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Production Sound, Video Engineers & Studio Projectionists

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Features

32-Bit Float Audio

by James Delhauer

Having grown up at the precipice of the digital revolution, I sometimes step back and marvel at what has become possible in the last twenty years. Limitations have been toppled like empires and as technology has disseminated to the masses, the definition of cinematic has shifted. Gone are the days of practical matte paintings and model-based set extensions. Where a grandiose set piece might have consisted of a few hundred extras running alongside a series of well-timed special effects, it’s now commonplace to see vast armies numbering in the tens of thousands clashing with one another or alien monsters tossing planets around like dodgeballs. The ante for what we see on screen has truly gone up over the years. But equally important are the developments for what we hear. Though not as obvious as the developments in cinematic visuals, digital audio technology has come just as far, and few innovations demonstrate this better than the rise of 32-bit float audio.

To understand this relatively new technology, some context is needed.

Digital audio is created by taking an analog signal and encoding it as a sequence of numerical samples using a method known as pulse-code modulation (PCM). Each sample represents the amplitude of the signal and individual samples are generated at even intervals so that they can be reassembled to create a facsimile of the original analog sound. A file’s bit depth represents the number of bits of information present in each sample, with larger bit depths resulting in an improved signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range. In practical terms, this means that a signal captured at a higher bit depth will contain less distortion and can be manipulated to a greater degree than an identical signal captured at a lower bit depth.

Traditional uncompressed 16-bit audio files (the format used to encode music onto audio CD’s) store samples in a sequence with each sample being represented by a 16-digit binary number. The numerical value of this sequence represents a voltage level that corresponds to the signal amplitude, resulting in a dynamic range of 96.3 dB. 24-bit files (the format used most commonly in modern production environments) extend the binary number from 16 digits to 24 digits, resulting in a much greater dynamic range of 144.5 dB. This fifty percent increase in audio resolution has often been compared to the leap from standard-definition to high-definition video, with high-resolution audio allowing for far greater manipulation and signal recovery in post production.

However, the jump from 24-bit audio to 32-bit floating audio is far greater and more significant for our industry. Both 16-bit and 24-bit formats utilize what is known as a fixed-point file system, meaning that the representation of data is calculated based on a whole integer. The newly emerging 32-bit float file format calculates data using “floating” decimal points, allowing for a far greater range of values than even a fixed 32-bit profile would allow. The result is a file format that has a dynamic range of nearing 1600 dB—which could very well be the last necessary increase in audio resolution as the full range of sound believed to be possible within Earth’s atmosphere is about 210 dB.

As a result, properly recorded 32-bit float files have the ability to recover near inaudible data in the signal, as well as unclip sounds that exceed 0 dBFS (what was regarded as the loudest signal level achievable in a WAV file). What’s more, both can be done within a single file, allowing a whisper and a bomb blast to be successfully captured without a change in audio levels.

The accompanying graphic shows the audio waveform of a line of dialog recorded in 32-bit float format. The sound has clipped and become greatly distorted. The second image is the same file after its gain has been reduced by 26.1 dB, just enough to bring the entire waveform back into range. The distortion has been entirely removed and the dialog sounds crisp and clear. The file, despite significant clipping, is still perfectly usable. Compare this to the third image, in which the same adjustment was made after converting the original 32-bit float file down to a 24-bit fixed format. Even at reduced volume, the uniform wave pattern shows that the distortion is still present. This file would not be usable under any circumstances.

For Local 695 Production Mixers, this technology represents a useful tool in their arsenal. More forgiving files offer the ability to “split the difference” when recording scenes that vary widely in terms of sound levels being recorded on a single microphone, such as recording two performers who are speaking at different volumes off of one boom or capturing dialog that will be interrupted by a practical effect. This could mean the difference between a good take and a bad one, with takes that would have been unusable in a 24-bit format being perfectly acceptable today.

However, there are some misnomers regarding this technology that must be addressed. On a recent film set, a producer asked whether or not recording 32-bit float files meant that we’d no longer need to be “quiet on set,” in order to get good audio. The answer to this is a resounding NO. The files can’t magically distinguish between an actor giving a performance and the idle chatter of a conversation behind the camera. A cellphone dinging at the wrong time can still blow a take. Professional etiquette is still a must. That same producer went onto ask if production mixing would become unnecessary since levels could be adjusted in post production. Again, the answer is absolutely not. This is akin to suggesting that lighting is unnecessary now that cameras can capture high dynamic range images. Sure, an unlit scene can go through a degree of brightening and manipulation in post production, but at exorbitant cost and to the detriment of the final product. An incompetent production mix (or worse, an unmixed production track) would make dailies of little use outside of visual purposes, would hinder our brothers and sisters in Local 700 when they have to stop to adjust audio levels multiple times during each shot, and would extend the re-recording mix period. The relationship between production and post production has always been that post’s life is cheaper and easier when production does their job well and this technology, impressive though it may be, will not change that.

On a similar note, multiple articles that I read when researching this piece suggested that productions would be able to get away with capturing all of their on-set audio by planting a single microphone to capture an entire scene. That is also patently false. This technology changes how computers process audio signals in digital files, not the physics of how sound carries through the air on set. Someone being picked up by a microphone across the room is never going to sound the same as someone speaking into a dedicated mic that is being boomed directly in front of them or clipped to their lapel. In short, this technology acts as a safety net during difficult environments for capturing sound. It does not erase almost a century’s worth of best practices.

However, looking to the future, this technology will become critical as the world moves into virtual reality production. Spatial sound requires audio files to be manipulated in real time by whatever algorithm determines the listener’s proximity to a supported sound source. When in a virtual environment, listeners can be exposed to just as many disparate sound sources as they can in the real world, and having the ability to work across the entire scope of human hearing with any given audio source will be a necessity when crafting an immersive virtual soundscape.

At this time, only a handful of production recorders support the capture of 32-bit floating audio files, with those being the Sound Devices MixPre-3 II, MixPre-6 II, MixPre-10 II & A20 Mini; the Zoom F2 & F6; and the Tentacle Track E—though more are set to hit the market in 2022 and their prevalence will only continue to grow as the global chip shortage comes to an end. In the meantime, Local 695 mixers interested in investing in 32-bit float recorders are encouraged to download sample files and explore the benefits in a hands-on manner so that they are ready to work with producers whose productions might benefit from them.

As someone who remembers listening to the muffled sounds of VHS tapes when watching his favorite movies and playing video games with 8-bit audio, the distance we’ve traveled is truly staggering. While we may not find ourselves in need of an audio resolution greater than 32-bit until we figure out how to make movies on other planets, I find myself looking to the future with wonder and curiosity. How will the stories of tomorrow sound and, more significantly for us, what sort of tools will our brothers, sisters, and kin in Local 695 use to capture them?

Standing with Steve Evans: Battling Blood Cancer

by James Delhauer

A core belief at the heart of the labor movement is that we are stronger together than we are apart; that what would be impossible for one to accomplish alone becomes possible through the collective. We have a responsibility to look out for and take care of one another, secure in the knowledge that when it is our time of need, our brothers and sisters in the union will be there for us. Now is such a time when one of our own needs our help. In July of last year, brother Steve Evans, a boom operator with more than thirty years of service within Local 695, was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a rare form of cancer that targets the bone marrow and causes blood cells to become abnormal. This is a call for help to all 695 members and to anyone else who might be reading.

Myelodysplastic Syndrome is a complicated illness to treat, as it works by targeting the sponge-like marrow deposits in the bones where blood cells are produced, thereby affecting the development of new blood within the body. Newly produced blood cells are unable to mature into healthy cells, entering the body at reduced efficiency and effectively poisoning the body over time as contaminated marrow continues to produce more corrupted blood. If untreated, the condition can develop into acute myeloid leukemia. Treatment options range from lifestyle changes to drug regiments to radiation treatment. Steve has been undergoing routine chemotherapy injections three times a day for a week out of each month, which have helped to keep his condition stable. However, what Steve truly needs is a bone marrow transplant.

This is a process by which healthy stem cells are extracted from the marrow of a donor and used to replace the contaminated cells of the recipient. The patient is required to undergo radiation treatments in order to weaken the immune system to the point where the body will not reject the donor marrow as a foreign substance, requiring a period of isolation within the hospital and several more months of near isolation at home while the immune system recovers. During this time, the patient becomes highly susceptible to even the most common of infections. It is a difficult process that impacts every aspect of life. However, it is also the only surefire cure for a case of Myelodysplastic Syndrome such as Steve’s.

However, bone marrow transplants are difficult to facilitate. Unlike other organ transplants where blood type is the primary factor in compatibility, marrow transfers require a close genetic match to achieve. A close blood relation is typically considered the best candidate, though even this is no guarantee as only thirty percent of transplants worldwide utilize a close blood relation as the donor. According to the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration, approximately eighteen thousand patients are diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses where a bone marrow transplant represents their best chance of recovery. Unfortunately, according to data from the same agency, only around two thousand transplants are performed in the U.S. each year. For his part, Steve does not have any close family that meets the strict age requirements and so another donor must be found. This is where we can help.

U.S. and international donor registries are in desperate need of more volunteer donors. If you are between the ages of 18 and 49, you can go to www.bethematch.org and www.dkms.org and sign up to become a marrow donor. Testing is as simple as requesting a swab kit and the results will be added to the registries going forward. If a match for Steve is found, that information will be forwarded to his doctors and steps toward scheduling the procedure can begin. However, when I spoke with Steve on the phone, he was adamant that this is about more than just him.

A new patient is diagnosed with blood cancer every twenty-seven seconds, and he is hopeful that if a member of our Local is matched with another patient, we will step up to save a life—any life—that can be saved. This is especially important for our members of color, as the ability to find a matching donor is highly skewed around ethnic backgrounds. According to the data on bethematch.org, while there is a seventy-nine percent likelihood of finding a compatible match for Caucasian patients, that probability drops to sixty percent, forty-eight percent, forty-seven percent, and twenty-nine percent for Native American, Hispanic, Asian & Pacific Islander, and African American patients respectively. All of these groups are dangerously underrepresented across donor registries, making it far more difficult for patients of color to receive the life-saving treatment that they need.

If you do not meet the donor age requirements or are not healthy enough to become a donor, there is still plenty that you can do. In January of this year, the American Red Cross declared a national blood shortage amidst the omicron variant surge of COVID-19, with distributors being forced to ration supplies for fear of running out. For obvious reasons, this is of particular concern for blood cancer patients like Steve, many of whom undergo routine blood transfusions in order to compensate for the abnormal cells their bodies produce. Signing up to become a blood donor does not come with the same strict restrictions as becoming a marrow donor, and so I am encouraging everyone reading this to do so if they can. According to the Red Cross, a single blood donation can save as many as three lives, meaning that if every person receiving this magazine were to donate, up to seventy-five hundred lives could be saved.

There’s also a need for monetary donations. Donations of any size to either Be the Match or DKMS can mean the difference between life and death for blood cancer patients, as they facilitate outreach to expand the registry databases, cover the costs of registering new donors, and go toward research for new methods of treating blood cancer. Both organizations have longstanding reputations of good faith conduct when it comes to handling donor money and are relentless in their shared mission to fight blood cancer across the globe.

As far as Steve is concerned, this difficult battle will continue until a match can be found. Between the heightened risk posed by COVID-19 and the toll chemotherapy takes on him, it has been difficult for him to work in the last year. In January, he spoke about his condition at our Local 695 General Membership Meeting.

“I want to live,” he told us. “I don’t like asking for help, but I’m asking for everyone to help get the word out. If we find a match, that would be wonderful. But if we can help save someone else’s life too, that would make me very happy.”

Getting the word out is the very least that we can do. The thoughts of everyone at Local 695 will continue to be with Steve as his fight continues. If anyone would like to reach out to him to offer support of any kind, please reach out to the Local 695 office to be put in contact. In the meantime, sign up to become a donor if you can. Sign up to give blood if you can. Sign up to give money if you can.

Save a life if you can.

Musicals Aren’t What They Used to Be

by Tod A. Maitland CAS

While that may be true about the visual style of musicals, it is absolutely true about sound. Think back to movies like Singing in the Rain and how they were filmed—big master shots on giant studio stages with brightly lit sets. Compare that to West Side Story (WSS) or tick, tick…BOOM! (TTB) or virtually any of the more recent musicals. Of course, cinematography on musicals has evolved immensely, but it pales in comparison to the transition in sound that has taken place on musicals since as late as the early ’80s.

I was there in those early days (meaning the late ’70s and early ’80s) when practically every musical number was filmed using loudspeaker playback. The only sound that post received from production to fill the speakers’ void was Room Tone. The rest was up to Foley, working hard to make the best of things with a lack of in-sync ambience. Audiences just accepted the “canned” sound of vocals. 

Of course, there were exceptions. I remember working with my father, Dennis Maitland, a prolific Production Mixer for forty years who was always on the edge of innovation. For the film The Tempest, he used a very early version of Earwigs to capture live vocals. They were so new, to make them function, you had to run speaker wire around the entire set twice and attach the leads to a powerful amplifier to create an induction loop. Actors/singers had to be inside the loop. Earwig sound quality varied greatly depending on where you were in the loop. It was all very time-intensive. Live songs were a rare breed. 

  • Andrew Garfield as Jonathan Larson in tick, tick…BOOM!
  • Re-recording mixer Andy Nelson visiting
    Tod Maitland on West Side Story
  • Jerry and Terence walking wireless battery speakers to keep close to Ansel for playback

Today, it’s entirely different. It’s all about creating reality, making musicals sound “natural” and not canned. The days of simply turning on the playback machine on set are over. Paul Hsu (Re-recording Mixer, Supervising Sound Editor, TTB) summed up our goal very well during a recent interview, calling it “hyper-reality.” Musicals live in a real/non-real world. Some songs are recorded live on set, some are prerecorded PB, and many are a mix of both. Our goal is to weave between live singing and PB while maintaining an in-sync ambience, so the audience never knows the difference. But that’s so much easier said than done. 

First, a Production Mixer must be equipped with quite a sizeable sound package to accommodate and anticipate everything that can (and will) happen on set. The old saying, “Large package, large rentals,” is true, but being prepared is the name of the game.

Over the last ten years, particularly in the past three, significant advancements in sound technology have made it easier for us to go smaller. Unfortunately, the more compact size hasn’t reduced the price of the equipment or made using it any easier (i.e., every component supports a different operating system!). However, the evolution of our technology has made us more mobile, increasing what we can do exponentially. 

Case in point: West Side Story. When I was first offered the film, it was immediately apparent I was way, way underequipped. Recording production sound on WSS was akin to recording a Broadway show on the sweltering summer streets of NYC for seventy-eight days. The enormity of the project alone required us to build a brand-new $300k state-of-the-art sound cart from the ground up, capable of recording thirty channels of wireless inputs, and outputs sent to twenty-four IFB’s and forty Comtek wireless units using seven different mixes. The system also incorporated Earwigs, Thumpers, and wireless playback speaker systems.

  • Me and Steven at my cart. a lighter moment on one of our few studio days.
  • Mike Scott booming on West Side Story

The film has massive dialog scenes, and musically, it is a mix of live and prerecorded PB vocals. Many songs required us to prepare for live vocal recording and PB simultaneously. For example, Steven Spielberg would shoot a few takes to PB, then a few takes live with very little time for a sound switchover. As you can imagine, each approach has vastly different needs and requirements. We had to prep for every possible scenario—ready for anything with little room for error.

A typical day on WSS entailed wiring up to 22 actors, swinging 3 booms, hiding up to 4 wireless effects mics, deploying up to 50 earwigs, a Thumper system, and many of our 15 wireless speakers. To further complicate things, NYC has sound restrictions. We overcame this by using a lot of midsize wireless battery-powered speakers placed strategically close within the sets for playback scenes. 

The truth was, we needed everything we had for WSS. The dance scene in the gym is a great example. We ringed the gym with our large PB speakers, hid powerful subwoofers in the bleachers for a thump track, earwigged all the primary actors, and wired everyone who vocalized anything. On a film this large, focusing on the singularity of a voice is overshadowed by the need to capture everything! 

  • Jerry Yuen ready for live vocal recording TTB October 2020
  • Jerry Yuen with two effects mics – 416’s with Shure Axient transmitters on armature wire and sand bags for West Side Story.
  • Tod Maitland’s preproduction Lav testing booth for Spirited. A 416 and 6 lavs recorded on separate tracks for comparison alignment

The immensity of WSS repeated itself over and over. For ‘Sargeant Krupke,’ we wired and earwigged and boomed everyone. The entire song floats in and out of live and PB. Filming the song, we did Steven’s—a few takes with PB, then a few takes live. When there is so much sound happening in a scene—vocals, natural effects, ambiences, music—sometimes it’s easier for an audience to accept vocals as reality than in an intimate piece. Sometimes not. 

Almost everything in WSS is choreographed: from the opening scene where they pass paint cans in time with the music to fight scenes and even dialog. What looks like a simple sound scene becomes another moment for earwigs, effects mics, and soundscape building. 

However, a few songs were traditional two-character live vocal records (none without their obstacles, of course). “A Boy Like That” is a classic wireless/boom mix of Maria and Anita as they move through the entire apartment. Their volumes ranged from 0 to 100; I rode the pre-fade volume from -20 to +20 throughout. For “One Hand One Heart,” we acoustically treated the concave ceilings of the church with Sonex to control some of the ambient bounce. “Somewhere” was all about Rita Moreno and her singular voice. In the scene, she started deep in the set, forcing me to start with a wireless (and ambient mic to open up the wireless sound), then switch to a boom when she was close enough. 

While WSS needed every bit of my 450-lb cart, tick, tick…BOOM! required far fewer inputs and outputs. Instead, this film demanded a hyper-attention to the singularity of a voice (similar to “Somewhere”), being inside someone’s head, and staying sonically consistent throughout the entire film. In other words, if the quality of the vocal or ambient sound shifts every time prerecorded vocals are used, you lose a piece of your audience. 

TTB is filled with examples of how we worked to keep it real. The song “Boho Days” was filmed entirely live without music or click track (which doesn’t happen often). We wired everyone, had three booms covering everything possible, and just let it fly. On the other hand, the scenes inside the theatre that tie the film together were filmed live using the practical SM-58 mics. Anytime there are practical mics, I always try to use them. For these scenes, we kept getting ‘popping’ on the SM-58’s. We stuffed as much windscreen as possible under the mic’s grill and worked hard with the actors on positioning the mics to avoid breath pops. 

Terence McCormack Maitland prepping headsets and a couple booms for a dancer wild track on West Side Story

There were also scenes where we had to pivot our plan and shoot from the hip. One example is when Andrew Garfield sings, “Why” at the Delacorte Theatre. In prerecords, he sang with emotion, but when it came time to shoot, Andrew’s emotional state was far beyond where it was in preproduction. It was obvious we needed to record live. Everyone worked together to make it happen, and Paul in post stitched it together.   

Regardless of the size of the musical, the whole process begins in pre-production. This is where some of the most important sound decisions are made. Generally, I start a month before filming and use this time to develop a relationship with everyone who will be integral to what we are doing: Director, Actors, Music, AD’s, Wardrobe, Production Designer, etc. Being the first ‘sound boots’ on the ground, I’m there laying the foundation for sound from prerecords through post. 

The first task in creating reality is eliminating the abrupt difference in sound quality from on-set dialog to singing. So, before vocal prerecords begin, I run a series of tests to match every actor to a particular lav mic that best matches the boom mic (different actors sound vastly different on different lavs. We test seven brands with each actor). The chosen lav then accompanies that actor from vocal prerecords through post. 

In prerecords, the music mixer adds our boom and lavs to the big fat studio mic, giving post the option to start the song using the same mic I used on set for dialog. I also attend the vocal prerecords, placing mics, and helping actors maintain the scene’s energy—if they’re dancing or emotional in the scene, the sound of that dancing or that emotion needs to carry through.

