chriskellett Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 http://realitysoundschool.com/how-to-make-6-figures-in-tv-this-year/ My favorite quote- "Just think about it – you’ve probably been on location, working on set – who’s the guy that’s usually working the LEAST out of everybody? The audio guy. And who’s the person that’s usually making more than most of the producers and production personnel? The audio guy. You see, this is the secret most audio guys don’t really want you to know – that what we do as tv sound mixers might seem very technical, and in some aspects it is, but by and large it is very routine and easy work. Yet we command day rates in excess of $500/day just for showing up, putting mics on a few people, turning some knobs, pushing some buttons, and then we go home. Obviously some shows are easier than others, but the majority of gigs are similar to what I just described." He is looking for comments at the bottom of the page, feel free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylormadeaudio Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 wow... speechless. ~tt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriskellett Posted June 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 http://realitysoundschool.com/big-picture-1/?awt_l=Ad9MY&awt_m=44UVVytZNkcg28D here is a link to part one of the video "series" . I could only listen to about 3 minutes of his ramblings before I had to close the page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Visser Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 I am by no means going to say that doing audio is easy, but on the other hand I don't admire keeping an artificial veil of secrecy over the job for the sake of mystique and protectionism. We get hired for doing a job that is in theory, assuming you know the theory to begin with, that is relatively simple - but the value is that when problems do rise or are about to rise, we have the experience, technical prowess, and equipment to deal with them or be proactive and curtail them before they become an issue noticed by others. A perfect work day will be setting up, doing a few things that might not look like a lot compared to camera or G&E, and going home to a good paycheck.... but a novice's experience in the same shoes might be completely different because they step in all the "traps" and have to spend the day fighting their way out of problems - or more likely, delivering a substandard product. The thing about camera - is that all the above the line people can see right in front of them on their monitors what they are getting. If they don't like something, they can adjust, shoot again, or even replace key people in near real time. Inherently, above the line people can put themselves into the audiences' seat by viewing the monitors and with a little imagination, have a good idea of what the finished product will cut together like. Sound on the other hand, goes through a post process which abstracts the raw materials from the finished product and the set environment doesn't lend itself to critical listening. There is a trust required that "they" must have with the sound person because no one will know that they are doing a good or bad job until days / weeks / months after shooting wraps. We all know that shooting is a camera-centric world. Camera has a problem, everyone stops for camera. Sound has a problem, you better be fast on your feet and fix it - hopefully in a moments notice, before blocking ends, before the next turnaround - or best yet, in real time. In other words, your worth your money because of people skills, reputation or past collaboration experiences, and ability to work under pressure (why doctors are paid more than mechanics - even though inherently they have a similar job). I don't know this guy, not going to say something positive or negative about what he says, not even bothering to check out his videos, but I do agree, a good sound guy is going to make it look easy. Whether or not "you" can become a good sound guy is another question altogether and quite frankly, I'm not too worried about my job security. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 I think a majority of our job is identifying, trouble shooting and correcting it in a timely fasion. Anyone can clip a mic on someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 Sound mixing is as easy as 1-2-3. I agree: 1). Learn your craft from acoustics to time code to signal flow and optimization. Develop a thorough understanding of the nuances of the wide variety of microphones you might encounter and how each needs to be deployed to capture optimum sound quality under a constantly changing set of circumstances. Become proficient in the frustrating art of radio frequency interference, and of hiding microphones on a noisy costume. Become expert in the protocol of dealing with camera people who don't understand the use of digital settings such as time base, time code, sensor rate, and frame rate. Learn the twenty-two thousand other things we encounter that you only learn with time. 2) Practice the preceding skills for the twelve to twenty years necessary to become proficient as a top level professional. 3). Deploy the above. Yes, it's as easy as 1-2-3. Put another way, it's as simple as what camera does: 1). Put up a light. 2). Press the "run" button 3). Collect a paycheck. Actually, someone who is so inexperienced and clueless as to think any job is as simple as it might appear from the outside doesn't merit serious concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 One might also observe: Flying a big commercial jet aircraft is just about as easy as production sound... well, at least they make it look easy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 He forgot to mention number 4. Collecting your hard earned sandwich for payment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azw Posted June 14, 2014 Report Share Posted June 14, 2014 Monty Python - How To Do It - YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNfGyIW7aHM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrd456 Posted June 14, 2014 Report Share Posted June 14, 2014 Chriskellett------You have just cursed yourself----wait until your next job----OOOOOOOOOOOO J.D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrider Posted June 14, 2014 Report Share Posted June 14, 2014 Much of the expertise we have does not show itself on set. Let's say we were to receive a shipment of an entire reality bag rig and it came in pieces from every separate manufacturer. Lectros in one case, BDS in another, and a brand-new 788 with all the settings at zero from the factory. Put all of that in front of the average joe and they will be lost as last year's Easter eggs. Someone with our particular set of skills...thanks, Liam Neeson ...will have that rig up in