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Articles

Professionalizing My Soundcart

Fred Ginsburg's R12RT-RSMH2 Rock N Roller cart as location soundcartA soundcart is not just a wagon for hauling around equipment; it is where you work, live, and breathe on a movie set.Trick out your cart into a mobile, well stocked, audio "village" that will steamline your workflow and match your professional image. On my carts, I have transformed bare frames into my own remote studio, putting what I need right there within my grasp... neat, organized, yet secure for instant transit when I need to relocate within the set or pack off to a whole new location.

Drill 3 holes across top of upright for inserting cable hangersOn my cart, I drilled 3 holes through the top of the handle to accommodate large (squarish “S”) hangers that I found in the hardware store – for my cables. The cable hangers just drop into the holes, are free to swivel to the sides, and quickly remove when I need to fold up the cart for transit.

Note that the cable hooks are on the end of the cart with the fixed axle, because we normally push and steer the cart from the end with the castered wheels. I prefer not to have cable hooks jabbing into me. Therefore, I store my boompoles at the steering end, and cables at the far end.

I also added a bunch of eye hooks under the main shelf so that I could snap on some hook & loop cable straps, because you can never have too many places to hang stuff such as additional cables, headphones, gaffers tape rings, and so on. I use an eye-bolt going up from the underside, and secure it on the top with a fender washer and locking nut.

The hook & loop straps also serve to anchor at least two of the wheels to the underside of the main shelf deck when I fold the cart for transit and nestle it atop the nested shelves for transit. Keeps the cart from rolling around in the back of my vehicle.

A strip of adhesive backed hook & loop material runs underneath my hutch, and can accommodate a battery powered LED work light and other small accessories.

A trip to the car parts store located a nice canvas (seatback) apron full of pouches, originally intended to hang down from a seat headrest that can hang off of one of the uprights.

Boom Apron holds 4 boompolesKarau Products in Pasadena CA manufactures a canvas Boom Apron specifically designed to slip over the upright handles of the R12: with pocket sleeves to accommodate 4 boompoles, antennas, or similar pole equipment. Price is only $59.95

Karau also plans to offer a full skirt that backs one length of the cart for privacy/security as well as external storage.

Because liquid refreshments are a necessity on the set, I purchased a gimbaled beverage holder from a nautical supply house and attached it to the upright post that supports the hutch. Keeps my coffee or cold drink safe from spilling onto any equipment.

Setting up the cart with only two hands can be tricky, since the T-bolts need to be inserted while you hold the main shelf up at the same time. Rock N Roller suggests laying the cart on its side and letting gravity take over.

Fixed bolts attached to main shelf streamlines setting upHowever, I have found a more practical solution is to permanently install two 5/16 inch bolts into the U-shaped receptacles at each end of the main shelf supports. Just insert a two inch bolt and tighten with a thin nut. I prefer to install the bolts at the back of the shelf, but it really does not matter. To install the main shelf, just catch the two fixed bolts a little ways into the holes on the upright side supports and the shelf will stay put. Then you can go around and properly insert the bolts and the T-bolts all the way and secure with wing nuts. Note that you might need to loosen/enlarge the holes on the uprights just a tad so that your bolts insert easily.

I also recommend painting a white band on the deck frame to indicate the proper amount of frame extension for use with your shelf. It will save you the hassle of kicking the frame shorter or longer to match the 36” main shelf.

Of course you will need to secure a power strip or two to the cart. Some folks prefer to attach the strips to the underside of the main shelf, or even topside somewhere out of the way. Personally, I like my AC away from my audio cables and gear, so I use hook & loop to strap them to the lower deck. But whatever works for you.

It is wise to cover the cart when stepping away. Out of sight, out of temptation. Not to mention dust or rain. If you shop around, you can find some outdoor furniture covers or large BBQ grill covers that are heavy duty and the right size.