Acoustic treatment to the concave ceiling for the live song “One Hand One Heart” inside the basement of a church.

We approached live singing for WSS and TTB as if we were cutting an album: Microphone placement is always our top priority. It’s everything. We battle hard to place the mics where they need to be. Film sets need to be prepped acoustically. Non-period and extraneous sounds need to be eliminated. Every actor/dancer who needs to hear music for whatever reason gets an earwig and a Thumper for background dancers. 

Creating individual mixes for the music department enabled them to listen to live vocals in one ear and prerecorded vocals in the other. This also works very well to keep singers in sync for lip-syncing PB songs. 

For big loudspeaker playback scenes where the speakers have obliterated the possibility of recording anything useful: After the company finishes filming the music scene, my team hands out earwigs and IFB’s to all the actors/dancers. They then repeat the entire musical piece as a wild track without singing. Instead, they make all the other sounds they did while filming—dance steps, prop sounds, non-scripted vocalization, and ambiences. We plant effects mics for specific sounds and swing booms at various perspectives to capture a true, in-sync Foley/ambience track.

This wild track is another opportunity to record good FX or ambience. The production sound team are the eyes and ears on set, always scoping for anything in front of or near the camera to record. Another trick we like to slip in for vocals is to record the first line of each song live on set with the same mic used for dialog to help the transition in post.

My crew is everything! Without them, I would be dead in the water. For the last fifteen years, my team has consisted primarily of Jerry Yuen, Mike Scott, and Terence McCormack Maitland. Each of them is amazing and genuinely committed to advancing our level of sound on every film. I’ve been very fortunate to work with this talented team.

In the end, whether we’re recording dialog/vocals on a lav and a boom simultaneously, capturing multi-mic sound effects, Wild tracks, musical Foley tracks, or ambiences, my goal is to give most sound as much variety and as many elements as possible for the mix. It’s no different from any form of art-making; you need a full set of tools to realize your vision.

I believe musicals have become the most complex, challenging, and rewarding films to record. There are so many elements to deal with (and so many personalities to navigate!). In addition, musicals bring out the best collaboration between the production and post-production sound departments. Most films I’ve worked on don’t usually lock in their post sound team until after production. So on musicals, it’s refreshing (and incredibly helpful) to get to talk before filming begins.

I couldn’t be happier with the TTB and WSS final mixes. They are rich, complex, subtle, smooth, and beautiful. But, most of all, they are real (or as real as you can get without filming one hundred percent live and painting out booms). In addition, both films’ music is stunning, adding excellent quality and depth to the overall mix—without overpowering the detail.

Ric Rambles

by Ric Teller

2022 KTLA Rose Parade A2 crew L-R: Craig Rovello, Greg Ferrara, Ric Teller, Ross Deane. Collectively, these four have worked on more than 120 Rose Parades.

In my initial article, “Ric Rambles and Reflects,” a few months ago, I belabored the story of my start in television at KTLA closing with the possibility that I might be working on their Rose Parade broadcast for the fortieth time. Wow! What a cliffhanger.

Well, I did it. Forty. More than half the parades televised by that historic seventy-five-year-old station. Not a record, but pretty good. In 1982, when I did my first, it was in mono and SD (Standard Definition). Actually, it was OD (Only Definition). Soon, the show was broadcast in stereo, and eventually in high defintion. My first parade was the initial one hosted by the iconic pair, Bob Eubanks and Stephanie Edwards. Thirty-five years later, when Bob and Stephanie retired, Mark Steines and Leeza Gibbons stepped in and have done a terrific job ever since. As you can imagine, many things have changed over that amount of time, of course, there have been some constants. The parade still goes from left to right and the food at the Elks Club in Pasadena is … well, let’s just say that the New Year’s breakfast of powdered eggs and filet of Adidas is legendary.

There are a couple of certainties about my career. One: It is coming to an end, “on the back nine” as my fellow ’52 baby, Dennis Mays, reminds me, and Two: I’ve been very fortunate. David Velte, the iconic, hilarious, unique, beloved mixer, would have reminded me that we knew each other long before I changed my name (from Lucky Bastard). Believe me, I’m grateful for all I have seen and done, and the longevity has given me the gift of working with many wonderful people. The friends and mentors who are no longer with us are missed, but we continue to appreciate them with stories and memories.

I was a little late getting started in television, nearly thirty years old when I began that run of consecutive parades. Over the years, I’ve worked on more than twenty Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Jerry Lewis Telethons, Kennedy Center Honors, and the Dick Clark alphabet soup of ACMs and AMAs. Gotta love live television. My main excuse for the gaudy numbers is that I believe production departments often look at the previous crew list and go with that. Hey, it worked last year. Annual events such as award shows lend themselves to longevity in entertainment television.

American Music Awards 1995

Over the years, many things have changed. WTTW, in Chicago, a leader in simulcasting (a stereo broadcast carried on an FM radio station that was in sync with the picture on the air), began transmitting music programs in stereo in 1984. That same year, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, on NBC, began broadcasting in stereo, although at first, that new format was only available in New York City. By the time I began working on award shows, in 1987, all the networks had joined the stereo party, although not all the programs. How many remember “In Stereo (where available)”? Eventually, more audio channels were added, the somewhat problematic 5.1, the more confusing 7.1, and I believe Ed Greene once did a show in 3.9 … maybe. I’ll have to ask Hugh. One of the other especially helpful changes for the aging A2 population has been the transition from copper to fiber. At the Grammys a few years ago, the connections at all seven mixing consoles were fiber. Yes, seven. One on-air console in the broadcast truck, two music mix consoles in the two music trucks, two FOH (front of house) consoles, one for production, one for music, and two monitor mix consoles. Today, fiber is the norm, copper connections, except the runs from the stages, are rare and used mostly for backup. It has made split world larger, more complicated, and more flexible. A welcome consequence of the change from copper to fiber has been a serious reduction in ground issues. And backaches.

Initially, all my jobs were programs made by or for networks. Anyone who paid attention to the Emmy Awards last year, knows that numerous non-network companies have become successful content providers, and are having a major effect on how people view programs. Even stalwart awards shows have been touched. The Golden Globes, after a long and interesting relationship with network television, was not televised this year. The Academy of Country Music Awards initially broadcast by ABC, then NBC, and more recently CBS, will only be available on Amazon Prime Video in 2022, and last year, longtime CBS presentation, The Tony Awards, streamed for two hours on Paramount+, then continued for two more hours on CBS. That was a long day.

The Four Questions

  1. Are those 416’s T or P?
  2. Did you overbias 3 db for the 456?
  3. Can I borrow Yibbox?
  4. Ready for a rock on the AT?

Over the years, once common terms have become archaic, gone the way of Wrong Way Corrigan. If you know the answer to all these questions, you too might be on the back nine. If I remember, I’ll reveal the answers at the end of the column.

At this fortieth parade, my last one, I took a trip down memory lane and tried to make a list of all the mixers. I came up with a baker’s dozen. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have worked with so many terrific people. If I left anyone out, I am truly sorry.

• Jerry Pattison, a longtime KTLA sound engineer. Mixer on my first one.
• John Kennamer, KTLA staff sound mixer, before that, John worked for WTTW in Chicago at the beginning of stereo television
• Ken Becker, sound mixer, began his career at KTLA in 1952 and acted in four Elvis Presley films
• Monte Lee, KTLA staff mixer, and fairly famous midwestern musician
• Shawn Murphy … yes, that Shawn Murphy
• Ron Estes, worked at KTLA after a long career at NBC, he put The Tonight Show on the air in stereo
• Tom Ancell, audio director at KCET
• Leamon “Lee” Gamel, versatile mixer of entertainment and sports
• Carolyn Bowden, one-time ABC staff sound engineer, now has the job I aspire to have
• Russ Gary, had a long, successful career as a record mixer and an equally successful career mixing for television
• Sam Mollaun, current KTLA mixer, with many television credits
• Pete Damski, very busy, versatile sound mixer, then a second career as a valued educator
• Ish Garcia, mixed it this year, he’s almost as old as me with a better attitude

My sincere thanks to each of you. To those who have passed, you are missed, we raised a glass to your memory at the post-parade meeting.

This column began as a look at longevity in entertainment television. Through forty Rose Parades and more than ten times that many award shows and specials, I can tell you without question that it isn’t about numbers, it isn’t about what people think of as “prestigious” shows, it isn’t even about working in wonderful locations (that said, I recommend Town Park in Telluride if it is offered). It is entirely about the people.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Oh yeah, the four answers.

  1. P
  2. Yes
  3. Mine is broken
  4. Ready

CAS AWARD NOMINEES

The Cinema Audio Society announced the nominees for the 58th Annual CAS Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for 2021 in seven categories.

The 58th Annual Cinema Audio Society Awards returns as a live event on Saturday, March 19, 2022, in the Wilshire Grand Ballroom at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown.


Motion Picture – Live-Action

Dune


Mac Ruth CAS–Production Mixer
Ron Bartlett CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Douglas Hemphil CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Alan Meyerson CAS–Scoring Mixer
Tommy O’Connell–ADR Mixer
Don White–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: György Mihályi
Senior 1st AS, Áron Havasi 1st AS, Eliza Zolnai 2nd AS

No Time to Die


Simon Hayes CAS–Production Mixer
Paul Massey CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Mark Taylor–Re-recording Mixer
Al Clay–Scoring Mixer
Stephen Lipson–Scoring Mixer
Mark Appleby–ADR Mixer
Adam Mendez CAS–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Arthur Fenn Key 1st AS, Robin Johnson 1st AS, Ben Jeffes 2nd AS/Sound Coordinator, Millie-Ackerman Blankley Sound Trainee, 2nd Unit: Tom Barrow–Sound Mixer, Loveday Harding 1st AS, Frankie Renda Sound Trainee

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spider-Man from Columbia Pictures’ SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME.


Willie Burton CAS–Production Mixer
Kevin O’Connell CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Tony Lamberti CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Warren Brown–Scoring Mixer
Howard London CAS–ADR Mixer
Randy K. Singer CAS–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Adam Mohundro Boom, Tyler Blythe Utility Sound,
Thomas Doolittle

The Power of the Dog


Richard Flynn–Production Mixer
Robert Mackenzie–Re-recording Mixer
Tara Webb–Re-recording Mixer
Graeme Stewart–Scoring Mixer
Steve Burgess–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Sandy Wakefield 1st AS, Jessica McNamara 2nd AS, Lisa Leota 2nd AS

West Side Story

Ariana DeBose as Anita and David Alvarez as Bernardo in 20th Century Studios’ WEST SIDE STORY. Photo by Niko Tavernise. © 2021 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.


Tod Maitland CAS–Production Mixer
Andy Nelson CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Gary Rydstrom CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Shawn Murphy–Scoring Mixer
Doc Kane CAS–ADR Mixer
Frank Rinella–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Jerry Yuen, Mike Scott, Terence McCormack Maitland


Motion Picture – Animated

Encanto


Paul McGrath CAS–Original Dialogue Mixer
David E. Fluhr CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Gabriel Guy CAS–Re-recording Mixer
David Boucher CAS–Song Mixer
Alvin Wee–Scoring Mixer
Doc Kane CAS–ADR Mixer
Scott Curtis–Foley Mixer

Luca


Vince Caro CAS–Original Dialogue Mixer
Christopher Scarabosio CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Tony Villaflor–Re-recording Mixer
Greg Hayes–Scoring Mixer
Jason Butler–Foley Mixer
Richard Duarte–Foley Mixer

Raya and the Last Dragon


Paul McGrath CAS–Original Dialogue Mixer
David E. Fluhr CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Gabriel Guy CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Alan Meyerson CAS–Scoring Mixer
Doc Kane CAS–ADR Mixer
Scott Curtis–Foley Mixer

Sing 2


Edward Sutton–Original Dialogue Mixer
Gary A. Rizzo CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Juan Peralta–Re-recording Mixer
Alan Meyerson CAS–Scoring Mixer
Robert Edwards–ADR Mixer
Frank Rinella–Foley Mixer


The Mitchells vs.The Machines


Brian Smith–Original Dialogue Mixer
Aaron Hasson–Original Dialogue Mixer
Tony Lamberti CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Michael Semanick CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Brad Haehnel–Scoring Mixer
John Sanacore CAS–Foley Mixer


Motion Picture – Documentary

Becoming Cousteau


Tony Volante CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Phil McGowan CAS–Scoring Mixer

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Nina Simone performs at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved


Emily Strong–Production Mixer
Paul Hsu–Re-recording Mixer
Roberto Fernandez CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Paul Massey CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Jimmy Douglas–Music Mixer
Production Sound Team: Alan Chow, Aisha Hallgren, Rich Mach, Mike Stahr, Emily Strong

The Velvet Underground


Leslie Shatz–Re-recording Mixer

Tina


Caleb A. Mose–Production Mixer
Lawrence Everson CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Phil McGowan CAS–Scoring Mixer
Production Sound Team: Patrick Becker, Charles Mead, Paddy Boland, Sam Kashefi, Raymond Anderegg, Adrienne Wade

Val


Michael Haldin–Production Mixer
John Bolen–Re-recording Mixer
Garth Stevenson–Scoring Mixer
Mitch Dorf–ADR Mixer


Non-Theatrical Motion Pictures or Limited Series

Hawkeye
Ep. 3 “Echoes”


Pud Cusack CAS–Production Mixer
Thomas Myers CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Danielle Dupre–Re-recording Mixer
Casey Stone CAS–Scoring Mixer
Doc Kane CAS–ADR Mixer
Kevin Schultz–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Max Osadchenko, Matt Derber, Patrick Anderson, Paul Katzman, Josh Tamburo, Ken Strain, Robert Maxfield, Alana Knutson, Michael P. Clark, James B. Appleton

Mare of Easttown
Ep. 6 “Sore Must Be the Storm”


Richard Bullock–Production Mixer
Joseph DeAngelis CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Chris Carpenter–Re-recording Mixer
Production Sound Team: Tanya Peele, Kelly Lewis

The Underground Railroad
Chapter 10 “Mabel”


Joseph White Jr. CAS–Production Mixer
Onnalee Blank CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Mathew Waters CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Geoff Foster–Scoring Mixer
Kari Vahakuopus–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Alfredo Viteri, Tyler Blythe, Timothy R. Boyce, Alexander Lowe

WandaVision Ep. 8
“Previously On”


Christopher Giles CAS–Production Mixer
Danielle Dupre–Re-recording Mixer
Casey Stone CAS–Scoring Mixer
Doc Kane CAS–ADR Mixer
Frank Rinella–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Kurt Petersen, John Harton

WandaVision Ep. 9
“The Series Finale”


Christopher Giles CAS–Production Mixer
Michael Piotrowski CAS–Production Mixer
Danielle Dupre–Re-recording Mixer
Casey Stone CAS–Scoring Mixer
Doc Kane CAS–ADR Mixer
Malcolm Fife–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Kurt Petersen, John Harton


Television Series: One Hour

Squid Game
S1 Ep. 7 “VIPS”


Park Hyeon-Soo–Production Mixer
Kang Hye-young–Re-recording Mixer
Serge Perron–Re-recording Mixer
Cameron Sloan–ADR Mixer

Succession
S3 Ep. 1 “Secession”


Ken Ishii CAS–Production Mixer
Andy Kris–Re-recording Mixer
Nicholas Renbeck–Re-recording Mixer
Tommy Vicari CAS–Scoring Mixer
Mark DeSimone CAS–ADR Mixer
Micah Blaichman–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Peter Deutscher, Michael McFadden, Luigi Pini

The Morning Show
S2 Ep. 1 “My Least Favorite Year”


William B. Kaplan CAS–Production Mixer
Elmo Ponsdomenech CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Jason “Frenchie” Gaya–Re-recording Mixer
Carter Burwell–Scoring Mixer
Brian Smith–ADR Mixer
James Howe–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Alexander
Burstein
Boom Operator, Tommy
Giordano
2nd Boom, Sound Tech,
Krysten Kabzenell Utility Sound

The White Lotus
S1 Ep. 5 “The Lotus Eaters”


Walter Anderson CAS–Production Mixer
Christian Minkler CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Ryan Collins–Re-recording Mixer
Jeffrey Roy CAS–ADR Mixer
Randy Wilson–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Sabi Tulok Boom, Nohealani NihipaliDay Sound Utility

Yellowstone
S4 Ep. 1 “Half the Money”


Andrejs Prokopenko–Production Mixer
Diego Gat CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Samuel Ejnes CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Michael Miller CAS–ADR Mixer
Chris Navarro CAS–ADR Mixer
Production Sound Team: Andrew Chavez, Danny Gray


Television Series: Half Hour

Cobra Kai
S3 Ep. 10 “December 19”


Michael Filosa CAS–Production Mixer
Joseph DeAngelis CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Chris Carpenter–Re-recording Mixer
Phil McGowan CAS–Scoring Mixer
Marilyn Morris–ADR Mixer
Michael S. Head–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Matt Robinson, Daniel Pruitt, Tiffany Mack

Only Murders in the Building
S1 Ep. 3 “How Well Do You Know Your Neighbors?”


Joseph White Jr. CAS–Production Mixer
Mathew Waters CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Lindsey Alvarez CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Alan DeMoss–Scoring Mixer
Stiv Schneider–ADR Mixer
Karina Rezhevska–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Jason Benjamin, Timothy R. Boyce Jr.

