Richard Ragon

It's a short film. (4 days of filming) Cameras will both be HVX-200. Don't know if they are using any adaptors such as mini35 or such. Both cameras have XLR's. I feed to the camera, as well as my recorder (702T) as a backup. I use a snake cable (100ft) from the mixer to the camera "a". In general I've done one once with 2 cameras, and I've mic'd enough wireless to cover the scene plus one boom. I'm just also wondering if I should be planning on a second boom on this too. Thanks everyone. -Richard

I'm filming a two camera shoot next weekend. Just trying to get my ducks in a row here. 1) Do I need 2 slates (sync them both to the same timecode)? or one shown to both cameras? 2) I'm thinking about 2 booms. In general does anyone double up on the booms for 2 camera shoots? 3) Running audio into the camera "A" also and recordring, but should I worry about Camera "B" too? Any two camera advice would be appreciated. Thanks -Richard

Oh Man... This is awesome work!! -Richard

A funny article about 10 worthless College Majors.. #2 is FILM. http://www.holytaco.com/2008/06/03/the-10-most-worthless-college-majors/ -Richard

Wow Philip, Nicely said, indeed..

The problem might even be worse than this.. Someone, or some professor (And I know for a fact that this is whats being told to the students over at Chapman) is teaching these new producers that films can be made for ZERO money!!! So, they are diving into their projects headlong without ANY budgets. I've approached several faculty over at Chapman about this, and they just kind of blow me off. Its the simple fact that they simply have the assumption that if they have all the gear, then they can find someone to press the record button... problem solved. -Richard

Philip, I didn't consider something.. This might just be an LA thing or the general hippy culture here perhaps. -Richard

Also, once they realize that they can't afford you on the next film when its time to pay, they simply just move on to another new sound mixer to get more freebies because.. hey, it worked before. -Richard

