The Immoral Mr Teas

Maybe the label was 'designed' to be peeled off and put over the switch when in position...? Or maybe not! Kudos btw Glen for last week's adverts regarding getting everyone's Nagras sorted. My IV-S is in good shape / serviced by a friend and (crucially) in England but it brought a smile to my otherwise dour face to get your email. Jez

Let us know when next make it over ... although I'm not currently there and 'plan' to be abroad in the near future ... I'll give you a tour of soho boozers frequented by engineers and musicians and famous venues which have 'changed purpose' if we manage to sync up. I don't think there are many studios doing the tour thing but one that does spring to mind is or recently was Dean St Studios in St Anne's Court where Visconti, Bowie maybe T-Rex recorded ... I know the alley well as I also worked in a couple of studios beside it and drink in the boozer just around from it. I'm not surprised that Abbey Road don't do tours but there's nothing to stop you from turning up, introducing yourself as a fellow engineer and asking for a look around. Or call them up beforehand. Been in Maida Vale - and Air Lyndhurst - but never Abbey Road, even when I lived down the road from it. J

June ... thanks for the heads up! It is now ... April? Assuming we are contacted by June 30, can we expect to get help perhaps after the first week in August, so once they stop paying the 80pc to the PAYE for the 3 month window it could be our turn? Parliament Channel (thankfully still considered a democratic right here) has the parliamentary discussion from a couple of weeks ago on repeat demand where (the relative few who could be there) were pretty unanimous from all sides that help should be given immediately on a par to the 80pc up to a 2500pm cap to all self employed, who are frankly nearly everyone in our profession. But the consensus then seemed to be ... - we must first make sure that the minority who don't need the help (like premier league footballers and perhaps Oscar winning editors) don't take the piss and apply for their capped 2500 per month before the 98pc who are desperate to pay rent get any help whatsoever. Hey, I won the lottery last week. Looking forward to June to see if I'm due another windrush - sorry, I mean windfall! Anyone else out of us disgusted? I've heard our home secretary is an emphatic soul, maybe I'll ask if they can call me by May? Jez ... my 666th post ... and just after a full moon

Ha ha ha I'm loving this thread ! Please keep it coming when you've all had some sleep ! Jez

I'm sure there are some old timer Italian Cinecitta recordists who think such days were great. Hanging around a film set, prime spot, close to the action, chatting with the director, smooching with the actresses, arm wrestles and shots with the actors, ... just remember to click from TEST to RECORD for that all important guide track. (Hell, I started my career in Hong Kong ... heard stories of sound being recorded as guide only on a handheld walkman... always chose to disbelieve or just stop listening) ... Jez

So, we are in a new tax year ... Anyone in the UK received an "invitation" from the government or HMRC to help their self employed status yet? Curious, and waiting ... I've heard nothing on radio 4 or the daily 5pm updates ... perhaps they are waiting six weeks to put us in line with the universal credit rules (which I also never understood).

If you decide upon double MS get yourself an MKH30 for the closest possible matching / quality to the 8040s. (Slightly different output levels though). For whatever reason the long expected "8030" never appeared (even though in the interim they gave us the 8090). Although the 8040s are pleasantly petite the larger MKH30 is actually quite compact in use (and extremely light). It wouldn't be too much of an effort to construct an MSM rig around it in a larger rycote (or no more so than any other 3 mics in a vertical line). Although you are considering spending decent money in order to get a 'one horse' rig. I don't know what your work is (beyond what you've mentioned) but I would certainly consider hiring just in order to experiment between ambisonics, double ms and other techniques ... such as IRT. That is if you're near somewhere you can hire (eg 2 more 8040s, an MKH30 and a Soundfield type mic). Jez

If you have a Cooper CS104 you are definitely not an outsider here Stephen! Best, Jez

Is that another mirror shot? Yes yes I know ... Red is Right these days! (...Friendly Fire...?) But for those yet to jump on the treadmill ... Red Port Left, Green Starboard Right, as per my Nagra and Neve PPMs (and every ship and plane in existence). Salut, Jez

Sure I remember Baker Street, who doesn't? I also remember the desk bought off the proceeds of the song, and later bought and installed in our studio where I was tape op - a 1980 Soundcraft Producer Series. Yep, I used Gerry Rafferty's old desk! Jez