Ted Lasso
S2 Ep. 5 “Rainbow”


David Lascelles AMPS–Production Mixer
Ryan Kennedy–Re-recording Mixer
Sean Byrne CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Brent Findley CAS MPSE–ADR Mixer
Jamison Rabbe–ADR Mixer
Arno Stephanian CAS MPSE–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Emma Chilton, Andrew Mawson, Michael Fearon

The Book of Boba Fett
S1 Ep. 1 “Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land”


Shawn Holden CAS–Production Mixer
Bonnie Wild–Re-recording Mixer
Scott R. Lewis–Re-recording Mixer
Alan Meyerson CAS–Scoring Mixer
Richard Duarte–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Patrick Martens, Veronica Kahn, Moe Chamberlain, Kraig Kishi, Cole Chamberlain

What We Do in the Shadows
S3 Ep. 4 “The Casino”


Rob Beal–Production Mixer
Diego Gat CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Samuel Ejnes CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Mike Tehrani–ADR Mixer
Stacey Michaels CAS–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Ryan Longo, Camille Kennedy


Television Non-Fiction, Variety or Music – Series or Specials

Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry


Jae Kim–Production Mixer
Elmo Ponsdomenech CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Jason “Frenchie” Gaya–Re-recording Mixer
Aron Forbes–Scoring Mixer
Jeffrey Roy CAS–ADR Mixer
Shawn Kennelly–Foley Mixer

Bo Burnham: Inside
Bo Burnham–Production Mixer
Joel Dougherty–Re-recording Mixer

Formula 1:
Drive to Survive
S3 Ep. 9 “Man on Fire”


Doug Dreger–Production Mixer
Nick Fry–Re-recording Mixer
Steve Speed–Re-recording Mixer

McCartney 3, 2, 1
Ep. 1


Laura Cunningham–Production Mixer
Gary A. Rizzo CAS–Re-recording Mixer

The Beatles: Get Back Part 3


Peter Sutton (dec.)–Production Mixer
Michael Hedges CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Brent Burge–Re-recording Mixer
Alexis Feodoroff–Re-recording Mixer
Sam Okell–Music Mixer
Michael Donaldson–Foley Mixer


Oscar Sound Nominees

Belfast


Denise Yarde
Simon Chase
James Mather
Niv Adiri
Production Sound Team: Lawrence Meads, Jennifer Annor, Kate Morath, Jamie Nicholls

Dune


Mac Ruth
Mark Mangini
Theo Green
Doug Hemphill
Ron Bartlett
Production Sound Team: György Mihályi Senior 1st AS, Áron Havasi 1st AS, Eliza Zolnai 2nd AS

No Time to Die


Simon Hayes
Oliver Tarney
James Harrison
Paul Massey
Mark Taylor
Production Sound Team: Arthur Fenn Key 1st AS, Robin Johnson 1st AS, Ben Jeffes 2nd AS/Sound Coordinator, Millie-Ackerman Blankley Sound Trainee, 2nd Unit: Tom Barrow Sound Mixer, Loveday Harding 1st AS, Frankie Renda Sound Trainee

The Power of the Dog

THE POWER OF THE DOG (L to R): BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH as PHIL BURBANK, JESSE PLEMONS as GEORGE BURBANK in THE POWER OF THE DOG. Cr. KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIX © 2021


Richard Flynn
Robert Mackenzie
Tara Webb
Production Sound Team: Sandy
Wakefield 1st AS, Jessica
McNamara 2nd AS, Lisa Leota
2nd AS

West Side Story


Tod A. Maitland
Gary Rydstrom
Brian Chumney
Andy Nelson
Shawn Murphy
Production Sound Team: Jerry Yuen, Mike Scott, Terence McCormack Maitland


AMPS FILM AWARDS NOMINEES
Excellence in Sound for a Feature Film

Belfast


Denise Yarde
Simon Chase
James Mather
Niv Adiri
Production Sound Team: Lawrence Meads, Jennifer Annor, Kate Morath, Jamie Nicholls

Dune


Mac Ruth AMPS
György Mihályi
Doug Hemphill
Mark Mangini
Theo Green
Ron Bartlett
Production Sound Team: György Mihályi Senior 1st AS, Áron Havasi 1st AS, Eliza Zolnai 2nd AS

Last Night in Soho


Colin Nicolson AMPS
Colin Gregory AMPS
Julian Slater
Tim Cavagin AMPS
Production Sound Team: Colin Gregory Key 1st AS, Thayna Mclaughlin 1st AS, Pete Blaxill 2nd AS/Playback

No Time to Die


Simon Hayes AMPS
Arthur Fenn
Oliver Tarney
Paul Massey
Production Sound Team: Arthur Fenn Key 1st AS, Robin Johnson 1st AS,
Ben Jeffes 2nd AS/Sound Coordinator, Millie-Ackerman Blankley Sound Trainee, 2nd Unit: Tom Barrow Sound Mixer, Loveday Harding 1st AS, Frankie Renda Sound Trainee

West Side Story


Tod A. Maitland
Michael Scott
Brian Chumney
Gary Rydstrom
Andy Nelson
Production Sound Team: Jerry Yuen, Mike Scott, Terence McCormack Maitland


BAFTA Sound Nominees

Dune


Mac Ruth
Mark Mangini
Douglas Hemphill
Theo Green
Ron Bartlett
Production Sound Team: György Mihályi Senior 1st AS, Áron Havasi 1st AS, Eliza Zolnai 2nd AS

Last Night in Soho


Colin Nicolson
Julian Slater
Tim Cavagin
Dan Morgan
Production Sound Team: Colin Gregory Key 1st AS, Thayna Mclaughlin 1st AS, Pete Blaxill 2nd AS/Playback

No Time to Die


James Harrison
Simon Hayes
Paul Massey
Oliver Tarney
Mark Taylor
Production Sound Team: Arthur Fenn Key 1st AS, Robin Johnson 1st AS, Ben Jeffes 2nd AS/Sound Coordinator, Millie-Ackerman Blankley Sound Trainee, 2nd Unit: Tom Barrow Sound Mixer, Loveday Harding 1st AS, Frankie Renda Sound Trainee

A Quiet Place Part II


Erik Aadahl
Michael Barosky
Brandon Proctor
Ethan Van Der Ryn
Production Sound Team: Gillian Arthur Boom Operator, Michael McFadden Utility Sound Technician

West Side Story


Brian Chumney
Tod Maitland
Andy Nelson
Gary Rydstrom
Production Sound Team: Jerry Yuen, Mike Scott, Terence McCormack Maitland

Names in Bold are Local 695 members

The M1 Pro & Max MacBook Pro’s from Apple

by James Delhauer

The digital revolution has certainly lived up to its name over the last few years. It’s odd to think that most of us working in film and television today still remember a time when the very concept of a digital workflow was a pipe dream; something that aspiring artists did to learn the craft. The first entirely digital film, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, was released more than twenty years ago using the earliest high-definition processes. The files recorded on that film (a term that doesn’t even technically apply) were revolutionary for the time but progress marches ever forward. Today, hardware capable of producing higher quality, images are available at your local Best Buy, and professional sets utilize devices capable of recording uncompressed 4K, 8K, and now even 12K images. All of that data needs to be processed. This year’s new MacBook Pro’s might be the tool that Local 695 technicians need to do it.

Whether you love or hate the Apple ecosystem of products, there is no denying that they’ve garnered respect in creative industries and have become one of the leading industry standards for artists around the world. Last year, Apple surprised the world when it announced that it would be abandoning its 15-year relationship with Intel and would begin producing its own line of processors for all products across the Mac line of personal computers. The new M1 processor debuted in the fall of 2020 in the 13-inch MacBook laptops and Mac Mini desktop, boasting impressive specifications at an even more impressive price point. Months later, a line of all-in-one iMac’s with identical specs was added to the M1 family. This first-generation M1 processor yielded promising results but its hardware specifications were well below what many considered necessary for a “professional” workstation. This caused users to turn toward the future, wondering when Apple would unveil new processors for its Pro series of products. After months of speculation and delays, attributed to the ongoing global chip shortage, the company announced its new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro’s, powered by M1 Pro and M1 Max processors.

The units offer a substantial jump in performance compared to the initial M1 lineup from last year, boasting 10-core central processing units (CPU’s) and 16-core Neural Engines with up to 32-core graphics processing units (GPU’s). One of the biggest critiques of the original M1 series was that Apple’s MacBooks, Mac Mini’s, and iMac models were all restricted to just 16gb of unified memory, a configuration in which memory is shared between the CPU and GPU rather than each unit having its own dedicated pool of RAM. The new units have raised this cap to 64gb, removing one of the largest performance bottlenecks facing power users. Apple has also introduced a brand-new Media Engine into their laptops, a hardware accelerated feature used to decode or encode ProRes, h.264, and HEVC codec video files. This frees up resources for the rest of the machine, significantly increasing productivity when working with these types of files. These improvements make the M1 Pro and Max laptops ideal for high-resolution transcodes, 3D rendering, and high track count audio work. In fact, Apple has gone so far as to boast that at max specifications, their $3,899 16-inch M1 Max units offer better 8K ProRes performance than the 28-core CPU version of their 2019 Mac Pro desktop, which retails for a minimum of $12,999 and up to $54,199 when fully upgraded.

Many users will also be delighted to learn that Apple has restored some of the previously discontinued input ports. The new MacBook Pro’s come equipped with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port for an external monitor, an SDXC card reader, and a dedicated charging port compatible with Apple MagSafe 3 chargers. This removes some of the need for expensive dongles and adapters that many have criticized since the 2016 refresh of the Apple notebook line. However, the company remains adamantly opposed to supporting aging interfaces like USB 3.0, CAT 5 Ethernet, and their own Thunderbolt 2 ports, meaning users will still require adapter docks for fairly standard external devices like hard drives, non-Apple brand external mouses & keyboards, and any type of networking equipment.

But bold claims from a trillion-dollar company can’t compare to hands-on experience, so I got my hands on a 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M1 Max processor and 64gb of RAM and put it head-to-head against my 2021 Alienware m15 R4 gaming laptop, which runs on an i7-10870H CPU, RTX 3080 GPU, 32gb of RAM, and Windows 10 Pro. The results were interesting to say the least.

For my tests, I downloaded or acquired samples of a variety of different file formats, including 8K ProRes 422 HQ, 4K DNxHQ, 6K BRAW, 4K h.264, 4K h.265, and 4K r3d files. All files were exported in UHD ProRes 422 HQ and h.264 at 40mbps, as these are the most commonly accepted industry delivery formats for broadcast and web content. All content was captured at 23.976 and was processed both in Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve.

The accompanying chart can be used for a full overview of the results but the upshot is that Apple has put a real contender on the market, which dominates the Alienware’s scores across the board, with an overwhelming advantage when it comes to ProRes content. Premiere Pro, long known for issues in terms of stability, crashed far less frequently on the Apple computer compared to the Windows one. DaVinci Resolve, though reasonably stable on both operating systems, seems to process content more efficiently in macOS. The Alienware struggled with 8K content across the board, quickly flagging VRAM errors if a sequence grew longer than a couple of minutes. The same error appeared when adding an included LUT and seven adjustment nodes to ProRes and h.264 footage. It only took four adjustment notes to generate these errors when working with DNxHQ or h.264 footage. Meanwhile, the M1 Max laptop kept chugging along, only throwing up a VRAM error when I hunted down a piece of 29.97 12K BRAW footage and added seventeen adjustment notes just for the purposes of trying to break the system. Interestingly, however, the Alienware did have a slight edge when it came to processing 4K r3d files captured on a camera from Red. This would seem to corroborate other online reports that Apple’s new flagship notebook struggles with Red video, suggesting that some further optimization is required. Whether this optimization will ultimately come from Red or Apple (if at all) remains to be seen.

My biggest question leading up to release was the issue of thermal throttling, a safety feature included in most modern systems to prevent overheating. If the processor reaches a certain temperature, the system reduces the amount of supplied power. While this protects the computer from melting its own hardware, it comes with a noticeable reduction in performance. This issue has made its way into the mainstream in recent years, as developers have struggled to pack as much power into the smallest possible gizmos and gadgets, with Apple having particular difficulty circumventing the issue. In 2019, MacBook Pro’s equipped with more expensive i9 processors had such a problem with thermal throttling that they often performed worse than units outfitted with cheaper i7 processors. The original M1 MacBook’s suffered from throttling issues as well, leading many to question whether it was possible to put that level of performance power into a 13-inch laptop.

While I cannot comment on the 14-inch model, the 16-inch M1 Max seems to have very few issues in terms of throttling. To test the issue, I transcoded thirty seconds of 8K ProRes 422 HQ to DNxHQ, which completed in twenty-seven seconds. I then created a two-hour timeline and filled it with files of various lengths, framerates, codecs, and resolutions—just to make the processor as angry as possible. After completing that render three hours later, I reran the original thirty second ProRes to DNxHQ test, which completed in twenty-nine seconds. A longer series of tests would be necessary to determine for sure but this would suggest that the issue of thermal throttling has been reduced, if not eliminated. This can likely be attributed to the low draw power of the unit, with high intensity tasks only drawing about forty watts for sustained usage. This trumps my Alienware, which achieves less impressive results on a 110-watt draw. In this instance, Apple really is able to do more with less, making the M1 Pro and Max MacBook’s two of the eco-friendlier workstations on the market.

Performance notwithstanding, the computer does feature some nice quality-of-life improvements. The divisive touch bar, first introduced in the 2016 edition of the MacBook Pro, has been removed, and the fragile tap pad keyboard interface has been replaced with a more traditional mechanical button setup. Typing on this computer feels nicer and, speaking as someone with joint problems in my hands, the softer impact when typing is much appreciated. The display is lovely and displays rich, contrasted colors that seem consistent with the iPhone XR and iPhone 13 Pro with which I was able to compare it. Out of a sense of nostalgic curiosity, I watched the aforementioned Attack of the Clones on this overpowered display, and while that film definitely shows its age, it looks and sounds spectacular on the MacBook Pro. The image is crisp, clear, and sharp and, more impressively for a laptop, the same can be said of the sound. It’s amazing how far we have come in just twenty years of digital filmmaking.

The M1 Pro retails starting at $1,999 for the 14-inch model and $2,499 for the 16-inch model, while the M1 Max will set you back $2,399 and $3,499 in those sizes respectively.

RF Over Fiber

by Delroy Leon Cornick Jr.

As working sound professionals, we all know the challenges and complexities of both cart placement and RF/signal management. Finding the perfect spot to place a sound cart can be a delicate balance between being close enough to properly record the scene and remain an integral part of the filmmaking process, yet far enough away that you’re not constantly having to move each time a new angle is filmed. Adding distance between the cart and set brings new challenges, thanks to ever shrinking available frequencies. While remoting antennas has gained in popularity via CAT 5/Dante, and wireless transmission for video remains popular, they require purchasing Dante-enabled gear or competing with other wireless equipment. RF over Fiber (RFoF) can work with any existing setup, and I’m a firm believer that adopting RFoF could be a game changer for our profession. It’s been used in the military and broadcasting for years and as the technology matures, the price has come down enough to be adopted by individual owner-operators.

RF over Fiber is the conversion and transmission of standard radio frequency signals into pulses of light through fiber optic cables, which have none of the loss of traditional copper. Where RG8 & LMR cables top out at around one hundred feet before needing amplification (especially at 2.4ghz), fiber-optic cables are capable of sending these same signals for miles with negligible loss. Now, we can be at the cart anywhere at a location with our antennas mere feet from set, down one cable, including picture. This could mean filming on the roof of a 10-story building with no elevator from the parking lot or in the middle of a dense forest while comfortably back at basecamp, since cable length is a non-issue. Utilizing fiber can also mean shooting a quick scene three blocks away without having to leave your original location. Since we can simply place our antennas just out of frame, signal dropouts are nearly a thing of the past. My favorite fact about fiber? It doesn’t pass electricity, so it’s waterproof. Theoretically, one could film a scene on a boat … on a beach.

  • 1000’ spool of tactical fiber.
  • Fiber system on the set of an AFI short film
  • Mixing from the back of a truck, 300’ from set

What ties the whole system together are two sets of connectors, T-FOCA or Tactical Fiber Optic Cable Assembly. Designed for harsh environments, including oil and gas pipelines and military installations, these connectors can house 4-12 individual lines of fiber in a cable thinner than an XLR. Standard fiber-optic connectors are far too delicate for the realities of filmmaking. One of the most common reasons for the signal to not reach the other end is simply dirt. Having a fiber-optic cleaning tool is often the difference between getting a signal and not, considering an individual fiber strand is thinner than a human hair.

Being that far away from the set absolutely does come with challenges. It’s impossible to run in every time in between to give notes or to adjust a lav. There is no opportunity to give a visual cue that a take was no good or that we’re OK to move on. It is imperative that at this distance, one has competent and qualified boom operators and utilities who can relay information quickly and clearly. It also helps when a director wears their IFB.

Delroy Cornick at his sound cart
  • Receivers and IFB modules at the rear of the cart
  • T-Foca II connector with RF inputs
  • SDI video input

Speaking of directors, making sure they understand that you may be slightly farther away during some scenes is important. I’ve found that remaining close by and visible for any setups where there is room for the cart goes a long way when it comes time to make the compromise to remain at a distance. Once they see how much time can be saved without any loss in sound quality, they (often) quickly understand.

With any new technology, there are going to be challenges. Before I had the custom Pelican case housing made by DataPro, walkie-talkies would cause interference and on very rare occasions, cause a slight signal hit. The remote gain and on-board recording feature of the Zaxcom transmitter was invaluable as a backup against this. Thankfully, the hits went away once the housing was created and better shielded cables were installed. Also, one thousand feet of cable, no matter how thin, gets to be heavy. Most of the cost is in the connectors so the difference between ten feet of fiber and one thousand feet was only a few hundred dollars. I recently purchased a 300’ reel, which is far easier to handle. What’s great about T-FOCA is that the connectors are hermaphroditic, and therefore, adding extra fiber only means attaching another set. If by accident, one thousand feet of fiber is cut at two hundred feet, for example, all one would have to do would be to add T-FOCA connectors on both cut ends, and all one thousand feet of fiber is still usable.

And of course, price. All in, this system cost me about $8,500. Three RF modules at $1,500 each, one thousand feet of T-Foca fiber cable at $1,500, T-FOCA Break-Out/Break-In Assemblies at $800, the DataPro Pelican case at $900, the Decimator Quad Splitter at $400, and another $500 or so in various connectors, cables, and a copy of Patrushkha Mierzwa’s book, Behind the Sound Cart, which is excellent.

Here are photos of the system designed with assistance from RFOptic, FISBlue, and DataPro:

  • Inside the case: AB&C fiber modules D: SDI-Over Fiber
  • with AC battery
  • AC power
  • Pelican case insert designed by the author and made by DataPro
  • T-FOCA II connected and video cables connected.

Modules A&B take in the RF signal via RF Venue’s Diversity Fin antenna. Module C is the 2.4ghz IFB return from the cart out of an RF Venue CP Beam. All three RFOptic modules are capable of converting from 0.01mhz-2.5ghz, easily covering 500mhz & 2.4ghz. Module D is the SDI over fiber converter. This is fed from the BNC output of a 4×1 Decimator Quad Split. These four lines are then fed into the Break-In end of the T-FOCA connector mounted on the side of a custom-designed Pelican 1600 case. On the outside of the case are the T-FOCA connector, three BNC connectors for Dual UHF, and 2.4ghz Zaxnet on the left panel; and on the right are four BNC inputs for SDI Video and one HDMI output from the Decimator Quad View. On the opposite side of the Pelican is an AC input. The entire case can run on either AC power or a basic laptop charging battery with AC outputs.

At the cart end are a Break-Out cable assembly feeding the opposite modules (A&B), receiving the signal and sending RF out via SMA into the Zaxcom Mic-Plexer. The Nomad’s IFB output via SMA feeds the third module (C). Each module, including SDI, powers via both AC and DC power.

Willie Burton on Spider-Man: No Way Home

by Richard Lightstone CAS AMPS

Marvel’s live-action Spider-Man films have grossed more than $6.3 billion to date at the global box office. The most current iteration, Spider-Man: No Way Home, is to be released on December 17, and the fan anticipation is as strong as ever. The teaser trailer alone had a record 355.5 million views in its first day!

Spider-Man with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch)

Willie Burton CAS and Local 695 Boom Operator Adam Mohundro traveled to Fayetteville, Georgia, and the Trilith Studios to begin the film in November of 2020, wrapping at the end of March this year.

The first thing Willie encountered was that he and his crew did not get a script, as Marvel is extremely sensitive about any plot leaks.

“You don’t know what to expect, and so in prepping for the show, you take everything. You can’t leave anything out because you have to be ready for whatever they want.” Willie continues, “You don’t even know what’s going to happen until you get a call sheet. But you can’t read the script and prepare. They did give me sides, because they know that I have to follow the cues. They gave sides to my boom and utility person, but they blacked out most of the words. Anything that they thought might be plot information in the dialog was blacked out, so they had to look at my sides.”

Willie upgraded his package to a Zaxcom Deva 24 and the Mix 16 to be prepared for the additional tracks he would need. The majority of the show was shot on the sound stages and the backlot of Trilith Studios, where they had New York street sets. Willie’s key microphones are the Schoeps CMIT 5U and the Sennheiser MKH50.

MJ (Zendaya) with Spider-Man (Tom Holland)

“I love the MKH50 when the shots are not real wide,” says Willie. “In our ‘New York City’ portion, we’re able to boom a lot. Picture Editorial requested that we use the boom whenever we could because they wanted a good mix track. We had the wireless tracks, but they liked the mix track better with the boom. They said, ‘The more you can, use the boom. So I decided to just go with the boom. I’m old school-new school, so I always like to use the boom first.’”
This was the first time Willie worked with Director John Watts, whom he liked a lot and found him to be easy to work with. “My team worked hard and did what we needed to do. John wanted playback all the time of different sound effects, so we had to be ready. But he’s great, and we really had a great time with him.

