big purchase help

Now Rick lets get real. Ronald pays his workers between $7.16 and $9.06. So even at the highest rate you would only make $108.72 straight time for 12 hours or 126.84 if you figure the last 4 at time and a half. And they are not the worst by far. Minimum wage for tipped employees is around $2 an hour in many states.

And 12 hours in McD would not be a fun choice.

For the curious who work 9-5's the reason that some film pay see really large is that many folks don't work that often. A freelance sound editor on full budget features generally only works 1/2 the year. The rest you are scrambling trying to find the next gig.

BTW film assistants on full budget films were only pulling 220 - 250 a day. A union first assistant was getting $330. now post is a 10 hour day instead of a 12 so that skews stuff a bit.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions this is my new list of potential gear.

MKH50 1200$
MKH416 1000$
TASCAM DR-680 440$
memory card and batteries 20$
Rode Lav Mic with MiCon 7 XLR connector 273$
Rycote "Softie" 95$
SD 302 (I'm going to see if I can get a deal on a used one) ???
Canare breakaway cable 140$
Senal SMH 1000 headphones 76$
cavision 5 section mixed fiber boom pole 135$
Gator case G-broadcaster 80$
I was looking at the TA3-type cables, any suggestion on witch one I should get.
and for the Remote Audio BDS I'll have to upgrade to that in the future.
I own XLR cables already but I'll snag acouple extra.
What type of 1/8th cable any suggestions
first aid kit.
granola bars.
Also what about sound blankets ?

[h=1][/h]
 
boxbreaker said:
I'm about to get into "location sound". I want to record audio for short films and documentaries. I've been trolling the forums and been reading Jay Rose's producing great sound for video. I've been building a shopping cart and wanted to hear what anyone thought of it.

MKH50 -1200$
MKH416 -1000$
1 countryman b3 xlr lav -180$ ( I figure I'd rely on one wired lav, and suggest wild takes for the wide shots. I don't want to purchase a wireless system quite yet I'd like to avoid them if I can)
Rode Blimp -300$
mixpre-D -900$ ( This is something I was considering could wait but I will purchase if it adds to my value
tscam dr60-d -195$


I could also rent a mixer and additional lavs for more complex shoots. I want to offer a professional service maybe around 200$ - 250$. Would no TC capabilities be a issue? I'm I forgetting anything, any feedback before I pop would be much appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

Total of above $3775

Recommend:

DVcreator Location Sound Package 4
Includes
RODE Blimp
RODE NTG-3 Shotgun mic
K-TEK KE110CC boom pole
XLR cables

Add
Sound Devices 633

Total $4094 use your "dvxuser" coupon code knocks it down to $3889.30. So for $114.30 more than you were planning on spending, you'll have better sound + timecode, 10 track recording and long term investment items.
You'll still also need batteries, a bag, headphones, media and later get the lav.
 
Before you actually invest YOUR money actually find out what 'paying' clients need...... NOT what you think they need.
Forget 'non- paying' work unless you want to donate you time and $$$$.

Go to some Pro location audio sites and find out what gear people are actually using to earn a living.... For example the case you have chosen in your list is a waste of your $$$$, have a look at what pros are using...... and then work out why don't guess.
 
My potential clients will require at minimum a boom with indoor/outdoor mic, lav(s) and mixer. They want to know what gear I have and what work I've done. I'm looking to own a solid set of gear and work my way up from there, renting when needed. Instead of making an example you could let me know witch "bag" would be better. I'm asking questions to legit audio professionals here on this site.
 
For bags try Portabrace or Petrol...
http://www.portabrace.com/
http://www.petrolbags.com/Sound?set_sub_site=18

OK I work (so my views might be biased) in Broadcast TV and Commercial TV production where time is CRITICAL and multi track recording is rarely used as it just adds to much post production time.
Shooters in my city went through the DSLR trend and most have gone back to shooting on Video cameras, less time in post production where time is money, if they can walk in with a fully synced audio / video for a weekly 1hr show which they like to edit in 2 days adding an extra couple of hours for split audio is time they just don't have.

The 'standard' kit in my view 416 / NTG3 with a softie windshield, boompole, mixer 3-4 channel, Stereo mic, 2x radio mics(3 is better), breakaway cable and the ability to record on 2 devices (either 2x cameras or Camera / backup H4n). And the reason for the 4 channel mixer is with 3x radio mics and 1x pole you very rarely have to change mixer settings..........Time IS Money.

