to me. So I let Post know that no its still going to be 24 bit as that's all I could do. Then I remembered , the MixPre II-10 will record 24 bit and as I was using heavy wireless set up of 2 booms and body mics I could record a safety at the A10 Rack over copper to the MixPre 10 and run that as a 32 bit safety recording, whilst still keeping the Master files on the Scorpio. I ended up handing in two sets of files, A Master folder and a safety folder at the end of each day. It will be interesting to see what Post actually uses. My feeling is they'll stick with the 24bit Master files.
  10. As mentioned above try to talk the DP and Director out of a double camera shot so you can boom. It will be faster and better in Post. If it must go wireless, talk with wardrobe about the costumes and also Props/Set Deck with what the scene looks like. Plant mics can work surprising well. FYI. On the beach Survivor uses booms only. During challenges and Tribal wires as normal.
  11. Non payment of invoices is a terrible blow to all of us. To help lessen the blow I will insist that all expendables like batteries, tape, cards, wireless straps/belts and so on be paid for upfront. Or at least half upfront and the other half part way through the production. In the past I have also asked for equipment rentals to be paid the same way, although this seldom works with the larger companies. I have also told a production that wasn't paying the vendors on time (G&E, Camera etc) that the rental company ( yes I don't own equipment, my company does) will repossess the equipment if they don't get paid. I would be there to mix (I'm on timecard) but the gear wouldn't. That ended up with us being paid the following Friday. I have been lucky in that I have only been stiffed once by a customer. I feel your pain, but would look for the silver lining in that you now have an upgraded package that will pay for itself in the long run. Maybe you'll see something from this job after all the other investors but I doubt it. In future, maybe try asking upfront for a draw, the worst that can happen is they say no.
  12. I have four Panamic poles dating back to 1987 and have no problems with them. As Jim mentioned above I keep them clean, even using a pull through to ensure that the inside of the pole is spotless. That and keeping the bushings adjusted and at times replacing the upper bushings has kept these poles amongst my favourites. I also placed an Ambient quick release on the end mainly to integrate with my cabled poles from other manufacturers and that enables me to keep the Panamic quick release tightened up at all times.
  13. To answer TDSG's question with some of them I have not had a problem. One company has gotten its accounts in order and is now on 45 days. Due to the size of my 1099 with them I have accepted the situation and we met with a $50 over rate and a very basic package for their shoot with higher costs for second timecode box, over 2 wires etc. CBS accepted the higher rate without question and take the full 90 days to do anything. Come the New Year their rate will rise another step. ESPN always question my rate when they contact me direct. If they move up I will work for them, if they don't I laugh and walk away. A lot of the time I then get called by a Cameraman for the same job who then pays me my normal rate usually within a couple of weeks and they then sit on the 90 day business with 'the mouse'. The same old story, with the little guy being fair and honest and the 'Fat Cats' keeping the money to give to the shareholders and the bosses.
  14. With some of the companies it is 'corporate policy' and there's no way out of it if you want the job. I just out and out quote them over the normal amount and they can take it or leave it. I've had both. I'm able to walk away if I don't like the reply from them. Smaller companies I'll raise the rates by the $150 then give them the ability to take a $150 discount if payment is received within 30 days ( I will specify a date for that 30th day). This has also worked and is now a normal tack when dealing with companies who have ' lost their credit standing' with me. This way its a better discount than 10% discount for pay in 30 days so they're more likely to pay on time, if they don't I'm $150 for the day better off and its their choice. Just like with UPS, if you want the signature (in this case 90 days) you have to pay more
  15. Apart from the hours being demanded from us I've also noticed an uptick in the habit of booking people for a shoot to only turn around and cancel the day before. The other annoyance is the big companies who just turn around and take 90 days or more to pay you. People such as CBS, Disney (ESPN, ABC), NFL Films and many others who have the money but don't want to part with it. I now charge above the normal rate for their privilege of taking so long to pay. For Union work I've gone to quoting an hourly rate and not a 10/12 hr day rate that is above the printed minimum in the contract. This is not a given rate but a minimum rate and experience should cost more. If we all stand together on stuff like this, the habits will stop.
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