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Your Sound Team


Den Nic

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On some jobs that will not be accepted and one will not easily be able to "hold that next take" regularly.

Granted, but if the director's listening on a Comtek, they know why we need to make an adjustment. If we're given rehearsal time, and we know there's lav rustle, we can generally figure out a fix -- which may be something as simple as a piece of double-stick tape, or it might require rethinking the placement. Or abandoning it entirely and using a boom. Every day, I learn a little more about which battles are worth fighting, and how far I can push to get what I think is right on the set.

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To JD/Richard: My crew is excellent and everyone can wire if need be. My comments were more of a general philosophy about the whole thing, not a condemnation of anyone that I work or have worked with.

As I said in my original post, I find that I am the person who is most invested in the wire being clean of any clothing or wind noise and being in the best position on the actor's body. I am the person who has the most access before the shot starts to check in on it and make sure it's OK (via PFL, which my utility person can't do unless I get up from the cart and he or she sits in front of the mixer with my headset on to do it -- I never pull up the faders on the actors' wires before "action" is called in order to respect the actors' privacy). Therefore, to me it makes the most sense for me to do it.

On my current crew I believe I am actually the person who has tallied up the most experience wiring so it also makes sense. I started my career mixing indie features and we did not have a utility person very often at all in those days, let alone one who was experienced and could wire well.

On our current show, there is always something for everybody to be doing most of the time. During the wiring process there often are noisemakers to find and shut down, cables to be run, comteks requested, phone calls to the repair or sales shop or to production, runs to the truck for a piece of gear, and all the rest. If my utility is wiring the actors, that means that I am doing those tasks which my utility normally does otherwise. It isn't as though he can go wire and I'd get an opportunity to just sit there and meditate on the shot and serenely contemplate how best to mic and mix it -- there are always many things to be done in little time. So I find personally that it makes a better workflow to have him staying with what he is normally doing and for me to do the wiring, which generally doesn't take all that long, rather than have us switch hats for five minute intervals and then switch back again when the wire is done.

As far as tweaks are concerned, my utility is very familiar with how I tend to wire people in certain costumes, so there isn't generally a lot of mystery about where the wire or transmitter is. If there's a question he just asks me.

As Richard notes, some of it is due to the usual habits per coast. I know some NY mixers who wire and some who have the utility do it, although it's a very rare thing here to have the operator do it. I know that's different in LA and don't disrespect that, just don't fully understand how the operator can break away from set right before the shot starts. Obviously it is the standard there so it must work somehow. Perhaps the rhythm of how the set is run is also different in LA in other ways.

To Wyatt: I have had the benefit of several utilities over the years who came from the reality world, and done a very little bit of reality work myself over the years. That has allowed me to observe some of the differences between that world and the feature/episodic world. One is that (noting this is a generalization and not specific to every situation, of course) in reality the wardrobe and costumes are rarely as regularly fussy in a reality situation as they are in feature and episodic one. In reality it is often what the people are just themselves wearing that day, and unless they are very rich, the clothes may have a tendency to be a bit more plain (which usually means cottons and things that are easier to successfully wire). In episodic and feature the costumes often may have a more lavish budget than reality TV subjects do. They may have been applied more treatment -- starch, gloss, specific fabrics and weaves, blends etc. It depends on the project of course, but many times the look is often more tailored and that can mean more challenging combinations of clothing and clothing materials. There's also the matter of props and jewelry to deal with in my experience comes up more often in feature world than reality world.

There is also a different attitude between reality and the other work I've found in terms of how to handle the wiring subjects and their comfort, the consequences with the production if some part of the wire or transmitter appears on camera, the time given to wire in, and so on and so forth. There are no hard and fast rules but I have observed some tendencies.

From my own experience doing reality stuff, I have also found the expectations are a bit different in terms of the finished product. Obviously, a noisy or bad wire doesn't stand in either reality or feature/episodic, but in a reality situation (at least for me) I think there were different concerns. There it's just about getting the actor on mic a lot of the time and that is a success in and out of itself, as opposed to having to be able to blend that wire for that one particular line seamlessly with the rest of the scene that is boomed, etc etc, and have it all cut together well.

Everyone's experiences will vary a bit but I have found fairly consistently that for most of the reality-based utilities I've worked with (and I've had a few), the transition between wiring subjects for reality and for feature/episodic work was consistently not seamless. It's happened enough times that I can't imagine it's a fluke.

That isn't said to belittle your own wiring skills or those of any reality-based mixer, which I'm sure are excellent in many cases and perhaps are even better than mine. It's just an observation that may be of interest to the general thread, for whatever it's worth.

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Granted, but if the director's listening on a Comtek, they know why we need to make an adjustment. If we're given rehearsal time, and we know there's lav rustle, we can generally figure out a fix -- which may be something as simple as a piece of double-stick tape, or it might require rethinking the placement. Or abandoning it entirely and using a boom. Every day, I learn a little more about which battles are worth fighting, and how far I can push to get what I think is right on the set.