Jim, a decade or so ago I cut a few templates out of approx 1/8" board to accommodate a few commonly used stereo positions: basically worked out to where the diaphragm would sit at the correct angle/distance cut for whichever mics you are using (in my case my then-new 8040s). Keeping the mic clips just off-tight on the bar slip the template over the mic ends and then tighten and remove. I principally thought of it for quick adjustments 2 at a time (plus a triple) of trickier surround setups - IRT and 5.0 at 72* - but I came up with a multi pattern stereo strip for ORTF, IRT and maybe a couple of others. Intended way back to get a colleague to bring out with me the latter design on a 3D printed strip, with ruler and angle markings for adjustments and quick custom setups but never got 'round to it - patented the idea across America's states first though (oh, damn it! forgot to send the patent!) (... intended also to come up with an adjustable length/rotational angle marked version too but that never happened either ...) Have a go - it wasn't hard to plot or cut and made setting regular patterns very quick. ps, they're around somewhere but no chance I'm afraid of digging them out in the near future to photo ... just various 2" width strips of thick mount board with various 20mm angled notches along it though ... Jez Adamson (proud father to a litter of K&M stereo bars)

Like several of us away from checking the group and when we do to be confronted with this very sad news. And like many here I am sure although we never met in person we did so many times in conversation, collaboration and spirit. My dearest regards go to his friends and family who might not realise how much he meant to us here and very probably elsewhere, his other industry families. Jez x

One other feature I really liked on a cart posted (maybe in Carts but probably in DIY) a year or so ago was a removable panel (possibly/potentially magnetic but maybe more secured, although it could be both) in order to protect the equipment, connectors and feel safe all was secure as Philip suggested. I liked the flat panels that the poster came up with (a Cantar cart I believe) but a suitably sturdy fabric & rain cover (assuming the edge extrusion in place for protection) could perhaps do it as some compromise on weight against strength. Jez

Nat, you really have to listen to the 7506 if you haven't already. You'll love the experience! As a carpenter have a look back for a previous recentish post (4 months at a guess) with some lovely wooden cans ... Jez

Original question ... I would always prefer to have something reliable and easy to use as a preamp and those early mini SD/Shure boxes are exactly that. I can't see myself ever getting rid of my 302 as it is just so useful, reliable and easy to use. Canada is a big place! If you're near Trona you certainly have rental options, many places more chance of renting huskies! But having the chance to rent proper microphones with windshields like MKH50s or whatever will show just how much a difference there is between them and cheaper options. Although some cheaper options can still be quite ok under decent and forgiving conditions. Decent and forgiving conditions on a cooking show though?!? I used to marvel at a British cooking programme Ready Steady Cook for its beautifully recorded - and I presume carefully planned - sound. It was almost like every shot was the director issuing a personal challenge to the sound team (blenders turned on over dialogue etc) and both clarity and mix were always perfect (the blender would be LOUD and you would hear every word). Did two very different cookery shows myself, both in the last century. As TV dubbing mixer a 'cookery dating game show' (again very well recorded, my job was more filling in the gaps and smoothing edits than repairing and balancing was easy), and I did an excellent radio series with the late great Keith Floyd which was a sheer pleasure and technically akin to working in 'golden age' conditions. Good luck with it! Jez

Alidav, you have identified perfectly the problems and differences so you know (from either end) what the issues are. I would personally (assuming time being not an extreme issue where it might be in television) ask that everything is recorded clean so that it can be corrected and perfected in post. Recording a separate processed track for the editor is another matter. The absolute best solution is to know in advance the supervising sound editor (and hence the dialogue editor if different) and the rerecording mixer, to discuss their preferences, anticipate problems etc all in advance. There will always however be the case that what is the best action for one team is the worst action for another so this is where either relationships or advance communication is generally the best circumstance for tackling a job. Jez Although I was assuming you meant 'recording-mixing' rather than 'post-mixing' so I hope I have understood the question right?

.. dear me, posted that and it comes across a bit arrogant. I didn't mean it such (and you probably had no idea of my references). Chris' advice is good (start out with good equipment) - beyond that I would actually say to pursuade the team to budget to rent the first few times over (at least mic and perhaps mixer/recorder and certainly any other expensive items) as this will at least give you some initial experience in the equipment and in doing the job with the best equipment you can get access to. (Although I have advised people to buy too...) J

Hi Gum, not sure amateurish should be the adjective: old fashioned or stylised might be nearer. Most of my favourite films have sound you describe and several got Oscars for their efforts! Your actual question though is fine: I'm suggesting 'no' although ex rental equipment or stuff bought on ebay etc may indeed be not up to par. On the other hand - using the best you have access to is always the best option (I do post so I am somewhat desirous of decently recorded production dialogue). Use the best you can. As regards the creative team, I too (and I recall similar here on jw recently coming up with an equipment set) love the idea - - or more so the opportunity - - of one day doing a feature with a Nagra and an 805 ... as an old post stalwart however I am perfectly aware that I would give myself a greater chance of achieving my eventual 'balance - eq' aim with a bigger set of modern tools. Although - having said all that - I also want to give it a go, so: damn good luck and please tell us how it goes. If you get a chance to try this with help with someone with more experience it could be a lot of fun for all. So good luck - get a mic - a good one - and get it in the right place: shot after shot after shot without worrying about how the creatives are dealing with not being too creative in their "this is deliberately like this" way. Best, Jez