That setup will give you enough to do News / Current affairs, Doco, Commercial productions from paying clients.
 
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OP, this is not really a site that is full of working profesional sound folks. There are some, and probably just about everyone who responded here is, but you also get a fair number of nobudget filmmakers and nonsound people who have done some sound on their own projects. They of course have an opinion, but it might not reflect your reality.

What you need depends a LOT on what gigs you are going to be working and where you are.

I still don't know if you are trying to compete in LA or doing student films in Humboldt. VERY different markets.

But I am worried about the "plan" here. From this thread I would guess you have close to no experience doing sound.
Assuming I'm close to correct here buying a lot of stuff to do production sound is really a mistake unless you are just rolling in dough. This is a lot of money to drop into something you don't know you want to do.

Production sound work on features is grueling work with crazy long days. Considering all you have to bring to the table it is not particularly well paid and like sound in general is often overlooked and under considered. To really do this everyday takes a lot. For instance for features you may well need some portable structure you can set up under so you are not dying in the sun or getting soaked in the rain. You really need double of almost everything to cover breakage and malfunctions. Run and Gun is kind of the flip side. You need to be able to sling everything over your shoulder and move with the action.

You really want to experience some of this before you decide to drop 5-10 grand on equipment.

Anyway try looking at Jeff Wexlers site JWSound. The forum there are all (or mostly) working professionals doing location sound. They are not at all in the nobudget zone but you can get a feel for what the big boys are talking about.
 
I'm in SoCal, I would eventually want to compete in LA. I have experience in recording music. I work on film scores and I'm pro tools certified. I have a solid understanding of digital audio and the mechanics of sound. I'm dedicated to learning and improving. I'm willing to invest in my self. I have recorded audio for a couple of small projects using a h4n.
 
OK I'm going to be blunt here, but you are heading into a world where directors will throw things at you so you better be able to handle blunt...

Production and post folks (in Hollywood film circles) hardly know each other at all. The first is already on another gig by the time the later is dealing with the issues of the first gig.

ProTools "certified" means pretty much nothing in the film world. As close as you can get in post and somewhere past that in production. To the point that for most jobs I would leave that off my resume. It's good if your up for a teaching gig but not a film gig.

Recording music is not nothing but it has almost nothing to do with film recording unless you are aiming at working on a scoring stage.

"Film scores" would be music and that is not part of "sound" in the film world so another case where it might help you personally but unless you want to be a music editor you probably don't want to talk about that much.

The part that makes me think that maybe.. is the part where you sort of hint at working your butt off to do better. That out of all that "experience" is the one thing that might land you a gig.

The odds of working up to a "mixer" position from the out side in LA is close to nonexistent. If you want to work in the industry you need to find some working mixers and kiss their but till they let you volunteer on a shoot. You can also hound the LA IATSE office and see if you can get some kind of entry there but odds are they will pan you off onto event gigs nobody wants. The best way to get into the union is to get on a show and that means getting hired by a mixer who needs a body. If you have been there and showed up on some no paying gigs for them maybe you will be the body.

You can do the freelance no/low thing but it's kind of a dead end in LA.

The "problem" with things like "protools certification" is that they taught you A way to use ProTools, but for film you really need to work the way your supervisor wants you to work. Sometimes those are in stark contrast so being "certified" reads as being resistant to work the way I want you to work.

Now a lot of what you mentioned would only apply to post. Don't mention post skills if you are looking for a production gig, the two camps don't always get along.

If your thinking about post you better add a bunch of video skills to your education. Video is a moving target right now so you need to keep up with it constantly since your job is sound FOR picture and if the picture isn't working you are DOA.

Mechanics of sound are good. It's another one where you need to be careful where you say that since many folks in sound have very little understanding of the theories, but a great practical knowledge of how to get it done.

The short version. If your goal is to work on no/low indies for ever then what you propose is not bad. But if you want to work in the industry then your approach is a VERY long shot. You would be much better off spending the money to support yourself while you camped on Jef Wexler's front lawn till he gives you a non paying job.
 
OzGizmo said:
Wow, this thread has changed direction from the oiginal posting.
Click to expand...
Not really, at the core anyway. The guy asked about equipment for a career in production sound.
Folks could just answer the specific but his underlying question was about how to get into the field. A lot of folks have been "taught" by marketing that the equipment is the big factor. "Buy our box and you will be a professional".