“One day, John calls me over and says, ‘You want to be an actor today? Do you want to play a part?’ I said sure, ‘Okay, dress Willie up.’ So, I went to makeup and wardrobe and a little hair touch up. I played the nosy next-door neighbor. They gave me these grocery bags, you know, just like in New York. I’m coming in, walking down the hallway, and I hear this noise and I’m just trying to see what’s going on. The door was half-cracked open, and so I’m peeping in the door and say, ‘What’s going on in there?’ If it’s not cut out, I’m the nosy next-door neighbor!”

MJ with Spider-Man

Willie’s walk-on became even bigger when the Post Supervisor called him to do some additional lines in ADR. He went to Disney Studios and was very pleased to have ADR legend Doc Kane recording his five additional lines.

When Tom Holland, who plays Spider-Man, was in his suit, Willie wired him with a Lectrosonics SSM. The costumers found the perfect place to put the microphone and transmitter.

Willie explains, “The Costume Department was so incredible. They were really good. We liked them so much, they assisted us with putting the mics on the costumes. At the end of the show, we gave all of the on-set costumers gift certificates. We really appreciated the work they did. They saved us because they wanted some of the actors to be wired before they come to the set. Some of the other actors would be wired on set, but between both combinations the Costume Department really worked with us, I can’t thank them enough.”

There was quit a lot of green screen and blue screen scenes, especially for Spider-Man flying through the air, as well as a great deal of stunt work and lots of camera cranes. Many of the setups had scenes with the actors running on scaffolding. Willie and crew faced a problem with the decking resonating against the scaffold rails. He ingeniously had the top of the rails layered with gaffer’s tape and voila, the distracting noise was eliminated.

The film was under strict COVID protocols. Willie continues, “The COVID compliance people were very professional, and of course, we had to wear masks all day. We tried to keep our distance from each other. Myself and the Video Playback person kept four or five feet apart, and we did everything that was required. Adam, the Boom Operator, and the local Atlanta utility also wore face shields when wiring the actors or when working on set. They tested three times a week, and I only needed to be tested twice weekly. Fortunately for us, it wasn’t too hot most of the time. The weather was pretty nice.”

Willie wraps up his experience on the show. “It was a great crew. We had a good time, we worked hard, and I think it’s going to be an incredible movie. I really like what we did.”

The Harder They Fall

@2021THE HARDER THEY FALL (C: L-R): REGINA KING as TRUDY SMITH, ZAZIE BEETZ as MARY FIELDS. CR: DAVID LEE/NETFLIX © 2021

by Anthony Ortiz CAS

While working on location in Hawaii on a sunny Sunday afternoon, I received an email from the New Mexico production office for Netflix’s The Harder They Fall, confirming the script, written and directed by Jeymes Samuel, was on its way. Ten pages into my read, it was very clear that the music references in the script were going to be as essential and important as any performer or character in the film. I put the script down for a few minutes, opened a music app, and started my read again from scene one. Headphones on pulling up the music cues that Jeymes had noted in the script.

THE HARDER THEY FALL (L-R): JONATHAN MAJORS as NAT LOVE, DELROY LINDO as BASS REEVES, RJ CYLER as JIM BECKWOURTH. CR: DAVID LEE/NETFLIX © 2021

It is rare that I read a script all at once, but I found myself unable to pull away from the pages. The Old West was illustrated in a way never represented before, a truthful exploration of mid/late nineteenth-century pioneers, lawmen, women, and outlaws.

Next on the agenda, my first virtual meeting with Jeymes.

I grew up in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, on the outskirts of San Juan, and Afro-Caribbean rhythms were a big part of my upbringing, and music is what lead my path to Production Sound. My conversation with Jeymes in our first meeting drifted immediately into the music aspect of the film, and the influence music had on both our careers. This first conversation and the ones that followed, put into perspective Jeymes’ vision, and I began putting together a plan for our preproduction phase for The Harder They Fall.

THE HARDER THEY FALL (L-R): ZAZIE BEETZ as MARY FIELDS, JONATHAN MAJORS as NAT LOVE. CR: DAVID LEE/NETFLIX © 2021

Boom Operator Douglas Shamburger and Sound Utility Nick Ronzio joined the sound team. Doug is an outstanding Boom Operator with decades of feature films on his résumé, and Nick’s years in the field and vast Pro Tools knowledge were instrumental to our production soundtrack success. Joining us locally from our sister New Mexico Local 480 was Phillip Blahd (2020 Academy Award winner), and David Sickles, who was able to help with additional units and personnel.

The Harder They Fall was shot entirely on location, the majority of the shoot about forty-five minutes outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the Tom Ford Ranch, where Production Designer Martin Whist and his team built a four-block-long mid 1800s Western town. Most of the film was exteriors, which came with its challenges for our team, and the entire shooting crew.

THE HARDER THEY FALL (L-R): REGINA KING as TRUDY SMITH, IDRIS ELBA as RUFUS BUCK, LAKEITH STANFIELD as CHEROKEE BILL. CR: DAVID LEE/NETFLIX © 2021
Boom Operator Douglas Shamburger overlooking “Douglastown” and Stagecoach Mary’s Saloon.

One of our biggest challenges on location in New Mexico was the harsh environment, not only the physical daily grind of location access, weather, and equipment transportation, but the RF noise floor, which to my surprise was extremely crowded. The U.S. military has a big presence in this region, so the first call of order every day, even when at the same location, was the coordination of all needed frequencies. Each day, I stood at the foot of our tailgate, looking as far as the eye could see into miles and miles of vast empty and beautiful New Mexico landscape, where it was hard to comprehend how crowded the bandwidth was. It was as crowded as any major city like downtown Los Angeles or NYC.

The next day could bring a completely different scenario on the airwaves. Lectrosonics Wireless Designer made our efforts much easier to scan, manage and coordinate frequencies in a more efficient manner.

Boom Operator Doug Shamburger on the roof and Anthony Ortiz CAS below

There is a great opportunity to do some preliminary RF scanning while on location scouts and start understanding what is coming your way with coordination and allocation of frequencies during production. The RF Explorer, in conjunction with Touchstone RF spectrum analyzer software, are great tools which allow us to put in perspective in real time what we will be faced with.

One important step is to reach out to the AD or Production Department to find out who the vendor is for the walkie rentals. The rental company might have an in-house frequency coordinator and see if they can provide a list of the walkie frequencies intended to be in use (sometimes called a conventional personality list). The 400MHz range seems to be popular for walkie frequencies, so it is very important we take that into consideration.

Anthony Ortiz, Production Sound Mixer, mixing from inside a set structure in the town of Redwood.

After I had a better understanding of director Jeymes Samuel’s expectations, I decided that the need for more tracks was going to be essential. I had a Sound Devices 688 as my main recorder, with the CL-12 as my control surface. Moving onto a recorder that provided more than twelve tracks was a must as The Harder They Fall had such a large ensemble cast, live instrument recordings in our saloon scenes, more tracks needed to capture sound effects of our period wagons, horses, weapons, and stagecoaches. My experience with Sound Devices was more than positive, so transitioning to the
32-track Sound Devices Scorpio was the obvious choice for me.

We were originally scheduled to begin principal photography March 2020. On the last few days of our pre-production work, COVID-19 hit and the project was halted. With the cast and crew safety as a priority, commencing filming was to be postponed until further notice. After a few months at home, our Line Producer, G. Mac Brown, got in touch with great news; a new start date for The Harder They Fall was set, and we would head back to New Mexico in early September.

Last day of photography (L-R): David Lee, Still Photographer, Sound Utility Nick Ronzio, Anthony Ortiz, Douglas Shamburger, and our Honorary Sound Department member, Teamsters brother Rob Elliott-Barry

I had sent my production sound package back to Los Angeles until the film was to resume, and fortunately, the new Sound Devices CL-16 control surface was released. I had been eagerly awaiting its arrival, as I knew the CL-16 was going to help make our efforts on The Harder They Fall much more efficient with its new features and capabilities.

While at home, what a better time to focus on incorporating the CL-16 into my main cart; go back to the bench to make a few new cables, trips to a machine shop to make some custom parts, gain some CL-16 flight hours to increase confidence, and speed navigating the new features and menus. Having worked with the CL-12 until then, the transition came with ease.

We returned to New Mexico in September with the new health and safety COVID-19 protocols in place. It was a fresh start with a new schedule, revised script notes, and making sure our needs had not changed during our long break. Pretty much of our plan of action was the same, with the sole exception that our saloon live music recordings were now changed to prerecorded tracks for playback, due to COVID-19 safety protocols.

Mood music during setups and rehearsals was an essential part on most days for Jeymes. Nick and I worked on putting together a system that would allow Jeymes to play music tracks from his cellphone that we could independently feed to his headsets, giving him the ability to play any track during a setup or rehearsal that could assist with the tone, rhythm, movement, or choreography of a scene.

Anthony Ortiz at his cart on location outside Santa Fe, NM.

A long-range stereo Bluetooth receiver was our choice for this setup, (S.M.S.L. B1 stereo CSR 4.2 receiver) connected to a 2-channel portable mixer. The left output fed the on-set battery-powered speaker, which usually stayed on Jeymes’ video cart, that our Video Playback Operator, Scott Wetzel, very kindly helped to integrate. The right output went to a Lectrosonics SMV transmitter, with that signal coming to my cart, and also fed to a Lectrosonics T1 IFB transmitter, giving Jeymes control of the volume on both the speaker and his Lectrosonics R1 IFB receiver and headset.

When scripted music playback was needed, we took over the task, with Pro Tools being our DAW of choice. The setup got more complex when speakers with wireless feeds were needed. For example, in a scene were Trudy Smith (Regina King) and Cherokee Bill (LaKeith Stanfield) walk across town to meet with Wiley Escoe (Deon Cole); we had speakers set up all around town, plus a wireless feed to a battery-operated speaker (Behringer Europort MPA40BT) on a Grip Trix camera cart a few feet away from our actors. Jeymes wanted the actors’ steps to be in sync with the tempo of the music, keeping it consistent on all camera setups, angles, and takes.

We also put together an additional public address sound cart system that served as a “VOG” that could also double as an external playback system allowing us to, as Jeymes liked to say, “blast the town.” The idea of having this cart was that we could roll it off the truck and be ready to go, with at least one functioning battery-powered speaker until AC power was available.

Ortiz with David Bach, Dialog Editor

The cart was made up of an Alto TX208-powered speaker, a Behringer BN1200D-Pro Eurolive active subwoofer, an EV ZLX12P-powered speaker, a battery-operated Behringer Europort MPA40BT portable speaker, and another EV ZLX12P speaker as a satellite deployment unit. A Sound Devices 442 gave us input control on the music source, and two “VOG” mics were Sennheiser E835 dynamic handhelds, with thumb switches, HMa transmitters and Lectrosonics LR, and 411 receivers.

Some days, in the name of safety, the volume of music was requested by our horse wranglers, as the horses were very sensitive to loud noises and sudden movements.

One key aspect of our success as the production sound team on The Harder They Fall was our communication within the department. Having a dedicated private comms system that could allow Doug, Nick, and I to speak freely at any point during setups, takes, or rehearsals, but also keeping the conversations private.

Doug and Nick wore Lectrosonics LT transmitters that I had assigned to channels 15 and 16 on the Scorpio, pre-fade, routed to a custom headphone mix and their IEM’s bus feed; push-to-talk surveillance mics converted to T5 connectors. Their in-ear monitors are Wisycom MPR50’s with a Wisycom MTP40S transmitter on my main cart. I chose the portable transmitter unit so I could quickly remove it from the main cart and use it on my portable “bag” rig.

Wind, wind, and more wind. I was very fortunate to be advised by fellow mixers, prior to arriving in New Mexico, that the wind could sometimes be very aggressive. That’s an understatement! Nick Ronzio, our Sound Utility, did his homework and prepared himself for the battle of the wind, and very successfully was able to keep it from contaminating our production tracks.

Boom Operator Doug Shamburger also had his work cut out for him with the open boom mics. The Cinela PIA-Piano and Cinela COSI came in handy to mitigate wind on whichever mic was decided to be at the end of the boom pole.

The wind was so strong on a handful of days that we found refuge inside our truck with the main recording and utility carts. The wind shook our truck side to side, while the cast and shooting crew were protected inside. The powered Betso antennas took a dive at some point. In one scene, where Trudy Smith tells Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz) her sister’s story, you can probably see the evidence of the wind gusts happening on the main street, out the window.

Collaboration was the key to our team efforts. Weeks before the start of production, I flew out to New Mexico for our technical scout. I always find this process extremely helpful, as you get the opportunity to meet most department heads and their keys, start conversations on potential challenges, and together find solutions to any potential issues.

The magnificent costumes were designed by Costume Designer Antoinette Messam. I began a conversation with Antoinette and she and her team immediately made themselves available offering her ideas on what the costumes designs were going to be. Even with last-minute changes, we were able to work together to accommodate our lavalier and radio mic transmitter placements.

In a scene were Cuffy (Danielle Deadwyler) and Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) rob a bank, Cuffy is wearing a form-fitting red dress and as she gets off the horse, her movement made it impossible for the lav to be in her dress, but her bonnet hat saved the day! Working with one of our onset costumers, Nick was able to install both the mic and transmitter in the hat, and the costumer looked after it during the few days of filming. A battery change, a quick check to make sure all was in place, and we were ready to go!

Generator placement was also an essential part of our technical scouts, as we were filming in the expansive ranches of Santa Fe; empty land as far as the eye can see. Generator noise really travels, especially when the wind picks up. The art and construction departments built structures that could hide generators and keep the low rumble to a minimum. If that wasn’t possible, then the rigging grips and the Construction Department had portable baffles made that could be deployed when needed.

Once we left our Western town sets, some of our locations were accessible only by ATV. Our Transportation Department provided an ATV for our “all-wheel drive sound cart.” Our Teamster Driver and honorary sound team member, Rob Elliott-Barry. took such good care of us, with smooth driving and even some tire repairs.

The daily cooperation and teamwork on set was supreme, with tremendous help from Grip, Electric, Camera, AD’s, Locations, Art, and other departments achieving our goal of providing Jeymes with the best production tracks possible.

Once the first day of filming is behind us, we often do not get the opportunity to have direct contact with the Post Production Sound Editing team that will be working with our production tracks. As on all my projects, I establish communication with the Picture Editorial team, and I had the opportunity to visit the cutting room that was set up in our production office. Having conversations with Picture Editor Tom Eagle, and First Assistant Editor John Sosnovsky, gave me the chance to better understand and address their needs.

The Post Sound team usually comes on board after the film has wrapped. In most cases, we are already working on another project, perhaps not in the same city. Keeping in touch with our Post Production Supervisor, Jason Miller, gave me the opportunity to catch up with the Sound Post team a few months after wrap. I had the chance to spend a few hours at the post facility in Los Angeles of David Bach, Dialog Editor and ADR Supervisor. David was working on some scenes, and multiple Academy Award and BAFTA recipient Richard King served as the Supervising Sound Editor and Re-recording Mixer with his team.

Having the opportunity to hear and view how our production tracks and efforts during filming were falling into place was the most rewarding learning experience I’ve had as a Production Sound Mixer.

What really caught my attention was the use of lavs and boom mics and how they were mixed to maximize the overall sonic quality of the voice. Having the choices between boom, plants, and lavs gave them the ability to enhance our work in the most positive ways, which was the ultimate goal.

Working with Writer-Director Jeymes Samuel on Netflix’s The Harder They Fall has been the highlight of my production mixing career. Our fearless leader Jeymes brought the most positive energy to set every single day without fail. His tremendous cinematic vision was an honor to watch, but most importantly, his understanding, consideration, and support of the craft of sound was unprecedented. He allowed and inspired us to come to set every day, bringing our best game forward. Thank you to my crew of Doug Shamburger and Nick Ronzio for their hard work under some difficult conditions, masks, goggles, shields, and all!

Ric Rambles and Reflects

by Ric Teller

Straight, a Nebraska horn rock band, taping a television special in 1975

As I write this, it is mid-October, and a tentative agreement has been made in our labor negotiations. By the time this is published, I truly hope a satisfactory contract settlement has been approved and we are working. In 1985, while I was on staff at KTLA in Los Angeles, we went out on strike. While we picketed the gates on Bronson and Van Ness Avenues, some of the older fellows recounted their early days working in television. In the spirit of their memory:

Why did you choose this line of work? How did you start? What piqued your interest? Who inspired you to pursue this career? Why didn’t you go to college and get a real job?

OK, that last one might have been written by my mother.

Everyone has a unique story. In conversations, I’ve discovered that a few of us dreamed of this life from an early age. Many fell into it from being a musician, some by working as a touring sound engineer, others are following a family legacy, and a few grew up with the idea that carrying a Nagra on the beach was glamorous.

Here’s mine.

Some of you know me. I’m an A2 and sometimes a game show PA mixer. My first IATSE job in television began forty years ago at KTLA. But how did I get here?

(Cue the wavy lines and harp gliss)

First, the earth cooled. That event was followed by a remarkable series of coincidences.

In the fifth grade, my neighbor, Chuck Bauer, and I decided to play the trombone. His cousin was a trombone player, and that was reason enough for us.

While I was in high school, Al Kooper placed a horn section at the forefront of his band, Blood, Sweat & Tears. Other horn bands followed, creating a need for trombone players.
In college, a band named Straight that had plans to record an album in California asked me to play trombone and sometimes drive their bus.

When the band days ended, I happened to be on a whale-watch cruise off Dana Point, wearing a T-shirt from Sound 80, a popular Minneapolis recording studio. The logo caught the eye of a recording engineering student at Golden West College. We chatted and a couple of months later, I enrolled and attended as a part-time student.

When school ended, after three months of job searching, I happened to spot an ad in the Los Angeles Times for an entry-level position in the KTLA engineering department.

John DeMuth, KTLA Chief Engineer, at his retirement party.

John DeMuth was the chief engineer at KTLA. He was a television pioneer and genius. I walked into his office, a modest, cluttered room piled high with manuals and equipment in various stages of disassembly. John moved a pile of papers from the chair near his desk. I sat down and handed him my résumé, which made its way to one of the piles of papers without ever crossing his field of vision. He looked around on his desk for a moment and picked up a small electronic part.

John: “Do you know what this is?”
Me: “Yes, it’s a 22K quarter-watt resistor.”
John: “Can you start today?”
And I knew at that moment that the interview was over. I started working in television.

At retirement party. DeMuth, third from left.
At retirement party. Brian Weisbrod, Engineering Clerk; John Cook, Engineer; Craig Debban, Engineer; Ric Teller, Engineering Clerk; Bob Henke, Engineer; Bob Spears, Engineer; Dick Browning, Engineer. Cook, Debban, Spears, and Browning were longtime KTLA Engineers.

My first two years at that iconic station were spent as a clerk working for John and the rest of the talented staff in the amazing engineering maintenance department. I’m sure I learned more than I realized at the time and was fascinated by the abilities of the maintenance engineers and the crews that worked on the wide variety of shows that were taping on that historic lot. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be asked to join them, and yet somehow with a résumé consisting of, “I can lift heavy things and drive a forklift,” I graduated to the position of schlepper. The differences between clerk and schlepper were substantial. The clerk job was more clerical (duh), no hands on the gear. The schlepper position had major benefits. First and foremost, it was a union job. I became a member of Local 695! I could now be asked to work on shows in addition to setting up gear and moving equipment from stage to stage (forklift).

That first year as a schlepper, when I checked the work schedule for the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, I was surprised to find myself on the list to work the Rose Parade. Since I was new, and at the bottom of the seniority list, I hadn’t done many shows and none away from the studio. For many of the engineering staff, the Rose Parade wasn’t great duty. The weather was occasionally uncooperative, and the hours, especially the extremely early call on parade morning, weren’t big selling points. I was elated. My first Rose Parade. It was 1982! That year, we used the Sun Television Truck. The EIC was Max Kirkland, a terrific engineer that I knew from his days at KTLA.