If the lav is a total train wreck, then yes. But if there's something more minor the director may not be paying the kind of focused attention to the sound that we are -- we are only focused on the sound, but the director is watching the frame, the camera movement, the actors' performances, the lighting, and many other things. Think of all the times there was an awful plane or truck or something and you had to point it out to get another take and the rest of the Comtek-listening crew would never have stopped on their own.

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Not to stray OT, but the thing that DOES get me in west coast vs. east cost shooting is who voice-slates the take. To me, it's totally a 2nd AC duty... helps to keep us all honest.

Even though in practice I don't routinely give an audible slate, it does make some sense to me to have the Mixer, who has a slate mic at their disposal, to do the audible slate before speed is called. Even the typical Mumbling Mixer enunciates more than the auctioneer-style slating some ACs do.

But, I don't depend on the ACs to keep me honest. I trust the recorders and I'll correct the slating either over the Comtek feed or the Slate Mic. AC's have too many other things flying around them to even remember if the last take was take 2 and they already advanced the slate to take 3 or if we already shot take 3. I've got 2 machines in front of me that don't lie and I just make sure I'm working within the script supervisor's parameters.

I find that I am the person who is most invested in the wire being clean of any clothing or wind noise and being in the best position on the actor's body. I am the person who has the most access before the shot starts to check in on it and make sure it's OK (via PFL, which my utility person can't do unless I get up from the cart and he or she sits in front of the mixer with my headset on to do it -- I never pull up the faders on the actors' wires before "action" is called in order to respect the actors' privacy). Therefore, to me it makes the most sense for me to do it.

I like to think the entire sound department is equally invested in how all of the mics are working. Duties may get delegated but there's enough overlapping responsibilities that everyone should have a good amount of interest in how each member is doing. Or, at least, I prefer an environment where we all have an interest in what each of us are doing.

On my last TV show, I did most of the wiring. Like Noah, I was accustomed to indie films with 2-man crews, and like Wyatt, during my time spent as a utility, I was responsible for a lot of wiring.

On my current show, I'm working with a much more self-identifying "Old School" Boom Operator who's outlook is that the Boom Op is responsible for the placements of all microphones. He takes care of most of the wiring on this one and I'm completely fine with the arrangement due to both his experience and because he's the face on set for the actors which allows me to work more behind the scenes and at village. We rarely wire at a trailer and the few times we've done that it certainly changes the dynamic of the wiring responsibilities.

With the speed of TV work, I miss a lot of blocking rehearsals during cart moves. My Boom Op will know which side of outfits actors are favoring and if there are troublesome actions like embraces. Listening at the board if the wire is working before a take happens only tells me if there's a major problem with a wire on a typically stationary actor. Sometimes, what seemed to be good prior to shooting doesn't work when it counts in front of the lens.

If we have a scene with a lot of wires, all three of us will get involved more directly in the wiring. But a lot of times, I'll end up just being a wiring assistant: holding the transmitter, straps, accessories, and trying to employ distracting conversation.

Even if the Boom Op isn't so directly involved in wiring, I think most share an equal concern that the wire works if the scene is depending on it. If the wire ends up not working, then things quickly become a team effort to find another solution: plant, 2nd boom, playing it off someone else's wire. If the wire is working, the Boom Op is still concerned that the Camera Op doesn't see it - just like he's concerned if the Camera Op can see his own boom, a plant mic or carpets.

Josh

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I think don't know that we are particularly disagreeing on approaches. I suppose I should have said that, generally speaking, if they don't have something else on their plates at the time, I'll let my 3rd tackle the wiring. This is if the Boom Op isn't available to do so. Like Josh, I've worked with boom ops who consider their role to be "microphone placement", boom or otherwise (PS: I ran into Greg on the train on his way in the other day. It was good to catch up...briefly)

As the mixer, I still love to do the wiring, but if I have a 3rd who is good at it, and the Boom Op is busy on the floor, I find I can both keep an ear on set and check the 3rd's work as they are wiring.

It's true, Noah, that there are huge differences between reality style and dramatic mic-ing techniques. All Im saying is that my 12 years or so in that world prior to transitioning to dramatic work taught me lessons that I can call upon in the work that I do today.

Many ways to skin a cat... all toward a common goal. In all honesty, it usually turns into "all hands on deck".

I hope both of your current shows are getting off the ground smoothly. I have a new pilot starting Monday. Short and sweet

Best,

Wyatt

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Many ways to skin a cat...

At the end of the day, with lots of good points made by you and Josh and others here, I think this is what it comes down to. Depends on your preference and the way you like to work and find is most efficient for you. There is no "best" or "one size fits all" answer for everybody.

Good luck with the pilot!

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Hey guys, just curious as to how different people operates their sound team on narrative Film/TV. This came out of a Sound Assistant call with the union I got on Degrassi which had the Sound Assistant lav micing actors all day (I don't know if it was any/all actors or just guests), which I thought was odd (Since lav micing is a lifetime of work to master, hence I would think that would be the mixers job).