a half an hour and we have set it up so all we have to do is wire the talent and hit the cute red button. Don't even get me started on the hours we spend customizing our carts so they are extremely portable yet offering every possible routing option. The same credit goes to the "assistant" camera position. The reason I use the quotes is often times the subordinate position knows more about the equipment than the DP does. They often spend a full day in prep so they can make it all look easy and quick at showtime. Sorry for the rant, but folks who declare someone else's job "easy" often isn't paying attention to all the difficult preparation involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stillweii Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 "Blair Halver · Follow · Top Commenter Hey Edwardo - thank you for your comment here. I appreciate your input. I totally know what you're talking about when the director said "that's why we don't use boom poles on the show." When people on set ask me about the boom, I tell them I try to use it as little as possible! :-) Maybe that's just me being lazy because who wants to hold a boom over 4 housewives for 2 hours straight, while carrying your 788 rig?? Ha! Not only that, though, but I find that the boom usually creates more trouble than it's worth - as you found out with the shadows. Of course every show is lit differently, and there are certainly times to use the boom, but in general, on the stuff I work on, the lighting or the location/scenario itself is prohibitive to booming. So I rely heavily on the wireless lavs instead. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement." who wants to? I would hope someone who cares. Otherwise ok. good for this guy wanting to do this. Still takes balls to get up and out there and actually want to be the sound guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 Nobody on set knows clearly what we do or how we do it. Nobody on set knows what we are achieving, even those wih Comtecs. It's a lonely task where one sets one's own standards through experience and achives results by skill and a selected range or equipment. The positive is that there is no scrutiny during a shoot as our results are judged later. That's what I found after a career of 48 years. mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Rose Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 I'd put it as easy as 560+ pages, plus a large downloadable chapter that I put on the Web to keep the page count low enough that we could sell the book for a reasonable price, plus some 80 online audio and video tutorial files...* Consider this JWSoundgroups' first official announcement and sneak preview... I won't bring it up it again until the book actually arrives at Amazon next month. more info at GreatSound.info --------- * plus, of course, a whole lot of hands-on experience under grueling conditions, if you actually want to do this stuff for real. But I couldn't put the hands-on part into a book, and nobody could put it into a video. You have to do that on your own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 and Jay's other site is www.dplay.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 +1 to Jay Rose! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpbat Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 Indeed, when every piece of gear is properly installed and working as expected, and every guys and gals on the set are normal human beings, after 20 years, it's easy. Nothing to worry about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Nault Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 Nobody on set knows clearly what we do or how we do it. Nobody on set knows what we are achieving, even those wih Comtecs. It's a lonely task where one sets one's own standards through experience and achives results by skill and a selected range or equipment. The positive is that there is no scrutiny during a shoot as our results are judged later. That's what I found after a career of 48 years. mike Well said, Mike! R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Watson Posted June 16, 2014 Report Share Posted June 16, 2014 "Just think about it – you’ve probably been on location, working on set – who’s the guy that’s usually working the LEAST out of everybody? The audio guy. " This clown is just playing on peoples' feelings and frustrations. Everybody, at some stage in their lives (most of us figure life out a bit and grow out of this phase, but not everyone does) that they personally have the hard job, and everyone elses' jobs are easy. He's just trolling for fools. Meh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atheisticmystic Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 My first impression was that he has found a very specific market (a glut of "grads" from "recording" schools) and is selling them a product (how to make your school expenditure "worth it"). I doubt he works as much as he says, or actually believes what he's spewing. best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henchman Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 If it's true what this asshat says.mthen why ain't he out there making the big bucks, instead of trying to ripoff unsuspecting "students"'. If he was that good, he wouldn't have time for this BS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Silberberg Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 Lets reduce this con job to its foundation : " I have the answers to all your problems... just give me your money and I'll tell you my secret ! " Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbiesodd Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 I doubt he works as much as he says, or actually believes what he's spewing. best If it's true what this asshat says.mthen why ain't he out there making the big bucks, instead of trying to ripoff unsuspecting "students"'. If he was that good, he wouldn't have time for this BS. Looks like he keeps himself steadily employed being "the guy who works the LEAST out of everybody". See for yourselves: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1638770/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 He even has time to train all the people that will undercut him on his next gig! Cheers, Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmfsnd Posted June 18, 2014 Report Share Posted June 18, 2014 This is the same type of scam as those secrets-to-a-womans-brain-and-getting-laid-quickly programs. Moving on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfisk Posted June 18, 2014 Report Share Posted June 18, 2014 Hey...he worked on Madhouse, and I actually really liked that show. I wonder if he is related to Don LaPre in any way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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