Am I the only one here who hates cases with wheels because they have changed the soundscape of scenes (for me editing, for you recording) we have to deal with? More specifically of course just gathering sound for fx/atmos ... Production could always plan a huge scene without any nasty irritating wheely cases! (But that still leaves me with the mos scene to cut sound to). Jez

I might suggest the question was wrong! It is certainly easier to record the practical mic (to multitrack) without on set amplification, from a post point of view. Aside from problems of matching between positions/cuts there is the high probability that the reverb chosen may be somewhat enhanced or stylised, at the very least to draw attention to it being 'different' to (the also enhanced...) ordinary dialogue, although extra stylisation is often decided upon. Adding such reverb to the 'compromised recording situation' resulting from on-set sound for picture and post has suddenly got many extra problems to deal with ... chances are they might resort to salvaging close dialogue from lavs or decide on adr in the worst circumstances. For such reasons any talk of sweeps for convolution reverbs become totally irrelevant. They won't help in repair or in creative choice of enhanced reverb for storytelling. (Where they do help is for the latter especially as reference since they might come up with something idiosyncratic yet realistic). Although if the director wants it then one has no choice but to do it. Then let post do their stuff! Having said all that when I worked in radio drama all the effects (including voices) were in fact routed back to set playback for the actors' benefit as you suggested. And it was this amplified sound which went into the mix, not a clean feed. But it was a controlled and consistent set: playback at correctly set volume over Rogers speakers; without the differences in perspective brought by positions or cuts one has in film; and crucially in a sound recording (rather than picture recording) environment that allowed this control. Jez

That is just weird Nick! Real industry insight. Only Life In Hell as far as I saw was close like that and obviously Groening went on to give us The Simpsons and the rest. Then again - how many directors (etc) started as comic people? Winsor Macay is an early one ... ... actually there are very very many when I start to tot them up Jez

Jan, first of all I thank you for bringing a difficult topic up, and doing it with courage and humour is clearly appreciated by all of us. The replies have been just as inspirational. Secondly (I couldn't manage to put the quote box in the right place - hopefully it's a tonight thing) my little comments on the box: Curriculum - millions? Hmm - education has been discussed recently and many times before here. I think it's as simple as coming down to 'looking, listening, understanding' - everyone in the industry has real understanding when compromises from the 'it works' are made and why. And with this understanding we are able to come up with situations when it could work better. Education should teach the first bit, but it really seems to me to want to churn out 'stars' in the order; auteur, director, producer, DP, then maybe the lesser ones they might eventually claim as alumni. We all know this is not the reality of industry and that the film industry, despite it's faults, carries on (and is enjoyable let alone survivable) because it is an industry, not the celebrity group of 'celeb-techs' that education pretends. Being another who managed to work in pretty serious radio early on in my career (and my love is split equally between 'broadcast' and 'film' which in my experience have been very separate worlds) ... we have been told that we are in a new golden era of television (personally I don't see it - I still look back to far better periods of both television and film throughout the world) I'm encouraged by Olle's words about radio (/sound only broadcast). If there's a new generation of listeners (after 'starers') this might be a good shift and Jan I'm sure you would be an excellent teacher of storytelling, emphasis and technical know how. For what it's worth, the all time best radio for me (above War of the Worlds, Glenn Gould and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ...) was the BBC series of Lord of the Rings in 1980. (Best as original 26 half hour episodes but still excellent in the 13x one hour release - ruined when they reedited it to follow the book losing the potboiler drama aspect). My second favourite is also 1980s The Tree of Strife. What I mean to say is ... Jan - teach !! But if film, tv, radio etc is indeed unteachable (I'm being unintentionally unkind to excellent people who did once teach me here...) enjoy retirement, your legacy, inspiration to others and the fun I am sure you have had. All the best, Jez Adamson

Everybody thank you - it actually looks like a very good blimp, size and proportion. Cheers, J

a* le**s th**y** tr*ing ... what? AT LEAST THEY ARE TRYING !!

Rack width? (19 inches) Or do you mean depth? (Available space backwards for big rack equipment). Jez (guessing)