mikefilosa Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Not specific to any one thing, but I have read, over the last several weeks, about more than a few instances of brand new tools / equipment going awry on "day one" in the field - thus alarming posts about how difficult the day was..... My sincere hope is that equipment that arrives on the doorstep one night has been fired up, tested, and investigated (manual?) before it goes to work, dare I say, the next morning. I recommend to anyone to use all tools at one's disposal to test gear out first - including a long-term powered-up period to check on / for heat issues and power consumption. And equipment that arrives back from repair also needs a thorough going-over to make sure the problem is corrected and the piece of kit is dependable. I would hate to see stuff / brands out there being even mildly maligned over what might honestly be first-day jitters .... MF PS (even moreso for camera - it would take both hands to count the number of shoot days over the last ten years where I observed the camera - my primary sound recorder - actually being removed from it's brand new box for the very first time..... yikes! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Ragon Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Yes.. one whould assume that you do some testing. However, the true test comes when it goes into service, theres no way around it. All I can say is.. don't sell your backups until the true test goes without a hitch. -Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Tirrell Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Richard I think you just hit the nail on the head here. In addition to bench testing you should always try to have a backup to something that is new or just back from a major repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Toline Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 From my days as a TD: "It worked great in rehearsal" Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Maloney Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Just to chime in here, I have several times when the cam op cannot show me the audio menu on the camera ! The week before I have studied the camera thanks to the links on Farrout Sound's web page and am able to GUIDE the cam op with the menu. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted February 25, 2012 Report Share Posted February 25, 2012 Thanks, Michael, I have mentioned this stuff before... "Infant Mortality" happens, CRAP happens, and we must be good scouts: "be prepared". that old motto involves a lot of what is being said here: preparation and testing time, looking things up, knowing your tools (and while the camera folks should know their tools, it seems prudent that we also know their tools for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatthewFreedAudio Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 There is also a heavy responsibility on the manufacurer to thoroughly test the equipment before it goes out the door. Quality control is an important part of the process and sample testing or simply powering up the unit prior to shipping leaves a lot to chance...and forces the buyer to be the tester/troubleshooter. www.matthewfreed.com Production Sound Mixing for TV, Films, and Commercials Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 There is also a heavy responsibility on the manufacurer to thoroughly test the equipment before it goes out the door. Quality control is an important part of the process.... True - but there is no excuse for not thoroughly testing and familiarizing yourself with any new piece of gear before taking it out in the field. Many issues be it either operator error or something that didn't get QC correctly can easily be solved in the comfort of your home. Most new gear is heavily menu driven and in the heat of the battle while everyone is waiting for sound you can look like a complete jackass. It is your name and reputation on the line. Case in point I was brought in on a job to replace a mixer recently because of a myriad of sound issues. On set it was mentioned that the person I replaced kept on having to pull out the manual and calling people in regard to his "new" gear. So if the issue was that there was something that was malfunction - he would have know this by testing and knowing his gear. Or even if it was just operator error because he wasn't familiar with his gear he could have solved this before ruining his reputation and destroying a full day of production. So test and test and know your gear - remember you are only as good as your last job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 " True - but there is no excuse for not thoroughly testing and familiarizing yourself with any new piece of gear before taking it out in the field " absolutely true: There is no excuse for not thoroughly testing and familiarizing yourself with any new piece of gear before taking it out in the field... So test and test and know your gear Thanks, Jack! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbonhobbit Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 All for testing before using, but I've seen a DP and two AC's standing around a new camera trying to figure it out when it just shut down. So the sound person is replaced quickly because they were seen asking questions, why weren't new DP's and AC's on the job the next day for the bad camera day? Guess sound looks sooooo easy to do and should never have any problems. After all, the soundie just sits there watching the pretty lights and might move a pot every now and then. (Your productions may be different.) Scott...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 So the sound person is replaced quickly because they were seen asking questions. . . If you are referring to the shoot I was called in on its my understanding that it was way more than just "asking questions". It was everything from not being able to get his slate to sync, to issues with his recorder - which cumulated with him going to the producer halfway through the day and saying that everything shot up to that point had to be re-done. What was the issue - I have no idea - but seems to me a complete run through with his gear prior to the shoot may have yielded different results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbonhobbit Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 Jack, your event got me to write the reply, but wasn't to single it out. Just a comment to show how maybe a sound person might be removed before the camera crew. Even easier if the sound department is one man band. I worked on a "movie" a couple of years ago where I day played in the G&E department. I showed up on day 5 of 12 and they were looking for their 5th sound team and were trying to ship in equipment to use. Now this doesn't happen often, but it can. Some seem like sound is an easy position and either think anybody can do it or they don't need to pay much for the person doing the job. Painting idea with a broad brush here and a little tongue in check. Scott... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 Jack's story is an excellent cautionary tale, though of course there may be more to it. Sure, we have spent years on this, and other forums, (all the way back to Courtney's BBS, and before that in plenty of conversations, bemoaning the fact that production sound is the low class part of the production, and as Rodney always said, we don't get no respect. I really do not expect that to get better as the toys keep getting smaller and more accessible (read:cheaper)... Our job is to find the ways, and learn to deal with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatthewFreedAudio Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 Hey, I'm all for playing around with a new piece of gear to get famaliar with it prior to using it on set. What I don't find acceptable is receiving a new piece of gear that is DOA or has some other major malfunction right off the bat. I received a wireless receiver a while back that evidently had some major malfunctions from day one. It had to be sent back to the manufacturer for repair. I don't enjoy spending more money and time shipping gear back that should have been tested before leaving the manufacturer. I received another wireless unit recently after waiting 3 months for it and there seems to be something not right with this one either. The manufacturer said I could return it for them to evaluate. Perfect. Let me ship it right back to you for you to do the testing that should have been done in the first place. And in the mean time I will be without 2 channels of wireless in the middle of my 3 month shoot. There is a difference between receiving a piece of gear that you are unfamiliar with and receiving defective equipment...again. www.matthewfreed.com Production Sound Mixing for TV, Films, and Commercials Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 yeah... CRAP happens. many times your dealer can help... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Daddyo Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 I once bought two all digital stereo receivers a few years apart and the first Rx had the left and right channels reversed and 2nd Rx had the left and right channels wired out if phase. Has made me a bit cautious about buying from them again. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatthewFreedAudio Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 Really, Senator? You think "crap" happens? I don't. I'm not that ignorant. Bad quality control happens. Bad design happens. Bad testing happens. Bad product roll out happens. Crap, as you like to say, doesn't happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berniebeaudry Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 yeah... CRAP happens. many times your dealer can help... Crap does happen but it seems to happen all too often these days. Not only sound gear but video gear as well. So many examples of products not working right out of the box lately. I think QC is being sacrificed at the altar of getting the latest, most innovative products out there without proper testing at the factory before delivery. If you have a good dealer (Pro-Sound for example) they can be a big help getting you through the crisis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 From my days as a TD: "It worked great in rehearsal" Or the classic line used in TV: "it looked great going out to the transmitter!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Ragon Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 A good example of BAD quality in gear is a home router.. They know it's going to be 'plugged into the internet', so when that piece of S#!t doesn't work right from the box, and you call that awesome customer support in India.. guess what the first thing they say is?? -Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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