Doing more film stuff, looking for advice

[JohnReeve]

I have been doing audio for video a little more lately (and am hoping to get more work).

But for now, I really just have a boom setup:

Schoeps cmc6 w/ card and hyper patterns
Senn 416

Rycote Zepplin/ktek 12' boom

Shure fp33

I have been okay with this for the smaller productions I have been working. However, I've moved close to Austin, TX and changed my job situation. I am fully freelance now, though I do a mix of media production with only a small part of it being video at all.

But I have been getting a few small gigs as a boom op and since my schedule is way more flexible I can take more (and worse paying :D ) work. My bills are more or less taken care of even if I don't find any audio work, but I like the work.

One question is this. How do you balance adding equipment for jobs that are a bit speculative?

I'm asking this because I am considering adding a recorder to my rig as the last couple of jobs have wanted that (though I don't think they would have paid any higher). And the next few jobs I have lined up pay very little, but are shooting on DSLR and need a recorder, so I will be using h4n's that belong to the DPs on the respective shoots.

I'd feel a bit bad about that, but neither of them pay enough for me to be responsible for purchasing or renting a recorder.

However, I am thinking I would be a useful thing to have, though my disposition is to look at something that I could use if I needed something that could work with time code: although I have yet to be on a production where that was even a thought, I would like to be working at a higher level and it seems that this is part of what folks expect from the audio dept.

So my other question is this:

if you are reasonably good and pay attention to detail, do you eventually start to get enough work that purchasing professional equipment pays off? I have been told to simply expect to do a bunch of cheap jobs if I want to work film, and I am okay with that... but I am curious if that meets with y'alls experience.

[miker71]

In my experience very few people want to get involved in movie production audio - this has upsides and downsides.

Good, because there is less competition ...
Bad, because those who are established may feel their bread & butter threatened by young upstarts ...

I've yet to transition to paying the mortgage through movie work in the UK, and, because I generally get involved in "art" it likely never will. I don't regard it as a hobby though. For example, last shoot I did production audio for, the DP had done 2nd Unit work on a Hollywood feature (POTC: OST). So I am working part time at a professional level, albeit "fringe".

I've been doing this as a kit owner since 2006 (started 10 years earlier).

All my kit has been funded from my own pockets, currently I am keeping it very basic and utilising technology and working only with like-minded people.

A professional audio guy will tell you that my current go-to mic, the Sennheiser 418-S is noisy on the Side channel and on paper the figures back that up. On the sort of work I do, that's not really an issue. Case in point, on the plains of Oxford, blowing a gale, can you really hear the hiss from the 418S?
HARP0092 L-R (Outtake F-bomb awesome) by miker71 on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free
(Focus is on the male voice only - BEWARE: f-bomb)

Should I have used radio mics? Likely. Can I afford to own them. Nope. Could the production afford to hire them? Nope. Can my recording be gated? I expect so. Will they end up looping? Perhaps.

The editor sync'd the rushes second nature. No TC required, old school clapper is a big help though.

I believe double-system will go through a resurgence at the low-end as DSLR gets even more popular. Software like Dual Eyes can batch sync on waveforms, though never 100% accurate in my experience.

Owning a decent recognised recorder with the best field pre-amps you can afford (Sound Devices, Sonosax, Zaxcom, Nagra, Deva) in the current climate can get you work. TC can certainly be useful (and some productions with certain workflows do demand it) but I've never needed it.

[dolo72]

