Is video (sound) the future?

[Sound Chaser]

About 5 years ago I was forced out of the business, you all know the story...my console (avatar) sits in the basement wrapped in plastic. My main bread and butter was always live P.A. Studio work was what I really wanted to do, was an extra that paid the rent of my warehouse, but could never support me on it's own.

Then a few months ago a former client complained that all lower priced video productions (under $5K) sounded like crap and he asked me to premix the audio directly into the cameras. So having a lot of road gear ready to go I gave it a shot. Wow...a lot of fun. The client knew the difference of hiring a pro. Said he, "every band today has a website and every live video on it has sound that sucks." You should consider doing this. So I joined a video producers forum and it seems this is a universal problem. The high end of the market is well serviced; the low end is DIY, but is there a middle ground?

When CD's made it possible for every band to record one, I did well in the Indie market until basement DAW's made it hard to compete. Will artists replace audio CD's with live DVD videos as standard? It seems to me that for live concert video, you will always need a real engineer.

(here's a pic of my hastely prepared mobile rig...direct to DAT/ camcorder)

[ajfarber]

Live concert style videos do require a propper engineer. I am surprised that more groups don't simply fake it along to the playback of thier "propperly recorded" CD. But yes, a live band would indeed need to be mixed by a pro audio engineer and not one of the flunkeys that work at the low-mid-end video joints.

That said, I would think that there should be enough work for a skilled audio engineer in a big market like Toronto. Perhaps trying to create a nitche for yourself is a good idea whilst simultaniously persuing freelance work in the already established high-end scene.

[tINY]

Seems like a good idea. Is there enough work to get 8-12 gig / month?

BTW, I like those portable near-fields - JBL?



-tINY

[Jim vanBergen]

There is work, but it's not always in the same field. I do a lot of live PA work, a lot of live broadcast, and some considerable live-broadcast-taped-for-future-release work. All the live shows of Little Stsven's Underground Garage on ESPN shot at the Hard Rock Cafe were me mixing FOH live AND a Broadcast 2-mix live to tape. I do just as many live radio and webcasts as I do live PA gigs. It's a constantly changing world, and as Steve says, we have to imagine how to roll with the future every day!!!

best of luck with your gigs!!

Jim

[Sound Chaser]

Originally Posted by tINY

BTW, I like those portable near-fields - JBL?
-tINY

JBL of course!!! 34 years old but, modified with a slot radiator. Had not used them in years but, they were the only things I had pre-road cased and ready to go. Out dated but, my theory is you can use any monitor your are familiar with...but not cool for others.

Originally Posted by Jim vanBergen

There is work, but it's not always in the same field. I do a lot of live PA work, a lot of live broadcast, and some considerable live-broadcast-taped-for-future-release work. I do just as many live radio and webcasts as I do live PA gigs.

Any advice on how to get work with broadcast or radio, webcasts? Since this is new to me and I don't have a track record doing live recording, I know I need product. So I'm going all out to produce an excellent product with a concert audio/video shoot of a 12 piece big band on my next gig....feels good buying gear again.

[Jim vanBergen]

Originally Posted by Sound Chaser

Any advice on how to get work with broadcast or radio, webcasts? Since this is new to me and I don't have a track record doing live recording, I know I need product. So I'm going all out to produce an excellent product with a concert audio/video shoot of a 12 piece big band on my next gig....feels good buying gear again.

Talk to everyone of your clients. Offer good deals for new customers. Help them help YOU. 80% of my business is repeat customers, the 20% is accidental.

Hope this helps!!

[ajfarber]

Any advice on how to get work with broadcast or radio, webcasts? Since this is new to me and I don't have a track record doing live recording, I know I need product. So I'm going all out to produce an excellent product with a concert audio/video shoot of a 12 piece big band on my next gig....feels good buying gear again.[/QUOTE]

How about the CBC? I know they do live broadcasts of jazz and classical in Winnipeg. Sh#t, if they're doing that in Winnipeg, surely there must be work in Toronto.

The big band shoot will look impressive on your CV.