In Pasadena, the mixer, Jerry Pattison, instructed me to line up the mic-cable port-a-reels and run the lines out to the street for band mics, then run some manner of cables to the KTLA booth “high above Colorado Boulevard” for mics and IFB’s to be used by our hosts, Bob Eubanks and Stephanie Edwards (it was their first year hosting together). You must understand that I was completely new to all of this. In retrospect, I’m sure the audio and maintenance men on the call that year kept close watch so I wouldn’t mess things up. I’m pretty sure I didn’t, I got asked back the next year. And the next. After a while, I became a regular working on the audio crews and my education continued courtesy of mixers Ken Becker, Dick Sartor, and other terrific engineers. I am grateful for my time there and all I learned from John DeMuth and so many at KTLA. All these years later, I still use the lessons afforded me by those men.

In 1985, after my fourth parade, KTLA was talking about changing the nature of their business. They had been a bustling production facility, providing stages, equipment, crew, and more, for a widening number of content providers. Now they planned to get out of that part of the business. Sometime that spring, Ken Becker and I were having a chat (possibly at Denny’s Bar on Sunset), and this part I remember clearly, he told me to leave my job. It was one of those rare moments that, as you are in the middle of it, you know your decision will affect the rest of your life. To walk away from the steady staff position that paid more than I thought I would make in my life and go test the waters of the freelance market seemed … chancy. This wasn’t a dip-your-toes kind of move, it was all or nothing, but Ken had been particularly kind to me. I took his advice to heart and became a freelance member of Local 695.

Ken Becker, KTLA Audio Engineer

As for the Rose Parade, if all goes well, January 1, 2022, will be parade number forty, not a record but pretty good.

So, if Chuck Bauer’s cousin had played the cello.
If Al Kooper had stayed with The Blues Project.
If Straight had kept their other trombone player.
If I had worn any other shirt on the whale-watch cruise.
If I had not read the Times on the day KTLA advertised for an engineering clerk.

I might not be writing this column; I might never have gotten here.

I hope some of you will take the time to share your own personal stories.

2021 Creative Arts Emmy SOUND MIXING Winners

Compiled by Scott Marshall

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special

David Byrne’s
American Utopia

Paul Hsu–Re-recording Mixer
Michael Lonsdale–Production Mixer
Dane Lonsdale–Additional Sound Mixer
Pete Keppler–Music Mixer
Production Sound Team:
Betsy Nagler

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation

Ted Lasso
“The Hope That Kills You”

Ryan Kennedy–Re-recording Mixer
Sean Byrne–Re-recording Mixer
David Lascelles–Production Mixer
Production Sound Team:
Emma Chilton, Andrew Mawson, Michael Fearon

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

The Queen’s Gambit
“End Game”

Eric Hoehn–Re-recording Mixer
Eric Hirsch–Re-recording Mixer
Roland Winke–Production Mixer
Lawrence Manchester–Scoring Mixer
Production Sound Team: Thomas Wallis, Andre Schick, Bill McMillan

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)

The Mandalorian
“Chapter 13: The Jedi”

Bonnie Wild–Re-recording Mixer
Stephen Urata–Re-recording Mixer
Shawn Holden CAS–Production Mixer
Christopher Fogel–Scoring Mixer
Production Sound Team: Patrick H. Martens, Randy Johnson, Veronica Kahn, Patrick “Moe” Chamberlain, Kraig Kishi, Cole Chamberlain

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera)

David Attenborough:
A Life on Our Planet

Graham Wild–Re-recording Mixer

Names in bold are Local 695 members

The Global Chip Shortage

by James Delhauer

circuit-board and microchips in a zoom effect concept

As vaccination rates continue to rise and COVID case numbers steadily decline here in the United States, it feels as though we have turned a corner in the pandemic. Life begins to resemble its old self. However, the effects of this global event continue to be felt.

Technological developments spearheaded by a need for a remote society are here to stay. We are more reliant than ever on communication tools. A record 2.26 billion internet-enabled devices were sold in 2020. All of these gizmos and gadgets require resources to manufacture and the pandemic has strained supply lines. This has resulted in a global shortage of semiconductor chips, integrated circuits used in the manufacturing of electronic devices. This chip shortage has resulted in limited availability of consumer electronics across the markets worldwide, leading to sharp price increases on goods. However, this might just be the beginning. As the current estimates foresee the shortage lasting until 2023, this shortage will have long-term consequences across every tech-reliant industry. The industries of film and television will be no exception.

To understand this situation, some context is needed. Integrated circuits are complicated to manufacture. Specialized machinery is used to integrate components that would be far too small for the human hand to manipulate. This is a delicate task. The slightest contamination of dust is enough to disrupt the process. And so the machinery is housed in air-tight clean rooms and a conveyer system is used to pass components from clean room to clean room, so as to prevent any chance of contamination. This sort of assembly line is expensive to manufacture and it is common for semiconductor fabrication plant construction costs to reach four billion dollars. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s most valuable semiconductor company, estimates that its upcoming facility may reach costs of twenty billion.

Despite these exorbitant costs, fabrication plants are relatively short-term investments. The fabrication designs used in each plant are often obsolete within just a few years. As our need for faster and smarter devices grows, so do the demands we place on any given circuit board. A practical example is the 3.5-inch spinning disk hard drive. Fifteen years ago, these drives were commonly sold in units measuring in the gigabytes. Today, you can buy an 18-terabyte drive that conforms to the exact same size and specification. Increasing the data storage by that amount without changing the size required that more transistors—components used to conduct electrical currents—be packed into the same space. In fact, it has commonly held true that the number of transistors in a densely integrated circuit roughly doubles every two years. And this principle applies across the entire spectrum of electrical manufacturing. Smartphones, tablets, personal computers, televisions, gaming devices, cars, and anything else you can think of with a screen or plug. Therefore, each multi-billion-dollar facility only has a short window of time before they are manufacturing hardware that is no longer in wide demand. By the time one facility begins production, its replacement is already being built. It is a constant race to put up the next plant in time to keep up with innovation.

Then the pandemic hit and everything stopped. Demand for electronic devices skyrocketed. COVID-19 forced us to become more reliant on our phones and computers than ever before. Schools raced to send hundreds of thousands of laptops and tablets home with students in order to enable remote learning. Companies were forced to set up infrastructure in their employees’ homes. Assets had to be distributed via the cloud like never before. All of this required record amounts of hardware. And all the while, production on new fabrication plants had shut down. Intel, Samsung, and TSMC—the three largest suppliers of semiconductors globally—all have new plants in various stages of construction, with plans for additional plants being rushed into action to catch up with demand.

This chip shortage has resulted in limited availability of consumer electronics across the markets worldwide, leading to sharp price increases on goods. However, this might just be the beginning. As the current estimates foresee the shortage lasting until 2023, this shortage will have long-term consequences across every tech-reliant industry.

In the meantime, we find ourselves in a deficit. The gaming industry finds itself caught between two hardware generations as Sony and Microsoft’s new consoles remain difficult to procure at market value nearly a year after their launch. High-end graphics cards, essential to gaming, video processing, and crypto-mining alike, are impossible to find in stores, with scalpers charging more than double suggested retail value on sites like eBay. The dwindling supply of high-capacity media drives has already forced data storage costs to rise. However, auto manufacturers have been hit the hardest so far. The growing ubiquity of Wi-Fi access, global positioning systems, Bluetooth integration, and advanced safety features in cars combined with the rising demand for all-electric vehicles lead auto manufacturers to integrate computer components like never before. Now production has slowed to a trickle as companies struggle to source the necessary components.

Though initial projections hoped for an end to the shortage by early 2022, complications arose. Drought conditions in Taiwan have slowed production in TSMC plants, which can consume up to sixty-three thousand gallons of water per day. Trade disputes between the U.S. and China in 2020 have impacted supply lines today. Now the situation is expected to last until at least 2023.

Political leaders around the world have pledged to end this chip shortage as swiftly as possible. In the United States, President Joe Biden signed a February 23 Executive Order, directing U.S. agencies to work with industry leaders to strengthen supply of semiconductor and, after a 100-day review period, recommended Congress allocate fifty billion dollars for the construction of new plants within the nation in order to reduce U.S. dependence on overseas manufacturing. Unfortunately, industry experts expressed concern with such a figure, with Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger referring to it as “a great first step.”

If further steps are not taken, the problems we’re facing today may only be the tip of the iceberg. Our industry, one of the most tech-driven industries in the world, will be particularly susceptible to the rigors of this problem. So what should we expect to see?

The cost of gear is going to go up. Film and television sets use highly specialized tools and all of those tools will be more difficult to source. New hardware releases may see delays as developers struggle to meet manufacturing quotas. Those that do see release will likely do so in limited supplies at a premium. Software releases may stagnate as companies struggle to acquire hardware for product development and testing. Moreover, storage media will likely become a problem. Our productions burn through terabytes upon terabytes of data every day. All of it needs to be acquired, copied, backed up, distributed, and stored using drives and as productions migrate to higher resolutions and larger codecs, the number of drives used on a given production increases. All of this will drive production costs up. As budgets balloon, pressure will grow across all areas of production.

The somber reality, however, is that it is difficult to predict exactly how this situation will unfold. The uncertainties of weather conditions, international disputes, and emerging viral strains cast a shadow of doubt over any projections made today. The only common consensus is that things are going to get worse before they get better. Violence has already broken out over product launches and restocks. Unrest is likely to grow as supplies run dry. Members are encouraged to take ample care when handling or transporting expensive equipment. Common sense practices should be observed. Never leave gear unattended or unsecured. Never leave equipment visible in a parked car. When coordinating third-party rentals through platforms such as ShareGrid, never invite renters to your home or equipment-storage location. If coordinating a large rental with strangers, bring a friend to the drop-off/pickup with you. Conduct rental drop-offs and returns in public, well-occupied locations. Take great care to preserve equipment for as long as possible. Replacements may not be as readily available as they once were. Above all else, be safe.

Though we hope we are beginning to see the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no doubt that its effects are going to continue to be felt for years to come. This global chip shortage highlights just how delicate our technological infrastructure can be and should serve as a warning of the dangers we face when it is disrupted. With climate projections predicting greater drought conditions in the future and a rise in natural disasters, we need to innovate like never before to ensure that we are ready for the problems of tomorrow. Our infrastructure will continue to face challenges but Local 695 and the whole of IATSE comprise some of the finest technical minds in the world. It is our job to lead the way in dynamic thinking and problem solving so that we can overcome the obstacles we are about to face and be an example to others in times of adversity.

Sports EVS: A Conversation with Edgar Lopez

by James Delhauer

Few things in our history draw people together the way that professional sports do. Stadiums fill to the breaking point with roaring fans dressed in memorabilia, each ready to cheer their team to victory whilst casting aspersions on the opposing team’s parentage. From the earliest Olympic Games some seven hundred years before the common era to today’s mega-events, competitive sports have been a cultural staple for all of living memory. In the modern era, broadcast sports generate more than twenty-two billion dollars a year in the United States alone.

The task of broadcasting these events, replete with live commentary, instant replays, and information graphics is an enormous undertaking. Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Local 695 member Edgar Lopez, an EVS Operator who was kind enough to share some of his experiences working sports broadcasting

Edgar grew up in Anaheim and later studied television at Chapman University, where he fostered ambitions of becoming an editor. Despite enjoying the creative process of the craft, the slow and meticulous process of cutting content in a nonlinear editing platform proved tedious to him. Opportunities soon emerged in the world of sports, however, where Edgar first learned of the position of EVS Operator—a job which allowed him to edit content in fast-paced environments. After graduating, Edgar found opportunities substituting for other operators in weekly sports working for the NFL, NHL, NBA, and NASCAR. Coming up in Orange County, however, Edgar and his family had always supported their local teams—the Anaheim Angels and the Anaheim Ducks. Therefore, it seemed fitting when he was asked to become one of the lead EVS Operators for both teams, positions he has now held for over ten years. “It’s kind of surreal,” he told me. “My brothers and my family are all sports fans and they’re always talking about the games or specific plays that I was there for.”

Though critical to live events and sports broadcasting, the role of the EVS Operator is not as commonly understood as those of our brothers and sisters in production sound. These technicians are tasked with a variety of responsibilities and are often simultaneously responsible for juggling large amounts of data, recalling and cutting content moments after it occurs, sourcing clips for playback. The job is one- part tape operator, one-part editor, and one-part playback specialist all at the same time. At the heart of the operation sits the EVS media server, which Edgar describes as being like “a DVR on steroids.” This digital video production system is capable of recording, editing, and playing content from a wide variety of sources and in an equally wide variety of formats. The current line of XT media servers can support up to sixteen channels of HD video, ultra-high-definition resolutions of up to 8K, HDR encoding, and both traditional SDI-routed signals or those from a network-based IP source.

In a sports environment, EVS work can become hectic. The randomness of chance that makes sports so exhilarating to fans poses unique challenges to those broadcasting them. Games often require a dozen or more cameras in order to achieve proper coverage and all of those feeds need to be ingested. Instant replay packages need to be generated and rolled out before the moment of opportunity passes. New content must be generated in direct response to the game itself. In complicated environments, this can require teams of EVS Operators working in tandem with one another, each responsible for their own set of feeds but cutting and distributing packages for communal use.

“It’s not easy. It’s really hard,” Edgar told me. “We’re human. We make errors. We try to be perfect but mistakes happen. We don’t always see everything. For the first few years, it’s difficult to build up to the speed or know what kinds of footage producers might be looking for. Then, once you’re there for a while, you start to know what to expect and you have a Plan B in case it comes down to the wire. Experience prepares you best for any situation. If a home run happens, we’re usually editing it as the player’s rounding the bases so we have it ready to go.”

Despite the difficulty of the job, Edgar was quick to share many positive career-defining moments as well. The most significant came following the death of Tyler Skaggs, an Angels player who passed away in 2019.

“The game following that day was very difficult for everybody. You get to know the players pretty closely and it’s always hard to lose such a good guy. But we came home and they were having a big ceremony at the Angels Stadium. All the players were wearing his jersey. His mom got to throw out the first pitch. And at the end of the night, the team got a no-hitter. They all started taking off their jerseys and throwing them on the mound. It was just such a perfect baseball moment. It was like a dream for the Angels and all of us. And we all felt like we did a really good job at the end of the night. We felt like we represented the team and the player, so we were all pretty proud.”

It goes without saying that the world of sports was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In March of last year, sports seasons saw unprecedented disruptions as teams that had played through fire, storm, and flood were forced to return home. Stadiums that had once been filled with screaming throngs of fans sat in silence. The Summer Olympic Games were postponed, a disruption not seen since the cancellation of the 1944 Games during World War II. SoFi Stadium, finally complete after four years of construction, celebrated its inaugural games behind closed doors without any fans present. As one might expect, this impacted the jobs of those working in sports broadcast.

“There’s a lot more remote work now,” Edgar told me. “You were already starting to hear people saying, ‘Hey, this could be done remotely,’ but no one was willing to try it. Then last year, everything shut down. People weren’t allowed to sit in a truck for ten-hour days. What’s the solution? Well, we could try doing it remotely.” This was achieved by sending EVS controllers home with operators, who could then wirelessly access their machines at work and remote control them from home. This allowed productions to build their video infrastructure in a singular location and allow remote workers access rather than sending expensive encoding servers home with each operator. “The feeds aren’t as good though,” Edgar commented. “The biggest issue with remote work right now is the delay. The video they send home to you is compressed and isn’t as high quality as in the truck, which they do so there isn’t a major delay. But sometimes it still gets to you like a second late. So if we need to freeze the video, we aren’t really freezing it at the exact point because of the delay. When I hit stop, it takes a split second for the signal to get back to the truck. It’s not exactly frame accurate.”

These changes brought about by the pandemic have been positive for Edgar, who hopes to see remote work continue going forward. “Before COVID, I was traveling with the Angels and the Ducks. I’d be on their planes and stay in their hotels. If they were playing in New York, I’d fly out, do all the games there, and then move onto the next city. Now it looks like I won’t need to travel as much anymore. I get to stay home, sleep in my own bed, and see my kids every day. I have an eight year old and six year old. I’ve been home for the last year and now when I’m gone, it’s sad for them. It’s sad for me. So hopefully with this remote stuff, I can be home and spend more time with them.”

I would like to thank Edgar for taking the time to sit down and speak with me about his job, his career, and his family. More importantly, I’d like to extend a sincere thanks to him and all of his colleagues for bringing us our games week after week, year after year, and fighting to continue doing so even in the midst of a deadly virus. As we head into fall and turn yet another corner in the story of this pandemic, the world of sports has come back to life. Fans have returned to fill their stadiums with the cries of jubilation and frustration as they watch their teams go head-to-head. The now inaccurately named 2020 Summer Olympic Games are behind us, reinvigorating spirits of sportsmanship and competition across the globe as we look toward next year’s Winter Games.

Women’s Committee

From row L to R: Carrie Sheldon, Chantilly Hensley, MaryJo Devaney. Second row: Kathryn Korniloff,
Sara Glaser, Jennifer Winslow. Back row: Yancey Pon, Alexandra Gallo, Payton Paulson, Daniel Martinez, Rocky Quiroz, Jessy Bender, Heidi Nakamura, Anna Wilborn, Mihaela Jifcu, Claire Mondragon, Jenna Moore, Amanda Quesada, Lara Jessen, Fernanda Starling

by Jennifer Winslow

On a hot June day, as the new Local 695 Women’s Committee gathered for our first official meeting, a dream of mine was realized.

When I joined 695 in 1990, we had about as many female members as I could count on my two hands. Women were not welcomed into our industry. To the contrary, there were many who wouldn’t consider hiring women onto their crews at all. I was even subtly brainwashed into thinking two women on a sound crew would never work out! Can you imagine those days? The first sound and video women members were trailblazers in every sense of the word, breaking barriers and opening doors for future generations. Back then, I wondered if I’d be one of the few to continue with a career as a Sound/Video Tech. I was harassed, told by some men on the crew that their boss made less than me and I should feel ashamed, and generally bullied because of my gender.

Jennifer Winslow, Committee Chair, in front of the hot topics wall.

Despite the cards stacked against me, I persevered, pushing myself to become a better sound technician and continued learning, and as a result, I enjoyed the high level of success surrounded by my union brothers and sisters, from my early years, all the way through to today.

Fortunately, over my thirty-three years in the business, the tide changed, and the number of women working in sound and video grew. Female technicians were becoming a part of every film and TV crew. This level of growth and progress was much needed, and as fate would have it, we now have enough members and interest to warrant a Local 695 Women’s Committee.

With Jillian Arnold as our stereotype-smashing, ceiling-breaking president, the times have certainly changed. (Interesting fact: We’ve recently grown from six percent to eight percent of 695 represented by women and female identifying members.) And this growth is far from through, a PA on my current job just applied to the Local 695 Training Program hoping to become a Utility Sound Technician in her future career.

So, the launching of this committee was a big deal and our first meeting is a huge moment in our Local’s history!

Thanks to Mixer (and longtime 695 member) Anna Wilborn for generously hosting our meeting at her beautiful home. Under sunny skies, our committee gathered with positive energy, all joining together in community and forging a much-needed connection. A connection that has been lacking in years past (and especially over the last year with the Pandemic Social Distancing, Safer at Home Orders, and Safe Way Back to Work COVID Restrictions on set). After an extended period of emotional darkness, we’ve arrived in a new era of understanding, empathy, and progress.

Here comes the sun! It was so great to see everyone again after the difficult year that was 2020.

The committee is composed of more than forty Local 695 women, female identifying members and allies, twenty of whom were present, to support the committee’s work. Many members have expressed interest in joining us for our next quarterly meeting, to be held in the fall.