So assuming the guy does actually want to do production sound he was really asking the wrong question, because the equipment won't help much. Also it became apparent that he really hasn't worked much/ at all on a real film set. Nobudget and student films sets are often VERY different from professional shoots. So it seems advising to get a taste of the reality is not a bad thing before you drop a big stack of cash on it.

Now I love film and theatre work. I have a thick skin and have lots of experience. But I have also seen folks crushed by the pressure. I had an intern at a theatre once who we couldn't let run shows (even really easy ones) because he got so tense over the pressure of doing cues that he would hyperventilate and pass out. Some people love the pressure others can't take it al all. It would be good to know which you are before you drop 5-10 grand in equipment.

If you have no other way to test it out there is a weird correlation between live performance work (which is essentially what production mixing is) and emergency medicine. Teaching hospitals used to, and probably still do, use a bunch of volunteers to help with the load. Usually they are medical students, but you can give that a shot. If you work a shift for a few months as a volunteer in an active ER you will either get energized and focused by the pressure or it will make you want to puke. You aren't doing any "medical" work really, just moving patients, running samples to labs, minor prep, etc. but it's tense because you are part (a very small part) of a team that if any part fails may have serious consequences. If you can handle the ER then you can probably handle the pressure.

Now that is going OT!, but weirdly still not so much.
 
First off, Let me say thanks for your insight it does help. I had to LOL after reading that last post.. I posted some of my history just to let you know I'm not Betty Crocker trying to hold a boom pole. As for pressure, that dosen't concern me. I will also be offering affordable music scores, ADR and restoration's on my spare time.
 
NEW LIST
Alright I narrowed down my list to used and new gear. I'm going all in. I'll have a website, business cards, flyers.


Used MKH 416 or NTG 3 500-700$
at4053b 600$
Used SD 302 800-1100$
Used A & B Sennheiser g3 300-400$ each
Roland r-44 900$
breakaway cable 150$
softie 90$
media 20 $
Boom pole 200$
portabrace ar-r44 200$
cables 100-200$
eng duffle bag 30 $
Tape & straps 20$
 
I would add that some of the points in the most negative review are head scratchers or completely irrelevant to the OP. He complains that "WiFi" is a "must have", really? What recorders out there have WiFi? And the fact that you can't easily mount it to a light stand and such...

But they demo'd this unit when it was new at a user group I belonged to and I was excited and then less and less so. Even their battery life claims were low. There were a bunch of things that bothered me, but it was a while ago.
 
Noiz2 said:
I would add that some of the points in the most negative review are head scratchers or completely irrelevant to the OP.
Click to expand...

Yeah, some points are pretty odd, but some things are relevant...

- The R-44 does not retain important settings between power cycles
- Switches are small and some are not illuminated ( common problem with a lot of gear )
- It's a battery hog ( this one I've experienced first hand )
 
I was going to point to the thread I talked about the R-44 in but a search of the forum for R-44 showed up nothing. Since I was searching the entire post (and it's been mentioned here) either the search is less than useful or it just doesn't work with something that short (and doesn't bother to let you know why it comes up with no results).

I think there were other killers for me, though the ones you mentioned rank right up there. Maybe a very short or no prerecord buffer? It isn't all that great a design for bag work, really seems designed for sitting on a table.

Personally I would aim more at the Tascam products (HDP2, DR680) .

They update firmware fairly quickly when people have problems.
They have been in the film recorder business for awhile and have some understanding of needs.
They have been very reliable in the field.

If you really need more than two tracks the Tascam will get you to 6 (8 depending on what you count) at a lot less. Though I hear it's a bit of a battery hog also.

The bigger format is actually a plus in location work. You are going to operation semi blind sometimes and having easy to find big buttons and clear indicators is a HUGE help. A selling point for me with the (no longer made Marantz PMD671) was the sliding record button. It's very much like the old HHB DAT deck and very easy to operate with out looking.
 
Noiz2 said:
Personally I would aim more at the Tascam products (HDP2, DR680)
Click to expand...

Yes. Great bang for the buck.

Noiz2 said:
You are going to operation semi blind sometimes and having easy to find big buttons and clear indicators is a HUGE help. A selling point for me with the (no longer made Marantz PMD671) was the sliding record button. It's very much like the old HHB DAT deck and very easy to operate with out looking.
Click to expand...

The Marantz PMD671 was such a beast size wise. One of my first recorders was the PMD670, and I can't image trying to lug that thing around in a bag.
 
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