"Scams" is perhaps too harsh of a word for a vast majority of work that you might find on CraigsList.org or Mandy.com. I don't really think producers are scam artist, but more or less bullshit artist. What I mean is I'm sure you'll run into tons and tons of producers that say they have no money to pay you. or, will hire you the next time, or will pay you if the film makes money. Complete bull.. Don't be taken by these guys. You'll work, many many hours, and never make any cash. So, why do you 'need' to make cash? Because the sound business HAS to make cash, or your will NOT be able to buy or pay for equipment. Since Equipment is a huge part of our business, you need equipment to keep doing what your doing. Your equipment represents a huge investment, DO NOT JUST GIVE THAT AWAY. Combine this will replacement cost, fixing cost, gas, mileage, transportation.. it's a loosing battle. Over the last number of years, I've learned to spot complete bullshit from legit jobs. I've turned down lots of jobs because I've been on bullshit jobs, and they are NO fun. And, believe me, the bullshit gigs will never stop unless you find a way to target and identify them, and turn them down. 1) You need to establish a base pay for yourself. Mine is actually 400.00/per day. If they are low budget films your applying for, tell them for example they can get a 50% discount for student discount, new director, whatever. This sets a precedence, and they see you as a high budget guy, helping them out this time. If you set your prices too low, you can't raise them.. but if you start out high, and tell them all the discounts you offer, people look at that like a deal. 2) Deferred pay == NO Pay. I don't know a single person in any field that has ever seen a dime from deferred pay. Sound Mixers are so low on the totem pole that you'll never even been thought of even if they did come into cash later. But the reality is.. unless your big budget film, no one makes any money on it ever! Everyone is using this to get to the next level ONLY. 3) Meals and Credit.. Now there's nothing wrong with No pay gigs.. I've done them even a few freebies here and there for a good cause. But NEVER do a NO pay gig, and throw in the equipment too. Paying for equipment means they get 2 deals, and you front the cost for their production. Even worse, what if something breaks on your equipment. Now you've got to pay for it and work for free too? No way. Don't give away your equipment without RENT or Kit fee. Any legitimate company would jump at the chance to get a REAL sound mixer on the set for FREE, and all they have to do is pay the rental!! If they turn you down.. All they were after was to see if they can find someone gullible enough to pay for their production sound. 4) Get ya work on the next shoot.. Yeah Right. Boy have I heard this one. What makes them even think there will be a next time.. seriously, most people give up the production biz after the first film kicks there ass so badly. And, what makes anyone even sure that you can, be able to, or will work on their next shoot. I fell like saying, "I have a better idea.. why don't you pay me full rate now, and on the next one I'll do it for a drastic discount". 5) Flat rates.. The reason producers offer Flat rates like 1000 bucks/whole job, is they think that you can't do the math and figure out yourself that your only being paid $2.00 per hour. So they lump it into one sum, to try and make it look like it's a lot to some poor guy thats been out of work for a while. What happens if the job runs over or they add another production day? And it will.. You make even less money. Instead, you need to explain to a producer that does this, "Hollywood works on daily rates". 6) For the Art! This is the biggest load of crap I've ever heard! Right.. The bottom line, just because the dumb shits got a DV camera and a pirate copy of FCP, doesn't make them an artist or a film maker. Movies at ever level cost BUCKS. Lights still haven't changed, sound still hasn't changed, just about every position has NOT changed on a set. Ask any real movie producer. Films cost more money to make now, then they ever did, even with new technology. Don't fall for anyone saying we do it for the love of filmaking.. or were a group of people that love filming.. People are in this business because they want to get a job and make money doing films.. If they loved art so much, buy a painting studio. 7) Everyone is working for free.. "That is their problem" I'd say. If I had a rich uncle who bought me 60 thousand dollars worth of equipment, I'd perhaps do it for free too. Unfortunately, I have producers tell me this all the time.. Work this gig and at the end, watch all the crew people receive checks.. and you'll feel like a real chump. Invest in this film.. I for the life of me can't figure out why producers seam to come after the staff for the funds to raise for the film. Perhaps because they think they are easier targets than venture capitalist for money. I can see why people might invest in a film, but at least when you "pay the bills" you can ask for some creative choices.. But if your the sound mixer, you have 0 say in creative. Sound Mixers are below the line jobs. They have NO creative input into a film. This is why sound mixers DO NOT HAVE DEMO REELS, what are you going to show someone exactly? You come to the set, you record the sound, and if you did your job right, someone takes the sound, re-engineers it, thus destroying your work in the final product. What the heck do you show someone? How to stop being taken advantage of.. 1) Learn to turn down jobs. Once you smell a rat, just politely decline the job thats all. No need to get defensive about it, or write back with snide remarks. Just say, no thank you, perhaps the next one. 2) Avoid interviews. I haven't manage to do this one yet fully. Most interviews turn out to be "sales" sessions. They want to meet you so they can try and sell you on their film, and see if you'll do it for free. Sometimes I feel like your buying a used car. I have found the interview to be positive for them trying to get a 'feel' for you. But in general, the best jobs that I've ever had, not one of them ever had an interview. Most end up being a huge waste of your time, because the producers are usually NEW, and they think they need to hire crew people, like they do actors. Most of the interviewers have no idea what to even ask me once I'm sitting at their desk. 3) Always include your equipment. Explain that "I'm willing to work for free, but my equipment is not". Remember kit fee for equipment, period. Legit companies would jump at the chance for a free mixer if all they had to do was buy the equipment. 4) Avoid the job, if they say they want minimal equipment. You decide on how much equipment you need for the shoot, not a producer who knows nothing about sound. Basically, these are code words for, "we don't want to buy any sound equipment, but we want the best sound you can get with just a boom pole". Lately it seams craigs list adds are asking for just a boom op and no sound mixer. Producers think by trying to eliminate the sound equipment, they can get good sound, and not have to pay anything. Don't work on Boom op, with NO Sound mixer.. This makes you the sound mixer, responsible for the sound. If it sounds bad (and it will) then you'll get a bad rep, and never be hired again. You'll feel bad and perhaps even donate some equipment.. Don't walk into that one. 5) Make sure you have overtime built into the contract. Most contracts in crew, are verbally, but thats ok. Make sure you say, "since I'm working for low low budget, I'm ok with that, but if we go over 12 hours, I have to charge overtime". This one is easy.. every producer says it will be an easy job, so it's easy for them to promise no overtime. But when your on production, the overtime will save your ass from virtual slavery as well as make you more money. If your working on a production that has a huge bunch of free workers, guess whats going to happen!!! Abuse. Protect yourself. If they don't agree with the overtime, then walk away proud because they are planning on abusing the crew! Think yourself very lucky. 6) Learn the camera. What camera they are using tells me mountains of info on the production. Panasonic P2 = low budget. 35mm Panavision = much larger budget. Don't let them convince you they have no money, but were shooting 4 weeks with a Panavision.. People with no money don't shot 4 week productions with 200K cameras. Don't be the chump. I don't really want to post this on my website, because then it just sounds like sour grapes on my end.. And, my website is more geared toward educating producers and film makers about how sound works. When really, it's a education to new mixers thats all. If anyone has anything to offer with their experience.. please do. Thanks