I’m a female mixer working in Los Angeles, and this opportunity to meet with fellow technicians old and new made me so grateful. Discussing matters that mean a lot to us, and hearing everyone’s feedback was so beneficial. I really value the relationships that we as a community are growing. It makes me feel very empowered. Can’t wait for the next.
Thank you. Chantilly Hensley

A post-COVID quandary arose as we faced the dilemma of how to navigate our first social gathering. Coming out of a worldwide pandemic wasn’t an easy task, and some anxiety existed: To mask or not to mask? Would single-serve packages of chips, or pre-packed cheese and crackers suffice? Would a large bowl of guacamole be OK? (Answer: Guacamole is always OK!)

As the afternoon unfolded and members arrived, we all realized how nice it was to see faces and smiles again! Soon enough, talk about masks was replaced by easy conversation amongst our sisters and kin. As we relaxed and enjoyed each other’s company, we shared stories, ate and drank, laughed, and commiserated, we listened with empathy, to the horror stories many have lived through in our past. The food was plentiful and the mood was powerful!

It wasn’t all social however; we tackled some tough issues facing women working in tech within the film and TV industry.

I had a goal to achieve for this first meeting. In particular, I was determined to identify four to five objectives for the committee to work on this year. I designed a group activity that I called the “Hot Topic Boards.”

The activity began with poster boards (decorated beautifully by Anna’s daughters) with large colorful Post-it notes, listing issues ranging from unequal level of promotion, to microaggressions at work. Together, members chose their top five issues from more than forty hot topics presented.

From left: Members Anna Wilborn, Jessy Bender, Rocky Quiroz, and Payton Paulson working on the pressing issues project.

When the results were compiled, we sat down and got to business. The meeting portion was rather spirited, and the survey of topics led way to epic levels of conversation. As soon as we selected five pressing issues of focus for the committee’s first efforts, many members came to a consensus that we have much work to do to create lasting change amongst our ranks.

The Women’s Committee meeting was engaging on many levels.
The members in attendance put forth what they felt were the most pressing in order of priority and it was a very welcoming environment all around. Hats off to Jennifer Winslow for putting it all together and for Anna Wilborn’s use of her lovely home.
Best regards, Heidi Nakamura Assistant Business Agent

The members read, discussed, and shared their valuable feedback on the following Local 695 Women’s Committee Mission Statement.

Mission Statement: The Local 695 Women’s Committee
The committee is dedicated to serving our members by providing networking and mentorship, promoting and celebrating our diversity, and encouraging growth. We plan to engage in social and community activism and outreach, provide resources, oversee educational opportunities for the women of IATSE Local 695, allies, and kin. The committee will endeavor to foster a deeper sense of community, set goals, and highlight the achievements of women in order to enhance all women’s advancement, and increase the potential for success in our union and industry.

After the meeting ended and official business was taken care of, I was able to relax and enjoy the rest of the time with our awesome members. I felt we did much more than dip our toes into the pool. We have our five top issues to dive into. We will focus our group’s attention, and continue to keep up with the growth cycle we are now enjoying. Co-chair Sara Glaser and I are already planning our next meeting.

The Local 695 Women’s Committee meeting turned out to be much more than I’d ever hoped for. Change may be a slow-moving train, but the new face of the members onboard will shape our future into a more diverse and dynamic community. I thank all who participated. See you this fall!

All Local 695 members are welcome!

I just have to express how wonderful our June 13 meeting of the Local 695 Women’s Committee made me feel. It was so inspiring to hear a cohort of our intelligent and committed members identifying and addressing issues that have needed changing for decades. Mary Jo Devenney

As a female Video Maintenance Engineer in a male-dominated occupation, I really appreciated the opportunity to meet other women in technical roles in the film and television industry and discuss the unique challenges that our group faces on the job. Lara Jessen

The breadth of experience in the Women’s Committee is inspiring. Lots of the issues brought up come from lived experience, and are things that would likely benefit all members. There are definitely issues that were brought up that resonated. I know if more voices (members) speak up and help make these changes possible, all members will benefit from a more equitable workplace. Daniel Martinez Local 695 member

It is absolutely critical for us to support each other. I really enjoyed learning about all the different paths our sisters have taken within our union. By coming together in a fun, relaxed atmosphere, we could really open up and discuss our ambitions and encourage each other to reach our goals. Anna Wilborn 

The Guilty

Filming the Perfect COVID-Time Movie

The Guilty is a feature film produced for Netflix based on the 2018 Danish film of the same name (Den Skyldige). Directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, the story follows a Los Angeles police officer awaiting a hearing for an undisclosed wrong-doing (you find out later) and is assigned to answer emergency calls at the LAPD Communications Division. The film takes place during the evening and night shifts of a single workday.

by Ed Novick

Director Antoine Fuqua and Actor-Producer Jake Gyllenhaal

Upon being hired as the Production Sound Mixer, the challenge for me was detailed two months prior to filming: the audience will never see, nor will the filmmakers ever photograph, the 9-1-1 emergency callers that the officer speaks with. Rather, the audience will hear what the officer hears and a good deal of the story will be told by off-camera actors and rich sound design. To make the workflow more complex, our main character will be switching back-and-forth between two communication devices: a cellphone and a Bluetooth headset. I knew I’d have to coordinate with Props and Set Decoration to make sure the devices worn by the officer would be practical and functioning. With that in place, patching the actor’s phone or computer into my mixing panel would be straightforward. Of course, having the off-camera actors in a room close to our set would be a given. How else to ensure quality audio recordings and allow for ease of communication with off-camera talent?

Here’s the problem: It’s 2020 and we live and work in an ongoing COVID-19 environment, so none of the callers will be on stage. In fact, they will all be working from home, wherever that might be. How to proceed?

I knew I’d need a reliable system that actors could easily operate without too much audio know-how. I created an “actor’s kit.” Each one was identical and contained a Sound Devices MixPre3, a Shure SM58 microphone, a desk stand, a flexi-arm with a clip, Sony 7506 headphones, and a pair of USB cables (depending on the user’s computer). Factory-sealed, disposable, screw-on mesh windscreens were included with every SM58 to assure COVID safety protocols. SD cards were formatted, folders were created, and the gain was set (based on Zoom rehearsals. I had a rough idea of how loud each character would be). In fact, with 32-bit float recording, I had ample dynamic range available. Instructions were created to help non-audio professionals succeed, including photos and YouTube videos. A spreadsheet was also created to map out which actor had which rig on which day, and were recording to which folder. I intentionally did not include batteries or a power supply for the MixPre3, thereby requiring it to be bus-powered and allowing it serve as both an interface and a recorder. Interface? Yes. All actors would be on a Zoom call (it’s 2020, remember?), as well as myself, the AD’s, and, of course, the lead actor. Off-camera actors were asked to join a separate Zoom call before joining the larger production Zoom. This first Zoom call provided the actors with basic instruction on (1) how to operate the rig; (2) how to assign their audio to the correct folder; (3) how to operate the MixPre3 faders; (4) how to get timecode and jam it into the recorder. Their instructor was Utility Sound Technician Richard Novick, my co-architect on all systems used on the movie.

Local 695 in the house (Front row): Production Sound Mixer Ed Novick, Utility Sound Technician Richard Novick, Boom Operator Knox White, Video Playback Erich Stuhl. (Back row): Video Assist Alex Sethian, Video Playback Supervisor Steve Irwin, Video Playback Terry Clifton

Oh, yes—timecode. With actors working from home—and home meant Los Angeles, New Orleans, Austin, New York, Toronto, and elsewhere—how to get all recorders in sync with each other, as well as with my on-set recorder and the cameras? My research found three different products that provide satellite-broadcast timecode. After considering price, availability, and ease of operation, we selected the Betso system. A Betso GPS calibration module, connected to a Betso SBOX-1N sync box, would be able to output timecode on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to the recorders used by the actors, as well as to me on set. We contacted Betso, learned they had eleven units left in stock, and production purchased all of them. This meant that we could provide timecode to ten actors’ kits, and to me, and everything would be in sync.

Rehearsals commenced in the week prior to production start, but with actors at home. Jake Gyllenhaal was given a duplicate Bluetooth headset to practice with, as adjusting the attached boom mic was important to his action. Zoom worked well enough to get everyone connected, at least for these rehearsals.

One actor’s kit

Admittedly, Day One of shooting was buggy. The issues we encountered were too many Zoom users, not enough bandwidth, as well as a lag that proved to be inconsistent, causing a varying offset between “real time” and “phone call time.” I pivoted quickly for Day Two (and beyond) to a cellular-based system, where everyone phoned into a conference call and remained muted until their turn. I had two cellphones in the conference, one for output (I captured the aggregate phone call on an isolated track) and one for input so I could provide sound effects and vocal cues to the actors in the conference. JK Audio’s Bluekeeper provided the interface between cellphones and the mixing panel, and the application Soundplant was employed for triggering audio cues.

Multiple audio sends had to be used as well. For example, the lighting dimmer board operator, who needed to coordinate the illuminated call signal at Jake’s desk with the calls occurring in the story, wore a Lectrosonics M4R receiver with pre-fade boom mic in his left ear, post-fade phone call track in his right ear, and channel one of the walkie-talkie in both, all routed through my Sonosax mixer.

Boom Operator Knox White with AirFrame exoskeleton system, mask, and goggles

As much as possible, the filmmakers wanted to film the drama like a play. That is, let it run as long as the narrative (or the camera card) would allow. With takes that often exceeded twenty-five minutes, the strain on Knox White, my Boom Operator and frequent collaborator for twenty-five years, would be substantial. Production agreed to rent an exoskeleton system for Knox to wear that would help alleviate the physical strain on his body from holding the boom for such long periods of time. Fellow Boom Operator and Local 695 member Bryan Cahill was able to set us up with a rig and instruction.

Jake Gyllenhaal as Officer Joe Baylor in the LAPD Communications Division. © Netflix

Knox was able to monitor his boom mic in pre-fade listen, while Comtek and the dailies mix were fed the scratch phone call, allowing both sides of the call to be heard. Granted, the phone call and the picture were out of sync, but that’s a matter easily fixed in Editorial. I monitored the phone call, Knox’s boom, the actor lavs, and my laptop, busily switching solo between them. When production was completed, I was able to retrieve the actor-recorded audio from all ten actors’ kits and at last, provide clean isolated tracks to post production.

In all, this little COVID-friendly movie, simple on the face of it (one main actor, mostly seated, in just two rooms), had a great many moving parts and proved to be among the most challenging projects I’ve worked on. But since the craft was able to assist the star rather than hinder him in order to best tell the story, then I’ll say all the extra effort was well worth it.

Ten actors’ kits (ready to ship)

Special thanks to:
Peter Schneider and all the helpful folks at Gotham Sound for their support. Patrick Martens and Stephen Vittoria, whose command of language is enviable.

Bond 25: No Time to Die (Part 2)

Daniel Craig as James Bond in his Land Rover Series III in Jamaica.

by Simon Hayes AMPS CAS

The first part of Simon’s article appeared early this year when No Time to Die was originally scheduled to be released in the spring. But like everything COVID, the release date has been pushed to October. –Editors

Jamaica, our next location, presented new challenges. We had a lot of vehicle dialog to record, including one scene with Bond on the back of a scooter. Cary Fukunaga favours realism and it was no surprise when I learned he wanted to shoot the dialog with the scooter being self-ridden, rather than being pulled on an A frame or on a low loader (flatbed). We always placed a lavalier on the exhaust of the scooter so the sound post team could give Cary options in the final mix on how loud he wanted the engine to be under the dialog. With the actors’ radio mics, it was a case of getting the lavs as close to their mouths as possible to try and increase the signal (dialog) to noise (scooter engine). We rigged the lavs far higher on the chest than we normally would. We try to keep the dialog sounding natural, and our usual placement would simply mean any quiet words, or times when the engine was revved harder, would have drowned out the dialog, so all bets were off, and we just aimed to record the dialog absolutely as close as possible.

Jamaica bar, Daniel Craig and Jeffrey Wright.

We also had to mic up Bond’s open-top Land Rover. As well as mic’ing the engine and exhaust as previously discussed (stereo lavs), we also had to capture his dialog. We did our usual workflow of rigging a Schoeps CMC6/MK41 capsule, using an active Colette cable to allow the capsule to be rigged remotely in the sun visor, as close to Bond’s mouth as possible. Unless the vehicle wasn’t moving, this placement wasn’t too successful. The exterior background and engine noise were just too loud to get what I considered to be rich, up-front dialog. So, once again, the DPA 6061 was my favourite choice in this scenario. The beauty of having twenty-four tracks was that I didn’t have to decide on the set; I could record all the elements and choices on the ISO tracks and making clear notes on the sound reports of what my preferred tracks were and what the components of the mix track were, giving the Dialog Editor a heads-up, and a starting point.

We also had scenarios where Bond would drive into shot, come to a halt and talk to someone on the sidewalk or in another vehicle. We could now swing in the booms with Schoeps Super CMIT’s due to the Land Rover having an open top, and capture the static dialog, creating another choice for post.

I had been looking forward to a nightclub scene in Jamaica. Cary said it was going to be a very high-energy, dancehall-type scene where the music would be loud and there would be a large number of dancers. Usually on these types of scenes, I use earwigs (wireless inductive earpieces) as my ‘go-to,’ but as we had no lip sync to worry about, and the set would be very dark and the dancing extremely energetic, I was concerned the generic earwigs we carry (i.e., not bespoke custom fitted to the individual ear canal) would potentially fall out of dancers’ ears and get lost, slowing the shoot down and costing production. I decided to go old school with our large JBL PA rig, including a high-power subwoofer, and about 15kW at our disposal. I asked Cary if he was cool with me using a thumper track. Cary was really excited about this, as he felt keeping the sub bass going during the six pages of dialog at a table on the edge of the dance floor would really help to keep the energy up, not just amongst the dancers but also from the actors. We have all been in situations where we are recording a nightclub scene and the actors start the scene talking loudly above the music, but as the scene progresses, their dialog levels slowly reduce, as they feel quite exposed speaking very loudly when there is no music in the background during the shooting. The beauty of using the thumper track is that it can be played loudly throughout the scene without being recorded by the microphones, and if there is any low frequency spill picked up, it can easily be filtered out in post. I chose 35Hz to create the thumper, as I feel that is low enough not to have any harmonics that will interfere with the dialog on the mics, but high enough that everyone in the club can hear it.

  • aniel Craig) and Moneypenny (Naomie Harris)
  • Robin picking up the car door slam and Arthur waiting curbside for the dialog; Daniel Craig
  • Simon Hayes checking the Schoeps MK41 placement on the plane rig.

A really important point regarding the scene was Daniel Craig’s support of this workflow. On Layer Cake, more than a decade earlier, after much discussion with the director and Daniel, we used a thumper track on a nightclub scene with excellent results. The actors kept their level up throughout, allowing the Re-recording Mixer and Director to really push the music cues in the mix without having to pull down the music for the dialog which, in my opinion, always sounds a bit wrong and weird. Daniel remembered that and was fully supportive of my decision to use a thumper again. On the rehearsals, he asked that we play the music tracks full range through the JBL’s, so he and the rest of the cast could find their level Cary had chosen these, and they were extremely bass-heavy dancehall-style tracks. I suggested to Cary, Daniel, and Jon the 1st AD that as soon as Jon called, “Standby!” I would start playing the music very loud, full range through the PA, while Jon got the sound and cameras rolling, and leave the music playing during the clapper boards. We were shooting two cameras then on the “A” of “ACTION!” I would drop anything above 35Hz and just continue with the thumper. This really helped the cast keep fresh in their mind how loud the music would be in the club and the vocal level they would use. As I was recording the dialog, I knew it sounded completely real and that Paul, the Re-recording Mixer, and Cary would really be able to go to town with the Dolby Atmos mix. Keeping the music level high without the fear of swamping the really important plot line dialog.

Cary and Linus’s decision to shoot with the same lens sizes on both cameras meant that we could get the booms in nice and tight onto the edges of frame without being pushed wide due to a ‘wide and tight’ scenario. Cary would now allow the actors to overlap when they felt the script would benefit from it.

Shooting cross mid-shots and then cross close-ups, always keeping everyone at the table in shot regardless of where they were sitting, gave Cary the ability to use direct action cuts on the overlaps. He spoke to me about this strategy and I wholeheartedly supported it. I always want to help and encourage anything that makes the performances more believable, and the scene really benefitted from the overlaps, bringing about an energy that can be difficult to find again in the edit. What was fantastic by keeping the lens sizes the same, was Cary and Linus knowing exactly how to make this work for the production sound. This enabled me to prioritise the booms and record really rich dialog. Although the nightclub was an interior, I decided to employ the Super CMIT’s, as they would be helpful at reducing the footfall from the dancers (I also had our 2nd AS, Ben Jeffes, removing the shoes of any dancers whose feet were not in shot), but I also knew the Super CMIT’s would be great at reducing, if not removing, the 35Hz thumper track. One of the issues of using a thumper is that sometimes the sub bass can rattle the set, or the glasses on the shelves behind the bar if they are touching, so there is a certain amount of audition time, playing the thumper before the shoot begins, and walking around to find rattles and reduce them. This can be by simply removing offending items, getting a standby carpenter to nail stuff down, or working with the set dresser to adjust any set dressing that is noisy. Once this is achieved, it is a good idea to use a volume that is loud, but just below the threshold that will rattle what is left, as the rattles could well be within the dialog frequencies and won’t be as easy to remove. I also put a very gentle slope 90Hz low-frequency cut onto the mix track. This is something I rarely do—I usually record completely flat with no bass cut, unless we have wind on the mics on an exterior, but I felt it was helpful to gently reduce the thump from the dailies and I knew 90Hz would not negatively affect the dialog.

Director Cary Fukunaga (center) with Daniel Craig (left) and
Lashana Lynch (right).

We used three booms, all of them with Super CMIT’s, as there were some very hard spotlights and mirrors in the club. We all felt that employing three booms would reduce the likelihood of shadows or mics in the mirrors, and reduce the swinging by placing a boom on each character. The scene worked really well and when I phoned Picture Editorial the next day to ask how much of the thumper they were hearing in the Avid, they said, “What thumper?” When I explained what we’d done, the 1st Assistant Editor couldn’t believe he couldn’t hear it and told me he would go into the ISO tracks and have a listen, as they had only been using my mix. When I called back, he let me know that on his studio monitors he could not hear the thumper on any of the booms or the lavs. This was really great news!

Simon Hayes embracing the camera barney and celebrating
filming in 35mm.

Our next location was the beautiful city of Matera, Italy. Constructed in 10 BC, it resembles a city in the Middle East. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe with its original architecture still intact. This location brought its own share of physical issues due to the restrictions on vehicular access, which meant carrying the sound cart and ancillary equipment up and down thousands of stairs per day. It was extremely physically demanding. For this work, we reduced the weight of my usual Eurocart, which is based around an alloy-tubed Ursta cart, which UK readers will be familiar with. We already run a very light 100Ah lithium battery on it, but for Matera, we removed anything that was not strictly necessary. We probably reduced its weight by around 10kg (25 pounds). I don’t like working in a bag for a lot of reasons; mainly the difficulty in watching three or more cameras without my usual monitors, and the compromises regarding radio and comms reception. I will go handheld in extreme circumstances, but for Matera, we decided to build an extremely lightweight cart for situations where we wanted to have access to all of our radio mics, sound crew comms, and picture monitoring, but in a location where it was impossible to carry our 80kg Eurocart. Our lightweight cart was the Cannibal Industries/Tone Mesa “Super Zuca” cart. These are great little Zuca carts, expertly modified for our industry to add some extra strength where required whilst still retaining the extremely lightweight and small footprint of the Zuca. I basically mirrored the equipment and capabilities of my main cart, but without the large 12-channel Audio Developments mixer board that I like to use. The Super Zuca housed a Zaxcom Deva 16, a Sound Devices 688 (for safety copy and additional output routing), a Lectrosonics Venue field receiver, along with a slightly simplified version of our Sennheiser RX/TX array for sound crew comms. This tiny cart was powerful, but could be carried up multiple staircases by one person. It also had the ability to become a true “bag” in a matter of seconds, simply by detaching from the cart and switching the power source. This was especially useful for interior car shots, or any ridiculously difficult locations that needed accessing.

