Learn from the old pro’s as much as you can, and as often as you can. This advice applies especially to the aspiring or novice Production Mixer. I have been in the sound business for well over a decade, yet I still find myself learning from peer professionals. There is so much to learn, and only a lifetime to do it in. Only fools think they know too much to continue learning.
As you gain experience, you will discover that the gaps between your knowledge and that of your respected peers lessen. Never-the-less, every now and then you will discover a fallacy in one or another of the old truths; someone will turn you on to an even better way of solving a particular problem; or pass along advice on some new piece of equipment.
Ask lots of questions, but be wary of the Rental Clerks
Rental Technicians are rarely experienced in the ways of Production Sound. The job of a technician working for an established Equipment Rental Facility is mainly that of shipping clerk. They take orders, fill orders, and jot down serial numbers. In the best of cases, they may actually know how to set up and operate the hardware.
There is a major difference, however, between operating equipment on a test bench and mixing an actual show! The craft of Production Mixing involves dealing with a great number of location variables, such as camera, lighting, blocking, human nature, time, budget, requirements & capabilities of post-production, and so on. These are areas in which the majority of Rental Technicians are totally unaware. Unless you specifically know otherwise, always assume that these technicians have little or no real world, production experience.
If you ask them for advice, most of them will not admit that they are uncertain and/or inexperienced. They will not inform you that they have recently graduated college and have taken this job as an entry level position into the film industry. Instead they will try and answer your question the best they can based on reasonable (though not always correct) assumptions, or based on what they would like you to rent in order to maximize profit or minimize their effort.
Always take the Professional Approach
Sound Mixing can be a lucrative profession, but it does require a combination of skill and political tact to keep getting the work.
Professional image and reputation are critical! If you want to survive in this business, it is imperative to always take the Professional Approach. Do the job right... regardless!
If budget or conditions won’t let you do it the way you know it should be done, then turn down the job and walk away. It is better to have a reputation for being excellent (though a little stubborn) than for being easy (but incompetent).
There are no apologies nor excuses run under the dailies. Good sound is always expected (and taken for granted). Bad sound, on the other hand, is always attributed as your fault.
You will never heard it said that “even though the soundtrack was poor, the Mixer did a good job considering that we made him use bad equipment and no boomman.” Instead, they will remark that they should have hired so-and-so, since that Mixer did a fine job on the last shoot.
Producers and Directors find it much easier to blame the Mixer than themselves
On the set, be congenial and friendly. Remain cool and calm; avoid shouting. Stay out of people’s way. But on the other hand, remain strong, confident, and aggressive when necessary. Press for what you know is right. Don’t back down easily or be intimidated. Fight for every inch of closer mic placement, and any other reasonable improvements for the good of sound.
But very importantly, always arrive on any set with the best in terms of personnel and equipment! If you surround yourself with a skilled team of people, and bring along all of the equipment necessary to do the job right -- then you have pushed the odds in your favor of recording great Production Sound in the face of the chaos and confusion that run so rampant on many productions.