I liked the old way better!! -richard

Somebody on a set once told me... "NO ADR can match the performance that an actor gives while on the set. Once an actor is standing in a box, starring at a mic, they can never match the emotion they had while looking at the set, dressed in the costum, and interacting with scenes and other actors." -Richard

Phil, I speak for a lot of us here. We've all been though that really hard job. I've gone home some nights after a really crappy day, and seriously considered why I was in the business. By all means, don't be afraid to totally vent here, we can all get a chuckle out of it because WE are the people that have been there - done that. I was on this AFI film shoot once.. They were shooting the actors from on top of this two story platform. The camera and my boom were on a scissor lift next to the platform. It was incredibly WINDY, and I had the furr on the Blimp, but it was barely covering the wind. And, then to make it worse, they had 4 torches on top of the platform (which kept going out from the high winds), and the noise coming from the fire being moved by the wind was like thunder going though the recording. The director kept saying, "We do we hear all this static??", and then kept insisting on getting the actors on wireless mics, which the clothes rustle would have been far worse on Lav mics.. But for some reason, every director thinks that lavs are the solution too all problems in sound. When I hear a director state this, I calmly explain that "Lavs are omni directional, a shotgun is highly directional.. and Nothing is better then my 2 thousand dollar boom mic". Anyway.. the director, was fighting me every step of the way on sound... She flat refused "Ambiance", didn't take any suggestions, didn't ask me if it was good for sound, then had the audacity to complain about the sound she was hearing... And I didn't even get mad, I just calmly explain, and let them make the decision to bury themselves. You see, you can't TRAIN people to do the "right thing". It's a discovery that each director either learns, or doesn't.. But either way, they learn it the hard way.. Don't take it personally. One day they will be in the edit room, listening to the dailies, and make the personal discovery about sound. And, there's NOTHING that you or anyone like their professor or 5 years of school training can teach them. But here's one that gets me FIRED UP.. And, I've had two DP's do this one already.. We had a steady shot or a handheld shoot. For 10 minutes I watched the monitor looking and trying to get an idea where the heck that FRAME LINE is going to be. I would then relay as best I could to my Boom where the frame is.. However, once we start rolling, the DAM frame changes, and the Boom is in the shot. If this happens x2, I've had DPs make snide remarks to my Boom Op, "You need to communicate with the mixer here". I've actually sniped back at the DP, and said "You spend so much time setting up the lights and shot, that you can't give me 2 seconds to let my boom op know where the frame is going to be for him..." Usually he backs down, and then realizes that he isn't helping anything here.. Seams like snide comments from DPs are pretty common.. But, I've learned that the first guy on set that I try to impress is the DP or Camera, I even make it a point to yell out, "Sounds Ready" in which someone else yells, "Sound is allways ready!", and it helps lighten a tention between crew. Once you get the respect from other crew members, its easy from that point, and they back you up with directors. Best advice here.. Just collect the paycheck, do the best you can, move on. These Low budgets are the worst sets because of inexperience and piss poor planning.. I'm pretty good at spotting these now, and just try to ask for more money, which tends to make them NOT hire me. After they find a less experienced mixer who undercuts me, he too learns a lesson... -Richard