Craig and Fukunaga

Our main Eurocart, once it had been on its ‘diet,’ was fairly easy to get into places so we only used the Super Zuca about three or four times while we were in Matera. When we did need the Zuca, it was invaluable and did its job adeptly and elegantly. The only compromise I had to make was mixing without Penny and Giles sliding faders!

The vast majority of our work in Matera were action sequences, generally involving vehicles.

Robin Johnson and Arthur Fenn double boom the scene.

Cary and his stunt team worked with the mantra of ‘keeping it real’ on the stunt and driving sequences. If Bond and his passenger had key dialog in a vehicle as it was being driven at speed, Cary still wanted to capture it, rather than putting the car on a low loader, limiting the speed the vehicle could travel and, consequently, the energy that real driving brings to the screen. A long time ago, I decided when faced with this kind of scenario, rather than try to keep within radio range in a follow vehicle, which is notoriously difficult to trust with so many elements that could conspire to leave us too far away. My strategy would be to use the huge dynamic range digital recording affords us by placing a bag in the trunk of the hero vehicle, strap it in, set reasonable levels based on my knowledge of what the vocal performances will entail, and leave the recorder running without me directly monitoring as we shoot. This means I am less able to supply an elegant mix for Picture Editorial, instead simply opening up the actors’ mics onto the mix track. The positive is, in my opinion, that sound post and the final movie will get better production dialog as the antennas and receivers are inside the vehicle with the actors, so range is perfect throughout. It also allows me to hardwire the Schoeps CMC6/MK41, so I am delivering a lav and a hardwired hyper-cardioid on each actor (the latter generally rigged in the header or the sun visor, depending on the shot).

When using this methodology, I have some limiters set up at the higher end of the dynamic range, so if there is a sudden scream or a shout, the limiters save the recording from square wave or digital overload. In the same token, I make sure I am using enough gain and set the mics close enough that if an actor reduces their level to a whisper, I still capture that and, though it may be at -40dBFS or -50dBFS, it can be boosted by the Dialog Editor without increasing electronic noise/hiss. For me, this is the safest way of delivering high-quality dialog in this kind of extreme circumstance, rather than trusting radio range and working from my cart in a follow vehicle. Although I can’t deliver a more crafted mix track, I know the Dialog Editor will remix the ISO’s in Pro Tools anyway.

I still ride in a follow vehicle, monitoring a Sennheiser EW pack (the UK version of a Comtek), so I can get a feel for the performance and hear if something disastrous happens, like a lav falling off an actor or a battery mysteriously running out. That way, each time we stop at the end of the ‘travel,’ I can get out, access the sound bag in the trunk, and fine-tune the ISO track gain levels based on the performances I am listening to. If necessary, I can also adjust the input gain settings on the actors’ Lectrosonics transmitters with the app.

Craig and Léa Seydoux

On these types of days, I would recognize the fact that my crew would probably have some downtime and sent our 2nd AS, Ben, out to capture stereo atmosphere tracks of interesting sounds unique to the location. This was something Cary specifically asked for, as he prefers using real ambience, feeling there is a truth within them, rather than synthetic or ‘built’ atmospheres. He likes to use a real atmosphere ‘bed’ for his sound designers to then build layers. At each location, at those times where I did not require my full crew, Ben would go off to harvest interesting sounds in M&S stereo, using my Neumann 191 mic. Oliver Tarney had asked that these tracks be delivered in M&S so he could decide later whether mono or stereo was appropriate, depending on the finished scene, the rest of the sound design, and the exact ambience he was using.

Christophe Waltz and Daniel Craig

When we arrived back in the UK, our work was mainly on interior studio sets. There were a lot of important storytelling scenes taking place in the MI6 offices, including M’s office. I have always loved these scenes in Bond movies, feeling they provide a quintessential British charm, in which Bond’s colleagues are usually relaxed, unruffled, and professional, despite the frenetic and energetic action sequences of the story they are often intercut with. I really wanted to use sound to help support this. I decided that all of the MI6 scenes were an excellent opportunity to let the dialog breathe by prioritising camera perspective. I knew that much of Bond 25 would require the Re-recording Mixer to use the close-up mic perspective choices on most scenes, to allow the score and sound effects volume to be raised. Whether the final choice was to be boom or lav was immaterial, it would be whichever sounded closer and richer. On the contrary, I felt it probable, based on the script and the way Bond films usually sound, that when we cut to the MI6 offices, the score would probably be lower in level and the sound effects sparse. It was an ideal opportunity to prioritise and celebrate camera perspective. We did this with three cabled booms on everything. At all times, we had the three boom poles cabled up and ready to go, with Ben Jeffes available to jump on to the third boom, joining Arthur Fenn and Robin Johnson whenever necessary.

We used my all-time favourite film dialog capsule on the booms—the beautiful Schoeps MK41 hyper-cardioids, which I have always felt sound completely natural whether in close or wide positions. I had also just been sent some new prototype preamps by Schoeps to evaluate. They were the CMC1, a miniature version of the classic CMC6. There is no compromise: The CMC1 sounds just as good as the CMC6, and on paper are actually slightly better due to the modern circuitry within them. To my ears, they sounded exactly the same, but were smaller and lighter; a ‘win-win’!

Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris & Rory Kinnear.

As far as ‘prioritising’ the camera perspective, I was still using DPA lavaliers and Lectrosonics transmitters on all the actors. However, I decided to never fade them into the mix track on these scenes. They were there as a fallback in case the Picture Editorial team or Oliver were presented with circumstances that really required close-up dialog on a mid or wide shot. I wanted to create a confidence and familiarity within the Avid cut for Cary and the Picture Editors that would promote the sound I was trying to deliver on the MI6 scenes; an old school fully boomed sound that matched the camera angles. We were able to use cables on all scenes apart from one Steadicam walk and talk through multiple offices. Cabled booms are always my priority, and aside from an ‘on-mic’ bass cut of 60Hz between capsule and preamp to reduce infrasonic disturbances from any boom handling, all of the MI6 dialog was recorded without any EQ to really deliver the rich dialog I was trying so hard to achieve.

Worthy of mention was another big scene we shot on the sound stage in the UK was a huge black tie event that Bond and actress Ana de Armas were attending. In this scene, both actors are able to talk to each other at a distance in whispers, via hidden comms, as they make their way separately through the party in constant covert communication. A lot of this scene would be covered by two cameras in real time, one camera on Bond and the other on Ana’s character as they navigated their solo routes talking to each other. This gave Cary the ability to use direct action cuts, but it also meant we couldn’t cheat the comms, they had to be real and reliable. We used our tried and tested ‘musical’ system of huge induction loops around the set, with Daniel and Ana fitted with bespoke earwigs that would be invisible on camera, unless Cary wanted them to be seen. The earwigs looked exactly the same as the items a real Secret Service agent would be using. I fed Daniel’s lavalier into Ana’s earwig and Ana’s lavalier into Daniel’s earwig, using auxiliary outputs on my Audio Developments AD149 mixer. This gave them the ability to communicate covertly and discreetly with each other in separate rooms exactly the same way two real agents would. It was a complex scene, and had we not have been able to deliver this audio solution, it would have compromised the approach Cary and Linus wanted to use with the cameras. I am very happy it all worked so smoothly.

One of the rarer sound workflows we used on No Time to Die was the VFX paint out. It was a big scene with Rami Malek shot in a huge, beautifully designed set with very hard lights, precluding the use of booms. It was a performance-driven scene with pages of narrative as Rami encountered different characters. Cary chose to shoot on three cameras with two of them using very long lenses to get in close, but the third camera shooting extremely wide to capture the architecture of the set in all its splendour. After a rehearsal, I knew that Rami’s costume was not going to allow us to get usable production dialog with a lavalier regardless where we placed it. Our booms could never get close, and even if we busted the wide shot, the booms would create shadows on the closer angles. I didn’t have much time before shooting, so I quickly called Arthur over and asked him to go and talk to Rami and his hairdresser and ask if we could place the lav in his hair. Arthur was, of course, concerned that we would see a cable running down Rami’s neck to the pack and I said, “leave that to me.” I immediately went to our VFX Supervisor and explained the issue. I told him that I’d watched the rehearsals and the chance of us ever seeing the back of Rami’s neck in the final cut was low, but if we did, could he agree to painting out the lav cable. The VFX Supervisor was extremely quick to agree to this at the last moment when time really was of the essence. All it took was for me to explain that his decision could potentially stop Rami and Cary having to ADR the whole scene. I think I was also helped by the fact this was the only time I asked for a paint out in the film. I went over to Arthur, Rami, and the hairdresser, who were in the middle of rigging the mic assuring all of them that VFX had given the all clear, reducing the concern (especially from the hairdresser). I then went to see Cary and Jon, the 1st AD, and explained that if they caught a wire on the back of Rami’s neck, not to be concerned because VFX were kindly going to remove it in post.

One of the great things about working with Cary was his ability to take in information like this and trust his crew. He was aware that the booms couldn’t get in close enough and he asked me, “will this mean no ADR,” which I replied, “yes,” and he immediately said, “that’s fine.” I usually like to have everything planned and agreed to in advance, especially when it comes to painting out lavs or booms but in this instance, it would have been impossible to plan ahead. Cary’s ability to support me instantly was incredibly motivating. The scene ended up sounding absolutely fantastic with Rami delivering lines captured by a close DPA 4061 right at the front of his hairline, expertly hidden by his hairdresser. This is exactly the kind of collaboration that was present between all departments through the entire shoot.

On reflection, shooting a Bond movie was indeed everything I hoped it would be. The crew were always treated by the production as if we were all collaborating at the highest level of filmmaking. This atmosphere was promoted by Producers Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson, Gregg Wilson, Chris Brigham, and Chris Brock. I cannot begin to explain just how much effort Barbara Broccoli puts into the minutiae of every detail. It honestly feels like you’re working on an intimate, independent project, where everyone’s opinion is valued and each crew member, from the HOD’s to the set PA’s, are treated with the utmost respect and supported throughout. I had often heard this was the case, but to actually experience it was something I will treasure for the rest of my career.

I’d like to thank my sound crew for their on-going collaboration, professionalism, and skill:

Main Unit
Key 1st AS: Arthur Fenn
1st AS: Robin Johnson
2nd AS: Ben Jeffes
Trainee: Millie Akerman-Blankley

Second Unit
Sound Mixer: Tom Barrow
1st AS: Loveday Harding
3rd AS: Francesca Renda

Splinter Unit
Sound Mixer: Alan Hill
1st AS: Jackson Milliken

Main Unit Equipment
Zaxcom Deva 24
Sound Devices 688
Audio Limited 149 bespoke 12-channel mixer with AES outputs
Schoeps boom mics: CMC1 MK41 & Super CMIT’s
DPA lavaliers
Zaxcom & Lectrosonics radios TX & RX
Sennheiser EW comms

2021 PRIMETIME Emmy Awards

Nominations for Outstanding Sound Mixing 73rd Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)

The Boys
“What I Know”
Alexandra Fehrman–Re-recording Mixer
Rich Weingart CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Thomas Hayek–Production Mixer
Production Sound Team: Pat Cassin, Michael Taylor, Derek Bohme,
Burton Lavery

The Crown
“Fairytale”
Lee Walpole–Re-recording Mixer
Stuart Hilliker–Re-recording Mixer
Martin Jensen–Re-recording Mixer
Chris Ashworth–Production Mixer
Production Sound Team:
Steve Hancock, Liam Cotter,
India Claydon-Richards

The Handmaid’s Tale — “Vows” – Episode 406 — After a shocking reunion with a dear friend, June contemplates the possibility of freedom, and confronts the unfulfilled promises she’s made to herself and to Luke. Moira (Samira Wiley) and June (Elisabeth Moss), shown. (Photo by: Sophie Giraud/Hulu)

The Handmaid’s Tale
“Chicago”
Lou Solakofski–Re-recording Mixer
Joe Morrow–Re-recording Mixer
Sylvain Arseneault–Production Mixer
Production Sound Team:
Michael Kearns, David Guerra,
Tim Sayle, Joseph Siracusa

Lovecraft Country
“Sundown”
Marc Fishman CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Mathew Waters CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Amanda Beggs CAS–Production Mixer
Production Sound Team:
Adam Mohundro, Thomas
Giordano, Mark Agostino

The Mandalorian
“Chapter 13: The Jedi”

Bonnie Wild–Re-recording Mixer
Stephen Urata–Re-recording Mixer
Shawn Holden CAS–Production Mixer
Christopher Fogel–Scoring Mixer
Production Sound Team: Patrick H. Martens, Randy Johnson, Veronica Kahn, Patrick “Moe” Chamberlain, Kraig Kishi, Cole Chamberlain

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Genius: Aretha
“Respect”

Dan Brennan–Re-recording Mixer
Ken Hahn CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Jay Meagher CAS–Production Mixer
Production Sound Team:
Brian Didsbury, Tiffany Mack,
John Maskew

Mare of Easttown
“
Sore Must Be the Storm”

Joe DeAngelis–Re-recording Mixer
Chris Carpenter–Re-recording Mixer
Richard Bullock–Production Mixer
Production Sound Team:
Tanya Peele, Kelly Lewis

The Queen’s Gambit
“End Game”

Eric Hoehn–Re-recording Mixer
Eric Hirsch–Re-recording Mixer
Roland Winke–Production Mixer
Lawrence Manchester–Scoring Mixer
Production Sound Team: Thomas Wallis, Andre Schick, Bill McMillan

The Underground Railroad
“Chapter 1: Georgia”

Onnalee Blank CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Mathew Waters CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Joe White CAS–Production Mixer
Kari Vähäkuopus–Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Alfredo
Viteri, Tyler Blythe, Timothy R. Boyce, Alexander Lowe

WandaVision
“The Series Finale”
Danielle Dupre–Re-recording Mixer
Chris Giles CAS–Production Mixer
Doc Kane–ADR Mixer
Casey Stone–Scoring Mixer
Production Sound Team:
Kurt Peterson, John Harton

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation

“Life Expectancy” – Before their surgeries, Gina looks for a new apartment while Drew celebrates his last day of dialysis, on the first season finale of B POSITIVE, Thursday, May 13 (9:30-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured (L-R): Terrence Terrell as Eli, Annaleigh Ashford as Gina, and Thomas Middleditch as Drew. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish/©2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

B Positive
“High Risk Factor”
Bob LaMasney–Re-Recording Mixer
Jeff A. Johnson CAS–Production Mixer
Production Sound Team: Ross Deane, Mark Tarizzo, Dean Plotnick,
Dale Burkett

Cobra Kai
“December 19”

Joe DeAngelis–Re-recording Mixer
Chris Carpenter–Re-recording Mixer
Mike Filosa CAS–Production Mixer
Phil McGowan–Scoring Mixer
Production Sound Team: Matt Robinson, Daniel Pruitt, Tiffany Mack

Hacks
“Falling”

John W. Cook II–Re-recording Mixer
Ben Wilkins–Re-recording Mixer
Jim Lakin–Production Mixer
Production Sound Team: Ryan Fee, Claire Mondragon

The Kominsky Method
“Chapter 21: Near, Far, Wherever You Are”

Yuri Reese–Re-recording Mixer
Sean Madsen–Re-recording Mixer
Brian Wittle–Production Mixer
Production Sound Team: Thomas Anthony Payne, Jeremy Sugalski

Ted Lasso
“The Hope That Kills You”

Ryan Kennedy–Re-recording Mixer
Sean Byrne–Re-recording Mixer
David Lascelles–Production Mixer
Production Sound Team: Emma Chilton, Andrew Mawson, Michael Fearon

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special

Bruce Springsteen’s
Letter to You
Kevin O’Connell–Re-recording Mixer
Kyle Arzt–Re-recording Mixer
Brad Bergbom–Production Mixer
Bob Clearmountain–Music Mixer

David Byrne’s
American Utopia
Paul Hsu–Re-recording Mixer
Michael Lonsdale–Production Mixer
Dane Lonsdale–Additional Sound Mixer
Pete Keppler–Music Mixer
Production Sound Team: Betsy Nagler

Hamilton
Tony Volante–Re-recording Mixer
Roberto Fernandez–Re-recording Mixer
Tim Latham–Re-recording Mixer
Justin Rathburn–Production Mixer
Production Sound Team:
Anna-Lee Craig, John Senter

Last Week Tonight
with John Oliver

Trump & Election Results/F*ck 2020
Siara Spreen–Re-recording Mixer
Eleanor Osborne–Re-recording Mixer

The Late Show
with Stephen Colbert

Live Show Following Capitol Insurrection; Senator Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, Performance by Jamila Woods
Pierre de Laforcade–Production Mixer
Harvey Goldberg–Music Mixer
Alan Bonomo–Monitor Mixer

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera)

Hard at work on their first united venture in nearly two years. Barry Gibb (24), who married former beauty queen Linda Gray 2 days earlier (1st sept.), broke his honeymoon to join his twin brothers Robin & Maurice Gibb in the studio. (Photo by Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images)

The Bee Gees: How Can You
Mend a Broken Heart

Gary A. Rizzo CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Jeff King–Re-recording Mixer
John Rampey–Production Mixer

Billie Eilish: The World’s
a Little Blurry
Elmo Ponsdomenech CAS–Re-recording Mixer
Jason “Frenchie” Gaya–Re-recording Mixer
Aron Forbes–Music Mixer
Jae Kim–Production Mixer
Andy Giner–Additional Mixer

David Attenborough:
A Life on Our Planet
Graham Wild–Re-recording Mixer

Life Below Zero
“The Other Side”
Tony Crowe–Re-recording Mixer

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy
“Naples and the Amalfi Coast”
Tom O’Pray–Re-recording Mixer
Chris Gibbions–Production Mixer

Tina
Lawrence Everson–Re-recording Mixer
Phil McGowan CAS–Scoring Mixer

Names in bold are Local 695 members

This year’s Creative Arts Emmys ceremony will take place on Saturday, September 11, and Sunday, September 12, in front of a limited live audience both days at the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live

Nonlinear Editing Platforms DaVinci Resolve

by James Delhauer

The media landscape has changed. As technological innovation has driven advancement within our industry, a new level of technical literacy has become essential. Though our core duties remain unchanged, the role of the Local 695 Video Engineer continues to evolve with the times. Our diverse responsibilities on the set include media playback, on-set chroma keying, off-camera recording, copying files from camera media to external storage devices, backup and redundancy creation, transcoding media with or without previously created LUT’s, quality control, and syncing and recording copies for the purpose of dailies creation. With so many tasks to juggle, having all the tools necessary to perform our jobs is of critical importance. But today’s user is overwhelmed by choices. Countless hardware and software solutions span the entire spectrum of film and television production, with companies vying to attract customers to their products. Engineers require tools suited to handling a cross section of our various responsibilities and that cultivate efficient workflows for the production. Some might even go so far as to say that we need a little bit of black magic and, to that end, few pieces of software facilitate as many of our jobs on set as DaVinci Resolve by Blackmagic Design.