Just a short outline of your team positions and responsibility in very brief terms would be great Oh, and the type of gig you're listing it for (Or exact show if you feel like sharing).

Thanks guys, much appreciated!

I am not sure if you meant to sound this way. But don't think just because someone is "higher" up in the department, doesn't make the others any less skilled at their job. It seems as though you may assume that utility people are always new, or just couldn't cut it doing boom work or mixing, therefore are less adept at their duties.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'll take care of the comteks and slate as a mixer. If cables need to be run and microphones placed or planted, my boom op takes care of that. Prepping a lot of the gear is split between both of us, and I usually make my boom op prep the wireless. If I'm in no hurry I'll do the wiring, but have received help from my boom op if I don't have much time. I think it's important to keep a consistency with who is doing the wiring. The actors/actresses are more comfortable with one person in their personal space as opposed to two or more. Battery swaps are something that I usually do without considering asking my boom op to do. Just a habit I suppose.

So on a 2 man crew on a feature, as mixers, which utility responsibilities do you guys generally take upon yourselves, and which do you hand over to the boom operator?

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  • 3 months later...

My rig is 100% wireless, except for a single stinger that usually keeps the MEON topped off. This allows the utility to focus less on pulling a ton a cable out from underneath the gaffer's spaghetti on every setup and more on making the set a better place to record while helping the boom op get the right microphones in the right place at the right time.

When I suspect radio mics will become necessary, my utility usually does a fantastic job of wiring the actors. He quickly builds a level of trust with them and makes them feel comfortable as he does what he must to make the sound as good as it can possibly be. I rarely involve myself in that process.

The boom op is also perfectly capable of the job, but I prefer him to be devising brilliant ways for me to never have to touch more than one fader during the take.. :)

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  • 1 month later...

With non-professional, young talent, or a subject who raises gender issues with you, is it ever appropriate, if your chance to mic is in the trailer, to walk wardrobe through it and have them be the one who is hands on, or to coordinate the preparation of your mic with costume?

Totally fine to have wardrobe lend a hand or even do the "installation".

When dealing with minors, opposite sexes or just insecurity: be smart and have someone there with you. Always.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I totally agree with joshua, that it is fine to have wardrobe put a wire on talent that is not comfortable with you doing it. Make friends with wardrobe early on. You can supply them with the proper color mic/belt/adhesive or whatever you might think would be the best way for them to install it.  I am always amazed at the cooperation and ideas I get from the wardrobe department. There are a lot of creative wardrobe people out there so make sure you consider their opinions and suggestions. Establish a relationship early on and show them the respect they deserve. That being said, make sure that you specify on the placement of the mic, away from any moving parts and more than likely on the chest of a woman, make sure they strain relief it and / or run it under the bra and down their side that way it doesn't get yanked loose.  

 

Most of the time If I am wiring a female I always request that wardrobe be there or ask the actress if she would like them to be there. Usually they don't even care as long as you are professional and your hands aren't shaking like a crazy person.

 

Most important don't make people uncomfortable with you!!

And don't be standoffish, nobody responds well to " I am the sound guy I need to do it"

Make the actress comfortable with you and be accommodating, you may find that next time once she is comfortable with you she might not care if you just wire her. 

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I don't like to say never, but I would not like to allow anyone but someone from my sound department to do the wiring. The process of wiring up talent can be complex and takes a lot of experience to do properly.

If it were just a matter of touching the talent, I would need to oversee it all visually to make sure things were correctly done. But that has never come up.

I've seen a number of times that the transmitter and microphone are handed off and rustle ensues.

There was one example of a mixer day playing on a television series and the actress wouldn't let anyone mic her up. She had to do it herself. I don't know how the mixer took care of any issues with the mic, but I expect it was taken care of professionally when it happened. In this case it's a diplomatic situation. Only the particular mixer can know how to handle it. But giving the mic by choice to talent? Never by choice!

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" With non-professional, young talent, or a subject who raises gender issues with you...giving the mic by choice to talent? Never by choice!, "

never be alone with these folks!

 

" I would not like to allow anyone but someone from my sound department to do the wiring. "

I suspect many of us differ with this;  I have had experienced talent and experienced wardrobe do just fine, thank you very much...

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It's alright that we have different experiences with this. If they can place it where it will sound best, be hidden, and not create clothing noise or fall off in the middle of a take then I wouldn't argue against it. I haven't worked with anyone as experienced at wiring who was not in the sound department. But my sample size is smaller than yours.

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In my team, ironically enough, named "Your Sound Team", we work very well together. I, the boom operator, try to do as much as possible while the mixer hangs out at the cart. If we're pressed for time, we'll both wire.

 

Setting up at the beginning of the shoot/each day involves both of us. It's a mutual thing that I setup signal flow and organize it the way I like it. As long as I stay out of the way of his side of the cart so he can organize his part.  (We've been working together for so long now that stepping on each others' toes just doesn't happen.)

 

I couldn't ask for a better teammate to get the job done. There's obviously a lot more to this, but I'm kind of pressed for time and wanted to chime in! 

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