Putting Together the Crew

Attitude is important. Professional results in any phase of production will not happen unless everyone involved thinks, identifies, and performs as “professionals”. Simplistic as it may seem, no producer/director is going to achieve consistently good Production Sound without having a qualified team officially assigned to that crew function.

Choose your Sound Mixer carefully

For reasons that have never made any sense, student productions (and even some low-budget professional productions) often delegate the position of Sound Mixer to whoever on the crew seems to have nothing better to do. It seems like the “best people” are asked to do camera; others to fill in on lighting & grip; someone organized and literate to handle script/continuity; more bodies to supervise make-up, wardrobe, and props; and finally, somebody to run the recorder.

Somebody?

And if “somebody” is lucky, maybe “sound” gets another “helper” to hold the fishpole and point the mic. Usually though, that same “helper” is also expected to do double duty as an electrician or grip, and gets to rehearse with the mic only after the C-stands and flags are adjusted.

With production attitudes like that, is it any wonder that the resulting production sound is less than breathtaking? Perhaps a more apt phrase might be “hardly usable”!

The Sound crew should only wear one hat

You will not achieve good sound with anything less than a “dedicated” soundperson and crew! By dedicated, I do not necessarily mean someone who has devoted his or her career to the pursuit of audio (though it sure helps); but at least someone who has devoted all of their attention ON THIS PRODUCTION to the pursuit of good production sound!

A meticulous sound mixer or boom operator does not have the time, concentration, nor the endless stamina to properly perform more than one job. Sure, times will occur when the sound crew can help out other members of the crew in setting up -- and sometimes in those cases, the sound crew should lend a hand. I’m not suggesting that we all become prima donnas. But it is not conducive to good sound for the mixer or boom to be playing with lights or grip stands when, instead, they should have been paying close attention to blocking & walk-throughs, or busy miking rehearsals.

First priority must always be to do the job you were hired or assigned to do. In this instance, Sound comes first. This includes setting up OUR equipment; deploying mics; keeping an eye and ear on the director in case he changes the shot; watching the blocking; and miking the rehearsals. Anything else cannot be allowed to supersede those professional responsibilities.

There is no room for split allegiances. A grip (“helping out” on sound) will almost always throw down the fishpole and rush over to adjust a flag the second that the camera operator complains! That may help the camera crew out, but it deprives the boom person of a much needed rehearsal and leaves the mixer useless.

If any person is assigned to any department, then that person must act and react accordingly -- these newly assigned duties must assume first priority! A transfer from one department to another must be considered a complete transfer (during the duration of that transfer and until the person is re-assigned back to their original department).

An important point to remember: when Camera says they are ready, then Sound is expected to also be ready! Directors do not like “waiting on Sound”. Nor will they accept as a valid excuse the fact that we are late because we were too busy helping other people out.

Rely on people who absolutely know what they are doing

Very few of us would serve as our own legal counsel in a murder trial, nor would we remove our own inflamed appendix. For those life & death situations, we naturally turn to the expertise of the best professionals we can find.

Well, career life & death for the novice director/producer can be decided in the screening room, so why should we act any differently? To increase the chances of success, employ an experienced specialist!

Don’t wait until major mistakes have taken place either in the planning or production phases of the show. Consult with a professional at a point early enough to take advantage of his or her suggestions!

The seasoned mixer can often save the production company money during pre-production by pointing out equipment selection fallacies; anticipating potential location problems; highlighting complicated recording situations as well as offering solutions; and so on.

The advantages of having a professional sound mixer during the actual production should be rather obvious. Although Sound may look easy when it is done right, if you have ever attempted it yourself then you know it is not near as easy as it looks.

Even if the budget constrained producer cannot afford to hire the best, he or she should at least consult with them. A new producer may be surprised to discover that most of the industry’s top mixers are very down-to-earth people and are usually happy to provide information and offer advice. In addition, the seasoned pro may be able to recommend the name of an aspiring protégé more willing to work at an entry-level rate.

In any case, it is always best to employ or at least pick the brains of someone who mixes Production Sound for a living as opposed to utilizing an inexperienced (though well meaning) novice who is likely to guess and fumble around.