DaVinci Resolve began primarily as one of the first high-end digital color-correcting applications. First unveiled in 2004 by DaVinci Systems, the first Resolve products were turnkey platforms—self-contained hardware units designed for the single purpose of running their prepackaged software with maximum efficiency—intended to facilitate the earliest digital coloring workflows. These units were costly, with a price tag of more than $100,000 USD, pricing out the majority of consumers. When DaVinci Systems sold the platform in 2009, there were only about a hundred Resolve users worldwide. After being acquired by Blackmagic, Resolve was reworked over the course of a decade and now boasts millions of professional users around the globe. A software-only version was made available for $995 USD, representing more than a ninety-nine percent reduction in price, and a range of features meant to broaden the software’s usage application were added. Chief among them, Resolve transitioned from an emphasis on color-correction to become an end-to-end nonlinear editing platform. Blackmagic has continued to develop or acquire new modules to incorporate into their software, including the audio platform Fairlight CMI, originally developed by Fairlight.

In spite of the fact that film editing and post-production color both fall under the jurisdiction of our brothers and sisters in Local 700, there are a wealth of advantages to be found in Resolve for 695 engineers. As the system was originally designed with the intention of being used as a finishing program, Resolve features advanced functionality for communicating with and ingesting media from other nonlinear editing applications, such as Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Apple Final Cut Pro X. Projects originating in these ecosystems can be brought into Resolve, processed, and returned to their point of origin or forwarded to another destination. In short, a project originating in one application can be brought into Resolve before being sent along to an entirely different application, allowing workflows to be altered if an unforeseen issue arises. This allows programs with no ability to communicate with one another, such as Media Composer and Final Cut Pro, to share data indirectly with one another, thus closing gaps in software communication. This support for a vast number of video codecs and support files also makes it ideal for ingesting and performing quality assurance on media, regardless of the original source or format. Other nonlinear platforms are reliant on proprietary file formats or generate proxies for internal use, whereas Resolve works to debayer source media in real time. This makes it one of the best options for viewing an accurate representation of a captured image, especially when partnered with a color-accurate monitoring system.

This ability to play back full-quality assets is quickly becoming a more important feature as more productions move toward creating real time digital environments on set. Just as 695 Playback Specialists have been tasked with supplying video sources for screens appearing on screen for decades, it is our responsibility to play back the digital sets we’re beginning to see today and Resolve can be used to facilitate this task. DaVinci Resolve Systems can be used to outsource an image to an LED wall and manipulate the image in real time. This gives Playback Operators the ability to manipulate, color grade, relight and make other alterations to digital backgrounds on set, all while the director, cinematographer, and others are able to watch and give creative input. Advanced users can also take advantage of Fusion—an integrated visual effect plugin acquired by Blackmagic in 2018. Prior to its acquisition, Fusion was used on more than a thousand feature films for the purposes of effects compositing. When combined with Resolve, Local 695 Engineers have the ability to create and play back real time visual effects on set. In this regard, Playback Operators continue to blur and transcend the lines between technician and artist.

It is likely, however, that more engineers are familiar with the platform for its capabilities as a transcode utility. Resolve includes powerful tools for converting media from one format to another, making it useful both for generating easy-to-edit proxy media for editors to work with and dailies for the production team to review. Video and audio media from disparate sources can be automatically synchronized by aligning their timecode metadata or, in the event that a guide track was recorded to camera, analyzing their waveforms. Blackmagic also includes an arsenal of digital LUT’s (look up tables that can be used to apply a preset color look to an image) in their software, making it simple to apply a preset look when creating proxies or dailies. After sound is synced and the production look has been applied, then files can be exported in any industry-standard file format (support for encoding Apple’s ProRes family of video codecs is not available in the Windows edition of Resolve) for delivery to the necessary party.

As a member of the Blackmagic family of products, Resolve is compatible with all hardware accessories produced and manufactured by Blackmagic, including first- and third-party hardware controllers, GPU accelerators, and a wide variety of I/O adapters. The most recent edition of the app, DaVinci Resolve 17, released this year with hundreds of new updates and features, including enhanced support of high dynamic range content, a machine learning-based tracking tool, and support for multi-user collaboration. A supplemental update released in March of this year added full support for Apple’s new line of macOS computers featuring M1 processors, making Resolve the first third-party nonlinear editing application to take advantage of the enhanced capabilities of Apple’s new processor (Apple optimized Final Cut Pro X for use with the M1’s ARM architecture at the time of the processor’s release last year).

The current edition of DaVinci Resolve Studio retails for a flat rate of $295 and includes a lifetime of free upgrades. By eschewing a perpetual upgrade cycle or subscription-based licensing, Blackmagic has claimed the mantle of greatest value for price in the nonlinear editing wars. A comparable Adobe or Avid subscription costs in the range of $49.95 USD per month. Not being ones to rest on their laurels, however, Blackmagic took the pricing contest a step further by offering an almost fully featured free edition of Resolve. For those looking to test the waters or who do not need access to the platform’s entire suite of features, the free edition of the application includes all of the same powerful editing, playback, and transcoding tools as the Studio edition. However, it does not support resolutions higher than ultra-high definition, frame rates greater than 60fps, high dynamic range color grading, stereoscopic 3D processing, digital noise reduction, machine learning, or multi-user collaboration. In spite of these limitations, the free edition of Resolve remains the most professional no-cost tool on the market for nonlinear editing, playback, and transcode work.

Our industry will continue to evolve and as it does, we in Hollywood’s foremost technical local, will continue to evolve with the times. As we do, we need the absolute best tools available at our disposal. Despite being a relative newcomer to the world of editing platforms, Blackmagic has poised DaVinci Resolve to take a stop at the very top of the list. With its vast array of features, low-price point, and countless applications, this application is one that every Video Engineer is encouraged to familiarize themselves with. Members wishing to learn more are encouraged to explore the resources available on LinkedIn Learning—an educational service available for free to all IATSE members. Other free recourses include the countless tutorials, workflow demos, and classes available on YouTube and social media.

Paying It Forward: A Conversation with Ron Hairston

by James Delhauer

Tom Payne (left boom) and Ronald Hairston (right boom)booming on Agents of S.h.i.e.l.d.

At the heart of the labor union movement, there is a core belief that we are stronger together; that what may be impossible for one is achievable by the many. We work together for the betterment of all and when the work of others benefits us, it is our responsibility to pay it forward. Such is the philosophy of Ron Hairston, a Local 695 member with a rich history in our industry. Known for his work on NBC’s Heroes, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and most recently, the BET comedy series Twenties, Ron has been a member of our union for the last fourteen years, where he serves as the co-chair of the Local’s committee for Equity, Diversity and Outreach (a role he shares with member Steve Nelson) and helps organize Local 695’s Black Sound and Video Alliance. I had the privilege of sitting down with Ron to discuss his storied career, the work that he does for our union, and what made him decide to become more active within the Local.

His career in sound began on the NBC television series Crossing Jordan, where he became friendly with the production sound team. Production Mixer Kenn Fuller and Boom Operators Thomas Payne and Jay Jayaraja expressed that Ron should explore joining Local 695 and, with their assistance, he soon became a member of the show’s Sound Department. But it was Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. where Ron feels he really came into his own. “I grew up on that show personally and professionally. I did everything on that show. I was a Sound Utility, Boom Operator, Playback Operator, 2nd unit Sound Mixer, and a 1st unit Sound Mixer. We went seven seasons and became a family. Thanks to Kenn Fuller for the opportunities and for teaching me everything that I know about sound mixing and thanks to Tom Payne for teaching me everything that I know about booming. I got to learn from two of the best in 695.”

On set working on You. ©Netflix

This mentorship helped to shape Ron’s philosophy of returning the kindness shown to him. “[Kenn] gave me some really good advice when he got me into the union and said that I have to pay it forward and I think that’s really important.” As a result, he went on to become more active within our Local and took on a mentorship position of his own. “I just like to do the work but ever since George Floyd, I just realized that I needed to be doing more. I can’t just be worried about my job. I need to worry about other people as well,” he commented to me. “I’ve only met a couple Black sound people. I think we have somewhere around two percent membership in the union. Those numbers need to change and they kind of need to change yesterday.”

This spurred his decision to accept the position of co-chair for the newly formed committee for Equity, Diversity and Outreach and to aid in the implementation of the Local’s Y-16A trainee position—a classification allowing for productions to hire individuals lacking roster status for the purposes of training. In fact, Ron’s most recent job, the Lena Waithe comedy series Twenties for BET, hired two of the first trainee graduates, Y7-A Utilities Terrell Woodard and Britney Darrett—with Britney receiving her training from 695 members Jeremy Brill and Amanda Beggs while Terrell was trained by members Jamie Gambell and Ben Greaves. Ron also credits their success in part to Boom Operator Kevin Culligan, who took it upon himself to help continue their education while working together on Twenties.
Britney’s hiring in particular represented an important milestone for women of color within Local 695, as Ron pointed out. “Before this, I’ve known of one other Black woman in the sound union and that’s Veda Campbell,” he explained. “I met her a long time ago when my dad was doing craft services on a set and I just thought that was the coolest thing. Here was this Black female who was working on a set as a boss and I just remember it to this day. I didn’t realize it at the time but that was life-changing to see something like that; to see her make it that far. And now there are five more Black women going through the trainee process. That’s how I know that it’s working and that it’s getting results.” When asked, Ron expressed optimism about future trainees and the push for diversity within the Local as a whole. “I think the union has a lot of tools to help women and people of color be successful. The Y-16A is a position, not a program. Now, we just need to get the knowledge out there. The more I have gotten involved, I’ve realized that a lot of people don’t have the same resources and access that I have.”

Kenn Fuller, Jestin Willard (Y-16A), Kevin Culligan, and Ronald Hairston on Generation.

When asked to elaborate, Ron praised his father, Ronald Hairston, Sr., a UCLA graduate with a master’s in film who spent more than thirty years in the industry working in craft services. Though this was not Ron Sr.’s first choice, it was a career path he chose as it allowed him to work as his own boss and, by extension, side step the racial prejudices he encountered with previous employers. “It’s kind of sad,” Ron Jr. confided to me. “He was very accomplished for the childhood he had and was working on these shows where his education and his knowledge of film was greater than a lot of the people around him. But he was always trying to put us into a position to succeed. He spent all of his money on our education so I would be set up for success.” Ron went onto credit his father as the reason that he found his calling in Hollywood. “He got me where I am today. It’s just natural for me being on set. I saw the pirate ship on Hook being built. I got to feed lions on the set of George of the Jungle and meet Michael Jordan on the original Space Jam. That was all before I was even thirteen years old. Everything he’s done, everything he’s sacrificed to get me where I am today just made things so much easier than it could have been. Not everyone’s been put in a position to succeed like me. I’m fortunate and I know that, which is why it’s so important to give back.”

: Tom Payne and Ronald Hairston on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Ron expressed to me that he strives to provide his own children with the same opportunities for success that his father gave to him, though acknowledged the inherent challenges of such an endeavor. “Sound is easy but raising kids is hard. It’s the best worst thing I’ve ever done. Until I got into this position of trying to raise kids and working the hours I work, I didn’t realize how difficult it would be. When we welcomed our baby girl, I felt the need to get back to work to make sure I didn’t lose my job.” This feat would be impossible without the help of his partner and loving wife, Christina, whom he described as the MVP of their family. Nonetheless, he lamented the burden that his work in our industry has placed on her. “I couldn’t imagine doing my job and raising my kids the way I would like to,” he said. “I feel like it’s unfair that she has to do so much because of the hours I work and not being able to miss work. I want to be there for her and them more than I am. And there are days when things are hectic at her job or she just needs a break, so I just have to be the one who is more tired and figure out a way to get things done.”

Tom Payne, Kenn Fuller, Ronald Hairston, and Kevin Culligan on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Ron’s comments echo many made about the impact of long hours in Hollywood over the last several years. Though concerns centered on drowsy driving after periods of prolonged overtime, a phenomenon the industry has taken steps to counter, the impact on families remains a troubling issue. “It causes stress and concerns in the house,” he explained. “Jobs are taken off the table. I don’t feel like I can do a show out of town for a while with two young kids. A producer called me to go do Macgruber in New Mexico and my wife really didn’t want me to go. It was a real dilemma. I was worried that if I turned it down, I’d have to go back to doing utility work for a few months after I worked my way up to mixer. That’s the nature of this job.”

These issues and many more continue to plague our union. However, through the efforts of dedicated members like Ron Hairston and all of the women and men who offer up their time to the causes of equity, diversity, and opportunity, we are beginning to see things move in a positive direction. I would like to thank Ron for taking the time to sit down and speak with me about his career, his life, and the work he’s doing as a member of our union. His efforts are helping to forward Local 695 in its mission of nurturing equality within our industry. Members who are interested in being a part of this reform are encouraged to reach out to the Local about joining the Women’s Committee or the committee for Equity, Diversity and Outreach.

On December 2 of 2020, then President-Elect Joe Biden declared his intention to be “the most pro-union president you’ve ever seen.” This was a welcome proclamation, as union membership and influence has been in steady decline for decades. Today, it is estimated that just 10.8 percent of workers in America belong to a collective bargaining organization, down to less than a third of where we stood at our peak in the 1950’s. This is in spite of the fact that, by and large, research shows labor unions to be a net positive to their members. A 2020 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics concluded that workers belonging to unions, on average, earned wages nineteen percent higher than their nonunion peers while an April 2021 study published in The Quarterly Journal of Economics determined that income inequality has waxed as the membership of unions has waned. Moreover, unions are popular. A Gallup poll published in September 2020 shows a sixty-five percent approval rating among Americans, their highest rating since 2003. With this unique opportunity afforded to us by both a high favorability rating and an ally in the White House, unions are relying on members like Ron Hairston to take charge and shape the change we need in the world.

The Four-Person Sound Crew

by Jamie Gambell

Daniel Quintana, Erin Fitzgerald, Jamie Gambell, Terrell Woodard, Johnny Evans

“Left track, boom, right track, radios”; the first words I said into the slate mic on the first shot of the first scene of my first feature film I mixed. The camera shooting through the door as two characters go through it and run down a flight of metal stairs following them down. A simple setup of an HHB Portadat, SQN field mixer,
and just two Audio Ltd 2020 radio mics (with Sanken
Cos-11’s). It was the only time that my team; myself, Boom Operator Ben Greaves, and Utility Tim Surrey, would use those radio mics for the entire show. How times have changed.

In the decades since that day, the role and workload of the Sound Utility has grown exponentially; multitrack recoding on set and the quality of the tools has seen radio mics becoming more and more prevalent, and, indeed, on some shows, we live and die by those tools. Good Trouble, the freeform series that I have been mixing for three seasons, is one of those shows. A spin-off from the earlier show, The Fosters, Good Trouble, follows two characters from the preceding series as they move to L.A., and into their twenties. The two sisters join a cast of characters living in a communal space, and we are introduced to a regular cast of eight who each come with their own cast of supporting characters through the trials of work or love life. More often than not, scenes feature most if not all of them. It is not uncommon to film scenes with fourteen to seventeen wires.

Daniel Quintana prepping Terrell Woodard to practice some booming

The filming style and ensemble nature of the show meant that my team had to adapt in two ways, Boom Operator Daniel Quintana found himself dancing alongside our camera operators, who used rehearsals to discover parameters rather than shots. Our DP, Marco Fargnoli, remains in constant contact with both camera operators and changes shot and frame on the fly. It’s frantic and frenetic, but Daniel is able to keep up with cast and operators alike. It can lead to many wide and tight situations, and our ability to roll with it and keep a smile on our faces has probably done more good these last few years, especially once I got the assurance from post that they were more than happy with what we were giving them.

For everything that Daniel does, and he does a lot, we lean hard into the wires, and the Utility, in this case, Johnny Evans.

A good Sound Utility is not only a member of the Sound Department, but also a ‘member’ of the Wardrobe and Production departments. Managing timing and expediency while bringing cast through the process, working with wardrobe to ensure that mics are hidden and effective. This ensures that production is able to maximize the use of the cast, that they are kept comfortable, and able to perform, and we are able to record a usable sound track with options for post.

Two things have become very apparent to me, firstly, the role of the Utility is no longer the “entry level” position that it was once seen to be, and secondly, more often than not, the workload of the Sound Department has grown to the extent that we should be asking for a four-person department. Indeed, I have made it part of my initial conversation with producers.

Day one on Good Trouble season three. L to R: Jamie Gambell,
Terrell Woodard, Daniel Quintana, Johnny Evans

First, the workload. Before Covid, I asked about the possibility of having that additional person be a permanent part of the team, but our producers hadn’t budgeted for that expense out the gate. However, I was able to get them to agree that when the cast count got above a certain number, we would bring in an additional Utility to help with wiring. It has proven to be very effective, and, when the producers started to talk to me about how to continue filming during the Covid era, while remaining safe and efficient, we continued to use this model. It may seem counter-intuitive to have more crew during a pandemic to some, but by having those extra hands, we are able to limit cross-contact and keep equipment sanitized and safe in a way that doesn’t add time to the day.

Jamie Gambell & crew. L to R: is Jamie Gambell,
Mitchell Gebhard, Daniel Quintana, Johnny Evans,
and Terrell Woodard

I also switched to the Shure Axient system to prepare for our return. I could write a whole article on the sound quality and confidence in wireless management, along with their battery life and hands-off control features that make them the ideal tool for this type of world we currently film in, but that’ll have to wait for another day!

Good Trouble is the second show that I have worked on with a four-person sound team. The other was It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, season fourteen. That show had a permanent four-person team (Boom Operator Daniel Quintana, Utility Alexis Schafer, and Sound Service Person, initially Kraig Kishi, later, Yohannes Skoda). It proved to be an excellent model, and definitely another option for productions to consider a permanent addition if the budget is tighter.

L to R: Iris von Haas, Terrell Woodard, Johnny Evans,
Jamie Gambell, Daniel Quintana

The role of Sound Utility has changed enough so that it is far from an entry-level job. One thing that became apparent to me, that we, as a local, need to work harder at mentoring and assisting those looking to join. Not only to ensure that they are doing well, but that we collectively are building a foundation of success and talent to make our craft better across the board. It was with this in mind, and conversations with other mixers, that I learned about the Local’s Y-16A position, the trainee position that encourages a safe, learning environment on set and avoids displacement.
I once again went back to our producers.

Good Trouble prides itself as being a diverse show, promoting minorities through casting and storytelling. I asked our incredibly supportive Producer, Chris Sacani, about the possibility of helping to promote that same diversity by bringing on a trainee. To her eternal credit, she went to bat and presented the idea to the network, who okayed us bringing on a trainee for season three, as well as continuing our current practice of bringing in extra hands as and when needed.

Gambell’s sound cart

We were joined in season three by Terrell Woodard. Ironically the separation and controlled Covid protocols helped in training, with each person’s role within the department being more defined and isolated, allowing Terrell to watch and find the time to ask questions.

Safety and sanitation protocols on some shows have created space for a fourth person on the team, often in the form of an on-set Sound Utility and a base-camp Wiring Utility. More shows are learning about the trainee position and embracing the idea. I’ve spoken to many mixers who are working with one or both additions to their crew. In an ideal world, a fourth person would be the norm to account for the expansion of work that our department has seen over time. An additional Utility or Sound Service Person in either a full-time or partial capacity, and a trainee would be beneficial. An additional crew member allows for a much more efficient production, especially when the schedule is king. Having an eye to the future, and providing a safe environment for people to learn and develop, will encourage more success for members as the additional workdays will do a lot to ensure that our members are kept busy.

Jamie Gambell uses a Cantar X3 and Cantaress Control Surface. His Boom Operators use Schoeps MK41/CMC1 with a Cut 60 Low Cut capsule indoors, and the Mini CMIT outside. He switched to the Shure Axient system, and uses the smaller ADX1M packs, with DPA 6061 lavs as his go-to mics.

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IATSE LOCAL 695
5439 Cahuenga Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA 91601

phone  (818) 985-9204
email  info@local695.com

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