It depends on the type of work you are going for. The 'bottom line' kit expected for tv productions in the UK ( where i am ) is a 4 channel mixer(Sound devices, SQN, Sonosax etc), 2 radio mic's of good quality i.e. Micron, Audio ltd Lectrosonics Zaxcom etc and a boom mic ( usually a shotgun). This set up will get you TV,Corporate and commercial work and with the addition of a recorder will also cover you on low budget drama and feature work. The standard route for a drama mixer here in the UK is assistant-boom op- sound recordist/production mixer. If you are in it for the long term then get two wireless mics and a mixer/recorder e.g. sonosax, zaxcom nomad, sound devices. Kit does get you work and cameramen and producers expect you to have it, thats the way it is. I always hired out kit on proper paying jobs before i could afford to own it ( and i lied and always said i had my own kit). I was always aiming to get the basic TV kit I mentioned but i juggled getting second hand stuff until i had the full basic set up ( fully paid for no credit card). Now i have enough to do features:- 6 radio mics(microns with dpa/countryman/sanken/tram mics) sonosax drama and eng mixer, zaxcom recorder and multiple mic's for boom and all accessories.
I managed to get all of this without resorting to big loans and friends of mine that did take out loans have paid much more for less kit. Ultimately you do have to balance the books, a slow build up (you already have excellent mic's and boom) when you can afford to get it will be easier. If you get offered a largish job that will pay for at least half of a new purchase then i would say make the purchase. I have in my limited time in this biz seen some companies make huge purchases for equipment on spec. The kit wasnt used and the company went down. Lastly dont make any moves on purchases for a larger booking until the job and the rates are fully booked and confirmed (contract ish). A lot of people promise the world in this biz and talk is cheap.

[philper]

If you are booming for established mixers then observe their kit and also observe what in that kit seem to be working most of the time and what does not. Over the many years I've done this kind of work I've acquired a lot of gear, some of it only used a few times, but in those few times it was a life-saver. In a small market, the sort we both are in, local rentals may not be avail, or at least not avail on a moments notice, so it is important to have enough stuff readily available to cover the needs of most of what you do. There is no shame in starting w/ used gear, and there is lots of it around. The GS classified is pretty thin on used prod. sound gear, I'd recommend you look in at Jeff Wexler's forum (JWSOUND.com), check the consignment listings at Trew audio etc.. You can work your way into this slowly, and do the research to find out what a fair price is for what you are looking for. The truth is that there isn't a 1:1 rental house price list type relationship between what a soundie gets for their package and what's in it. There is an expectation that you will have along enough stuff to cover eventualities and have it organized in a fast-working manner and have it all together be a good deal for the producer, that's why they are renting your gear from you instead of a much more minimal package from a rental house.

phil p

[JohnReeve]

Thanks for the advice guys!

I suppose that folks do indeed expect me to own/rent stuff, though the pay on the indy features/shorts I have been working on would make it really tough to justify good equipment purchase.

I have an idea of the upgrade direction that I am wanting go; it seems like a recorder is the next good thing, as all these jobs I'm seeing are DSLR shorts and features. Unfortunately, I far prefer to buy nice things as opposed to cheap things. Buying an H4n or similar does not sound like a strong idea, though I am looking for places that rent in Austin. I can rent wireless, but it is tough to find a recorder.

For the next little bit, I'll just keep on the pavement for as many low-budget things as I can find.

Thanks!

[philper]

Originally Posted by JohnReeve

Thanks for the advice guys!

I suppose that folks do indeed expect me to own/rent stuff, though the pay on the indy features/shorts I have been working on would make it really tough to justify good equipment purchase.

I have an idea of the upgrade direction that I am wanting go; it seems like a recorder is the next good thing, as all these jobs I'm seeing are DSLR shorts and features. Unfortunately, I far prefer to buy nice things as opposed to cheap things. Buying an H4n or similar does not sound like a strong idea, though I am looking for places that rent in Austin. I can rent wireless, but it is tough to find a recorder.

For the next little bit, I'll just keep on the pavement for as many low-budget things as I can find.

Thanks!

SD 702T would be a great place to start, esp used.

phil p

[JohnReeve]

"SD 702T would be a great place to start, esp used."

That is what I am looking at, but even used it is quite a bit for the level of jobs I get. But I am thinking of selling some of my less used equipment (my CD dupe stuff, my masterlink, and a couple of other mics) and that might be the piece that replaces the masterlink.

[Jaymz]

Consider the SD 552 as well. Would allow you to send 5 channel mixes wherever and record two tracks yourself.

Though it's 400 USD more than a 702T new and is very difficult to find used....