Hey everyone. I bought a Quad box a few weeks back, so I thought to myself, hell just design my own antenna set up. So, here's the finished rack! Ok, so here's how I did it.. First I bought 3 feet of 1-1/2 in x 1-1/2 in 14 gauge square tubbing. Sealed it up with welded end caps, and then welded small tubes on the bottom center and offset on one side. I then cut holes in the tubs, added 3/8 nuts and found some handles to use as tighteners. Powdercoated the whole thing to match. These tubs fit over baby pins and tighten down. The Mass is a Murry top half of a C-Stand and was just purchased, and can mount to the cart after it's assembled. Place the Antennas on both sides though the holes, hook them up with some heavy BNC calbes strapped down with rip-ties, and presto! I can take the whole thing off of the mass boom, place it in the truck, then dissemble the cart if needed. It can raise to about 20 feet! I was thinking of also mounting the IFB system antenna on top too.. -Richard

My main mixer right now is a SD 442. I actually use it on my cart or bag depending on the gig/location. Been thinking of getting a dedicated cart mixer. Macie or Onix looks good. Not sure if I'm ready to jump into a 'pro' mixer, and at 8k to 20k seams like a huge jump too me. Cooper would have been my first choice, but if they are discontinuing them... Perhaps looking into a PSC maybe. The Macie or Onix, is there someone out there converting these to 12v?

The sound sounded good to me.. The picture is just amazing. However, the movie started with the curtains NOT opening up all the way on my theater. About 10 people got up, including me, and notified the manager that were missing half the of screens edges.. funny so many people noticed it really.. -Richard

Well.. I have to admit that I donated my $12 to see Indy this weekend. I heard someone on the radio complaining about how the film lacked character.. "Oh Come On!!.. Its Indy/Lucas/Spielberg.. It suppose to be a campy thrill ride.. -Richard

I too have taken deferred pay. But only WITH the rental rates of my equipment. And, yes.. no one yet has ever seen a dime on deferred pay to date. So, you can pretty much say, deferred == no pay. -Richard

I have a confession.. Been collecting and watching TV shows (divx files) over the internet for the last 3 years. It started with a show called "Eastenders". An English soap opera that used to be on BBCAmerica. One day they told their audience that they will be cancelling the show if more viewers didn't watch it.. I thought to myself, "Wow, this show is wildly popular with English/American audiences, how can this be?" A few weeks later it shows up on "pay-per-view". Because of its popularity, they thought they could scam the audiences for more cash.. Ok, fine, I just go and get it from the internet then.. turns out ever show on the planet is available. And, to make it even worse (or better if your a consumer) there are things like tvshow software that you subscribe to a particular show, and it automatically gets your bit torrent going for that show if a new episode is out. And often I can get a bit torrent before its even broadcast on the west coast. Anyone can watch any show, at any time, on any device. Each file is only 350MB (1 hour), in High-Def, minus any comericals and plays on every DivX enabled DVD players that are sold for 50 bucks at every Best Buy Store in America. With people collecting files, just like mp3s now.. it's only a matter of time before media players that play DivX files show up all over. Same thing that happened for mp3s (music) is now happening for DivX (TV shows). It's just a matter of time before one device "Rules them all". Apple TV is the closes thing to that device so far I think. -Richard

Well.. I'm happy to report that, "I did NOT get the job". I think they are 'really' looking for a sound mixer that is bad at math. I did offer that I was available if you need a 'real' sound mixer (for my rate of course).. As I'm curious to know what the heck the guy expects to get for nothing?? This guy honestly thinks that you worked hard for your equipment, now please let me use it all from free! On a side note.. The only thing here that makes me feel better when I see crap like this.. a) Someone with no experience will take this job, thinking he's "IN" a real sound mixer job in Hollywood, only to get horribly burned when he has to come up with so much money out of his pocket, only to get the next job that expects the same free work. Or the production complete crashes due to the producers thinking that every job on the crew can be had for the price of lunch. Either way.. bad, bad, bad.