About the RnR Multi-Cart

 It has been said that if you were to ask 300 professionals to describe their idea of a perfect production cart, you would get at least 500 different answers!

The production cart is our portable workstation or work desk. It is where we sit, manage our recorders, video monitors, computers, and -- in the case of soundmixers -- operate our audio boards.

Sound/video carts need to be portable. They have to capable of rolling from the parking lot to the location, carried up stairs, and constantly re-positioned as lighting or cameras inevitably want to occupy whatever real estate we initially stake.

Heavy duty industrial handtrucks – properly modified –can serve as great carts and have been popular on film sets. Except that they are expensive, heavy, and not so easy to ship, unless you have a camera truck or large van-- along with a few strong bodies ready to assist in surmounting stairs and obstacles.

model R12RT-RSHM2 Multi-Media Production CartIntroducing the new Rock N Roller Multi-Media Cart

Designed to meet the needs of independent filmmakers, Rock N Roller has combined the most requested features into a single, convenient cart package that includes our new 2-tier multi-media shelf system with the R12 all-terrain frame.

The Multi-Media 2-tier Workstation is a new accessory shelving system that readily mounts onto most of the Rock N Roller frames including the R12, R10, and R8 units.

Most film and video professionals prefer for the R12 frame for location use, because the frame comes with four all-terrain, never-flat, large diameter wheels (10x3”on the fixed axle; with 8x2” swivel casters) able to easily traverse dirt, grass, cables, and small obstacles. Small casters just don't cut it in the world of film and video production!

The Rock N Roller carts are very strong, yet weigh a whole lot less than conventional handtruck carts. The R12 cart only tips the scale at 34 lbs; and telescopes from 34 to 52 inches. Use the cart fully extended to haul up to 500 pounds of equipment cases to the location; then shrink it down and mount the shelf system for use in even the tightest sets.

The Multi-Media system consists of a main work shelf that measures 36x24. It is made of plywood, and fully carpeted. A slight lip all around keeps your stuff from rolling off. Weight is around 16 lbs. It easily bolts onto the two upright "handles" of the cart. A narrower hutch shelf measuring 36x10 mounts above the main shelf and can host wireless receivers, monitors, digital recorders, etc. The hutch is supported by a pair of C-shaped square tubes that easily slide into receptacles under both shelves. In storage mode, the tube supports can be attached sideways so as to fold flat against the underside of the hutch. No tools required. All together, the spacious main shelf and hutch only weigh in at around 22 lbs.

R12RT-RSHM2 folds compact for transit, even in small vehiclesWhat I love about the Rock N Roller is its ability to quickly disassemble for shipping. The two upright sides fold flat, the lightweight frame telescopes, and the shelves can nestle under the frame to keep everything from rolling about in your vehicle.

The list price of the complete Multimedia Production Cart is only $419.

Existing Rock N Roller users may also order just the Multi-Media Shelf system separately for $99.95 or replace their older or smaller frame with the all-terrain R12RT for $319.95

Aftermarket Tweaks

Drill holes along top of upright for adding cable hangersOf course, everyone is still going to want to customize it a little. On my cart, I drilled holes through the top of the handle to accommodate large (squarish “S”) hangers that I found in the hardware store – for my cables. I also added a bunch of eye hooks under the main shelf so that I could snap on some hook & loop cable straps. A strip of adhesive backed hook & loop material runs underneath my hutch, and can accommodate a battery powered LED work light and other small accessories.

A trip to the car parts store located a nice canvas (seatback) apron full of pouches, originally intended to hang down from a seat headrest that can hang off of one of the uprights.

Boom Apron holds 4 boompolesKarau Products in Pasadena CA manufactures a canvas Boom Apron specifically designed to slip over the upright handles of the R12: with pocket sleeves to accommodate 4 boompoles, antennas, or similar pole equipment. Price is only $59.95

Karau also plans to offer a full skirt that backs one length of the cart for privacy/security as well as external storage.