Interview with John Midgley

[Filipe Chagas]

In case you haven't seen this great interview, here it goes:

http://vimeo.com/19920118

[Jeff Wexler]

Thank you so much for putting this up. I had the chance to meet John Midgley when he was out for the Awards and I really enjoyed meeting him. I share so many things in common with John's approach to the work, I really love listening to him talk about The Kings Speech (a movie I really loved also).

[Eric Toline]

I was a bit surprised to learn that JM believes in wiring everyone almost to the exclusion of using a boom mic. It seems that his method payed off as the film (IIRC) did win the AA for best sound. On a personal note, after having seen "The Kings Speech" I thought the dialog recording was fine but not especially outstanding for an AA nomination.

Eric

[Jeff Wexler]

When talking to Midgley, I was somewhat surprised by his statements about wiring everybody, but I did not find it so troubling when knowing that it is his decision, not the decision coming from someone else. It also seems that he does it because he can --- the scenes for the most part will be covered using methods and techniques that he probably likes better than using what he refers to as "personal mics" (the boom, in other words). His procedure for wiring everybody is fairly recent in his career, coinciding with the ease with which we can do multi-track recording. It may be that he feels it gives them everything they might want in post and that is the responsible thing to do.

[Eric Toline]

I think you may have misunderstood. A personal mic is a wireless. Think of the term "personal" it yours and no one elses. A boom mic is not personal.

Eric

[Jeff Wexler]

I just got the order of the words in my sentence wrong --- I mean he puts mics on the actors (those are the "personal mics" --- wireless) but when doing the scene he often does the scene and the coverage with the boom (which he prefers over the wireless).

[old school]

Long interview, but well worth the time IMO. I agree with all Mr Midgley said in the clip as it pertained to his world. This is the new work flow when warranted. I'm not sure everyone need to have a "personal" all the time, but the logic is sound IMO. I would enjoy more interviews like this with so many other sound n film craftsmen/women/etc... Thanks Filipe for posting this and starting this thread.

CrewC

[Marc Wielage]

Wow, terrific documentary. I only just saw King's Speech on Blu-ray a couple of weeks ago, and I have a much greater appreciation for what they were able to pull off, especially under those conditions and on that kind of schedule.

--Marc W.

[Nate C]

and now to watch some of the other soundworks interviews. Thanks for the link.

[Filipe Chagas]

You're very welcome guys! My pleasure!

I really liked the interview, John sounds like a true Gentleman.

I was only a bit bummed that he never mentions his Boom op(s).

Nate, Michael does a great job with his videos at SWC, i especially

enjoyed the Watchmen panel and the interview with Michael Semanick.

[David A-Ribeiro]

Great interview, thanks for the link! Definitely one of the most thorough and interesting of the Soundworks Collection.

As someone who is just beginning, I wish many more sound pros (from production and post-production), as experienced and as open to talk about their craft and methods as John, will sit on that chair!

[Marc Wielage]

I really liked the interview, John sounds like a true Gentleman. I was only a bit bummed that he never mentions his Boom op(s).

He may have -- you never know what hits the cutting room floor. IMDB lists Mike Reardon as boom op, Joe Carey as cable person, and Martin Seeley as the second unit sound mixer.

--Marc W.

[Filipe Chagas]

Marc, that is true! Hadn't thought about that.

[Jeff Wexler]

When John came over for the Awards I met Mike Reardon at Mark Ulano's pre-Oscar party. I believe John paid for Mike to come over with him to share in the whole Awards thing. From what I could tell from speaking with John, he is fully aware of the importance of the boom operator in the production sound team.