My biggest thing.. The express Vans are just too big. Trying to park that thing in LA would be hard, where as the Astro would be easier. Also, the astro is a V6 so there's a little better gas millage. I just measured the interior, and it looks like it will fit a Magliner Jr, without the sound panel on the top. I know the miles are insane from the previous owner.. but it least it's Fleet maintained, one owner. Don't know if it's been in a crash, perhaps CARFAX can tell me that too.. Like you guys say, 2005 is the last year. Fleets are getting rid of these now, so this might be the last time to pick one up.

Oh.. I forgot the best part.. He's claiming that this is NO Hollywood production, just a low budget film.. Really? 35mm, 4 week feature?? -Richard

It just keeps getting better.. I've been corresponding with this clown all day. He's clarified to me that it's $1180.00 for 20 days (not 24). So it actually works out to be about $59/day. So, I did a little math using Coffey "Basic Sound Package". -- reply -- Looking at their BASIC sound package to give a rough estimate here which is $3,600 a week x4 == $14,400. Divide this by 20 days which == $720/per day rental for sound. Therefore if you take $720/per day and subtract $59/day it == $-661.00 per day they would have to pay toward the production of your film. Of course this doesn't include transportation, batteries, DVD-Rom dailies, gas, or all the other expendables. It might be closer to -700/per day. -- end -- So, then he responded that he's actually looking for someone who owns his own equipment.. Hum.. As if the Equipment Fairy dropped my 60K worth of sound gear out of the sky one day!! Oh well.. I guess he'll figure it out.. or not. -Richard

I'm sure this has been talked about here. The SUV that I have is just getting a bit too small now, with all the equipment that I've got now. Adding in Blankets, a few cones perhaps, maybe a tarp or two... Anyway, I'm thinking about one of those Chev Astro Vans, or a similar small van. Seams small enough to park around LA, large enough for a Magliner Cart and Util Cart plus other items. Lots of older 05's out there as fleets are upgrading vans these days.. Thoughts?

Thought that you guys would get a chuckle from this one.. Looking though MANDY today, and I found this JOB. So, I thought.. sounds good, I'll reply... This is what I got.. --- start reply --- You would get a flat rate of $1,050 for the Production Sound Recordist plus $20 a weeks (4 weeks) for gas and $50 to go with your monthly cell phone bill. To do all of the post sound you would get a flat rate of $2,500 plus 3% in profit participation. If that is okay with you and if you are interested would you like to read the screenplay? All the best, --- end --- --- Here's my reply --- Greetings, Hollywood uses a "DAILY" production rate in order to figure out crew cost for producing movies. Nearly every single item like equipment rentals, car or truck rentals, and labor rentals uses this same daily scale. When you say that your production is 4 weeks, I have no idea what that means, plus add in the fact that for a Production Sound Mixer, sometimes there are days that you do not need a sound dialog recordists on the set for that particular day because you are filming a montage perhaps where there is NO dialog. Or what happens if the production runs long? Do we get overtime? You should consider converting your budget to the standard "DAILY" rate to make sure there is LESS confusion. So.. In order to convert your flat rate into Hollywood Rates I have to use a little bit of math, please correct me in this if I have it incorrect. 4 Weeks equals a total of 28 production days. $1,050 + $80 (gas) + $50 (misc cell, incidentals) equals a total of $1180.00 for the whole job. Divide this by 28 days on the production, is $42.14/per day. Is this correct? Ok.. Well, I've worked low pay gigs before, not a big deal. What kind of a budget do you have for the sound rental equipment? Perhaps we have margin in the rentals then? Thanks, and let me know. -Richard --- end my reply --- I'm curious as to what kind of reply I'm going to get back? Wow.. I wounder if someone would take that job? I hope NOT, but you never know. And I find it conforting to know that if a sound mixer DID take that job, that thats 4 weeks of wasted time he/she spends on not bidding against me for other LA jobs.. -Richard

People are now lining up to buy a product that they don't even know what it is yet.. Huh??? http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/22/iphone-line-forms-at-apples-flagship-for-absolutely-no-reason/