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Alistair Duff

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Everything posted by Alistair Duff

  1. Alistair Duff
    +1 on the Bose Soundlink Mini, I use it on the cart, in the car, at home, or with a Comtek strapped to it to put anywhere needed. it is a little bassy but perfect for casual listening. Also +1 on the KRK Rokit 5. I have two sets that I picked up refurbished. They are a lot of bang for the buck and pretty flat considering the price. I use a set with a small sub in the living room for movie watching and it is usually too much! They are tough enough that I have used them for light duty music playback jobs and they were great! My $0.02
  2. Alistair Duff
    This issue has a good write up about the Sharknado strike.
  3. Alistair Duff
    So this is what I eventually came up with to mount my BlackMagic SmartView monitor to my upright Magliner cart. The mount uses two swiveling brackets that came off of a pair of boom holder cups from Backstage carts. (The brackets might be able to be ordered separately.) I drilled through the shell and installed machine screws from inside the case. There is lots of room inside for mounting ideas. I removed the bezel and decided I liked it off better. This is really lightweight and small and can be mounted at any height.
  4. Alistair Duff
    Hello John, That is a really nice cart. Great work! I am inspired to modify mine in a similar fashion. Alistair
  5. Alistair Duff
    The crew of Sharknado 3 is currently in the process of organizing the production with the support of Local 695 and other IA representatives. Please show your support by joining us tomorrow morning either at Blue Cloud movie ranch 20000 Blue Cloud Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91390 or at the production company offices at 72 E. Palm Avenue Burbank California 91502 Alistair
  6. Alistair Duff
    Maybe not insane but your country and UPS/BH Photo are ripping you off.
  7. Alistair Duff
    Thats insane, I had no idea that would be so expensive. Makes me feel fortunate to live where I can get these things locally.
  8. Alistair Duff
    They ship to everywhere except Iran, Syria and a few other countries they don't like. They like Cyprus! Whats not to like! I'm sure that shipping charges are part of the package when buying pro gear in Cyprus. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/49510-REG/Sony_MDR_7506_MDR_7506_Headphone.html
  9. Alistair Duff
    What are some clever and small footprint mounting solutions for the Blackmagic dual monitors? I know that Malcolm Davies has a cool one that his company makes, wondering what else people have found for it.
  10. Alistair Duff
    C'mon guys chill out! Most of us come here to read and discuss matters of interest to sound professionals. When one person attacks another over a difference of opinion the conversation grinds to a halt and all that is left is insults. I believe everyone on this forum owes it to the rest of the people here to keep the conversation civil and professional. It shouldn't be someones personal plaything that is used to debase the opinions of others, and offer useless criticisms. It's unfair to all of us and disrespectful to our host and is a real drag to see happening on this forum. -Alistair
  11. Alistair Duff
    If you can get it then no reason not to.
  12. Alistair Duff
  13. Alistair Duff
    Webcast with Matt Price
  14. Alistair Duff
    With due respect your former employer sounds like an asshat. You have made a good move to get out from under that kind of derision. Im sure you will look back on this and smile knowing what a good move it was for you.
  15. Alistair Duff
  16. Alistair Duff
    I think you have gotten all you can from them and they from you. Be polite and thank them for the good times and move on.
  17. Alistair Duff
    Maybe JWS could have a mentor type forum for up and coming mixers to discuss the current state of the work environment and other issues and ask advise without being judged by the same measure as you would judge someone with many years of experience. Experienced mixers could provide info and advise to help keep people on track and help keep the production sound business healthy as people come into it. For example Michael Miramontes OP is a great "how to bid a job 101" and the other topic of really cut to the chase of what people should be charging with hard numbers. Ideas?
  18. Alistair Duff
    Michael Miramontes makes some great points. I think that is really what the issue at hand is. That as a new guy you come up and if you keep a good attitude and make connections you are going to get better gigs and better rates. I am however at a point with cheap gigs where I have to tell them no and move on because I wont risk becoming a cheap sound guy and I can no longer live under the cover of rookie. Turning down work because it is underpaid is hard when you are trying to survive but has to be done to maintain your personal and professional integrity. Im sure I am not alone in this middle ground between consistently making a professional rate and just starting out. I think this phase is more of a challenge than starting out was.
  19. Alistair Duff
    Very unfortunately, I fear that their expectations are realistic; if insane sounding to self respecting professionals.
  20. Alistair Duff
    I couldn't agree more. However the vast majority of jobs that I have been referred to or found advertised have all echoed that they expect to pay no more. And when I have countered the offer they without fail have said "no thanks we will keep looking". And in the end I know they found their guy. The fact that boom ops are out of the question is as great a concern. I am not interested in booming for 12 hours with a thirty pound sack around my neck attempting to monitor four wires while recording. It looks as ridicules as it feels.
  21. Alistair Duff
    Having put this rate thing out there I will say that for a mixer such as myself who doesn't yet have a large well established client base, many producers you are hearing from these days think that $300 all in is the going rate in LA. I have turned down two just today and a television feature last week that was offering $250/day on a 6/12 schedule. When I asked what the budget for equipment and a boom op was just out of curiosity, they told me that they expect that price to include a mixer/recorder, boom, 2 lavs and Comteks and that they had not used a boom op in years. And these people produce a dozen shows a year that end up all over cable. Things are in a sad state in this town I fear.
  22. Alistair Duff
    I agree on the rate card approach..It spells out everything in detail and makes the costs seem non negotiable. Jose Frias shared his rate card in this forum a few days ago and I think it is a good representation of what fair rental rates are. I dont offer the price until I get info about the job during which time I am usually told how simple it will be etc..then I say that "the basic kit will be fine then and will cost $250/day" but add that I have anything else that they may need available for rent as needed. I think it is a fair and open approach.
  23. Alistair Duff
    I think that a basic kit that a person brings with them is reasonable at $250. I am of course trying to keep rates respectable and competitive and not undercut the others. I think this is on par with what other people are charging in LA currently. I think more transparency is a good thing and puts the info out there so the others know what to charge and that undercutting is not going to do them or the industry well in the long run. If I think I can charge more I will.
  24. Alistair Duff
    Thanks for the info, these would also fit most 3.5 jacks.
  25. Alistair Duff
    I am currently charging a base labor of $500/10 with a basic kit of $250/day in LA. Lots of the productions that contact me seem to think that is an outrageous sum, but I explain to them that it is an average. Fortunately the good jobs offer more right off the bat and end up being the ones that I enjoy the most as well. I think this should be a standard base rate. Thoughts?
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